• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to understand the degree of natural radon removal efficiency of small-scale water supply systems. Six sites were selected for this study, and data on well characteristics (depth, pumping rate, water tank capacity, distance from well to tap water) were obtained. Water samples both from raw water and three tap waters at each site were collected and analyzed for radon concentration. Average radon removal efficiency of the five sites (A-E) in Nov. 2006 was 26.0% while that of the same sites in Dec. 2006 was 45.6% indicating seasonal difference in natural radon removal efficiency. Meanwhile short-term (April 23, April 30, May 8, 2007) radon removal efficiency from the site F was 44.1-49.0%, implying only a little difference in natural radon removal efficiency. The degree of radon removal at tap water was influenced mainly by pumping rate rather than distance from the well and water tank capacity.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.155-165
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• 2014

This study measured and compared the variation of ventilation rate and fan energy consumption according to various control strategies after installing wireless sensor-based pilot ventilation system in order to verify the applicability of demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) strategy that was efficient ventilation control strategy for underground parking lot. The underground parking lot pilot ventilation system controlled the ventilation rate by directly or indirectly tracking the traffic load in real-time after sensing data, using vehicle detection sensors and carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) sensor. The ventilation system has operated for 9 hours per a day. It responded real-time data every 10 minutes, providing ventilation rate in conformance with the input traffic load or contaminant level at that time. A ventilation rate of pilot ventilation system can be controlled at 8 levels. The reason is that a ventilation unit consists of 8 high-speed nozzle jet fans. This study proposed vehicle detection sensor based demand-controlled ventilation (VDS-DCV) strategy that would accurately trace direct traffic load and CO sensor based demand-controlled ventilation (CO-DCV) strategy that would indirectly estimate traffic load through the concentration of contaminants. In order to apply DCV strategy based on real-time traffic load, the minimum required ventilation rate per a single vehicle was applied. It was derived through the design ventilation rate and total parking capacity in the underground parking lot. This is because current ventilation standard established per unit floor area or unit volume of the space made it difficult to apply DCV strategy according to the real-time variation of traffic load. According to the results in this study, two DCV strategies in the underground parking lot are considered to be a good alternative approach that satisfies both energy saving and healthy indoor environment in comparison with the conventional control strategies.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.379-394
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• 2002

This study was initiated to identify groundwater quality and contamination at present in the 'A' section of Seoul Metropolitan Subway. Groundwater samples were collected at 21 boreholes along the 'A' section and appeared to show mainly $Ca-HCO_3$ type. In 20 samples, concentration of $SO_4$, Cd, Pb, Fe, Mn, Al, F and $NO_3-N$ were higher than those of Korean drinking water quality standards. From chemical data and saturation Indices, contaminant sources of individual chemical elements were inferred to be buried wastes and surface sediments over the study area. The result of factor analysis suggested that the pollution factor should account for about 47% of data variation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1999.04a
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• pp.149-156
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• 1999

In the United States (U.S.), the monitored natural attenuation (MNA) approach has been used as an alternative remedial option for organic and inorganic compounds retained in soil and dissolved in groundwater. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines the MNA as“in-situ naturally-occurring processes include biodegradation, diffusion, dilution, sorption, volatilization, and/or chemical and biochemical stabilization of contaminants and reduce contaminant toxicity, mobility or volume to the levels that are protective of human health and the environment”. The Department of Soil Environment. National Institute Environmental Research (NIER) is in the process for demonstrating the MNA approach as a potential remedial option for the BTEX contaminated site in Uiwang City. The project is charactering the research site in terms of the nature and extend of contamination, biological degradation rate, and geochemical and hydrological properties. The microbial-degradation rate and effectiveness of nutrient and redox supplements will be determined through laboratory batch and column tests. The geochemical process will be monitored for determining the concentration changes of chemical species involved in the electron transfer processes that include methanogenesis, sulfate and iron reduction, denitrification, and aerobic respiration. Through field works, critical soil and hydrogeologic parameters will be acquired to simulate the effects of dispersion, advection, sorption, and biodegradation on the fate and transport of the dissolved-phase BTEX plume using Bioplume III model. The objectives of this multi-years research project are (1) to evaluate the MNA approach using the BTEX contaminated site in Uiwang City, (2) to establish a standard protocol for future application of the approach, (3) to investigate applicability of the passive approach as a secondary treatment remedy after active treatments. In this presentation, the overall picture and philosophy behind the MNA approach will be reviewed. Detailed discussions of the site characterization/monitoring plans and risk-based decision-making processes for the demonstration site will be included.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2002

This study attempts to elucidate the possibility of treating landfill leachate by steelers' dust/${H_2}{O_2}$ system in a well-mixed batch reactor. Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of operating variables such as pH, dust and ${H_2}{O_2}$ dosages and ${H_2}{O_2}$ injection method on the treatment efficiency, Contaminant concentrations were identified by TOC (Total Organic Carbon) analyzer. Experimental observations showed the possibility of steelers' dust as a catalytic reagent in the ${H_2}{O_2}$/dust system. The batch experiments showed that the optimal $H_2O$$_2$ and dust dosage, 20g/L dust. 2,000mg/L ${H_2}{O_2}$ removed about 75% of initial TOC concentration (250mg/1) within 60 min. And the TOC removal in the ${H_2}{O_2}$/dust system effectively proceeded only within a limited pH range of 3-4. The stealers' dust-catalyzed oxidative treatment of landfill leachate was more efficient compared with the $FeSO_2$catalyzed system (Fenton oxidation) for the removal rate and the cost.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2011

Arsenic is one of the most abundant contaminant found in waste mine tailings, because of it's carcinogenic property, the countries like United states of America and Europe have made stringent regulations which govern the concentration of arsenic in drinking water. The current study focuses on different treatment methods for removal of arsenic from waste water. Treatment method the high strength arsenic waste water is treated with Fe(III)-ettringite by co-precipitation method. Number of experiments were carried out to decide the optimal dosage of Fe(III)-ettringite to treat arsenic waste water. The Fe(III)-ettringite was synthesized by taking appropriate equivalent ratios of calcium oxide and ferric chloride in proportion to the arsenic. The best removal efficiencies of 94% were observed at a As/(Ca: Fe) ratio of 1:3. The maximum removal of arsenic was observed in pH range of 12. But as the pH increases the arsenic removal efficiency decreases as portlandite is formed in the pH above 12. The analysis of surface of precipitate conform the needle like structure of ettringite. This treatment technique has promising features such as, the chemicals required in the treatment as well as the sludge generated can be reduced. The operating pH range is in alkaline region which is advantageous over traditional treatment process which has lower pH. Also the co-precipitation not only helps in removal of arsenic but also heavy metals.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.305-313
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• 2017

Accumulating epidemiological evidence indicates that exposure to fine air pollution particles (APPs) is associated with a variety of adverse health effects. However, the exact physiochemical properties and biological toxicities of fine APPs are still not well characterized. We collected four types of fine particle (FP) (diesel exhaust particles [DEPs], natural organic combustion [NOC] ash, synthetic organic combustion [SOC] ash, and yellow sand dust [YSD]) and investigated their physicochemical properties and in vitro biological toxicity. DEPs were almost entirely composed of ultrafine particles (UFPs), while the NOC, SOC, and YSD particles were a mixture of UFPs and FPs. The main elements in the DEPs, NOC ash, SOC ash, and YSD were black carbon, silicon, black carbon, and silicon, respectively. DEPs exhibited dose-dependent mutagenicity even at a low dose in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 and 100 strains in an Ames test for genotoxicity. However, NOC, SOC, and YSD particles did not show any mutagenicity at high doses. The neutral red uptake assay to test cell viability revealed that DEPs showed dose-dependent potent cytotoxicity even at a low concentration. The toxicity of DEPs was relatively higher than that of NOC, SOC, and YSD particles. Therefore, these results indicate that among the four FPs, DEPs showed the highest in vitro biological toxicity. Additional comprehensive research studies such as chemical analysis and in vivo acute and chronic inhalation toxicity tests are necessary to determine and clarify the effects of this air contaminant on human health.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.311-324
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• 2004

We investigated the contamination and behavior of heavy metals in stream sediments within the watershed of Juam Reservoir. Many abandoned mines within the reservoir can act as a potential contaminant source for water quality. Heavy metal concentrations (Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in stream sediments from watershed are very low, indicating that content of heavy metals in the sediments probably do not affect the water quality in Juam Reservoir. However Pb concentration in the stream sediments increases downward streams, suggesting the possible diffusion of Pb contamination. According to the leaching ratio for stream sediments at a strong acidic condition in the abandoned mine areas, the relative mobility for metals decreases in the order of Pb＞Zn=Cu＞Ni＞Cr, indicating that Pb can have a bad effect upon the water quality in Jum Reservoir. Moreover, if contaminated sediment is placed in the bottom of reservoir (i.e., reducing condition), the relative mobility of Pb is the highest, indicating that Pb in the bottom sediments can be leached to water at interface between water and sediment with changing in physicochemical conditions.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.27-42
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• 2018

It is important to identify the contaminant sources and to evaluate the fate and transport of heavy metals to crops in agricultural lands. This study was conducted to evaluate metal sources and its transfer and accumulation to crop in agricultural soils. Pollution indices were calculated and multivariate analysis was performed to identify metal sources. To evaluate transfer and accumulation of metals to crops, the contents of phytoavailable metals were evaluated by using single extraction method and the correlation between metal content and soil properties was analyzed. Also the BCF was quantitatively evaluated for investigating the metal transition to each crop grown in the research area. As a result, Cr, Ni, and Co were expected to be mainly derived from geologic factors due to weathering of certain parent rocks. The content of nickel in soils of the research area was slightly higher than that of the concern level criteria based on total concentration, but the amount transferred and accumulated in the crops was actually low. Understanding the contamination characteristics by investigating the pollution sources of heavy metals and its transfer and accumulation to crops through various evaluation techniques could provide important information for proper management of the agricultural land.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1279-1290
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• 2018

Sea gulls are high trophic level consumers in the coastal environment, and thus, which have been widely used to monitor contamination biomagnified through a food web. However, such monitoring studies using sea gulls have been rare in the Korean literature. The National Environmental Specimen Bank chose eggs of a black-tailed gulls (Larus crassirostris) to serve as an environmental specimen for the long-term monitoring of the coastal ecosystem affected by terrestrial pollutants. Black-tailed gull eggs were collected from Baengnyeongdo, Hongdo and Uleungdo, and their DDTs and total mercury content were determined. The highest concentration of ${\Sigma}DDTs$ was $231.6{\pm}106.1{\mu}g/kg$ wet in Baengnyeongdo, followed by $230.0{\pm}123.8{\mu}g/kg$ wet in Ulleungdo, and $117.7{\pm}18.3{\mu}g/kg$ wet in Hongdo. In addition, total mercury was detected at $414.5{\pm}97.6{\mu}g/kg$ wet in Ulleungdo, $363.9{\pm}123.6{\mu}g/kg$ wet in Hongdo, and $237.5{\pm}42.3{\mu}g/kg$ wet in Baengnyeongdo. Relatively high concentrations of the target pollutants were recorded in specimens from Ulleungdo. Additional comprehensive and prolonged studies are required to elucidate spatial and temporal patterns of contamination in black-tailed gull eggs with regard to monitoring contaminant trends in eggs and prey.