• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.348-357
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was conducted in order to examine the relationship between heavy metal concentrations in the soil and the level of heavy metals in the blood or urine of 216 local residents living near abandoned metal mines. Methods: Residents around abandoned metal mines were interviewed about their dietary habits, including seafood consumption, medical history, cigarette smoking, and drug history. Metal concentrations in the soil were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AA-7000, Shimadzu, Japan). Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) contents in the blood or urine were analyzed by GF-AAS (AA-6800, Shimadzu). Mercury (Hg) contents in the blood were determined by means of a mercury analyzer (SP-3DS, NIC). Arsenic (As) content in the soil and urine were measured by a HG-AAS (hydride vapor generation-atomic absorption spectrophotometer). Results: The heavy metal concentrations in the soil showed a log normal distribution and the geometric means of the four villages were 8.61 mg/kg for Pb, 0.19 mg/kg for Cd, 1.81 mg/kg for As and 0.035 mg/kg for Hg. The heavy metal levels of the 216 local residents showed a regular distribution for Pb, Cd, Hg in the blood and As in the urine. The arithmetic means were 3.37 ${\mu}g$/dl for Pb, 3.07 ${\mu}g$/l for Cd and 2.32 ${\mu}g$/l for Hg, 10.41 ${\mu}g$/l for As, respectively. Conclusions: As a result of multi-variate analysis for the affecting factors on the bodily heavy metal concentrations, gender and concentration in the soil (each, p<0.01) for blood lead levels; gender and smoking status (each, p<0.01) for blood cadmium levels; gender (p<0.01) for urine arsenic levels; gender, age and concentration in the soil (p<0.01) for blood mercury levels were shown to be the affecting factors.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.34-43
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• 2001

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2011

Since 1980's, many mines have been closed and abandoned due to the exhaustion of deposits and declining prices of international mineral resources. Because of the lack of post management for these abandoned mines, Farm land and rivers were contaminated with heavy metal ions and sludge. We studied on the solidification/stabilization of heavy metal ions, chromium ions and lead ions, using magnesia-phosphate cement. Magnesia binders were used calcined-magnesia and dead-burned magnesia. Test specimens were prepared by mixing magnesia binder with chromium ions and lead ions and activators. We analyzed the hydrates by reaction between magnesiaphosphate cement and each heavy metal ions by XRD and SEM-EDAX, and analyzed the content of heavy metal ions in the eruption water from the specimens for the solidification and stabilization of heavy metal ions by ICP. The results was shown that calcined magnesia binder is effective in stabilization for chromium ions and dead-burned magnesia binder is effective in stabilization for lead ions.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.655-666
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate urinary arsenic concentrations by arsenic species and to identify related factors among local residents near abandoned metal mines in Korea. Methods: Among the subjects of the Health Survey of Residents Near Abandoned Metal Mines for 2013-2017, 664 people were enrolled in this study. Urinary arsenic species analysis was performed using ICP/MS. Result: The geometric means (95% Confidence Interval) by urinary arsenic species were 0.15 (0.13-0.17) ㎍/L for AsIII, 0.64 (0.55-0.75) ㎍/L for AsV, and 1.21 (1.05-1.40) ㎍/L for inorganic arsenic. The geometric means of urinary MMA and DMA were 1.58 (1.35-1.86) ㎍/L and 77.93 (72.61-83.63) ㎍/L, respectively, and that of organic arsenic was 83.15 (77.80-88.88) ㎍/L. The concentration of inorganic arsenic in the group using groundwater as drinking water was 1.36 (1.13-1.64) ㎍/L, which was statistically significantly higher than the 1.00 (0.80-1.25) ㎍/L in the other drinking water groups. Regarding rice consumption, the concentration of inorganic arsenic in urine in the group whose consumption was more than half rice produced in the residential area was 1.32 ㎍/L, which was statistically significantly higher than that of the 1.12 ㎍/L for the group whose consumption was less than half. Conclusion: In the analysis of the factors affecting the urinary inorganic arsenic concentration of the residents of the abandoned metal mine area, the use of groundwater as drinking water and consumption of rice produced in the residential area were considered related factors.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.257-262
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• 2008

In the study it was investigated the diffusion characteristics of heavy metal pollutions such as Cu, Pb, Hg and As which was the main pollution sources of soils from abandoned mines. The pollution of Cu and Pb was caused by Mine A, that of Hg was caused by Mine 3, that of Pb was caused by Mine C and that of Cu, Pb, As was caused by Mine D. Though the high concentration was detected within 100m from abandoned mines, the low concentration was detected over than 100m from abandoned mines in all heavy metals investigated except As. It means that it was very difficult to estimate the pollution level of As caused abandoned mines. The results were discussed in the concentrations of Cu, Pb and distances showed a good relationship with 0.71 and 0.68 as the coefficient of correlation, respectively. In particular the relativity of Cu to Pb as very strong with 0.84 as the coefficient of correlation. It was consistent with the chemical behavior in soils in the case of Cu and Pb. Therefore it will be a promising approach to remove Cu and Pb with estimated values in the study.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.71-75
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• 1998

The objective of this study is to investigate geochemical characteristics of mine wastes including tailings in various abandoned mines in Korea. Tailings and wastes were sampled in and around 39 metalliferous mines, and analysed heavy metal concentrations including Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn extracted by 0.1N HCl and aqua regia by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Measurements of paste pH and lime requirement were carried out to examine a general geochemical characteristics of the materials. Lots of mine wastes were characterized by very low pH values of 2 to 4 and high lime requirement to control neutralization of the wastes. In addition, elevated levels of heavy metals were found in various mine wastes extracted by both 0.lN HCl and aqua regia. Because the mine wastes can be dispersed into the downstream by clastic movement and wind-blow, it is necessary to control the materials with a proper method for their reclamation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.209-212
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• 2006

Using sulfur sotope analysis of dissolved sulfate in surface water, we have investigated the source of sulfate in order to identify the abandoned metallic mines, which have the potential of heavy metal contamination within watershed. The range of the sulfur isotope values for dissolved sulfate in stream waters (DD-1 and 2) are similar to those of sulfides from the Dunjun mine, which suggests that oxidation of sulfides is the principal source of $SO_4^{2-}$ in these stream waters. Also, heavier sulfur isotopes in waters near Baekjun and Hamchang mines imply the possibility of contamination in waters by these metallic mines.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.28-32
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• 2016

There are a few thousand abandoned metal mines in South Korea. The abandoned mines cause several environmental problems including releasing acid mine drainage (AMD), which contain a very high acidity and heavy metal ions such as Fe, Cu, Cd, Pb, and As. Iron oxides can be formed from the AMD by increasing the solution pH and inducing precipitation. Current study focused on the formation of iron oxide in an AMD and used the oxide for adsorption of heavy metals. The heavy metal adsorbed iron oxide was separated with a superconducting magnet. The duration of iron oxide formation affected on the type of mineral and the degree of magnetization. The removal rate of heavy metal by the adsorption process with the formed iron oxide was highly dependent on the type of iron oxide and the solution pH. A high gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) system successfully separated the iron oxide and harmful heavy metals.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.105-106
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• 2005

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.871-878
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• 2006

Batch experiments were performed to evaluate the applicability of soil washing for heavy metal contaminated soils at Nacdong and Hamchang abandoned mines. The texture of the Nacdong soil was sandy loam. Nacdong abandoned mine soil was almost neutral (pH=6.5). Contaminations of As, Cd, Pb and Zn for Nacdong mine soils were 12,900 mg/kg, 29 mg/kg, 696 mg/kg and 276 mg/kg, respectively. Hamchang abandoned mine soils were acidic (pH=2.6) and the soil texture was loam. The contaminations of As, Cd, Pb and Zn for Hamchang abandoned mine soils were 6,410 mg/kg, 291 mg/kg, 1,300 mg/kg and 1,110 mg/kg, respectively. For the Nacdong abandoned mine soils, oxalic acid was found to be the most effective soil washing extracter for As and Pb while citric acid was the most effective extracter for Cd. For the Hamchang abandoned mine soils, oxalic acid showed the highest extraction efficiencies for As and Pb, whilst citric acid presented the best soil washing efficiencie for Cd. Oxalic acid and EDTA were found to be the most effective soil washing extracter for the Hamchang abandoned mine contaminated soils.