• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.25-35
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• 2005

This study analyzed total concentrations and existing forms of heavy metals in soils of Ulsan using a sequential extraction method. Soil samples were collected from 6 categorized areas including green, residential, heavy traffic, petrochemical industrial complex(IC), mechanical and shipbuilding IC, and non-ferrous metal IC areas. which represent different emission characteristics. The highest total concentrations of heavy metals by a sequential extraction analysis were observed in the soils collected from the non-ferrous metal IC area, followed by the mechanical and shipbuilding IC and heavy traffic areas. Dominant(> 50%) existing forms of Cd, Cr and Ni were residual forms followed by Fe and Mn oxides in almost areas. Residual fractions in the non-ferrous metal IC areas were relatively lower than those in other areas. However, the fractions of organic and sulphides in the IC areas were higher. The dominant farms of Cu were much different with the investigated areas. In most areas, the dominant forms of Pb and Zn were Fe and Mn oxides, followed by residual fraction for Pb. The exchangeable and carbonate fractions represent mobility of metallic elements in soils. They are also significantly affected by the environmental renditions, such as pHs of soil and rainfall. In this study the exchangeable and carbonate fractions were lower than other fractions. Because the total concentrations of heavy metals in the soils of the non-ferrous metal IC area were extremely high, however, the mobile fractions of heavy metals in the IC area would be significant. Thus a large amount of heavy metals can be released into plants, water bodies, and soils. Therefore, urgent measures, such as source control for soil remediation of heavy metals, in the non-ferrous metal IC areas are essentially required. Analysis results obtained from the sequential extraction and the aqua regia extraction showed a high correlation, whose determination coefficients(R2) of heavy metals except Cd approximately ranged from 0.7 to 0.9.