• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.311-318
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• 2007

Soil contamination in Korea has been accelerated every year. Because of their persistence and cumulative tendency in the environment, soil contaminants have potential long-term environmental and health concerns and it is estimated to cost enormous expense for clean-up. Korea government has legislated the law on conservation of soil environment in mid 1990s, and managed and treated hazardous wastes in contaminated sites as a remediation policy since then. Soil remediation technologies are classified into in-situ/ex-situ or biological/physico-chemical/thermal processes according to applied places or treatment methods, respectively. In Korea, clean-up of polluted sites has been mostly carried out at military areas, railroad-related sites and small-scale oil spilt sites. For these cases, in-situ remediation technologies such as soil vapor extraction (SVE) and bioventing were mainly used. In recent days, an environmental-friendly soil remediation emerged as a new concept - for example, a new soil remediation process using nanotechnology or molecular biological study and an integrated process which can overcome the limitation of individual process. To have better applicability of remediation technologies, comprehensive understandings about the pollutants and soil characteristics and the suitable techniques are required to be investigated. Above all, development of environmental technologies based on the sustainability accompanied by public attention can improve soil environment in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.429-432
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• 2005

Geophysical investigations, as a non-invasive method, were conducted at the former gas station site contaminated with fuel hydrocarbons. GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) survey was performed to locate buried objects such as USTs (Underground Storage Tanks) and fuel pipes which might serve as a origin of the site contamination. Additional GPR investigation and a resistivity survey were conducted to map water table and to characterize shallow geologic structures of the site. The results of the study have shown that seven USTs including one unknown UST and buried fuel pipes are present, and that the groundwater elevation varies with topography from approximately 1.5 to 3m below the surface and the water table is located in the residual soils above the bedrock in the site. The results also show that the geophysical methods can be a very useful tool for the characterization of the contaminated site.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.81-87
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• 2008

In accompany with the transfer of US army bases, recent surveys reported serious contamination of soils by the release of petroleum from storage facilities and heavy metals accumulated in rifle-ranges. These problems have made an increased concerns of cleanup technology for contaminated soils. In this study, a full-scale soil washing process improved by multistage continuous desorption and agitational desorption techniques was examined for petroleum-contaminated soils obtained from three different remedial sites that contained 29.3, 16.6, and 7.8% of silt and clay, respectively. The initial concentrations of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) were 5,183, 2,560, and 4,860 mg/kg for each soil. Pure water was applied to operate washing process, in which water used for washing process was recycled 100% for over 6 months. The results of full-scale washing tests showed that the TPH concentrations for soils (> 3.0 mm) were 50${\sim}$356 mg/kg (85.2${\sim}$98.2% removal rates), regardless of the contents of silt and clay from in A, B and C soil, when the soils were washed at 3.0 kg/$cm^2$ of injection pressure with the method of wet particle separation. Based on the initial TPH concentration, the TPH removal rates for each site were 85.2, 98.2 and 89.9%. For soils in the range of 3.0${\sim}$0.075 mm, the application of first-stage desorption technique as a physical method resulted 834, 1,110, and 1,460 mg/kg of TPH concentrations for each soil, also additional multi-stage continuous desorption reduced the TPH concentration to 330, 385, and 245 mg/kg that were equivalent to 92.4, 90.6, and 90.1% removal rates, respectively. The result of multi-stage continuous desorption for fine soil (0.075${\sim}$0.053 mm) were 791, 885, and 1,560 mg/kg, and additional agitation desorption showed 428, 440, and, 358 mg/kg of TPH concentrations. Compared with initial concentration, the removal rates were 92.0, 93.9 and 92.9%, respectively. These results implied we could apply strategic process of soil washing for varies types of contaminated soils to meet the regulatory limit of TPH.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.551-561
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• 2007

This case study is about the sampling and interpretation of soil pore water in order to understand and to predict the diffusion and behavior of soil pollution. For the measurement of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) in two representative hydrocarbon-contaminated sites, the extraction system of the soil pore water was set up with respect to soil depths and the behavior of contaminants was interpreted. The soil solution extraction system consisted of peristaltic pump, and extraction and sampling compartment, and can measure simultaneously the soil water pressure. The concentration of PAHs with respect to extraction pressure and time decreased due to dilution through soil pore water. Particularly, the concentration of PAHs was more reduced under the unsaturated oxic condition than saturated anoxic condition. Therefore, the soil solution extraction with respect to soil water pressure can interpret the extent of equilibrium between porewater and soil surface.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.87-91
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• 2002

Lab scale batch and column tests were performed to investigate the treatability of petroleum contaminated soil using the in-situ soil flushing method. The pyrex column (4.5$\times$25 cm) was used to investigate optimal washing agent, surfactant concentration, mixing ratio, and inlet velocity. The miked surfactant of $POE_{14}$ and SDS were determined as ideal systems for the batch tests. From the results of preliminary tests, mixed surfactant was found to be more harmful for microorganisms. So $POE_{5}$ and $POE_{14}$ were chosen as the surfactant system for the batch study. The washing efficiency for the diesel contaminated soil was increased until 1 %, and decreased after l %. When applied as selected mixed surfactant, the ideal mixed ratio was recognized as 1:1. Therefore we selected miked surfactant $POE_{5}$ and $POE_{14}$, surfactant concentration 1%, and mixed ratio 1:1 for the remediation of diesel contaminated soil. In column tests, the total removal efficiency was improved as the flux of washing agent was increased. At the same pore volume, small flux showed better removal efficiency.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.647-651
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• 2014

Handling of the large quantity of oil, generation of heavy metals at the military blasting range and outworn facilities could cause the environmental accidents. Pollution levels of the former five U.S military bases located in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do were measured. Soil contamination by TPH (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons), BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylene), and heavy metals and groundwater contamination were detected. In order to purify contaminated soil, a variety of technologies including soil vapor extraction, slurping, landfarming and soil washing were applied. Contaminated soils of five target bases were purified and the results were suitable for the legal standards.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.90-96
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• 2003

This study was performed to evaluate effect of extraction mode on SVE efficiency for fuel-contaminated soil. A gas station was selected for this study. As a result of pressure test in well head, soil texture of contaminated site under the gas station was very different from site to site. SVE system was operated in intermittent mode (1hr extraction / 3hr rest) or continuous mode. Capacity of air blower was $1m^3/min$. Extration mode test was conducted in two severe contaminated sites. In both two sites, cumulative TPHgas mass of intermittent extraction mode was higher than that of continuous mode. Considering long term operation of SVE in a field, in general, it was thought that intermittent extraction mode was effective in view of vaporized TPHgas mass and electrical cost.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.265-272
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• 2017

Some bacteria with different mechanisms for hydrocarbon degradation were isolated from oil-contaminated soils in Korea. Isolate Acinetobacter calcoaceticus SL1 showed biosurfactant- producing activity in oil-spreading test, and it exhibited a good emulsifying activity of 43.6 and 54.5% for diesel oil and n-hexane, respectively. It also has high cell surface hydrophobicity which can make it easily attaches to hydrocarbons and degrade them. It degraded 100% of 1,000 mg/L of n-octadecane and naphthalene, respectively in 3 days, 72.3% of 1,000 mg/L diesel oil in 7 days and 78.0% of 10,000 mg/L diesel oil in oil-contaminated soil during 28 days. Isolated strains Bacillus amyloliquefaciens S10 and B. subtilis GO9 can produce biosurfactant and formed 6.34 and 2.5 cm diameter of clear zones, respectively in oil-spreading test. Surface tension of their culture supernatant reduced from 74.6 to 34.4 and 33.3 mN/m, respectively during incubation, and critical micelle concentrations of culture supernatants were 2.0 and 5.9%, respectively. Consortium of A. calcoaceticus SL1 and B. amyloliquefaciens S10 degraded 77.8% of 10,000 mg/L diesel oil in 3 days, which indicated more efficient oil degradation than that by A. calcoaceticus SL1 alone. If these bacteria were applied together as a consortium to oil-contaminated sites, they may show a high removal rate of petroleum hydrocarbons.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.245-261
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• 2019

Radioactive contaminant from a nuclear facility moves to the ecosystem by run-off or groundwater flow. Among the two mechanisms, contaminant plume through a river can be easily detected through a surface water monitoring system, but radioactive contaminant transport in groundwater is difficult to monitor because of lack of information on flow path. To understand the contaminant flow in groundwater, understanding of the geo-environment is needed. We suggest a method to decide on monitoring location and points around an imaginary nuclear facility by using the results of site characterization in the study area. To decide the location of a monitoring well, groundwater flow modeling around the study area was conducted. The results show that, taking account of groundwater flow direction, the monitoring well should be located at the downstream area. Also, monitoring sections in the monitoring well were selected, points at which groundwater moves fast through the flow path. The method suggested in the study will be widely used to detect potential groundwater contamination in the field of oil storage caverns, pollution by agricultural use, as well as nuclear use facilities including nuclear power plants.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.157-181
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• 2020

Sediments from rivers, lakes and marine ports serve as end points for pollutants discharged into the water, and at the same time serve as sources of pollutants that are continuously released into the water. Until now, the contaminated sediments have been landfilled or dumped at sea. Landfilling, however, was expensive and dumping at sea was completely banned due to the London Convention. Therefore, this study applied contaminated sedimentation soil of 'Royal Palace Livestock Complex' as soil purification method. Soil remediation methods were applied to pretreatment, composting, soil washing, electrokinetics, and thermal desorption by selecting overseas application cases and domestically applicable application technologies. As a result of surveying the site for pollutant characteristics, Disolved Oxigen (DO), Suspended Solid (SS), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Nitrogen (TN), and Total Phosphorus (TP) exceeded the discharged water quality standard, and especially SS, COD, TN, and TP exceeded the standard several tens to several hundred times. Soil showed high concentrations of copper and zinc, which promote the growth of pig feed, and cadmium exceeded 1 standard of Soil Environment Conservation Act. In the pretreatment technology, hydrocyclone was used for particle size separation, and the fine soil was separated by more than 80%. Composting was performed on organic and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) contaminated soils. TPH was treated within the standard of concern, and E. coli was analyzed to be high in organic matter, and the fertilizer specification was satisfied by applying the optimum composting conditions at 70℃, but the organic matter content was lower than the fertilizer specification. As a result of continuous washing test, Cd has 5 levels of residual material in fine soil. Cu and Zn were mostly composed of ion exchange properties (stage 1), carbonates (stage 2), and iron / manganese oxides (stage 3), which facilitate easy separation of contamination. As a result of applying acid dissolution and multi-stage washing step by step, hydrochloric acid, 1.0M, 1: 3, 200rpm, 60min was analyzed as the optimal washing factor. Most of the contaminated sediments were found to satisfy the Soil Environmental Conservation Act's standards. Therefore, as a result of the applicability test of this study, soil with high heavy metal contamination was used as aggregate by applying soil cleaning after pre-treatment. It was possible to verify that it was efficient to use organic and oil-contaminated soil as compost Maturity after exterminating contaminants and E. coli by applying composting.