• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.165-170
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• 1989

To isolate the aflatoxin producing strains from agricultural products in Youngnam districts, rice(59), meju(30), corn(32), barley(58), soil(33), peanut(30), soybean(45), and unhulled barley(60) were collected from markets or homes. From 342 sample sources, 280 strains of Aspergillus spp. were isolated. As a result of screening by TLC, 29 strains expressed fluorescent spot and four strains have a same Rf value of standard aflatoxins, and the percentage of contamination from aflatoxin producing strains was 1.3%, and those strains were estimated as Aspergillus flavus group by the examine of characteristics and morphology.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.12-17
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• 2013

Heavy metal contamination of soil and water from industrial sources remains a worldwide environmental concern. Concentrations of toxic metals were measured in soil from banks of the Han and Anyang rivers. Pre-monsoon samples contained the highest heavy metal concentrations (Cu > As > Pb > Cd > $Cr^{6+}$; up to 57.80, 38.23, 25.43, 2.21, 0.32 mg/kg, respectively), but concentrations decreased at all sites during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Higher heavy metal concentrations in pre-monsoon samples may be attributed to dust pollution, especially from roads near the river. A gradual reduction in heavy metal concentrations during the rainy season may be due to washing out. The high concentration of metals could cause health problems, especially in residential areas.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2000.05a
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• pp.28-32
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• 2000

There are many different chemical pollutants that originate from atmospheric deposition and transportational activities along roads. This paper review the characteristics of heavy metal pollution, relationships between land use and pollutant load in urban area. Four land use areas in Seoul were selected for sampling and study with different characteristics during the period from April 1998 and February 2000. A series of studies have been carried out concerning the physicochemical characteristics of the sediments settling down in a gully pot to evaluate the contamination for heavy metals. The sediment samples from gully pots were characterized by the chemical extraction experiments. Sediments are characterized by very high concentrations of heavy metals, probably because of a long-term accumulation of vehicle- and industrial-related pollutants. The characteristics of heavy metal pollution show that each land use has different sources of contaminations. Mean Zn concentration in Yeouido and Junggu areas is 2-3 times higher than those in Dobonggu area. This suggests that Zn may be derived from the source of automobile traffic. The mean concentrations of Cu and Cr are very significantly high in Junggu and Gurogu areas and indicate that the industrial activities may contribute to the accumulation of Cu and Cr in sediments. The low Pb levels throughout the whole study areas in Seoul can be accounted for the use of unleaded gasoline since 1987.

• 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.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.293-301
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the distribution of the concentrations of selected trace metals and inorganic anions in five types of drinking water samples (mineral spring water, well water, small community water, municipal tap water, and commercial mineral water) collected from Chuncheon, Gangwon-do in 2007. Forty four samples were analyzed for five metals and five anions using an atomic absorption spectrometer and an ion chromatograph, respectively. Arsenic (As) and nitrate (${NO_3}^-$) concentrations in some groundwater samples did not meet the future (10 ${\mu}g/L$) and current (44 mg/L) Korean drinking water standards, respectively. On the other hand, any municipal tap water samples, the sources of which were lake surface water, satisfied the Korean standards. Human health risk assessment results showed that arsenic in all types of water, especially groundwater including commercial mineral water, may pose both noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic effects on the residents. It is concluded that groundwater is not safe drinking water any longer and that a national survey and follow-up measures need to be taken.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.19-26
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• 2013

This study developed the classification of National Soil Quality Monitoring Network (NSQM) and its site selection criteria to meet the recently established purposes of the NSQM. The NSQM were suggested by this study to classify into the six-purposes site groups from the current classification of land uses. The six purposes site groups were 1) intensive observation sites, 2) contaminant loading sites, 3) human activity sites, 4) background sites, 5) river soil sites, and 6) sites near the groundwater quality monitoring wells. Furthermore, this study developed the site selection criteria of NSQM utilizing the accumulated NSQM data, road traffic data, chemical emission data, census, soil information, and the literature related to soil quality variation due to contaminant loads. For selecting suitable sites for NSQM, this study used road traffic, chemical emission, the distance from the contaminant sources, and population information as specific criteria. The suggested site classification and criteria were appled for the current 100 NSQM sites for evaluation. Forty sites were met to the criteria suggested by this study, but sixty sites were not met to the criteria. However, some of the sixty sites also included the obscure sites that their addresses were not apparent to find them.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.397-403
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• 2006

Compositional characteristics and origin of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs), which should be strongly regulated for environmental protection in the crude oils and petroleum products, have been investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC/MS). In the crude oils analyzed, two-rings compound(naphthalene) of PAHs was detected around $72.3\sim93.5%$, but five- or six-rings compound of PAHs was not detected. In the crude oils analyzed, the molecular ratio indices of Phe/Ant(phenanthrene/anthracene)>15, Fla/Pyr(fluoranthene/pyrene)<1, BaA/Chr(benzo (a)anthracene/chrysene)$\leq0.4$ could be effectively applied, and we found that the origin of PAHs was petrogenic sources. Total PAHs concentrations in the crude oils were increased with increasing API gravity and with decreasing sulfur contents of the analyzed crude oils. Five- or six-rings compound of PAHs were not included in ail petroleum products except bunker-C. Furthermore, the molecular ratio indices of Phe/Ant(phenanthrene/anthracene) vs. Fla/Pyr(fluoranthene/pyrene) could be effectively applied as the standard for the PAHs contamination criterion at the other Korean areas.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.82-89
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• 2002

Butyltins (BTs) were measured in 2 species of shellfish and 16 species of fish collected along the Korean coast. Tributyltin (TBT) was detected in the mussels and oysters of sentinel organisms (20 to 940 ng Sn/g dry wt), indicating widespread contamination of TBT in the Korean coast. The elevated concentrations of TBT in the shellfish found in the sites near harbors or shipyards suggested that antifouling paints are probable major sources of butyltins in these areas. The TBT compound was detected in 12 out of 16 fish samples. The concentrations of TBT in fish muscles wee between 7 and 151 ng Sn/g dry wt, while the level in whole body of anchovy was very high (793 ng Sn/g dry wt). Exposure doses to Korean people via consumption of these marine products wee evaluated. The results suggested that the environmental levels of TBT were below the level of concern.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.123-135
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• 1997

In order to investigate the dispersion patterns and contamination level of heavy metals in the soil-ecosystem and to evaluate the efficiency of soil remediation by reversed soil method, soils and plants were collected from the Dongjin Au-Ag-Cu mine area and analysed for heavy metals. The dispersion patterns of heavy metals in soils and plants show that heavy metal pollutions caused by waste rump around Dongjin mine are mainly found in the vicinity of the waste rump and in the southward slanting of mine. Toxic metallic pollutants from the mine influence heavy metal contents in paddy soils in downstream area, and may be a potential sources of heavy metal pollution on crop plants. Soil samples collected from the remediated rice farming field by reversed method show similar levels of heavy metal content to those from the polluted rice farming field, but topsoil enrichment of heavy metals are not found. Heavy metal contents of the rice plants collected from remediated rice farming field are significantly lower than those from polluted rice farming field, and it suggests that the reversed soil method is effective for the reduction of bioavailability of heavy metals.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.83-94
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• 1992

Recently water demand is increasing as the industry prospers. The increase of water demand is followed by the increase of wastewater discharge which pollutes rivers and ground water extensively. These rivers, reservoirs and ground water are sources for drinking water and their contamination affects the quality of water supply and other potable water. In Korea there are 776 water treatment plants which supply drinking water from main rivers or reservoirs. Rivers are the biggest water source for drinking water is being contaminated, the innovation of treatment process is needed. The construction and operation of water supply facilities is under the control of the Ministry of Construction and the water supply offices of cities and provinces. However, drinking water quality is under the control of the bureau of sanitation in the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. There are 33 items in drinking water quality standards of Korea. Trihalomethanes, Selenium, Diazinone and other three of pesticides have been included lately, The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs is planning to enhance. the level of $VOC_S$(Vola-tile Organic Compounds) standard. Drinking water quality standard is the goal to protect the quality of supply water and ground water. In order to protect the source water from domestic or industrial water, technological improvement and adequate investment should be urgently made. The ultimate goal of drinking water quality is safety and health of consumers. The more stringent the standard are, the better the water quality will be. As the drinking water quality standards become more stringent this year, various and positive solutions by the authorities concerned must be prepared.