• KSBB Journal
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• v.21 no.6 s.101
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• pp.428-432
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• 2006

This study investigated the effect of sulfate source on removal efficiency in electrokinetic bioremediation which needs sulfate to degrade contaminants by an applied microorganism. The representative contaminant and the applied microorganism were phenanthrene and Sphingomonas sp. 3Y, respectively. When magnesium sulfate was used, the magnesium ion combined with hydroxyl ion electrically-generated at cathode to cause the decrease of electrolyte pH, and then the microbial activity was inhibited by that. When ammonium sulfate and disodium sulfate were used to solve the pH control problem, the pH values of electrolyte and soil solution were maintained neutrally, and also the high microbial activity was observed. With the former sulfate source, however, ammonium retarded the phenanthrene degradation, and so the removal efficiency decreased to 12.0% rather than 21.8% with magnesium sulfate. On the other hand, the latter improved the removal efficiency to 27.2%. This difference of removal efficiency would be outstanding for an elongated treatment period.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.705-712
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• 2000

The fluid generally flows through fractures in crystalline rocks where most of underground storage facilities are constructed because of their low hydraulic conductivities. The fractured rock is better to be conceptualized with a discrete fracture concept, rather continuum approach. In the aspect of fluid flow in underground, the simultaneous flow of groundwater and gas should be considered in the cases of generation and leakage of gas in nuclear waste disposal facilities, air sparging process and soil vapor extraction for eliminating contaminants in soil or rock pore, and pneumatic fracturing for the improvement of permeability of rock mass. For the purpose of appropriate analysis of groundwater-gas flow, this study presents an unsteady-state multi-phase FEM fracture network simulator. Numerical simulation has been also conducted to investigate the hydraulic head distribution and air tightness around Ulsan LPG storage cavern. The recorded hydraulic head at the observation well Y was -5 to -10 m. From the results obtained by the developed model, it shows that the discrete fracture model yielded hydraulic head of -10 m, whereas great discrepancy with the field data was observed in the case of equivalent continuum modeling. The air tightness of individual fractures around cavern was examined according to two different operating pressures and as a result, only several numbers of fractures neighboring the cavern did not satisfy the criteria of air tightness at 882 kPa of cavern pressure. In the meantime, when operating pressure is 710.5 kPa, the most areas did not satisfy air tightness criteria. Finally, in the case of gas leaking from cavern to the surrounding rocks, the resulted hydraulic head and flowing pattern was changed and, therefore, gas was leaked out from the cavern ceiling and groundwater was flowed into the cavern through the walls.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.51-60
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• 1996

Removal of Mn-EDTA complex and fluoride by use of hematite and ferrite, which are the by-product to be disposed of as industrial wastes, was investigated. For the comparison of removal rate, Na-bentonite known as excellent absorbent of inorganic contaminants was included in the experiments. As the results of batch mode experiments, for manganese, ferrite-A revealed 48∼65% of removal capacity, ferrite-B 46∼57%, hematite 17∼26%, while Na-bentonite showed 10∼23% of removal, depending on the initial concentration. Meanwhile, in case of fluoride : hematite revealed 53 ∼63% of removal : ferrite-A 54∼63 %, while ferrite-B did 20∼38 %. From the results, it can be postulated that the capacity of hematite and ferrite to attenuate inorganic pollutants, especially when they form complex ions, is superior to that of Na-bentonite. Consequently, the mixing of such oxide minerals with Na-bentonite will reinforce the function of Na-bentonite, especially in the undergroud liner aspect.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.50-57
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• 2013

For the last couple of decades, the Fenton (-like) systems have been extensively studied for oxidation of organic contaminants in water. Recently, zero-valent iron (ZVI) has received attention as a Fenton catalyst as well as a reducing agent capable of producing reactive oxidants from oxygen. In this study, the ZVI-based Fenton reaction was assessed for the oxidative degradation of phenol using $ZVI/O_2$, $ZVI/H_2O_2$, ZVI/Oxalate/$O_2$ and hv/ZVI/Oxalate/$O_2$ systems. Reaction parameters such as pH and reagent dose (e.g., ZVI, $H_2O_2$, and oxalate) were examined. In the presence of oxalate (ZVI/Oxalate/$O_2$ and hv/ZVI/Oxalate/$O_2$ systems), the degradation of phenol was greatly enhanced at neutral pH values. It was found that ZVI accelerates the Fenton reaction by reducing Fe(III) into Fe(II). The conversion of Fe(III) into Fe(II) by ZVI was more stimulated at acidic pH than at near-neutral pH values.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.30-40
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• 2018

To evaluate potential impacts of shallow groundwater by the leachate from buried carcass, we investigated hydrochemical characteristics of both leachate and shallow groundwater from monitoring wells and surrounding shallow groundwater wells in an area potentially affected by pig carcass burial. The hydrochemical survey was conducted before and after the relocation of a burial pit. The leachate samples and the groundwater affected by leachate showed the hydrochemistry of $Ca-HCO_3$ type with high $NH_4{^+}$ concentrations, while unaffected groundwater was mostly the $Ca(Na)-Cl+NO_3$ type due to pervasive impacts from agrochemicals. The results of factor analysis on hydrochemical data showed the followings: 1) contamination of groundwater from agro-livestock farming and livestock burial are coexisting in the study area, 2) among ionic species, $HCO_3{^-}$, $NH_4{^+}$, $NO_3{^-}$ and Mn are very useful to differentiate the groundwater contamination from leachate, and 3) groundwater contamination by leachate has been recognized around the monitoring wells even after the relocation of a burial pit, likely due to residual contaminants in surrounding soils. Therefore, it is suggested that continued monitoring of groundwater contamination should be conducted after the relocation of carcass burial pits.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.398-401
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• 2006

Two landfills of this study containing municipal wastes without any bottom liner and leachate treatment system have different landfill age, waste volume and most importantly different hydrogeologic settings. The one (Cheonan) is situated in an open flat area while the other (Wonju) is located in a valley. In the interior of the landfills, typical anaerobic conditions revealed by low DO and ${NO_3}^-$ concentrations, negative ORP values, high $NH_3$, alkalinity and $Cl^-$ concentrations were observed. Generally higher levels of contaminants were detected in the dry season while those were greatly lowered in the wet season. Significantly large decrease of Cl concentration in the wet season indicates that the dilution or mixing is one of dominant attenuation mechanisms of leachate. But detailed variation behaviors in the two landfills are largely different and they were most dependent on permeability of surface and subsurface layers. The intermediately permeable surface of 1.he landfills receives part of direct rainfall infiltration but most rainwater is lost to fast runoff. The practically impermeable surface of clayey silt (paddy field) at immediately adjacent to the Cheonan landfill boundary prevented direct rainwater infiltration and hence redox condition of the groundwaters were largely affected by that of the upper landfill and the less permeable materials beneath the paddy fields prohibited dispersion of the landfill leachate into downgradient area. In the Wonju landfill, there exist three different permeability divisions, the landfill region, the sandy open field and the paddy field. Roles of the landfill and paddy regions are very similar to those at the Cheonan. The very permeable sandy field receiving a large amount of rainwater infiltration plays a key role in controlling redox condition of the downgradient area and contaminant migration.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2013

This paper presents the analysis condition of remediation technique of contaminated fine-grained soil and physical properties of bio-degradable drain for analysis site applicability using bio-degradable drain method. As the result, two kinds of developed degradable drains (cylindricality shaped and harmonica shaped) are satisfied the Korean Industrial Standard. And the cylindricality shaped drain has an excellent discharge capacity than that of another one. By the results of laboratory test, the citric acid is chosen as the washing agent because it has low toxicity, so it is able to minimize harmful influence to environment. Furthermore the subject contaminants were selected as Cd, Cu and Pb. Based on the field pilot test results, the most remedial efficiency is the use of reactive material applied in bio-degradable drain method with the process of injecting the washing agent and extraction of contaminated fluid.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2013

This paper describes the radiation doses to human and non-human biota in the Republic of Korea, as a result of the Fukushima nuclear accident. By using the measured airborne activity and ground deposition, the effective and thyroid doses of five human age groups (infant, 5 years, 10 years, 15 years and adult) were estimated by the ECOSYS code, and the whole body absorbed dose rate of the eight Korean reference animals and plants (RAPs) was estimated by the K-BIOTA (the Korean computer code to assess the risk of radioactivity to wildlife). The first-year effective and thyroid human doses ranged from 5.7E-5 mSv in the infant group to 2.0E-4 mSv in the 5 years group, and from 5.0E-4 mSv in the infant group to 3.4E-3 mSv in the 5 years group, respectively. The life-time (70 years) effective and thyroid human doses ranged from 1.5E-4 mSv in the infant group to 3.0E-4 mSv in the 5 years group, and from 6.0E-4 mSv in the infant group to 3.5E-3 mSv in the 5 years group, respectively. The estimated maximum whole body absorbed dose rate to the Korean RAPs was 6.7E-7 mGy/d for a snake living in soil (terrestrial biota), and 2.0E-5 mGy/d for freshwater fish (aquatic biota), both of which were far less than the generic dose criteria to protect biota from ionizing radiation. Also, the screening level assessment for ERICA's (Environmental Risks from Ionizing Contaminants: Assessments and management) limiting organisms showed that the risk quotient (RQ) for the estimated maximum soil and water activity was significantly less than unity for both the terrestrial and freshwater organisms. Conclusively, the radiological risk of the radioactivity released into the environment by the Fukushima nuclear accident to the public and the non-human biota in the republic of Korea is considered negligible.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.66-77
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• 2006

This review inquired the recently applied molecular biological and biochemical methods analyzing the microbial community structure of groundwater and, as a result, summarized the functional or taxonomic groups of active microorganisms with major contaminants in groundwater. The development of gene amplification through PCR has been possible to figure out microbial population and identification. Active microbial community structures have been analyzed using a variety of fingerprinting techniques such as DGGE, SSCP, RISA, and microarray and fatty acid analyses such as PLFA and FAME, and the activity of a specific strain has been examined using FISH. Also, this review included the dominant microflora in groundwater contaminated with fuel components such as n-alkanes, BTEX, MTBE, and ethanol and chlorinated compounds such as TCE, PCE, PCB, CE, carbon tetrachloride, and chlorobenzene.

• Mycobiology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.383-391
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• 2020

Use of nanoparticles (NPs) in several commercial products has led to emergence of novel contaminants of air, soil and water bodies. The NPs may exhibit greater ecotoxicity due to nano-scale dependent properties over their bulk counterparts. The present investigation explores the effect of in vitro supplementation of TiO₂, silica and silver NPs on radial growth and ultrastructural changes in the hyphae and spores of two mushroom genera, Ganoderma lucidum and Volvariella volvaceae. A concentration dependent decrease in radial growth on NP amended potato dextrose agar medium was recorded. However, in comparison to control, there was decrease in radial diameter on supplementation with TiO₂ NPs while an increase was recorded for silica and silver NPs amendments as compared to their bulk salts at same concentrations after 48 h of incubation. Optical microscopy studies showed decrease in the number of spores while increase in spore diameter and thinning of hyphal diameter on NPs supplementation. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of fungal growth showed presence of deflated and oblong spores in two fruiting strains of Ganoderma while Volvariella exhibited decreased sporulation. Further, hyphal thinning and branching was recorded in response to NP amendments in both the test mushrooms. Enhancement of protein content was observed on NP compared to bulk supplementation for all cultures, concentrations and hours of incubation except for TiO₂ NPs. Likewise, bulk and NP supplementations (at 100 mg L^-1) resulted in enhanced laccase activity with occurrence of laccase specific protein bands on SDS-PAGE analysis.