• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.565-572
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• 1998

This study estimate the degree of contamination in the streamwater around the Sudokwon landfill site. It was sampled at 10 sites in Jan., Apr., Jul. and Oct., 1996. There were analyzed five kinds of toxic chemical material-CN, AES, PCB, As, Org-p, and four kinds of heavy metal-Pb, Hg, Cd, $C^{+6}$ The result are 1)The COD was generally increased to compare before landfall, 2) The Org-P and PCB were not detected at all points, 3) The concentrations of Pb, $C^{+6}$ and As were lower than the environmental criteria values, 4) The CN, Hg and Cd were over envirommental criteria values. and so emergent regulation is needed, 5) The effects of the streamwater contamination were not only the leachate of the landfall, but also the small factories and agricultural land around the landfill.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.161-166
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• 2004

The impact of dissolved wastewater constituents on the treatment of synthetic bisphenol A (BPA) solutions was investigated under a variety of reaction conditions. The laccase enzyme from Trametes vesicolor was used for the BPA treatment. The constituents studied included various inorganic salts, organic compounds and heavy metal ions. BPA degradation was inhibited by sulfate, thiosulfate, sulfide, nitrite, and cyanide ions at 25 mg/$\ell$, 100mg/$\ell$, 25 mg/$\ell$ 150 mg/$\ell$, and 2.5 mg/$\ell$, respectively. However, the inhibitive effects of sulfide and sulfite on BPA degradation were diminished by additional aeration to oxidize them. Formaldehyde significantly reduced the rate of BPA degradation at 1.0% among organic compounds studied. Among heavy metal ions tested, Fe(II) substantially suppressed BPA removal at 1 mM. MgCl$_2$ and CaCl$_2$ exhibited great inhibition of BPA degradation at 25mM.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.2-4
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• 1998

Proliferation of Nocardia amarae cells in activated sludge has often been associated with the generation of nuisance foams. Despite intense research activities in recent years to examine the causes and control of Nocardia foaming in activated sludge, the foaming continued to persist throughout the activated sludge treatment plants in United States. In addition to causing various operational problems to treatment processes, the presence of Nocardia may have secondary effects on the fate of heavy metals that are not well known. For example, for treatment plants facing more stringent metal removal requirements, potential metal removal by Nocardia cells in foaming activated sludge would be a welcome secondary effect. In contrast, with new viosolid disposal regulations in place (Code o( Federal Regulation No. 503), higher concentration of metals in biosolids from foaming activated sludge could create management problems. The goal of this research was to investigate the metal sorption property of Nocardia amarae cells grown in batch reactors and in chemostat reactors. Specific surface area and metal sorption characteristics of N. amarae cells harvested at various growth stages were compared. Three metals examined in this study were copper, cadmium and nickel. Nocardia amarae strain (SRWTP isolate) used in this study was obtained from the University of California at Berkeley. The pure culture was grown in 4L batch reactor containing mineral salt medium with sodium acetate as the sole carbon source. In order to quantify the sorption of heavy metal ions to N amarae cell surfaces, cells from the batch reactor were harvested, washed, and suspended in 30mL centrifuge tubes. Metal sorption studies were conducted at pH 7.0 and ionlc strength of 10-2M. The sorption Isotherm showed that the cells harvested from the stationary and endogenous growth phase exhibited significantly higher metal sorption capacity than the cells from the exponential phase. The sequence of preferential uptake of metals by N. amarae cells was Cu>Cd>Ni. The specific surFace area of Nocardia cells was determined by a dye adsorption method. N.amarae cells growing at ewponential phase had significantly less specific surface area than that of stationary phase, indicating that the lower metal sorption capacity of Nocardia cells growing at exponential phase may be due to the lower specific surface area. The growth conditions of Nocardia cells in continuous culture affect their cell surface properties, thereby governing the adsorption capacity of heavy metal. The comparison of dye sorption isotherms for Nocardia cells growing at various growth rates revealed that the cell surface area increased with increasing sludge age, indicating that the cell surface area is highly dependent on the steady-state growth rate. The highest specific surface area of 199m21g was obtained from N.amarae cell harvested at 0.33 day-1 of growth rate. This result suggests that growth condition not only alters the structure of Nocardia cell wall but also affects the surface area, thus yielding more binding sites of metal removal. After reaching the steady-state condition at dilution rate, metal adsorption isotherms were used to determine the equilibrium distributions of metals between aqueous and Nocardia cell surfaces. The metal sorption capacity of Nocardia biomass harvested from 0.33 day-1 of growth rate was significantly higher than that of cells harvested from 0.5- and 1-day-1 operation, indicatng that N.amarae cells with a lower growth rate have higher sorpion capacity. This result was in close agreement with the trend observed from the batch study. To evaluate the effect of Nocardia cells on the metal binding capacity of activated sludge, specific surface area and metal sorption capacity of the mixture of Nocardia pure cultures and activated sludge biomass were determined by a series of batch experiments. The higher levels of Nocardia cells in the Nocardia-activated sludge samples resulted in the higher specific surface area, explaining the higher metal sorption sites by the mixed luquor samples containing greater amounts on Nocardia cells. The effect of Nocardia cells on the metal sorption capacity of activated sludge was evaluated by spiking an activated sludge sample with various amounts of pre culture Nocardia cells. The results of the Langmuir isotherm model fitted to the metal sorption by various mixtures of Nocardia and activated sludge indicated that the mixture containing higher Nocardia levels had higher metal adsorption capacity than the mixture containing lower Nocardia levels. At Nocardia levels above 100mg/g VSS, the metal sorption capacity of activate sludge increased proportionally with the amount of Noeardia cells present in the mixed liquor, indicating that the presence of Nocardia may increase the viosorption capacity of activated sludge.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.251-263
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• 2011

In order to investigate treatment effects of limestone and steel refining slag for paddy soils contaminated with arsenic and heavy metals, a lab-column test was carried out under reducing environments of flooded paddy soils. In conditions of the flooded paddy soils, at the point of time when iron and manganese were reduced and leached rapidly, heavy metals also leached rapidly, and some leachate samples from an untreated soil exceeded regulatory standards. On the contrary, all samples from soils treated with limestone 5% and steel refining slag 5% respectively were below the regulatory standards, showing much lower heavy metal concentrations than in the untreated soil. Arsenic increased continuously during the observation period according to its typical characteristics, and along with decreasing redox potential, arsenic was expected to leach as $H_3AsO_3$-of form $A^{3+}$ with high mobility and strong toxicity. Limestone and steel refining slag showed high treatment effects against heavy metals present in soil and steel refining slag especially showed the high treatment effects against arsenic.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2006

One of the main attractions of treatment with herbal medicine is its apparent lack of side effects compared with the drug therapies used in allopathic medicine. However, evidence from various countries suggest that Asian herbal medicine carry a significant risk of contamination with toxic heavy metals at levels that may seriously threaten health. The aims of this study were to analyze and compare concentrations of heavy metals in urine and hair from 184 patients taking herbal medicines in the form of decoctions and/or pills in comparison to 101 control subjects taking either Western or no medications. Levels of metal concentrations exceeding WHO reference values were observed in a number of hair and urine samples for all subjects. After adjusting for potential confounders, taking decoctions or pills was associated with higher levels of some metals (such as Cu, Pb in urine), as well a higher odds ratio of exceeding the upper limit of reference ranges for Pb, Hg in hair. In contrast, taking decoctions or pills was associated with lower levels of some metals (such as Cu in urine and Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb in hair), suggesting that some herbal medicines may have a chelating effect on heavy metals in the body. Overall, the results obtained in the study show a mixed picture and suggest that heavy metals contamination in herbs is sometimes present, but may also be counteracted by the potential for some herbal medicines to act as chelating agents. Further study must be followed to obtain more concrete evidence.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1135-1140
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• 2005

Dogs are a very good indicator of the pollution load on the environment. They share people's environment and are exposed to the action of the same pollutants. This study was to estimate the heavy metal contents in dog hairs in domestic districts, and to assess effects of age, sex, feed habits, living area, breeding environment and smoking habit of owner. The mean concentrations of heavy metals in 204 samples were 0.09${\pm}$0.10 ${\mu}g$/g, 0.21${\pm}$0.09 ${\mu}g$/g, 0.82${\pm}$0.09 ${\mu}g$/g and 0.48${\pm}$0.07 ${\mu}g$/g (Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg), Lead (Pb) and Chromium (Cr)) in dog hairs, respectively. Concentrations of Pb, Cd, Hg and Cr in dog hairs in Yeongnam including Ulsan and Seoul, were higher than in Chungchong and Honam, and concentrations of Pb were significantly different (p<0.01). Concentrations of Cd, Hg, Pb and Cr in dog hairs increased with age (p<0.05). Only dogs fed commercial pet foods had significantly higher Cd and Cr concentrations in hairs than dogs fed dog feed and human diet (p<0.01 in Cd and p<0.05 in Cr). Cr concentrations of dog hairsfrom dogs kept on cement floors were the highest of the other environments (p<0.01). Heavy metal concentrations of dogs owned by smokers, were higher than dogs of non-smokers, but there were no significant differences.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.389-398
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• 2006

To examine sediment characteristics and find anthropogenic effects on riverine wetland ecosystems, paleoecological study was carried out at Bam islands in Seoul. Three hundred cm deep sediment cores were retrieved and dated with the lamination analysis method until 36 cm depth (1986). Sediments were divided into three zones based on the depth profiles of physico-chemical variables: below 160 cm depth (before 1968), between 160 and 40cm depths and above 40cm depth (after 1986). Physico-chemical characteristics were very variable between 160 and 40cm depths and this indicates unstable sedimentation environment. Even though heavy metal concentrations were relatively low, Cd and As contents have increased continuously. Dry mass accumulation rates during $1968{\sim}1986\;and\;1987{\sim}2003$ were 140 and $21\;kg\;m^{-2}\;yr^{-1}$, respectively. This was related to flooding intensity and duration. Bulk density, water content, loss on ignition, N, C, C/N ratio were very similar to other river delta but Ca, Na and K contents were 2 to 4 times higher than others. Heavy metal contents except Pb were lower or similar to those in other studied marshes in Korea. Heavy metal and Mg contents were correlated with each other and this suggests that the source of heavy metals be parent rock. From $^{13}C$ dating dates of organic materials in sediment, it is suggested that organic matter originated from the watershed and flooding intensity in the watershed might be responsible for the source of sediments. This study provides reference data for the comparison of sediment characteristics at islands in river and for the management of Bam islands.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.773-778
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• 2011

Long-term continuous application of livestock by-products to agricultural land may adversely affect the soil characteristics and the crop yield. Five year term study from 2007 was carried out to assess the effects of repeated application of low-concentration swine slurry on soil chemical properties including phosphate and heavy metal contents and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in a greenhouse. Treatments were conventional chemical fertilizers and three application rates of low-concentration swine slurry (Slurry composting and biofiltration, SCB): 50%, 100%, and 200% of recommended nitrogen fertilization. For swine slurry treatment of 50% nitrogen, deficient nitrogen was supplemented with urea fertilizer. The soil phosphorus and heavy metal contents after five year continuous application of swine slurry were not significantly higher than those of chemical fertilizer use. Repeated application of the swine slurry alone for five years resulted in relatively high soil exchangeable potassium and sodium compared with chemical fertilizer treatment. Contents of heavy metals in leaves of tomato and cucumber did not show significant difference among treatments. Yields of the crops for the swine slurry were not significantly different from that of chemical fertilizer. The results imply that continuous application of the swine slurry may not influence levels of soil phosphate and trace elements in greenhouse soils but could accumulate potassium and sodium in the soil.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.178.1-178
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• 2001

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.29-30
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• 2003

The heavy metal cadmium is a xenobiotic toxicant of environmental and occupational concern and it has been classified as a human carcinogen. Inhalation of cadmiumhas been implicated in the development of emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis, but, the detailed mechanism by which cadmium induces adverse biological effects is not yet known.(omitted)