• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.492-499
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• 2021

In this study, the benthic environmental and microbial community structure were investigated by mixing granulated coal ash(GCA) and contaminated estuary sediments. Estuary sediments and GCA were mixed in a ratio of 8:2 and allowed to interact for 1 month, then sediment environmental factors were investigated. The pH of the experimental sediment was mixed increased to 11. The concentration of DIP(Dissolved inorganic phosphorus) in the experimental case decreased by 30 % compared to the control case, and this should be due to formation of calcium phosphate through the chemical reaction of DIP and calcium which diluted from GCA. The high abundance of Gammaproteobacteria seen in the experimental sediment compare to the control can af ect the DIP reduction. The DIN(Dissolved inorganic nitrogen) concentration increased over two times in the experimental case than the control, and this should be due to the high pH condition and release of NH₄⁺-N from the GCA. Microorganisms related to nitrogen circulation were not identified in both the control and experimental cases. It was confirmed that the GCA were effective in reducing the DIP concentration in contaminated estuary sediment, and that benthic microbial communities were shown to influenced the phosphorus circulation.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 2020

The effectiveness of in situ sediment capping as a technique for heavy metal risk mitigation in Hyeongsan River estuary, South Korea was studied. Sites in the estuary were found previously to show moderate to high levels of contamination of mercury, methylmercury and other heavy metals. A 400 m x 50 m section of the river was selected for a thin layer capping demonstration, where the total area was divided into 4 sections capped with different combinations of capping materials (zeolite, AC/zeolite, AC/sand, zeolite/sand). Pore water concentrations in the different sites were studied using diffusive gradient in thin film (DGT) probes. All capping amendments showed reduction in the pore water concentration of the different heavy metals with top 5 cm showing %reduction greater than 90% for some heavy metals. The relative maxima for the different metals were found to be translated to lower depths with addition of the caps. For two-layered cap with AC, order of placement should be considered since AC can easily be displaced due to its relatively low density. Investigation of methylmercury (MeHg) in the site showed that MeHg and %MeHg in pore water corresponds well with maxima for sulfide, Fe and Mn suggesting mercury methylation as probably coupled with sulfate, Fe and Mn reduction in sediments. Our results showed that thin-layer capping of active sorbents AC and zeolite, in combination with passive sand caps, are potential remediation strategy for sediments contaminated with heavy metals.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.11-23
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• 2020

The effectiveness of in situ sediment capping as a technique for heavy metal risk mitigation in Hyeongsan River estuary, South Korea was studied. Sites in the estuary were found previously to show moderate to high levels of contamination of mercury, methylmercury and other heavy metals. A 400 m × 50 m section of the river was selected for a thin layer capping demonstration, where the total area was divided into 4 sections capped with different combinations of capping materials (zeolite, AC/zeolite, AC/sand, zeolite/sand). Pore water concentrations in the different sites were studied using diffusive gradient in thin film (DGT) probes. All capping amendments showed reduction in the pore water concentration of the different heavy metals with top 5 cm showing %reduction greater than 90% for some heavy metals. The relative maxima for the different metals were found to be translated to lower depths with addition of the caps. For two-layered cap with AC, order of placement should be considered since AC can easily be displaced due to its relatively low density. Investigation of methylmercury (MeHg) in the site showed that MeHg and %MeHg in pore water corresponds well with maxima for sulfide, Fe and Mn suggesting mercury methylation as probably coupled with sulfate, Fe and Mn reduction in sediments. Our results showed that thin-layer capping of active sorbents AC and zeolite, in combination with passive sand caps, are potential remediation strategy for sediments contaminated with heavy metals.

• Journal of Environmental Analysis, Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.252-263
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• 2018

Distributions of 15 PAHs and 82 PCBs were investigated in sediment and fish samples collected from the Suyoung Estuary of Busan, one of the most urbanized and newly contaminated areas in Busan. The concentrations of $S_{15}PAH$ in sediments ranged from 17.9 to 777 ng/g-dry and were mainly originated from combustion processes. The concentrations of $S_{82}PCB$ in sediments ranged from 0.55 to 12.5 ng/g-dry and were significantly correlated with those of 12 dioxin-like PCBs and 6 non-dioxin like PCBs. Higher concentrations of PAHs and PCBs were found in the upper river and the inner Suyoung Bay than in marina and the outer Suyoung Bay. No sites exceeded the ecotoxicological values of PAHs and PCBs in marine sediments. Benzo[a]-pyrene was not detected in fish samples and the concentrations of $S_4PAH$ (0.15~0.45 ng/g-wet) were lower than the maximum level set by EU. The levels of PCBs in fish samples were at less than 1% of the Korean maximum level and 2% of the EU maximum level. The concentrations of dioxin-like PCBs were $0.01{\sim}0.32pg-TEQ_{WHO-2005}/g-wet$, and the highest concentration was found in eels, which were at less than 5% of the EU maximum level. Dietary intakes of PAHs and PCBs through fish consumption were estimated, and their lifetime cancer risk and non-cancer risk were much lower.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2015

To estimate the effects of suspended sediments flowing into the Saemangeum Reservoir on the extent of contamination of the reservoir, the suspended sediments were collected with sediment traps, which were installed from the upstream of the Mankyung and Dongjin Rivers to estuary of the reservoir, respectively, and the sedimentation rates and the chemical characteristics of suspended sediments were analyzed. The sedimentation rates in the Mankyung and Dongjin Rivers were ranged from 0.01~5.06 and $0.01{\sim}8.75kg/m^2/day$, respectively. Those were higher to the upstream of rivers, and were mainly affected by flood events. The concentrations of organic matters were from 3.3 to 9.6 times higher than those in the stream sediments and were higher after flood season, indicating the contaminants come from the non-point sources on the basin. The concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in the suspended sediments showed the same trend with the organic matters. These results indicate that the suspended sediments from the basin of the Mankyung and Dongjin Rivers are highly contaminated and the countermeasures to manage the sources of contamination on the basin are required to maintain the water quality of the Saemangeum Reservoir.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.107-114
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• 2007

This study aimed to investigate the hexachlorobenzene (HCB) dechlorinating ability of sediment microbes collected from a natural canal receiving secondary effluents from an industrial estate and nearby factories. Nine sites along the stream and one in the estuary in the Gulf of Thailand into which the canal spills were specified and sampling for sediment and water. Preliminary analysis of the sediments showed that the first four sites nearest to the discharging location were contaminated by HCB within the range of 0.18 to 1.25 ppm. Apart from that, 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene which has never been commercially produced or used in any manufacturing processes except for the transformation from higher chlorinated benzene was also identified in the range of 0.16 to 0.24 ppm. This suggested a possibility of sporadically HCB contamination in this stream. Of more important, people in the community along this canal earn their living by coastal fishery; hence, posing a risk of spreading HCB and its less chlorinated congeners via food chain from caught marine creatures to human. As a result, there is an urgent need to understand the behavior of HCB dechlorination in this stream sediment which can lead to a clean-up action in the future. Serum bottles with sediment slurries (sediment to water ratio of 1:1 (v/v) and filtered to remove particles larger than 0.7 mm) from each site were inoculated with 2 mg/l of HCB, kept anaerobically in the dark at room temperature without any nourishment, and analyzed for HCB and its less-chlorinated congeners every 6 days. Total chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, and volatile suspended solids were in the range of 21,492-73,584, 158,100-518,100 and 6,000-32,700 mg/l, respectively. It was found that all sediment slurries began to dechlorinate HCB in 12 to 30 days and the HCB was completely removed within 42 to 60 days or so. On the other hand, there was no HCB dechlorination occurred in the controlled set which was sterilized by autoclaving prior to the addition of HCB. This implies that the HCB transformation was solely due to microorganisms' activities. HCB was dechlorinated principally via pentachlolobenzene to 1,2,3,5-tetrachlorobenzene and terminated at 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene which is the major pathway as reported by many researchers. Dichlorobenzene has not been detected in any samples within the dechlorination period of 60 days. The results indicate that the microbial matrix in the sediment of this stream has an outstanding capability to dechlorinate HCB. Existing substrates and nutrients which mainly sorbed onto the solid phase and the typical temperature in Thailand were sufficient and suitable to promote the activities of these HCB-dechlorinating microbes.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2008

As a basic study on the creation of artificial tidal flats using dredged sediments, the pilot-scale artificial tidal flats with 4 different mixing ratio of ocean dredged sediment were constructed in Nakdong river estuary. The phragmites australis was transplanted from the adjacent phragmites australis community after construction, and then the survival and growth rate of the planted phragmites australis were measured. Also the changes of soil chemical oxygen demand (COD), ignition loss (IL), and the heterotrophic microbial numbers were monitored. The survival rate of the planted phragmites australis decreased as the mixing ratio of dredged sediment increased but there was little difference of length and diameter of the shoots. 30% of COD and 9% of IL in the tidal flat with 100% dredged sediment decreased after 202 day, however, fluctuations of COD and IL concentrations were also observed possibly due to the open system. It was suggested that the construction of tidal flats using ocean dredged sediment and biological remediation of contaminated ocean dredged sediment can be possible considering the growth rate of transplanted phragmites australis, decrease of organic matter and increased heterotrophic microbial number in the pilot plant with 100% dredged sediment. However, the continuous monitoring on the vegetation and various environmental factors in the artificial tidal flat should be necessary to evaluate the success of creation of artificial flats using dredged sediments.