• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.4C
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• pp.231-238
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• 2008

A column testing device capable of measuring the electrical resistivity of soil at 3 different locations was developed to verify applicability of bulk electrical conductivity (BEC) breakthrough curves in monitoring contaminant transport. Tracer injection tests were conducted with three different types of saturated sands to obtain average linear velocities and longitudinal hydrodynamic dispersion coefficients based on BEC breakthrough curves and effluent solute breakthrough curves. Comparative analysis of transport parameters obtained from curve fitting the results into the analytical solutions confirmed the validity of resistance measurements in estimating time-continuous resident solute concentration. Under the assumption that a linear relationship exists between ${\sigma}_{sat}-{\sigma}_w-C$, the BEC breakthrough curves are able to effectively reduce the laborious and time-consuming processes involved in the conventional method of sampling and analysis. In order to reduce possible uncertainties in analyzing the BEC breakthrough curves, it was recommended that resistance measurements take place nearby the effluent boundary. In addition, a sufficient electrical contrast or difference in the electrical conductivity of the influent and the saturating solution is required to conduct reliable analysis.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.315-333
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• 2009

In this study, the hydrochemical and the isotopic characteristics of major streams in the Daejeon area were investigated during rainy and dry seasons. The stream water shows the electrical conductivity of the range of $37{\sim}527{\mu}s$/cm, and pH $6.21{\sim}9.83$. The chemical composition of stream waters can be grouped as three types: the upper streams of Ca(Mg)-$HCO_3$ type, Ca(Mg)-$SO_4(Cl)$ type of middle streams flowing through urban area, and Na(Ca)-$HCO_3$(Cl, $SO_4$) type of the down streams. Based on in-situ investigation, the high pH of stream waters flowing through urban area is likely to be caused by the inflow of a synthetic detergent discharging from the apartment complex. The electrical conductivity of stream waters at a dry season is higher than those of at a rainy season. We suggest that the hydro-chemical composition of stream waters in the Daejeon area was affected by the discharging water from the sewage treatment facilities and anthropogenic contaminants as well as the interaction with soil and rocks. ${\delta}D$ and ${\delta}^{18}O$ values of the stream waters show the relationship of ${\delta}D=6.45{\delta}^{18}O-7.4$, which is plotted at a lower area than global meteoric water line(GMWL) of Craig(1961). It is likely that this isotopic range results from the evaporation effect of stram waters and the change of an air mass. The isotope value shows an increasing trend from upper stream to lower stream, that reflects the isotopic altitude effect. The relationship between ${\delta}^{13}C$ and $EpCO_2$ indicates that the carbon as bicarbonate in stream water is mainly originated from $CO_2$ in the air and organic materials. The increasing trend of ${\delta}^{13}C$ value from upper stream waters to lower stream waters can be attributed to the following reasons: (1) an increasing dissolution of $CO_2$ gas from a contaminated air in downtown area of the Daejeon, and (2) the increment of an inorganic carbon of groundwater inflowed into stream by base flow. Based on the relationship between ${\delta}^{34}S$ and $SO_4$ of stream waters, the stream waters can be divided into four groups. $SO_4$ content increases as a following order: upper and middle Gab stream${\delta}^{34}S$ value decreases as above order. ${\delta}^{34}S$ value indicates that sulfur of stream waters is mainly originated from atmosphere, and is additionally supplied by pyrite source according to the increase of sulfate content. The sulfur isotope analysis of a synthetic detergent and sewage water as a potential source of the sulfur in stream waters is furtherly needed.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.355-358
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: Water-born pollution loads by agricultural non-point source (NPS) pollution are expected to become intensified due to ongoing precipitation change. Therefore, it is essential to develop a best management practice (BMP) that is suitable to agricultural environments in Korea. This study aimed to develop an environmental-friendly BMP to reduce NPS pollution load by agricultural activities. An eco-friendly way, small drainage pond, was suggested in this study to avoid direct drainage of agricultural runoffs and eventually reduce the amount of pollutants discharged into the surrounding aqua-environment. METHODS AND RESULTS: A small pond ($12m^2$) was constructed at the corner of a rice paddy field ($1,715m^2$) located in Suwon, Korea. Water was allowed to drain only via a small drainage pond. Sampling was repeatedly made at two locations, one from an entrance and the other from an exit of a pond, during the rice cultivation period (May to October, 2012). Generally, sampling was made only when runoff water drained through a pond, such as during and/or after rain (irrigation). The water quality analysis showed that all quality parameters (SS, $COD_{Mn}$, T-N, and T-P) were improved as water passed through the pond. The amount of runoff water was reduced by 96~100%. Suspended solids and COD concentrations was reduced by 79.3% and 45.6%, respectively. In case of T-N and T-P concentrations, the reduction rates were 52.2% and 60.5%, respectively and the amount of T-N and T-P were reduced by 16.3~73.0% and 15.4~70.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION(S): Our data implies that agricultural NPS pollution from rice paddy fields can be effectively managed when an appropriate drainage water management practice is imposed. In this paper, it was suggested that an installation of a small drainage pond can be effective to prevent not only the nutrient loss from rice fields but also pollutant discharge to surrounding water environments.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.5 s.174
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• pp.547-561
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• 2005

General characteristics of groundwater contamination by As were reviewed with several recent researches, and its occurrence in groundwater of Korea was investigated based on a ffw previous studies and a groundwater quality survey in Nonsan and Geumsan areas. In Bangladesh, which has been known as the most serious arsenic calamity country, about $28\%$ of the shallow groundwaters exceeded the Bangladesh drinking water standard, $50{\mu}g/L$, and it was estimated that about 28 million people were exposed to concentrations greater than the standard. Groundwater was characterized by circum-neutral pH with a moderate to strong reducing conditions. Low concentrations of $SO_4^{2-}$ and $NO_3^-$, and high contents of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and $NH_4^+$ were typical chemical characteristics. Total As concentrations were enriched in the Holocene alluvial aquifers with a dominance of As(III) species. It was generally agreed that reductive dissolution of Fe oxyhydroxides was the main mechanism for the release of As into groundwater coupling with the presence of organic matters and microbial activities as principal factors. A new model has also been suggested to explain how arsenic can naturally contaminate groundwaters far from the ultimate source with transport of As by active tectonic uplift and glaciatiion during Pleistocene, chemical weathering and deposition, and microbial reaction processes. In Korea, it has not been reported to be so serious As contamination, and from the national groundwater quality monitoring survey, only about $1\%$ of grounwaters have concentrations higher than $10{\mu}g/:L.$ However, it was revealed that $19.3\%$ of mineral waters, and $7\%$ of tube-well waters from Nonsan and Geumsan areas contained As concentrations above $10{\mu}g/:L.$. Also, percentages exceeding this value during detailed groundwater quality surveys were $36\%\;and\;22\%$ from Jeonnam and Ulsan areas, respectively, indicating As enrichment possibly by geological factors and local mineralization. Further systematic researches need to proceed in areas potential to As contamination such as mineralized, metasedimentary rock-based, alluvial, and acid sulfate soil areas. Prior to that, it is required to understand various geochemical and microbial processes, and groundwater flow characteristics affecting the behavior of As.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.368-374
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• 1999

This study was designed to investigate effects of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment on physiological changes of microbial cells, using domestically fabricated pilot scale PEF device. The effect of non-thermal PEF treatment on physiological characteristics of microorganisms was determined by salt resistance, the amount of UV absorbents, cell staining, recovery rate of defected cells, and changes in structure of cell membrane. Salt resistance of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Rhodotorula minuta was examined after PEF treatment at 40 kV/cm, 84 pulse, $10{\mu}s$ pulse duration. Approximately $1\;log_{10}$ cell number of viable microorganisms was decreased by addition of salt. PEF treatment significantly increased the amount of UV absorbents at 260 and 280 nm because of leakage from damaged cell membrane by PEF treatment. Although three kinds of microorganisms treated by PEF were difficult to be observed due to their cell membrane damage, untreated cells were clearly observed by a microscope. PEF-treated R. minuta was not stained by methylene blue due to cell membrane defect. When E. coli, B. subtilis and R. minuta were cultured after PEF treatment, they showed 5, 4, and 8 hr longer lag phase, respectively, compared to control, but growth rates were not affected.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2004

The mixture of botanical antimicrobial agent-citurs product and ginseng extract mixture(BAACG) was applied to garlic stalk or pork cooked in soysauce to extend their selflife. BAACG showed a remarkable antimicrobial activity against a wide spectrum of food-borne infection microorganisms and thermal and pH stability. In comparison with scanning electron microscopic photos of microbial cells not-treated and treated with BAACG the physiological cytomembrane function of BAACG-treated microorganisms was destroyed and the dead cell numbers was increased. The quality of garlic stalk or pork cooked in soysauce was controlled by the addition of BAACG in their raw materials. BAACG-treated garlic stalk or pork cookeries showed considerably to decrease the numbers of total cell count and expressed no odor and no sticky state appeared in the control. BAACG was expected to be a preservative agent which could be applied to raw or processed food stuffs in the view of food safety.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.858-863
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• 2020

We experimented with the particle-settling velocity and CHCl3 absorption efficiency of seven activated-carbon and analyzed seven heavy metal contents by elution for application to the field treatment of sunken HNS on the marine seabed. The mean particle-settling velocity was in the range 0.5-8 cm/s, except when the 8-20 mesh was used. The larger the HNS particle, the faster the particle-settling velocity was, and the CHCl3 absorption efficiency increased considerably owing to the larger surface area. In addition, the elution test results showed that the total Zn and As contents in >100-meshed activated carbon was higher than the contents criteria for the standard for water-treatment agents, and Cr, Zn, and As were released at higher concentrations than those released by other activated-carbon groups. Taken together, the CHCl3 absorption efficiency, settling velocity, and elution test results suggested that the 20-60, 20-40, and 2mm&down mesh activated-carbon adsorbents could be applied to the field treatment of HNSs and that the minimum required amount for field treatment were 0.82, 0.90, and 1.28 ton/㎘, respectively, as calculated based on the HNS-adsorption-capacity priority.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.439-446
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• 2009

Nitrogen balance in the regional scale which was calculated the difference between nitrogen input and output was estimated to assess the impact of rice cultivation on water environment. Nitrogen balances in Gyeonggi province, where nitrogen concentration in irrigation water was high and in Chungnam province, where nitrogen absorbtion by rice was high, were -5.4 and -8.3 kg $-8.3kg\;ha^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$, respectively. Nitrogen balances of paddy field in Gangwon province, where nitrogen output was small and irrigation water was clean, and in Gyeongnam province, where organic matter content of soil was high and rice yield was low, were 4.9 and $14.0kg\;ha^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$, respectively. Average nitrogen balance and total nitrogen absorption of paddy field in Korea were estimated to $-0.3kg\;ha^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$ and $-3,315Mg\;yr^{-1}$, respectively. When the nitrogen concentration in irrigation water was increased by $1mg \;L^{-1}$, nitrogen balance of rice paddy changed by $-2.91kg\;ha^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$. Also, when nitrogen fertilizer applied was decreased from 110 to $90kg\;ha^{-1}$ and the same harvest was maintained, the nitrogen absorption by rice paddy from irrigation water was estimated to increase by 10,600 Mg per year in Korea. However, in cases, the harvest was reduced to either 90% or 85%, nitrogen balances were changed from -11.7 to -2.3 and $2.4kg\;ha^{-1}$, respectively. These results suggest that the reduction of nitrogen fertilizer use may not always lead to a negative nitrogen balance and sustainable agriculture can achieve by not cutting down the use of fertilizer only but by reduction of fertilizer application concurrently by maintenance of harvest and by utilization of environmental characteristics such as nutrient contents in irrigation water and soils.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.218-227
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• 2015

A prerequisite for precise quantification of nanomaterials contained in environmental samples is to prepare suitable preservation conditions of samples. This study was initiated to suggest preservation conditions of aqueous samples for analyses of metal nanomaterials. Variation in the size of silver nanomaterial (cit-AgNP) was observed according to change in various conditions, such as pH, electrolyte concentration, temperature, nanomaterial concentration, and time. Aggregation of AgNP was characterized for each environmental condition, and finally proper preservation conditions of samples were proposed based on experimental results on AgNP aggregation. In addition, the preservation period of sample was computed by the doublet time of AgNP. The results indicate that the aggregation rate of cit-AgNP was close to 0 at the conditions of pH of ${\geq}7$, electrolyte ($Ca(NO_3)_2$) concentration of ${\leq}3mM$, temperature of $4^{\circ}C$, and cit-AgNP concentration of ${\leq}2mg/L$. Furthermore, the experimental results on doublet time of cit-AgNP suggest that maximum preservation period was evaluated to be 15.79~17.53 days when the concentration of 100 nm cit-AgNP is assumed to be $1{\mu}g/L$ which is considered as an environmentally-relevant concentration of engineered nanomaterials. Our results suggest that samples should be preserved at $4^{\circ}C$ and analyzed within 2 weeks.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.223-228
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the purification capacity of pollutants by column test with the tidal flat sediment. Sediment materials were taken from Chunjangdae tidal flat which located in Chungnam Seochungun. The column tests were conducted on four conditions(R1 : raw sewage filtered by G2 filter, R2 : sterilized sewage after filtered by GF/C filter, R3 : R2 /filtered(membrane) seawater (1:1), R4 : R2 /filtered(membrane) seawater(1:2)). The results of this study may be summarized as followed ; The removed COD by column tests were increased according to increasing the quantity of sewage. During the column tests of 580min, the total removed ammonia nitrogen were 90.1mg for R1, 81.0mg for R2, 27.6mg for R3 and 4.1mg for R4. The result was similar to COD experiment. During the 580min, the total removed total-phosphates were 3.4mg for R1, 4.2mg for R2, 5.6mg for R3 and 2.0mg for R4. The removal efficiency of Pb and Cd for R3 and R4 reactor were higher than R1 and R2 reactor. The remove of heavy metal by the column test was high in sample with seawater. But in the initial 20min, the adsorbed Pb and Cd showed about 3% of the total adsorbed Pb and Cd during 580min.