• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.09a
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• pp.119-120
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• 2004

Urban groundwater has a unique hydrologic system because of the complex surface and subsurface infrastructures such as deep foundation of many high buildings, subway systems, and sewers and public water supply systems. It generally has been considered that increased surface impermeability reduces the amount of groundwater recharge. On the other hand, leaks from sewers and public water supply systems may generate the large amounts of recharges. All of these urban facilities also may change the groundwater quality by the recharge of a myriad of contaminants. This study was performed to determine the factors controlling the recharge of deep groundwater in an urban area, based on the hydrogeochemical characteristics. The term ‘contamination’ in this study means any kind of inflow of shallow groundwater regardless of clean or contaminated. For this study, urban groundwater samples were collected from a total of 310 preexisting wells with the depth over 100 m. Random sampling method was used to select the wells for this study. Major cations together with Si, Al, Fe, Pb, Hg and Mn were analyzed by ICP-AES, and Cl, N $O_3$, N $H_4$, F, Br, S $O_4$and P $O_4$ were analyzed by IC. There are two groups of groundwater, based on hydrochemical characteristics. The first group is distributed broadly from Ca-HC $O_3$ type to Ca-C1+N $O_3$ type; the other group is the Na+K-HC $O_3$ type. The latter group is considered to represent the baseline quality of deep groundwater in the study area. Using the major ions data for the Na+K-HC $O_3$ type water, we evaluated the extent of groundwater contamination, assuming that if subtract the baseline composition from acquired data for a specific water, the remaining concentrations may indicate the degree of contamination. The remainder of each solute for each sample was simply averaged. The results showed that both Ca and HC $O_3$ represent the typical solutes which are quite enriched in urban groundwater. In particular, the P$CO_2$ values calculated using PHREEQC (version 2.8) showed a correlation with the concentrations of maior inorganic components (Na, Mg, Ca, N $O_3$, S $O_4$, etc.). The p$CO_2$ values for the first group waters widely ranged between about 10$^{-3.0}$ atm to 10$^{-1.0}$ atm and differed from those of the background water samples belonging to the Na+K-HC $O_3$ type (<10$^{-3.5}$ atm). Considering that the p$CO_2$ of soil water (near 10$^{-1.5}$ atm), this indicates that inflow of shallow water is very significant in deep groundwaters in the study area. Furthermore, the P$CO_2$ values can be used as an effective parameter to estimate the relative recharge of shallow water and thus the contamination susceptibility. The results of our present study suggest that down to considerable depth, urban groundwater in crystalline aquifer may be considerably affected by the recharge of shallow water (and pollutants) from an adjacent area. We also suggest that for such evaluation, careful examination of systematically collected hydrochemical data is requisite as an effective tool, in addition to hydrologic and hydrogeologic interpretation.ion.ion.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.473-476
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• 2004

In this study, hydrochemical studies of thermal waters in the Bugok and Magumsan areas showing geothermal anomalies were carried, and the applicability of ion seothermometers and multiple mineral equilibrium approach was examined to estimate their potential deep reservoir temperatures. Typical thermal waters of the two areas are clearly grouped into two major types, according to water chemistry: Na-Cl type (group A) and Na-SO4 type (group D). Compared to group A, group B and C waters show some modifications in chemistry. Group E waters show the modified chemistry from group D. Geothermal waters from the two areas showed some different chemical characteristics. The thermal waters of group A and B in Magumsan area are typically neutral to alkaline (pH=6.7 to 8.1) and Cl-rich (up to 446.1 mg/L), while the waters of group D and E in Bugok area are alkaline (pH=7.6 to 10.0) and SO$_4$-rich (up to 188.0 mg/L). The group A (Na-Cl type) and group D (Na-SO$_4$ type) waters correspond to mature or partially immature water, whereas the other types are immature water. The genesis of geothermal waters are considered as follows: group A and B waters were formed by seawater infiltration into reservoir rocks along faults and fracture zones and possibly affected by fossil connate waters in lithologic units through which deep hot waters circulate; on the other hand, group D and E waters were formed by the oxidation of sulfide minerals (mainly pyrite) in surrounding sedimentary rocks and/or hydrothermal veins occurring along restricted fracture channels and were possibly affected by the input and subsequent oxidation of S-bearing gases (e.g. H2S) from deep thermal reservoir (probably, cooling pluton). The application of quartz, Na-K, K-Mg geothermometers to the chemistry of representative group A and D waters yielded a reasonable temperature estimate (99-147$^{\circ}C$ and 90-142$^{\circ}C$) for deep geothermal reservoir. Aqueous liquid-rich fluid inclusions in fracture calcites obtained from drillcores in Bugok area have an average homogenization temperature of 128$^{\circ}C$, which corresponds to the results from ion geothermometers. The multiple mineral equilibrium approach yielded a similar temperature estimate (105-135$^{\circ}C$ and 100-14$0^{\circ}C$). We consider that deep reservoir temperatures of thermal waters in the Magumsan and Bugok areas can be estimated by the chemistry of typical Na-Cl and Na-SO$_4$ type waters and possibly approach 105-135$^{\circ}C$ and 100-14$0^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.29-37
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• 2007

Shallow alluvial groundwaters in Korea of tell exceed the Korean Drinking Water Standard for dissolved iron (0.3 mg/L), which is one of the important water quality problems, especially in the use of bank infiltration technique. Using the reactive transport modeling, in this study we simulated the effectiveness of injection-and-pumping technique to remove dissolved iron in groundwater. The results of simulation showed that pumping of groundwater after injection of oxygenated water into aquifers is very effective to acquire the permissible water quality level. Groundwater withdrawal up to several times of irjected water in volume can be applicable to yield drinkable water. Potential problems such as clogging and permeability lowering due to in-situ precipitation of iron hydroxides may be insignificant. We also discuss on the mechanism and spatial extent of iron removal in aquifer.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.213-229
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• 2005

Nuclides in radioactive wastes are assumed to be transported in the geosphere by groundwater and probably discharged into the biosphere. Quantitative evaluation of doses to human beings due to nuclide transport in the geosphere and through the various pathways in the biosphere is the final step of safety assessment of the radioactive waste repository. To calculate the flux to dose conversion factors (DCFs) for nuclides appearing at GBIs with their decay chains, a template ACBIO which is an AMBER case file based on mathematical model for the mass transfer coefficients between the compartments has been developed considering material balance among the compartments in biosphere and then implementing to AMBER, a general and flexible software tool that allows to build dynamic compartment models. An illustrative calculation with ACBIO is shown.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.8
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• pp.1324-1329
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• 2018

This study presents a practical application of complementary safety indicators, which can be applied in a safety assessment of a radioactive waste repository by excluding a biosphere simulation and comparing the artificial radiation originating from the repository with the background natural radiation. Complementary safety indicators (radiotoxicity flux from geosphere and radiotoxicity concentration in seawater) were applied in the safety assessment of a rock-cavern type low and intermediate level radioactive waste (LILW) repository in the Republic of Korea. The natural radionuclide ($^{40}K$, $^{226,228}Ra$, $^{232}Th$, and $^{234,235,238}U$) concentrations in the groundwater and seawater at the Gyeongju LILW repository site were measured. Based on the analyzed concentrations of natural radionuclides, the levels of natural radiation were determined to be $8.6{\times}10^{-5}$ - $8.0{\times}10^{-4}Sv/m^2/yr$ and $6.95{\times}10^{-5}Sv/m^3$ for radiotoxicity flux from the geosphere and radiotoxicity concentration in seawater, respectively. From simulation results obtained using a Goldsim-based safety assessment model, it was determined that the radiotoxicity of radionuclides released from the repository is lower than that of the natural radionuclides inherently present in the natural waters. The applicability of the complementary safety indicators to the safety case was discussed with regard to reduction of the uncertainty associated with biosphere simulations, and communication with the public.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.98-105
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• 2020

In this study, the concentrations of some of the important ionic contaminants in groundwaters of national monitoring network in Korea were identified, and their correlation to nitrate concentration was investigated. Approximately 80% of the groundwater samples were found to be as Ca2+-(Cl-+NO3-) type groundwater with the concentration ranges [minimum to maximum values, median (mg/L)] of Ca2+[0.1~228.2, 19.7], Mg2+[0.1~53.2, 5.1], K+[0.1~50.8, 1.9], Na+[1.5~130.5, 18.1], NO3--N[0.1~73.4, 9.3], NH4+-N[0.0~53.9, 0.3], Cl-[3.1~482.6, 24.0], and SO42-[2.8~101.6, 7.0]. The prevalence of Ca2+-(Cl-+NO3-) type suggest that the composition of groundwaters were greatly influcenced by chemical fertilizers and animal manure, Correlation analyses indicated threre was positive correlation between NO3--N concentration and ionic species including Cl-, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Na+. In particular, the correlation was strongest for Cl- and NO3--N, suggesting that groundwaters largely impacted by agricultural and livestock breeding activities tend to contain high levels of Cl-.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.1 s.176
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• pp.27-38
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• 2006

To understand the geologic and hydrogeochemical controls on the occurrence of high fluoride concentrations in bedrock groundwaters of South Korea, we examined a total of 367 hydrochemistry data obtained from deep groundwater wells (avg. depth=600 m) that were drilled fur exploitation of hot springs. The fluoride concentrations were generally very high (avg. 5.65mg/L) and exceeded the Drinking Water Standard (1.5 mg/L) in $72\%$ of the samples. A significant geologic control of fluoride concentrations was observed: the highest concentrations occur in the areas of granitoids and granitic gneiss, while the lowest concentrations in the areas of volcanic and sedimentary rocks. In relation to the hydrochemical facies, alkaline $Na-HCO_3$ type waters had remarkably higher F concentrations than circum-neutral to slightly alkaline $Ca-HCO_3$ type waters. The prolonged water-rock interaction occurring during the deep circulation of groundwater in the areas of granitoids and granitic gneiss is considered most important for the generation of high F concentrations. Under such condition, fluoride-rich groundwaters are likely formed through hydrogeochemical processes consisting of the removal of Ca from groundwater via calcite precipitation and/or cation exchange and the successive dissolution of plagioclase and F-bearing hydroxyl minerals (esp. biotite). Thus, groundwaters with high pH and very high Na/Ca ratio within granitoids and granitic gneiss are likely most vulnerable to the water supply problem related to enriched fluorine.

• Proceedings of the Mineralogical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.40-40
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• 2001

The sorption behavior of Cs(I), Sr(II), and U(VI) on representative single minerals(oxide and clay) and rocks were comparatively studied by using batch type sorption experiment. The effects of pH, ionic strength and the sorption mechanism were also discussed. It was found that mineral structure played as a main factor governing the sorption characteristics of Cs(I), Sr(II). The sorption of Cs(I) and Sr(II) on minerals showed ionic strength-dependency, which is a indirect sign of weak binding between metal cation and mineral surfaces. However, the sorption behavior of U(VI) was quite different compared with that of Cs(I), and Sr(II). Fe-oxide minerals showed strong tendency for U(VI) sorption, dominating the sorption in the composite/mixture systems. The surface characteristics which arise from mineral structure, and the affinity of metal ions to the sorption sites of minerals are the key to understand the role of minerals in the radionuclide sorption.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 1998.09a
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• pp.116-121
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• 1998

Global land related datasets such as land use, land cover, vegetation cover percentage, forest cover percentage, are part of important global geospatial environmental datasets for global change studies. Since land cover varies place by place, continental production of dataset is a usual approach. Western academically developed countries have some projects to describe land cover related information in digital form using remote sensing technology in African, American continent and Oceania. In this paper, the author introduce his initiative to coordinate Asian scientists in order to develop land related dataset of Asia for our better understanding of the environment of Asia and for contribution to the development of global dataset. This paper explains activities by Land Cover Working Group (LCWG) of the Asian Association on Remote Sensing(AARS), Data and Information System(DIS) sub-committee of Japan national committee for the International Geosphere and Biosphere Program(IGBP), and the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing(ISPRS) Working Group IV/6 on Global databases supporting environmental monitoring.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.232-241
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• 2002

A safety assessment is carried out for the near-surface radioactive waste disposal in the reference engineered vault facility. The analysis is mainly divided into two parts. One deals with the release and transport of radionuclide in the vault and unsaturated zone. The other deals with the transport of radionuclide in the saturated zone and radiological impacts to a human group under well drinking water scenario. The parameters for source-term, geosphere and biosphere models are mainly obtained from the site specific data. The results show that the annual effective doses are dominated by long lived, mobile radionuclides and their associated daughters. And it is found that the total effective dose for drinking water is far below the general criteria of regulatory limit for radioactive waste disposal facility.