• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Heavy metals discharged from various sources contaminate the soil and water and the residuals can persistently be accumulated. In this study, the concentration of soil heavy metals was assessed over the whole regions of Korea based on the contamination factor and the geoaccumulation index. METHODS AND RESULTS: The data of averaged concentrations of heavy metals and fluorine were collected from the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS) and the research papers published. In order to classify the levels of heavy metal concentration, the contamination index, including the contamination factor and the geoaccumulation index, based on the relative ratio of the actual concentration of heavy metals in the soil to the background concentration was calculated. In addition, the distribution of heavy metals in soils was visualized by using the geographic information system (GIS). As a result, the Cd contamination in the soils was the most concerned. CONCLUSION(S): This study very roughly indicated the outline of heavy metal concentration over the whole regions of Korea. The change in heavy metals' concentration over the time should further be monitored and the larger data of heavy metal contamination are needed for better understanding in the future.

• Journal of Environmental Analysis, Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.292-303
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• 2018

The particle sizes and heavy metal concentrations (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Hg, As, Cr, Ni, Li, Al) of surface sediments of the Yeongsan River were analyzed to assess the distribution and pollution level of heavy metals. The distribution of particle sizes was dominated by sand in the upstream sites (MS1-MS7) and by silt loam in the downstream sites (MS8-ML3), but MS3 and MS6, located slightly upstream of the two weirs, were found to be loamy sand and silt loam, respectively. The concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd and Hg were higher at the upstream sites, while As, Cr, Ni and Li were higher at the downstream sites. The heavy metals of crustal origin (As, Cr, Ni and Li) were strongly correlated with particle size, while the other heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd and Hg) were weakly correlated with particle size. Considering their concentrations, most of heavy metals were evaluated as having almost no toxic effects on benthic organisms, at all sites. In addition, anthropogenic contamination by the $I_{geo}$, EF and CF were found to have no impact at most sites, with only low levels of pollution at the others. Using the PLI method, the MS2 and MS3 sites, located upstream, were assessed to be affected by anthropogenic contamination. Most importantly, Zn, Cu and Hg were found to be the elements responsible for most pollution, and they were highest at the upstream sites, implying pollution by domestic sewage and urban discharge.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.56-62
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• 2005

Chemical analyses are generally used to assess contaminated soils and to monitor the efficiency of soil remediation. In this study, the ecotoxicological methods was suggested to evaluate soil pollution by using a battery of bioassay. Plant assay and earthworm assay were conducted to evaluate ecotoxicity o soils contaminated by heavy metals (cadmium and copper) and oil (BTEX compounds, toluene). Test plants were Zea may, Triticum aestivum, Cucumis sativus, and Sorghum bicolor. The presence of heavy metals decreased the seedling growth. Cucumis sativus and Sorghum bicolor seemed to be good indicator plants which are sensitive to heavy metal pollution as well as BTEX contamination. An earthworm bioassay was performed to predict the ecotoxicity in toluene-contaminated soils, based on a simple contact method. Perionyx excavatus was adopted as a test earthworm species, and the severity of response increased with increasing toluene concentration. The present study demonstrated that ecotoxicological methods could be a quantitative approach to evaluate contaminated soils.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.393-409
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• 2015

Zinc and lead pollution are public environmental issues that have attracted lots of attention for a long time. Landfill leachate contains heavy metals, such as Zn(II) and Pb(II), which are usually related to the pollution of groundwater, especially in developing countries. Bentonite has been proven to be effective in enhancing the membrane property of clay, by which landfill liners can have better barrier performance towards the migration of contaminants. In this study, 5% sodium bentonite amended with locally available Fukakusa clay was utilized to evaluate the membrane behavior towards the heavy metals zinc and lead. The chemico-osmotic efficiency coefficient, ${\omega}$, was obtained through Zn(II) and Pb(II) solutions with different concentrations of 0.5, 1, 5, 10, and 50 mM. According to the results, ${\omega}$ continually decreased as the Zn(II) and Pb(II) concentrations increased, which is consistent with the Gouy-Chapman theory. Compared to normal inorganic ions, the membrane behavior towards heavy metal ions was lower. The migration of heavy metal ions was not observed based on experimental results, which can be attributed to the adsorption or ion exchange reaction. The mechanisms of the membrane performance change were discussed with the assistance of XRD patterns, free swelling results, XRF results, and SEM images.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.551-554
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• 2012

The present laboratory investigation was conducted to assess the effect of heavy metals on carbon mineralization. Soil was treated with three concentrations (50, 100 and $150{\mu}mol\;g^{-1}$ soil) of two heavy metals (Cd and Zn) in a factorial combination of treatments replicated four times. Determination of carbon mineralization was carried out at 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42 and 56 days after metal treatments.. The amount of $CO_2$-C released from heavy metal treated soils was found to be decreased at an increasing rate during the first 28 days, followed by slow release as incubation progressed. The total amounts of $CO_2$-C released were 448, 382 and $348mg\;kg^{-1}$ soil respectively for soils treated with 50, 100 and $150{\mu}mol\;g^{-1}$ soil of Zn. The corresponding figures for Cd treated soils were 406, 354 and $282mg\;kg^{-1}$ soil implying that dose-dependent reduction in cumulative $CO_2$-C released from soils. The inhibition of carbon mineralization was found to be high in Cd treated soils than that of Zn treated. Therefore, tolerance and adaptation of the microbial community is likely to be related to the concentration and the type of metal. According to the results, carbon mineralization can be considered as possible indicator of soil pollution by means of heavy metals.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.66-74
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• 2016

Environmental pollution from abandoned metal mines has been awarded as serious problem and many techniques have been applied to remediate pollutants. Main objective of this research was to evaluate efficiency of heavy metal sorption capacity of spent mushroom media (SMM) in aqueous and soil matrix. Laboratory batch experiment was conducted and 4 different heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn) were evaluated. In aqueous phase, all 4 heavy metals showed high reduction efficiency ranged from 60-99% and Pb showed the highest sorption efficiency. In case of soil phase, much lower sorption efficiency was observed compared to aqueous phase. The highest reduction efficiency was observed in Cd (average of 38%). With scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive detector (SED-EDS) analysis, we confirmed sorption of heavy metals at the surface of SMM. Overall, SMM can be used as sorption materials for heavy metals in both aqueous and soil matrix and more research should be conducted to increase sorption efficiency of SMM in soil.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.83-93
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• 1991

For the survey of water pollution, several heavy metals were analyzed in the sediment of the Han River from March 20 to April 22, 1989. The results were as follows : 1. The respective ranges of heavy metal concentrations of Cadimium, Lead, Copper, Zinc and Manganese found in the sediments of the Han River were 0.32!2.41 $\mu g/g$, 15.80~129.64 $\mu g/g$, 13.82~372.36 $\mu g/g$, 58.40~925.40 $\mu g/g$, 271.50~668.30 $\mu g/g$. 2. In the sediment of inflow site Jung Rang Chon the contents of Lead, Copper, Zinc were the highest among other sampling points and An Yang Chon, the contents of Cadmium, was the highest among other sampling points and Wang Sook Chon, the contents of Manganese, was the highest among other sampling points. 3. Through all sampling points general trend of heavy metal contamination showed the highest in Zinc, the next Manganese, Copper, Lead and Cadmium respectively. 4. The higher amount of heavy metal was found in the finer particles of sediment. 5. The amount of Cadmium and Lead of the Han River water was below the standard of environment.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.85-92
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• 2008

This study was carried out to estimate heavy metal loads at plain area of the rural watersheds during farming season in 2006. The experimental area was belonging to Geum River watershed. That was located at the center of South Korea. Water samples were corrected at two kinds of aspects. One is regular sampling(every two month) and the other is irregular sampling(every rainfall event). The result showed that heavy metal properties of regular samples were highest at May and June with lively agricultural activities. Heavy metal concentration of irregular samples was lower than that of regular samples. But the heavy metal loads of irregular samples were high. The correlation between each heavy metals of regular samples was following as Mn-Cd > Mn-Fe > Mn-Al > Fe-Al > Al-Cd. The correlation of irregular samples was following as Fe-AI > Zn-Mn > Fe-Cd > Cd-Al. Loading rates of daily discharge the plain area of designed rural watershed during farming season were Al 3.070 kg/day, Cu 0.526 kg/day, Fe 0.745 kg/day, Zn 0.314 kg/day, Cd 0.010 kg/day, Cr 0.055 kg/day, Mn 0.140 kg/day and Pb 0.098 kg/day. Loading rate of discharge with heavy metals during the survey period was Al(577.23 kg) > Fe(140.08 kg) > Cu(98.93 kg) > Zn(58.99 kg) > Mn(26.34 kg) > Pb(18.51 kg) > Cr(10.34 kg) > Cd(1.93 kg).

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.41-51
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• 1998

The research was conducted to measure the heavy metal pollution of soils and vegetations adjacent to the closed Daeseong coal mine in Keumsan, Chungnam. The studied area was divided into two sites ; the coal-bearing polluted and the non-polluted without coal. The samples of the weathered soils and vegetations(Miscnthus sinenis(MS) and Pinus rigida(PR)) were collected from both area. Cr, Mo, Ni, and Fe concentrations were high in the polluted soils, whereas Co, Sc, and Zn concentrations were high in the non-polluted soils. In the vegetations, Co, Cr, Sc, and Fe concentrations in the roots of MS and PR growing on the polluted sites were higher than the above-ground. However, on the non-polluted sites, Mo and Ni concentrations had an opposite trend. In the above-ground parts, high heavy metal concentrations (except Cr) were shown in MS of the non-polluted sites, whereas in the roots, heavy metal concentrations (except Zn) were high in the polluted sites. In the average heavy metal concentrations of two plants, most elements (except Zn) were lower in the plants than the soils. Comparing with vegetations and adjacent forest soils, heavy metal concentrations of the MS were similar to those of soil concentrations relative to the PR, suggesting that absorptions of the elements were higher in the MS than the PR.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.85-93
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• 2013

This study is conducted to evaluate the leaching of contaminants from mine tailing by natural water and finally to estimate the leaching and transportation of heavy metal contaminants by rainfall. In order to identify contaminated heavy metal of soil, 17 soil, 2 tailing and 2 waste dump and 2 control samples were taken at mine area and analyzed total metal contents. The leaching experiments were conducted using distilled water. Cu, Pb, Zn was extracted from the reddish mine tailing in a short period time, especially the extraction rate of Cu (45.0%) was highest. The contaminants were leached from the yellowish mine tailing within an hour and the leaching rate of Cd (42.0%) and Zn (17.2%) were relatively high. The reddish soil from the waste dump showed leaching of Cu (5.1%), Pb (4.0%) and Zn (3.3%), however the leaching rate was low except Mi (14.2%). From the yellowish soil sampled from the dumping site, the leaching of Cu (8.2%) and Ni (9.7%) was high while the leaching of Zn (0.2%) were relatively low.