• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.57-62
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• 2001

The study was conducted to measure the heavy metal pollution of soils at the playground for children and to investigate the characteristics of heavy metals distribution I city. The studied area was divided into two: the residential area and the industrial area. The samples of the sands and soils were collected from both areas. The results were obtained as follows. All average concentration of 6 different heavy metals was found to be lower than the standard of soil pollution. Zn, Pb and cu concentrations were higher than other species of heavy metals. The contents of heavy metals in the soil were higher than the sands. The average contents of Zn, Pb, Cu, As, Hg and Cd in soil were 38.36, 9.53, 7.31, 0.03, 0.18 and 0.09 mg/kg respectively. Comparing with the residential area, heavy metal concentrations of the industrial area were 4.60, 1.49, 2.60 and 4.29 times for Zn, Pb, Hg and Cd in soils, respectively.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.203-214
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• 2002

The statistical model was introduced to satisfy various experimental condition on the sorption of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn) by bentonite. The Box-Behnken model designed statistically was applied to determine relative impact among three variables such as pH, HCO$_3$ contents and heavy metal concentrations on the sorption. The SAS program was used to obtain the statistical solution. The statistical surface response analysis indicates that initial concentration of heavy metals and pH have an important effect on the sorption, and bicarbonate is not a serious variable. The sorption capability about heavy metals of bentonite is in the order of Pb>Cu>Zn>Cd. The precipitation as hydroxyl and carbonate complexes of heavy metals was thermodynamically analyzed as major mechanism of sorption under alkaline pHs and high bicarbonate solution. It was found that there is a little difference between the model prediction on the precipitation of heavy metals and the results of batch sorption experiment. The thermodynamic data of the programs have to revise to obtain the best fit condition between the model prediction and the experimental results.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.453-460
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• 2006

Upo wetland is the largest inland wetland in Korea as Ramsar Convention Area. The purposes of the study were to investigate the levels of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the sediment and Cipangopaludina chinensis malleata from three sites of the wetland and to assess the potential of the gastropod as a bioindicator for heavy metal levels. The gastropods were dissected into shell and soft tissue without the digestive and excretive organs. The levels of Cd, Cu and Pb were below the guideline of Soil Environment Conservation Act and the heavy metals except Cr were slightly different among the sites. Cd was higher in Upo site ($0.32{\mu}g/g$) than Sajipo site ($0.28{\mu}g/g$). Cu and Zn showed the highest value in Sajipo as $43.5{\mu}g/g\;and\;39.8{\mu}g/g$, respectively while the concentrations of Pb and Zn were the highest in Upstream as $58.8{\mu}g/g\;and\;138{\mu}g/g$, respectively. In the soft tissues and shells of the gastropod, the overall common trend in the concentrations of the heavy metals was revealed with the following order: Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Pb > Cd and Ni > Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Cd, respectively. Although the soft tissues exhibited higher concentrations of the heavy metals except Ni than the shell in the gastropod, the levels of Cd and Pb in the gastropod were generally below the restrictive values set up by Korea Food & Drug Administration. From Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT) results, the concentrations of Pb and Zn in the sediments among the sites were reflected on the soft tissue (Pb) and the shell (Pb and Zn) of the gastropod in the same order. The lower value of coefficient of variation (CV) in Pb concentration of the shell than in that of the soft tissue supports the usefulness of the shell as a bioindicator for Pb pollution. Although the CV value in the shell was a little higher than in the soft tissue, DMRT results and the stability of incorporated Zn into the shell support the use of the shell of the gastropod as a potential bioindicator for long-term contamination of Zn.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.98-104
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• 2008

This research was performed to evaluate the extraction characteristics of heavy metals for soil washing of mine tailings-contaminated soil according to particle size distribution and the chemical distributional existence of the metals. As the soil particle size was decreased, the extracted concentrations of heavy metals was increased except Fe and Mn. Most of all heavy metals were extracted within 6 h by soil washing with 0.05 M EDTA. Extraction efficiency of metals was decreased for Pb, Cu, and Zn with decreasing of particle size. Significant difference was not observed in extraction efficiency for Cd according to particle size distribution. Extraction efficiency for Cd was the highest as 86~91%, while the lowest as 5~14% for Fe. Most metals of the soil without soil washing was distributed as reducible, oxidizable, and residual fractions. Pb, Zn, and Cd existed as reducible (Fe/Mn oxide) and residual fractions and Cu existed as oxidizable and residual fractions after soil washing treatment with 0.05 M EDTA. As the soil particle size was decreased, residual fraction was increased for Pb and Cu. About 90% of reducible fraction in Pb, Zn, and Cd was removed by soil washing with 0.05 M EDTA. As the results, it was founded that soil particle size was the important parameter to effect on distributional fraction and extraction efficiency of metals in mine tailings-contaminated soil.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.21 no.2 s.24
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• pp.320-328
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• 1988

This study was carried out to investigate the heavy metal contents and their correlationship between paddy soil and brown rice near the Kum-River area. In this study, eighty soil samples and forty brown rice samples were taken from the paddy soil. The contents of heavy metals were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results were as follows: 1. The average contents of soluble heavy metals in surface soil were Cd 0.19, Cu 15.31, Zn 18.10 and Pb 9.08 ppm. The average contents of soluble heavy metals in subsurface soil were Cd 0.19, Cu 14.52, Zn 17.75 and Pb 8.11 ppm. There was no statistically significant difference between the two layers. 2. The contens of Cu, Zn and Pb of Taejeon(S6) and Cd of Sinbyung(S5) in surface soil were higher than those of other areas. The contents of Cd and Cu of Taejeon(S6) and Zn and Pb of Kumnam(S3) in brown rice were higher than those of other areas and four heavy metals in soil and brown rice of Simchon(S7) were lower than those of other areas. 3. The ratio of soluble contents(Cd:Cu:Zn:Pb) in surface soil was 1:79:93:47, that of soluble contents in subsurface soil was 1:76:94:43, and that of total contents in brown rice was 1:84:294:12. 4. The correlationship of the content between soluble heavy metals in surface(0-15 cm depth) soil total heavy metals in brown rice was found to be order of Cd>Cu>Zn>Pb. The correlationship of the content between soluble heavy metals in subsurface(20-30 cm depth) soil and total heavy metals in brownricewasfoundtobeorderofcu>Cd>Zn>Pb.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.297-301
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• 2001

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the extent of heavy metals(As, Pb, Cd, Hg)accumulated in sediments of the Kwangyang Bay, and to investigate bioaccumulation of heavy metals(As, Pb, Cd, Hg) in shellfish(Ruditapes philippinarum) commonly found in the intertidal zone of the Kwangyang Bay. The data was also compared with that of Namhae and Kohung intertidal zones, which were regarded as control stations in this study. Substantial geographical variations in heavy metal concentrations in the sediment samples were found. However, heavy metal concentrations in the sediment collected from the intertidal zones of Yochon(stations I, J) and Myodo(stations G, H) close to Yochon Industrial Area exhibited relatively higher heavy metal concentrations, compared to those from other intertidal zones(stations A, B, C) adjacent to POSCO at Kwangyang Bay. In addition, stations A, B, C showed lower heavy metal concentrations in the sediments than controls(K, L). The annual mean concentrations of the heavy metals in the shellfish from the stations(G, H, I, J) were significantly higher than those from other stations(A, B, C, D, E, F). Nevertheless, heavy metal accumulation in sediments was not reflected in bioaccumulation of heavy metals in shellfish, probably indicating that interactions between the heavy metals in sediment and shellfish might be poor in the current study area, Kwangyang Bay.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.335-345
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• 2004

Total and extractable contents of heavy metals were measured in sediment and seafood from Bukhang and Boggil-ri tidal flats along the Mokpo coastal area, south-western part of Korean peninsular in order to assess the degree of metal pollution, metal bioavailability and metal hioaccumulation. The metal concentrations, except Pb were found to be greater than the background concentrations of sediments indicating the progress of cumulative contamination by anthropogenic origin of metals. The order of extractable metal concentrations in sediments were Mn(32-53 mg/kg)＞Zn(14-42 mg/tg)＞Cu(2.5-17.0 mg/kg)＞Pb(2.4-6.8 mg/kg)＞Cd(0.5-0.7 mg/kg). However, the amount of metals associated with extractable fraction of sediments were significantly high in Bukhang relative to Boggil-ri. Significant bioaccumulation of all metals, except Pb were observed in seaweed and benthos. The order of bioaccumulation of metals were: in concentration; all biota commonly, Mn(129-374 mg/kg)＞Zn(19-106 mg/kg)＞Cu(6-87 mg/kg)＞Cd(4.6-7.6 mg/kg)＞Pb(0.2-3.7 mg/kg), in BCF; Enteromorpha, Cd＞Mn＞Cu＞Zn＞Pb, Ilyoplax deschampsi, Cu＞Cd＞Mn＞Zn＞Pb, Urechis unicinctus, Cd＞Zn＞Mn＞Cu＞Pb. Some metal concentrations of Enteromorpha, especially Cu, Zn, weakly Pb in bukhang, Mn, Cd in boggili-ri, were correlate well with concentrations in sediment, indicating relatively more contaminated by the anthropogenic origin of metals in each tidal flat. The results clearly indicate that the seafood of bukhang, even of Boggili-ri known as clean area, are contaminated with metals.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.446-452
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• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of mine activity on paddy fields, agricultural water, and plants in the ruined Oksung Cu-Zn mine area. Soil samples collected from paddy fields adjacent to the Cu-Zn mine sites were sequentially extracted and determined the contents of heavy metals such as Cd, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr and Ni. Distribution of exchangeable heavy metals in soils was 30.2% of Cd, 11.3% of Zn, 2.2% of Cu, 4.6% of Cr, 0.6% of Pb and 3.9% of Ni. Water soluble heavy metals were only detected with Zn. The contents of heavy metals in water collected from the mine were 0.01 of Cd, 27.35 of Zn, 4.86 of Cu, 1.04 of Pb, 0.03 of Cr and $0.08mg\;L^{-1}$ of Ni. while the contents in waler collected out of the mine were 16.67 of Zn, 0.59 of Cu, 0.49 of Pb, 0.05 of Cr and $0.06mg\;L^{-1}$ of Ni. On the other hand, agricultural water near mine area were 1.26 of Zn, 0.05 of Cu, 0.05 of Pb and $0.02mg\;L^{-1}$ of Ni. Both Cd and Cr were not detected in the agricultural water.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.39-46
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the heavy metal accumulation in wild plants. The samples from 5 plant species on 14 sites were taken on the roadside where urban and industrial regions in northern Gyeonggi do. Artemisia princeps var. orientalis, Chenopodium album L. var. centrobrum, Erigeron canadensis L., Rumex crispus L. and Taraxacum platycapum H. Dahlst were taken from different parts of the plants gathered in surveyed sites for analysing. This study classified which species were suitable to accumulators, excluders, or indicators which were provided as Phytoremediation for heavy metals(Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn) and considered the applicability of that work. 1. The mean accumulation of 6 heavy metals in plants was as follows; Zn> Cu> Cr> Pb> Ni> Cd in rows except for Ni and Pb in Erigeron. 2. The highest heavy metal accumulators were Taraxacum and Artemisia. 3. The comparison of heavy metal accumulations between the tops and roots in the plants was as follows; Zn> Cd> Pb> Ni> Cu> Cr. 4. Comparison of heavy metal accumulations between tops and roots, root parts were higher than the top parts in most of the plants. Especially, in Taraxacum, a ratio was over 1.0 in Cr, Ni, and Zn. Therefore, Taraxacum was an accumulator for 3 heavy metals. And Erigeron, Chenopodium, Rumex, Artemisia were good for excluders which had lower than 1.0.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.93-103
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• 2009

Evidences from various countries suggest that toxic heavy metals in herbal medicine may constitute a serious health problem. In order to evaluate whether the toxic heavy metals caused by herbal medicine intake, blood samples collected from 222 patients taking herbal medicine were analyzed. In average levels of analyzed metals, $0.4{\sim}33.9%$ of total samples for 8 metals such as Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn except Cr and Fe exceeded the upper limit for WHO reference value. In analysis of regression coefficients indicating the levels of metals increased or decreased after taking herbal medicine for one month, however, there were different aspects by intake types for herbal medicine. For example, the metals increased by taking decoction in blood samples were as follows; Cd and Pb whether Mn, Ni and Pb as increased metals were identified in the group taking pill and decoction(combined intake group). The odds ratio showing values higher than 1 indicating that people who take herbal medicine would have possibility higher for metal accumulation in blood than that from people who do not take herbal medicine. The metals showing the odds ratio higher than 1 were Hg and Ni in decoction group, and Cd and Hg in combined intake group. However, eight of the total, 10 metals showed the odds ratios lower than 1 by taking herbal medicine. Thus, this may explain the possible role of herbal medicine as a chelator for heavy metals in body.