• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.261-276
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• 2016

The occurrence of natural radioactive materials such as uranium and radon-222 in groundwater was examined with hydrogeochemistry and geology at ○○ village in the Yongin area. Two rounds of 19 groundwater and 5 surface water sampling were collected for analysis. The range of pH value in groundwaters was 5.81 to 7.79 and the geochemical types of the groundwater were mostly Ca(Na)-HCO₃ and Ca(Na)-NO₃(Cl)-HCO₃. Uranium and radon-222 concentrations in the groundwater ranged from 0.06 to 411 μg/L and from 5.56 to 903 Bq/L, respectively. Two deep groundwaters used as common potable well-water sources exceeded the maximum contaminant levels of the uranium and radon-222 proposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Three groundwater samples from residential areas contained unsuitable levels of uranium, and 12 groundwater samples were unsuitable due to radon-222 concentrations. Radioactive materials in the unsuitable groundwater are naturally occurring in a Jurassic amphibole- and biotite-bearing granitic gneiss. High uranium and radon-222 groundwater concentrations were only observed in two common wells; the others showed no relationship between bedrock geology and groundwater geochemical constituents. With such high concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive materials in groundwater, the affected areas may extend tens of meters for uranium and even farther for radon-222. Therefore, we suggest the radon-222 and the uranium did not originate from the same source. Based on the distribution of radon-222 in the study area, zones of higher radon-222 concentrations may be the result of diffusion through cracks, joint, or faults. Surface radioactivity and uranium concentrations in the groundwater show a positive relationship, and the impact areas may extend for ~200m beyond the well in the case of wells containing high concentrations of uranium. The highest uranium and thorium concentrations in rock samples were detected in thorite and monazite.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.533-545
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• 2015

Spatial and seasonal variations in hydrogeochemical characteristics and the factors affecting the deterioration in quality of shallow portable groundwater in an agricultural area are examined. The aquifer consists of (from the surface to depth) agricultural soil, weathered soil, weathered rock, and bedrock. The geochemical signatures of the shallow groundwater are mostly affected by the NO₃⁻ and Cl⁻ contaminants that show a gradual downward increase in concentration from the upper area, due to the irregular distribution of contamination sources. The concentrations of the major cations do not varied with the elapsed time and the NO₃⁻ and Cl⁻ ions, when compared with concentrations in background groundwater, increase gradually with the distance from the upper area. This result suggests that the water quality in shallow groundwater deteriorates due to contaminant sources at the surface. The contaminations of the major contaminants in groundwater show a positive linear relationship with electrical conductivity, indicating the deterioration in water quality is related to the effects of the contaminants. The relationships between contaminant concentrations, as inferred from the ternary plots, show the contaminant concentrations in organic fertilizer are positively related to concentrations of NO₃⁻, Cl⁻, and SO₄²⁻ ions in the shallow portable groundwaters, which means the fertilizer is the main contaminant source. The results also show that the deterioration in shallow groundwater quality is caused mainly by NO₃⁻ and Cl⁻ derived from organic fertilizer with additional SO₄²⁻ contaminant from livestock wastes. Even though the concentrations of the contaminants within the shallow groundwaters and the contaminant sources are largely variable, it is useful to consider the ratio of contaminant concentrations and the relationship between contaminants in groundwater samples and in the contaminant source when analyzing deterioration in water quality.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.347-355
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• 1986

The Sonakdong river is very important water source not only for agricultural water of Kimhae field but also for fishery water. Recently the middle and lower areas of the river have the tendency to be heavily contaminated by domestic sewage and agricultural chemicals. Fifty six water samples were collected from 8 stations from July to December in 1985 for the experiment (Fig. 1). To evaluate the water quality, pH, water temperature, electrical conductivity, chloride ion, nutrients ($NO^{-}_{2}-N,\;NO^{-}_{3}-N,\;NH^{+}_{4}-N,\;PO^{3-}_{4}-P,\;SiO_2-Si$), total coliform, fecal coliform, and fecal streptococcus were determined. Range and mean value of the samples were as follows; pH $6.3{\sim}9.4$, 7.91; water temperature $6.1{\sim}34.8^{\circ}C,\;23.88^{\circ}C$; electrical conductivity (from St. A to G) $1.575{\times}10^2{\sim}30.50{\times}10^2{\mu}{\mho}/cm,\;6.57{\times}10^2{\mu}{\mho}/cm$; chloride ion $23.5{\sim}14,300mg/l$, 770.0mg/l; nitrite-nitrogen $0.007{\sim}0.110mg/l$, 0.053mg/l; nitrate-nitrogen $0.001{\sim}1.638mg/l$, 0.649 mg/l; ammonia-nitrogen $0.017{\sim}4.200mg/l$, 0.497mg/l; phosphate-phoshorus $0.011{\sim}0.281mg/l$, 0.086mg/l; and silicate-silicious $2.4{\sim}6.5mg/l$, 4.43mg/l. Electrical conductivity and chloride ion of the station F(Chomanpo) were $2.676{\times}10^2{\mu}{\Omega}cm$ and 123.99mg/l which were lower than those of others. Among the analyzed nutrients, silicate-silicious concentration was the highest through all the samples. The bacterial density of the samples ranged $36{\sim}110,000/100ml$ for total coliform, $15{\sim}46,000/100ml$ for fecal coliform and $3.6{\sim}15,000/100ml$ for fecal streptococcus. The range and the mean of the TC/FC ratio were $3.0{\sim}9.6$, 5.51 and those of the FC/FS ratio were $1.1{\sim}9.2$, 6.19, respectively. On the other hand, fecal coliform was not detected in about $78\%$ of the water samples examined. Composition of coliform was $52\%$ Escherichia coli group, $3\%$ Citrobacter freundii group, $13\%$ Enterobacter aerogenes group and $31\%$ others.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.4
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• pp.370-378
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• 2009

This study tries to provide the basic direction to form the arboretum with the distinct features by providing the basic data to help the differentiated strategy for each arboretum. For this purpose, the users' pattern, importance of the indicator by the function, and the stimulation and specialization importance were examined for Daegu Arboretum, Gyeongbuk Arboretum and Gyeongnam Arboretum in Gyeongsang Province. The result says, looking into the functions of arboretum, the collection function showed the highest importance in the preservation of the endangered crisis species; the display function showed the highest in the use as the nature experiencing spaces through the plant exhibition; the research function showed the highest in the study on Plant Systematics; the education function showed the highest in the protection of the native plants; and the recreational function showed the highest in the healthy recreational space. In the plan for the promotion of the arboretum showed the highest in the public education program operation such as the narration from arboretum and education for plant. Therefore, it is considered to need the system setup such as the education program, material development and specialist training in terms of the arboretum. For the specialization plan for arboretum in this study, it seem desirable to concentrate on the research and education related to the natural resources renewal, for Daegu Arboretum; to concentrate on the resort site for the protection and display of the species and the disabled visitors by utilizing the geographical traits in the mountains, for Gyeongbuk Arboretum; to create the specialization plan mainly for the tree species suitable for the warm weather and for the children.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.1 s.115
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• pp.85-92
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• 2006

To evaluate the primary production and nutrient uptake of macrophytes in Lake Paldang, this study investigate the vegetation areas of six dominant aquatic plants including Typha angustifolia, Zizania latifolia, Phragmites australis, Trapa japonica, Nelumbo nucifera and Savinia natans, and contents of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus of each macrophyte. Total vegetation area of six dominant aquatic plants was 1.37 $km^2$. Among them, Typha angustifolia was the most wide-distributed species which occupied the 46.7% of total vegetation area. Littoral zone of South Han river had the largest vegetation area with 0.458 $km^2$, and North Han river, Kyungan river and confluence area in the order named. The results of the contents of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus of macrophytes showed that the carbon contents of emergent macrophytes was higher than that of other life-forms. The nitrogen content of Salvinia natans, free-floating macrophyte was highest and that of Typha angustifolia, emergent macrophyte was lowest. The phosphorus content of Trapa japonica showed the highest content of phosphorus among six macrophytes and emergent macrophytes such as Zizania latifolia and Phragmites australis showed lower contents of phosphorus than other life-forms. The annual net primary production of macrophytes in Lake Paldang, 2004, was calculated as 758.4 ton C $yr^{-1}$ and the annual net nitrogen and phosphorus uptake of macrophyte was 16,921 kg $yr^{-1}$ and 1,841.0 kg P $yr^{-1}$ respectively. Comparing the total budget of organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in Lake Paldang, the amount of primary production and nutrient uptake by macrophytes take a small portion in total budget implying macrophytes do not play an important role in budget of matters in river-type lake, Lake Paldang.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.129-143
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• 1993

The objective of this study is to understand the status of the water pollution in rural areas and to furnish a basic material for the management of the water pollution in rural areas. For this purpose, the Bokha river basin, Ichon-Gun, Kyungki-Do considering as a typical agricultural area was selected as a representative experimental watershed. The characteristics of water pollution in streams of the Bokha river basin was revealed by investigating and analyzing data collected for the source of pollution, water qualities in reaches of the stream, the degree of contribution to the river contamination by pollution mass produced from each source, and the status of the self-purification at the main stream. The most important source of the water pollution in investigated watershed was livestock, and the next important one were in the order of population, land use, and industry. The water quality of the Bokha river was relatively favorable judging from the BOD and COD concentration, however since the concentration of T-N and T-P showed significantly large values, it was concluded that the river was seriously contaminated by the nutrient material. The main cause of the river contamination was proved due to livestock waste. For the T-N, both land use and livestock were much more contributied to the pollution than any other source, which characterized the typical water pollution of rural areas. Run-off ratios for the Bokha river tributaries to the main stream were changed according to the similar trend to the variation of discharges in the branch streams. For the value of the self-purification constant at the main stream, it showed smaller value in the downstream reach than the middle-stream and upstream reaches, where could possibly have smaller reoxidation action due to slower velocity and deeper water depth.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.305-314
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• 2010

The stabilization process using limestone ($CaCO_3$) and steel making slag as the immobilization amendments was investigated for As contaminated farmland soils around Chonam abandoned mine, Korea. Batch and continuous column experiments were performed to quantify As-immobilization efficiency in soil and the analyses using XRD and SEM/EDS for secondary minerals precipitated in soil were also conducted to understand the mechanism of Asimmobilization by the amendments. For the batch experiment, with 3% of limestone and steel making slag, leaching concentration of As from the contaminated soil decreased by 62% and 52% respectively, compared to that without the amendment. When the mixed amendment (2% of limestone and 1% of steel making slag) was used, As concentration in the effluent solution decreased by 72%, showing that the mixed of limestone and steel making slag has a great capability to immobilize As in the soil. For the continuous column experiments without the amendment, As concentration from the effluent of the column ranged from 50 to $80\;{\mu}g/L$. However, with 2% limestone and 1% steel making slag, more than 80% diminution of As leaching concentration occurred within 1 year and maintained mostly below $10\;{\mu}g/L$. Results from XRD and SEM/EDS analysis for the secondary minerals created from the reaction of the amendments with $As^{+3}$ (arsenite) investigated that portlandite ($Ca(OH)_2$), calcium-arsenite (Ca-As-O) and calcite ($CaCO_3$) were main secondary minerals and the distinct As peaks in the EDS spectra of the secondary minerals can be observed. These findings suggest that the co-precipitation might be the major mechanisms to immobilize As in the soil medium with limestone and steel making slag.