• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.28 no.spc
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• pp.37-43
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• 2022

Post-spill monitoring of hazardous noxious substances accidents is essential in the event of a spillage of significant quantities of pollutants and for the management of the marine environment resulting from the long-term effects of the persistent toxic substances. The accidental introduction of a sinker into the marine environment can create harmful anaerobic conditions in the benthic ecosystem and spread over the seafloor by the topography and currents. Through case studies, most post-spill monitoring includes modeling, remote sensing, and chemical analyses of the sediment and benthic organisms. The monitoring also evaluates the effectiveness of restoration and recovery activities and assesses damages and compensation.

• Clean Technology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.258-264
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• 2010

This study estimated the possibility of phosphate removal characteristics to utilize EAF(electric arc furnace) slag as submarine cover material. The major phosphate removal mechanism was a certain formation of HAP precipitation occurred by the ionization reaction between $Ca^{2+}$ and $OH^-$, which were leached from the EAF Slag. Another phosphate removal mechanism was the adsortion of EAF slag surface. As a result of $PO_4{^-}-P$ removal characteristics using continuous column reactor, $PO_4{^-}-P$ concentration decreased rapidly after 3 days and 10 days later, it show under 0.5 ppm. The result as applied in real sea water, shows that the phosphate removal effects were 93~98% by the subaqueous sediment removal using the EAF slag. In conclusion, EAF slag is useful in $PO_4{^-}-P$ removal and control and it is possible to use without additional process like crush and selection.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.143-157
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• 2023

This study confirmed the characteristics of macrobenthic community due to anthropogenic environmental changes in the Boryeong Jugyo tidal flat, where the habitat of manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) and mud shrimp (Upogebia major) is separated. The total number of occurring species was 55 during the study period with an average habitat density of 338 ind./m² and a biomass of 212.2 gWWt/m². The number of occuring species increased from 27 species at the upper flat to 37 species at the lower flat, and the dominant species differed by tide levels (Upper: Leonnates persica, Middle: Heteromastus filiformis, Lower: R. philippinarum). The macro-benthic community sturctures of the top 10 species using cluster analysis and nMDS were divided into two groups, focusing on Manila clam culture farm of lower flats and middle flats with high habitat density, reflecting the influence of specific species. The sediment composition of the U. major habitat space fluctuated highly, but it was maintained annually, and the sorting coefficient was 2.1 𝜑, and the proportion of the same particle size was increased. In particular, because the middle flat has a dense anthropogenic impact, a dominant species, H. filiformis dominated and revealed a relationship with the density of burrow holes of U. major, which is considered to be a biological interaction between these two macrofauna in this tidal flat.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.20-31
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• 2024

This study was conducted to investigate the changes in the structure of benthic communities resulting from aquaculture activities and to assess the benthic health status of surface sediment in Gangjin Bay, a region known for concentrated shellfish aquaculture on the southern coast of Korea. Survey stations were divided into longline culture, bottom culture, and non-cultivation areas. The spatiotemporal distribution of physiochemical factors such as the grain size, water temperature, salinity, and total organic carbon in Gangjin Bay showed no significant differences between sampling stations. However, the species number, density, and diversity were relatively lower at the sampling stations in the bottom culture areas than at the other stations throughout the entire survey period. Cluster analysis and principal coordinates analysis also clearly distinguished the benthic communities in the bottom culture areas from those in the other sampling areas. At the sampling stations in the longline culture and non-cultivation areas, Scolectoma longifolia and Sigambra tentaculata, which are indicator species of organically enriched areas, appeared as dominant species. However, excluding some stations influenced by physical factors such as the water depth and current speed, the occupancy rate was not high. The health assessment results, conducted using the fisheries environment assessment method, revealed good conditions with Grades 1 and 2 across the entire area. However, an examination of the spatiotemporal changes in benthic communities and the benthic health index indicated that the benthic environment in the bottom culture areas was affected by physical disturbances.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.51-63
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• 2015

In order to investigation long-term variations of water qualities in the Saemangeum Salt-Water Lake formed after the sea-dike construction, the survey has carried out over 40 time from 2002 to 2010. The decreased salinity in surface water immediately after the dike construction has maintained on equal terms for years. After the dike construction, the early concentration of SPM in surface water has decreased but then it showed the tendency to move up and down due to the changes of water level in the lake. The elevated concentration of Chl-a in surface water initially after the dike construction was kept at the same conditions for years. The concentration of DIN in surface water has not changed before and shortly after the dike construction. However, the concentration of $NH_4-N$ in surface water has increased steadily after the dike construction. Consequently the concentration of DIN in the lake water after years has raised compared to pre-dike construction. The reduced concentration of DIP in surface water soon after the dike construction has increased after years as well as $NH_4-N$ due to the accumulation of organic matter to inside lake. Unlike with the unvaried $NO_3-N$, the concentration of DISi in surface water after the dike construction has immediately increased and maintained the enhanced level indicating the supply from other sources except the freshwater. Since the dike construction, the spatial characteristics of water quality was divided river sides and rest of the lake markedly. Stratification of river sides was more strong than the dike sides. In the warm seasons, hypoxia causing the release of nutrients and metals from sediment was observed downward about 1 m from surface of river sides. We strongly suggest to make some urgent measure to prevent low dissolved oxygen condition in the bottom layer of the river sides.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.130-142
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• 1987

Sedimentological characteristics of the surface sediments in the southern sea off Cheju Island are described from analyses of bottom sediments. The sediments are subdivided into seven textural classes, muddy sand, slightly gravelly muddy sand, sand, clayey sand, sandy clay, sandymud, silty sand. Sand-size sediments are distributed in the southeastern part and/or around the Island, whereas sandy and muddy sediments are mainly distributed in the central and southern parts of the study area. A small portion of mud patch is located in the southwestern part of the area. According to the textural parameters analysis, sediments in the study area are poorly sorted(av.2.52 ), positive skewed(av.1.61 ), leptokurtic(av.1.74 ), transported by saltation and/or suspension, and roundness of quartz is varied from angular to surrounded, which suggesting that the depositional environment is not simple. The calcium carbonate content is on the average 26.99%, and commonly abundant in sand-size sediments, whereas organic matter content in the bulk sediment is on the average 6.70% and usually dominant in fine-grained sediments.Light minerals consist of quartz(av56.01%),Na-Ca feldspar(av.6.15%),K-feldspar(av.9.22%) and rock fragments(av28.11%).The contect onquartz and K-feldspar increases continuously away from the Cheju Island. As a result of geochemical analysis,concentrations of the elements are as follow:Zn:19.42-43.52 ppm (av.30.67ppm),Mn:50-304 ppm(av139.39ppm),Cr:3.54-10.68ppm(av6.50ppm),Pb:5.52-41.68ppm(av.15.60ppm), Co:7.08-14.68ppm (av.10.78ppm),Ni:19.70-42.42ppm(av.29.57ppm),Cu:3.14-9.12ppm(av.5.14ppm),Fe:0.48-2.08% (av1.22%),Ca:0.32-13.16%(av6.60%),Al:0.06-0.08%(av.0.27%),Mg:0.12-0.76%(av.0.53%)na:0.11-0.51%(av.0.36%) Ag:0.48-4.08ppm(av.1.22ppm).Among these elements,the content of Zn,Cu,Cr,Mn,Fe,Al,Mg,Pb and Na increase toward the southwestern area,while the content of Ca and Ag SHOWS the reversed distribution trend.Such a distribution pattern seems to imply that spatial distrivution of heavy metals is closely related to the variation in grain size. X-ray diffractogram show that the minerals in clay from the southwestern mud patch are illite ,chlorite, kaolinte,feldspar and calcite.The bulk of illite in th mud zone is believed to be originated from Huanghe and Yangytze River.The mud patch in this region contains the diagnostic calcite peak,and the concentration of Ca,ni,Pb,Ag are similar to Huanghe type,which indicates that the greater part of these clay fractions may have been derived from the Huanghe River.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.431-438
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• 2009

The main purpose of this research is to prepare and provide basic materials for the propagational strategy of eelgrass by investigating on the morphological adaptation of Korean Zostera marina to ocean currents. An eelgrass plant mainly consists of rhizome, leaf sheath, leaves and roots. The rhizome is the horizontal stem of the plant that serves as the backbone from which the leaves and roots emerge. The leaf sheath is the bundle at the base of the leaves that holds the leaves together, protecting the meristem, the primary growth point of the shoot. Leaves originate from a meristem which is protected by a sheath at the actively growing end of the rhizome. As the shoot grows, the rhizome elongates, moving across or within the sediment, forming roots as it progresses. The aggregated leaves from the leaf sheath are found to have two cell layers on one side and multiple layers of airy tissues called aerenchyma on the other. The aerenchyma tissues are developed in multi-layered cell structures surrounding the veins which are formed in the leaf sheath. Generative shoots are made of rhizomes, which are circular or ovoidal, stem, and spathe and spadix. The transverse section of rhizome and the stem and central floral axis is found to be circular, ovoid and in the shape of convex respectively, and the vascular bundle, which is a part of transport system, has one large tube in the center and two small tubes on both sides. The layers of collenchyma cells numbered from 12 to 15 in the stem, and from 7 to 12 in the rhizome. The seed coat is composed of sclereids, small bundles of sclerenchyma tissues, which prevent the influx of sea water from the outside and help endure the environmental stress. In conclusion, alternative multi-layer structure in circular, convex type aggregated leaf base are interpreted to morphological adaption as doing tolerable elastic structure through movement of seawater. The generative shoots develop long slim stem and branches in circular or ovoidal shapes to minimize the adverse impacts of sea current, which can be interpreted as the plant's morphological adaptation to its environment.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.83-96
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• 2017

A constructed sea stream in Yeongdo, Busan, Republic of Korea is mostly static due to the lifted stream bed and tidal characters, and receives domestic wastewater nearby, causing a consistent odor production and water quality degradation. Bioaugmentation of a microbial consortium was proposed as an effective and economical restoration technology to restore the polluted stream. The microbial consortium activated on site was augmented on a periodic basis (7~10 days) into the most polluted site (Site 2) which was chosen considering the pollution level and tidal movement. Physicochemical parameters of water qualities were monitored including pH, temperature, DO, ORP, SS, COD, T-N, and T-P. COD and microbial community analyses of the sediments were also performed. A significant reduction in SS, COD, T-N, and COD (sediment) at Site 2 occurred showing their removal rates 51%, 58% and 27% and 35%, respectively, in 13 months while T-P increased by 47%. In most of the test sites, population densities of sulfate reducing bacterial (SRB) groups (Desulfobacteraceae_uc_s, Desulfobacterales_uc_s, Desulfuromonadaceae_uc_s, Desulfuromonas_g1_uc, and Desulfobacter postgatei) and Anaerolinaeles was observed to generally decrease after the bioaugmentation while those of Gamma-proteobacteria (NOR5-6B_s and NOR5-6A_s), Bacteroidales_uc_s, and Flavobacteriales_uc_s appeared to generally increase. Aerobic microbial communities (Flavobacteriaceae_uc_s) were dominant in St. 4 that showed the highest level of DO and least level of COD. These microbial communities could be used as an indicator organism to monitor the restoration process. The alpha diversity indices (OTUs, Chao1, and Shannon) of microbial communities generally decreased after the augmentation. Fast uniFrac analysis of all the samples of different sites and dates showed that there was a similarity in the microbial community structures regardless of samples as the augmentation advanced in comparison with before- and early bioaugmentation event, indicating occurrence of changing of the indigenous microbial community structures. It was concluded that the bioaugmentation could improve the polluted water quality and simultaneously change the microbial community structures via their niche changes. This in situ remediation technology will contribute to an eco-friendly and economically cleaning up of polluted streams of brine water and freshwater.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.195-205
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• 2013

Excessive input of organic matters from fish cage farming has been considered as one of the major factors disturbing benthic ecosystem, especially in semi-enclosed coastal waters. Recently offshore aquaculture in the vicinity of Jeju-do has been introduced to minimize that kind of negative impact. This study was conducted to investigate the ecological impacts of offshore aquaculture on the macrobenthic polychaete communities. A total of ten sampling works were carried out for 28 months, spanning from 10 days after starting giving feed to 3 months after stopping giving feed. During the study period, mean current velocity was quite strong with the range of 50 cm/s to 70 cm/s. TOC of surface sediment was constantly low. Significant changes in polychaete community were detected just three months after starting giving feed, which were the increase of the number of species and density at all stations. Up to 18 months after the start of farming, the amount of feed provided played an important role in the fluctuation of the number of species and density, especially at 0 m and 10 m stations. After reducing the amount of feed provided, dominance of some opportunistic species within 10 m distance from fish cages still lasted to the end of aquaculture. However, opportunistic species disappeared 3 months after the end of farming, which indicated the sign of recovery from the disturbance. From these results, the amount of food input and the period of cultivation were critical factors disturbing polychaete community and ensuing changes in this offshore and oligotrophic waters as well. In addition, study on the changes of polychaete community structure before and after fish farming showed more detailed changes in benthic ecological state than geochemical approach did.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.721-734
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• 2022

This study analyzed the spatio-temporal variation characteristics of major environmental factors such as primary productivity (PP), chlorophyll a, nutrients, sinking particle matters, and organic contamination and biochemical composition of surface sediment on a monthly basis for approximately 2 years around shellfish mariculture in Jaran Bay, Korea. In addition, PP in Jaran Bay was compared with that in other coastal areas and related policy plans were proposed. The average PP of the study area was high in summer and autumn with 6.43~115.43 mgC m^-2 hr^-1 range. This was lower than that in Gamak Bay and Masan Bay, whereas higher than that in Garorim Bay and the West Sea. The PP in coastal waters, where many aquaculture farms were distributed, significantly fluctuated. The different size compositions of phytoplanktons constituting chlorophyll a slightly varied by month, and little restriction existed on the productivity of phytoplanktons owing to the depletion of nutrients. Typically, the Redfield ratio was less than 16, indicating that nitrogen was the limiting factor for the growth of phytoplanktons. The biochemical composition of particulate organic matters in the water column showed the highest carbohydrates, but lipids and protein contents were high in surface sediments. The concentration of TOC and AVS of the surface sediments was high at inside of bay, and sometimes, exceeded the environmental criteria of fishing grounds. The organic C:N ratio of sediments ranged from 8.1 to 10.4 on average. PP had the highest correlation with chlorophyll a, nitrogen and protein of particle organic materials. Recently, chlorophyll a, DIN, and DIP of water column trends tended to decrease, however, the contamination of sediments increased. Considering the annual PP of 125.9 gC m^-2 yr^-1 and mariculture area (oyster) of 4.97 km², the annual carbon production from phytoplanktons was estimated to be about 625 tons, and the annual total wet weight of shellfish (oyster) was estimated to be about 6,250 tons.