• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 2009.03a
• /
• pp.23-29
• /
• 2009

A sand-cone method is commonly used to determine the density of the compacted soils. This method uses a calibration container to determine the bulk-density of the sand for use in the test. The density of the test or compacted soil is computed on the assumption that the calibration container has approximately the same size or volume and allows the sand to fall approximately the same height as a test hole in the field. However, in most cases the size or shape of test hole is not exactly the same as the calibration container. There is certain discrepancy between sand particle settlement or arrangement in the laboratory calibration and in the field testing, which may cause an erroneous determination of in-situ density. The sand filling process is simulated in the laboratory and its effect on the determination of density is investigated. Artificially-made holes with different heights and bottom shapes are prepared to simulate various shapes of the test hole in the field. The sands with different gradations are used in the testing to examine how sand grain size influences the determination of density in the field.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.445-455
• /
• 2009

Microbiological sulfate reduction is the transformation of sulfate to sulfide catalyzed by the activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria using sulfate as an electron acceptor. Low solubility of metal sulfides leads to precipitation of the sulfides in solution. The effects of microbiological sulfate reduction on in-situ precipitation of arsenic and copper were investigated for the heavy metal-contaminated soil around the Songcheon Au-Ag mine site. Total concentrations of As, Cu, and Pb were 1,311 mg/kg, 146 mg/kg, and 294 mg/kg, respectively, after aqua regia digestion. In batch-type experiments, indigenous sulfate-reducing bacteria rapidly decreased sulfate concentration and redox potential and led to substantial removal of dissolved As and Cu from solution. Optimal concentrations of carbon source and sulfate for effective microbial sulfate reduction were 0.2~0.5% (w/v) and 100~200 mg/L, respectively. More than 98% of injected As and Cu were removed in the effluents from both microbial and chemical columns designed for metal sulfides to be precipitated. However, after the injection of oxygen-rich solution, the microbial column showed the enhanced long-term stability of in-situ precipitated metals when compared with the chemical column which showed immediate increase in dissolved As and Cu due to oxidative dissolution of the sulfides. Black precipitates formed in the microbial column during the experiments and were identified as iron sulfide and copper sulfide. Arsenic was observed to be adsorbed on surface of iron sulfide precipitate.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 2000.11a
• /
• pp.135-142
• /
• 2000

A framework alternative to that of classical slope stability analysis is developed, wherein the soil mass is treated as a continuum and in situ soil stresses and strengths are computed accurately using inelastic finite element methods with general constitutive models. Within this framework, two alternative methods of stability analysis are presented. In the first, the strength characteristics of the soil mass are held constant, and the gravitational loading on the slope system is increased until failure is initiated by well-defined mechanisms. In the second approach, the gravity loading on the slope system is held constant, while the strength parameters of the slope mass are gradually decreased until well-defined failure mechanisms developed. Details on the applying both of the proposed methods, and comparisons of their characteristics on a number of solved example problems are presented.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
• /
• 1999.10a
• /
• pp.34-38
• /
• 1999

This paper investigated remediation options for contaminated sediments with heavy metals. Twenty three sediment samples were taken from three different depths of 0.5m, 1.5m and 2.5m. The concentration of Heavy metals Cu, Pb, and Hg were measured. The concentration of copper far exceeded the Sediment Quality Guideline in U.S.A and Interim Sediment Quality Guidelines in Canada. Therefore, remediation of the sediments is requried to protect the benthos. Two remediation options were suggested : dredging of the organic sediments as deep as about 85cm followed by surface covers with clean soil, and in-situ stabilization of tile sediments using lime or cement followed by surface cover with clean soil.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
• /
• 2004.05a
• /
• pp.47-60
• /
• 2004

Higher plants can be valuable genetic assay systems for monitoring environmental pollutants and evaluating their biological toxicity. Two assays are considered ideal for in situ monitoring and testing of soil, airborne and aqueous mutagenic agents; the Tradescantia stamen hair assay for somatic cell mutations and the Tradescantia micronucleus assay for chromosome aberrations. Both assays can be used for in vivo and in vitro testing of mutagens. Since higher plant systems are now recognized as excellent indicators and have unique advantages over in situ monitoring and screening, higher plant systems could be accepted by regulatory authorities as an alternative first-tier assay system for the detection of possible genetic damages resulting from the pollutants or chemicals used and produced by industrial sectors. It has been concluded that potential mutagen and carcinogen such as the heavy metals among indoor air particulates, volatile compounds in the working places, soil, and water pollutants contribute to the overall health risk. This contribution can be considerable under certain circumstances. It is therefore important to identify the level of genotoxic activity in the environment and to relate it to the biomarkers of a health risk in humans. The results from the higher plant bioassays could make a significant contribution to assessing the risks of pollutants and protecting the public from agents that can cause mutation and/or cancer. The plant bioassays, which are relatively inexpensive and easy to handle, are recommended for the scientists who are interested in monitoring pollutants and evaluating their environmental toxicity to living organisms.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
• /
• 2004.05a
• /
• pp.1-15
• /
• 2004

Higher plants can be valuable genetic assay systems for monitoring environmental pollutants and evaluating their biological toxicity. Two assays are considered ideal for in situ monitoring and testing of soil, airborne and aqueous mutagenic agents; the Tradescantia stamen hair assay for somatic cell mutations and the Tradescantia micronucleus assay for chromosome aberrations. Both assays can be used for in vivo and in vitro testing of mutagens. Since higher plant systems are now recognized as excellent indicators and have unique advantages over in situ monitoring and screening, higher plant systems could be accepted by regulatory authorities as an alternative first-tier assay system for the detection of possible genetic damages resulting from the pollutants or chemicals used and produced by industrial sectors. It has been concluded that potential mutagen and carcinogen such as the heavy metals among indoor air particulates, volatile compounds in the working places, soil, and water pollutants contribute to the overall health risk. This contribution can be considerable under certain circumstances. It is therefore important to identify the level of genotoxic activity in the environment and to relate it to the biomarkers of a health risk in humans. The results from the higher plant bioassays could make a significant contribution to assessing the risks of pollutants and protecting the public firom agents that can cause mutation anuor cancer. The plant bioassays, which are relatively inexpensive and easy to handle, are recommended for the scientists who are interested in monitoring pollutants and evaluating their environmental toxicity to living organisms.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.385-395
• /
• 1995

Species effects on soil nitrogen mineralization and nitrification in the top 15 cm of soil were evaluated using the buried-bag incubation method in three coniferous plantations in the Kwangneung Experimental Forest, Kyonggi Province. The plantations were established on a similar soil in 1927, and included Larix decidua, Pinus strobus, and Thuja occidentalis. Ten soil samples within each plantation were taken during an entire growing season (May 2~Oct. 30, 1994). Mean daily nitrogen mineralization rates during 45-day in situ soil incubations were significantly different among species and incubation dates. Growing season nitrogen mineralization also differed significantly among species and ranged from 47.7 mg N/kg soil for Larix decidua to 21.5 ma N/kg soil for Thuja occidentalis. Growing season nitrification differed significantly among species and comprised from 93% to 100% of the total growing season nitrogen mineralized. We speculated that organic matter contents and quality might control nitrogen mineralization and nitrification in these soils.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.285-291
• /
• 2004

The soil bacterial community and some inoculated bacteria were monitored to assess the microbial responses to prescribed fire in their microcosm. An acridine orange direct count of the bacteria in the unburned control soil were maintained at a relatively stable level $(2.0\~2.7\times10^9\;cells/g^{-1}{\cdot}soil)$ during the 180 day study period. The number of bacteria in the surface soil was decreased by fire, but was restored after 3 months. Inoculation of some bacteria increased the number of inoculated bacteria sev­eral times and these elevated levels lasted several months. The ratios of eubacteria detected by a flu­orescent in situ hybridization (FISH) method to direct bacterial count were in the range of $60\~80\%$ during the study period, with the exception of some lower values at the beginning, but there were no definite differences between the burned and unburned soils or the inoculated and uninoculated soils. In the unburned control soil, the ratios of $\alpha-,\beta-\;and\;\gamma-subgroups$ of the proteobacteria, Cytophaga-Fla­vobacterium and other eubacteria groups to that of the entire eubacteria were 13.7, 31.7, 17.1, 16.8 and $20.8\%,$ respectively, at time 0. The overall change on the patterns of the ratios of the 5 subgroups of eubacteria in the uninoculated burned and inoculated soils were similar to those of the unburned con­trol soil, with the exception of some minor variations during the initial period. The proportions of each group of eubacteria became similar in the different microcosms after 6 months, which may indicate the recovery of the original soil microbial community structure after fire or the inoculation of some bac­teria. The populations of Azotobacter vinelandii, Bacillus megaterium and Pseudomonas fluorescens, which had been inoculated to enhance the microbial activities, and monitored by FISH method, showed similar changes in the microcosms, and maintained high levels for several months.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.373-387
• /
• 2023

Scientific exploration of extraterrestrial planets has gripped human imagination since the advent of space travel. Human missions to Mars could produce insight into the essential questions of how, when and where life began on Earth. Such missions would only be feasible using local space resources materials, a concept called in situ-resource utilization (ISRU). The purpose of this paper is to provide a thorough review of the currently available Mars soil simulants and to determine those with geotechnical properties most appropriate for vehicle mobility studies. Sourcing and processing are considered since full-scale studies require bulk quantities of material on the order of tens of tons. This review identifies the simulants with the highest fidelity to Mars wind drift soils. In addition, recommendation guide for mars soil simulant development made.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
• /
• v.9 no.6
• /
• pp.405-419
• /
• 2018

Persulfates (i.e., peroxymonosulfate and peroxydisulfate) are capable of oxidizing a wide range of organic compounds via direct reactions, as well as by indirect reactions by the radical intermediates. In aqueous solution, persulfates undergo self-decomposition, which is accelerated by thermal, photochemical and metal-catalyzed methods, which usually involve the generation of various radical species. The chemistry of persulfates has been studied since the early twentieth century. However, its environmental application has recently gained attention, as persulfates show promise in in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) for soil and groundwater remediation. Persulfates are known to have both reactivity and persistence in the subsurface, which can provide advantages over other oxidants inclined toward either of the two properties. Besides the ISCO applications, recent studies have shown that the persulfate oxidation also has the potential for wastewater treatment and disinfection. This article reviews the chemistry regarding the hydrolysis, photolysis and catalysis of persulfates and the reactions of persulfates with organic compounds in aqueous solution. This article is intended to provide insight into interpreting the behaviors of the contaminant oxidation by persulfates, as well as developing new persulfate-based oxidation technologies.