• Clean Technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2017

In this study, toxicities of seven metals (Cu, Cd, Cr, As(III), As(V), Zn, Ni) and five metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs: CuO, ZnO, NiO, $TiO_2$, $Fe_2O_3$) were evaluated based on the growth of Chlorella vulgaris. Effect on algae growth was evaluated by integrating the results of absorption, chlorophyll content, and cell count. The toxicity rankings of metals was observed as Cr ($0.7mgL^{-1}$) > Cu ($1.7mgL^{-1}$) > Cd ($3.2mgL^{-1}$) > Zn ($3.9mgL^{-1}$) > Ni ($13.2mgL^{-1}$) > As(III) ($17.8mgL^{-1}$) ${\gg}$ As(V) (> $1000mgL^{-1}$). Slightly different orders and sensitivities of metal toxicity were examined depending on endpoints of algal growth. In case of NPs, regardless of endpoints, similar toxicity rankings of NPs ($TEC_{50}$) were observed, showing ZnO ($2.4mgL^{-1}$) > NiO ($21.1mgL^{-1}$) > CuO ($36.6mgL^{-1}$) > $TiO_2$ ($62.5mgL^{-1}$) > $Fe_2O_3$ ($82.7mgL^{-1}$). These results indicate that an integrating results of endpoints might be an effective strategy for the assessment of contaminants.

• Clean Technology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.293-300
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• 2018

Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is sulfaamide-based synthetic antibiotics, which are widely prescribed pharmaceutical compound to treat bacterial infections in both human and animals. Most of them are not completely decomposed as refractory substances. The environmental impact of pharmaceuticals as emerging contaminants has generated severe concerns. In this study, catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) of SMX was carried out with $Cu/Al_2O_3$ catalyst and investigated the optimum reaction conditions of temperature, dosage of catalyst and concentration of $H_2O_2$ to completely decompose the SMX. It was observed that SMX was completely decomposed within 20 min using 0.79 mM $H_2O_2$ and 6 g $Cu/Al_2O_3$ catalyst at 1 atm and $40^{\circ}C$, but SMX was not fully mineralized and converted to intermediates as hydroylated-SMX, sulfanilic acid, 4-aminobenzenesulfinic acid and nitrobenzene. After that these are completely mineralized through organic acid. We proposed the decomposition reaction path ways of SMX by analyzing the behavior of these intermediates. To investigate the durability of heterogeneous catalyst, decomposition of SMX was observed by continuously recycling catalysts. When the heterogeneous catalyst of 10 wt% $Cu/Al_2O_3$ was continuously reused 5 times, decomposition of SMX was a little lowered, but the activity of catalyst was overall very stable.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.405-420
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• 2014

To investigate geochemical characteristics of soil and atmospheric environments by anthropogenic source, we have analyzed and determined heavy metal concentrations of the surface soils beneath roadside trees and leaves of Platanus occidentalis from 52 points in Seoul during autumn 2001. For comparison of the contents of heavy metal for the soil and leaf, we have analyzed heavy metal contents of the surface soils beneath roadside trees and leaves from 2 points in rural area of Yesan during the same time period. The composition of heavy metals of soils are relatively high for Cd, Co, Cr and Ni in industrial area (IA, Industrial Area) and high for Cu, Pb and Zn in heavy traffic area (HTA, Heavy Traffic Area). The heavy metal contents of rural area in Seoul are higher than those in Yesan. The differences of chemical compositions between the washed and unwashed leaves are high for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in the HTA. The element couples of Cd-Co, Cr-Ni and Pb-Zn for the soils had shown a good correlation and their contamination sources could be similar. The relationship for Pb-Cu and Cu-Zn showed good correlation in Platanus leaves. The relationship between soils and unwashed leaves show a good correlation for Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn but low correlation for Cd, Co, Fe, Mn and Ni. It is thought that the Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were derived from contaminants of soils, whereas Cd, Co, Fe, Mn and Ni were originated from atmospheric source. From the spatial variations of elements for soils and leaves, Ni and Cr were dominant in the soils of IA and Cd, Cu and Zn were dominant in those of HTA. The Contamination by Cd-Pb and Cu-Zn in unwashed leaves were analyzed to show similar patterns. Using the enrichment factors (EF) of heavy metals in unwashed leaves, the EF sequences were to be Cu, Zn, Pb, Mn, Co, Ni, Cd and Cr. We identified that Cu, Zn, Pb and Mn were most problematic of environmental hazard in Seoul.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.111-116
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• 2015

The soil sample obtained from shooting area contaminated with Pb, Cu, and Zn was investigated to determine the chemical forms of heavy metals with Tessier’s sequential extraction method, which is constituted of five fractions such as ‘exchangeable’, ‘bound to carbonate’, ‘bound to oxide’, ‘bound to organic matter’, and residual fractions. The amount of organic matter was measured by loss on ignition (LOI) and then the results of ‘bound to organic matter’ and LOI were compared. The sequential extraction results show that 4.7%-45% of Pb, 6.2%-25.9% of Cu and 3.9%-15.3% of Zn belong to the ‘bound to organic matter’ fraction, but LOI result shows that only 1.0%-2.8% of organic matter exists in the soil sample. In heavy medium separation tests, because Pb and Cu extracted in ‘bound to organic matter’ and residual fractions were removed, the heavy metals in the fractions would exist as heavier forms. These results suggest that the part of heavy metal extracted in ‘bound to organic matter’ fraction would result from the oxidation of metallic forms by hydrogen peroxide and nitric acid used in the fraction, and, consequently, that the ‘bound to organic matter’ fraction should be investigated in detail to determine the removal method and treatment capacity when the Tessier’s sequential extraction method is used to examine heavy metal contaminants resulted from elemental metal like bullets.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1171-1175
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• 2006

Deposited road particles (DRPs) were analysed for heavy metal concentrations at four different roads in a city, Korea. The samples were collected using a roadway surface vacuum cleaning vehicle which was commonly used in collecting roadway surface particles. Six particle size ranges were analyzed separately for twelve heavy metal elements (Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Al, As, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn and Hg). At all sampling sites, the high concentration of the heavy metals occurred in the <74um particle size range, which conventional roadway cleaning vehicles do not remove efficiently. The Pb concentration significantly increased with decreasing particle size of DRPs, and other toxic heavy metals (Cd, Cr and Ni) also showed similar results. The heavy metal concentrations in the smaller size fraction of DRPs is important because they are contaminants that are preferentially transported by road runoff during rainfall.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.174-178
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• 2003

Analytical chemists frequently use filter papers during the course of experiments without any hesitation. However, the results of analysis could be deteriorated by the various ions which are extracted from filter papers. In some filter paper made for qualitative use, about $300{\mu}g$ sodium and many other cations were detected. Although the quantities of contaminants was low in the filter paper made for quantitative use, significant amount of Fe, Si, Al, Cu and Zn was detected as well as alkali element. Many cations and anions were also detected in the filtrate obtained from the glass fiber filter.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.546-551
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• 2016

In this study, capping with recycled aggregate and natural zeolite in marine sediment was performed to investigate its inhibitory effect on pollutants released from sediment to seawater. An experiment was performed by capping with amendments for 60 days, and concentrations of organic matter (COD), nitrate, phosphate and metallic elements (Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, As, and Cr) were measured. Two capping materials effectively suppressed pollutant release. Recycled aggregate showed better effectiveness for organic pollutant, nitrate and phosphate release. Meanwhile, natural zeolite was effective for metallic elements. As a result, recycled aggregate and natural zeolite can be considered as cost-effective/inexpensive capping material candidates. Also, the capping material can be selected according to the target pollutant.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.69-75
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• 2014

Accurate analysis of fly ash particles is not trivial because of complex nature in physical and chemical properties. SPLITT fractionation (SF) was employed to fractionate the fly ash particles into subpopulations in large quantities. Then the SF-fractions were analyzed by the steric mode of sedimentation field-flow fractionation (Sd/StFFF) for size analysis. The SF-fractions were also analyzed by ICP-OES. The results showed that the fly ash is mainly composed of Fe, Ca, Mg and Mn. No particular trends were observed between the particle size and the concentrations of Fe, Ca, Mg, while Mn, Cu and Zn were in higher concentrations in smaller particles. Sample preparation procedures were established, where the fly ash particles were sieved to remove large contaminants, and then washed with acetone to remove organics on the surface of particles. The sample preparation and analysis methods developed in this study could be applied to other environmental particles.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.99-118
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• 2013

Rainwater runoff has been identified as a significant source of contaminants having tremendous impact on the receiving aquatic environment. In the present study, trace element transport by the surface runoff in the predominantly urban catchment of Guwahati city, India was monitored with a view to determine the chemical denudation rates of the land surface. A number of trace metals, namely Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were measured in the runoff after 70 major rain events within the city. Cadmium was found to be the least abundant metal and Iron was the most abundant metal in the runoff. The results are interpreted on the basis of temporal and spatial variations in their concentrations. These variations are quite large in some of the events and reflect changes in the local environmental setting, differences in water utilization, variations in runoff volume, gradient and quality.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1040-1044
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• 1999

A micro porous PTFE membrane desolvator (MMD) was built and evaluated for the on-line removal of organic solvents to facilitate the determination of trace metal contaminants in the solvents by ICP-AES. Three organic solvents, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), methanol, and dimethy sulfoxide (DMSO) were studied. The MMD reduced organic solvent concentration in the sample aerosol stream by 82% to 89%, as indicated by monitoring C(I) emission. Net signal intensity of Fe, Al, and Cu was increasing with higher organic solvent concentration, with the rate of increase being solvent dependent. The signal intensities for Mg and Pb followed the trend with the C(I) signal. Changing the sweep gas flow rate affected the optimum signal intensity. Wine samples were analyzed by the method of standard addition. The concentrations of B, Al, and Mg were determined with a relative precision of less than 2.3%.