• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.75-90
• /
• 2000

This study suggests the methods of the assessment and creation of biotopes in small and medium sized cities, in Korea. For this purpose, Chonju city was selected to classify and asses the biotope types. Moreover, relevant legislations to conserve and enhance urban biotopes were examined. The results of this study are as follows: 1) There were two approaches to asses the potential of urban biotopes in medium-sized cities. One was the urban scale evaluation for urban green spaces and the other was the biotope scale evaluation for the classification and evaluation of biotopes. 2) The urban scale evaluation was developed through overlaping analysis of landuse and vegetation factors. This study also included the conception of watershed. In this conception, three watersheds in Chonju city were characterized. According to these characteristics, individual programs for conservation and enhancement of urban green space were suggested. 3) For the biotope scale evaluation, Selected site was inclusively mapped and field investigation actually was carried. There were total 9 types of bitopes. Especially landuse was appeared in various evaluation items were vegetation structure, area of green space, condition of vegetation and vegetation profile. Mt, Gonji and Dukjin park, Chonbuk national University and fields were evaluated highly I the potential. 4) The biotope programs were based on the results of assessment and physical characteristics of biotopes. The uniform and simple levels on vegetation must be modified with various levels of vegetation structure and vernacular plants. And the physical characteristics like Points, Corridors and Patches can be organized by the conception of biotope networking theory. 5) The proper legislative environment was the clue elements for the biotope programs. Until now, only five types of parks and two types of green space are defined and the minimum size of green space has been proposed by the law. So, it is necessary to enlarge the conception of green space in legislation and improve the quality of green space by amending the related regulations. This study has limitation because it was selected only in Chonju. Through the continuous studies, we need to apply this other small and medium sized cities, South Korea. Also the data collection and management of theme maps such as actual vegetation, landuse and a soil must be done preliminary.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.33-41
• /
• 2001

Enormous volumes of mining wastes from the abandoned and closed mines are disposed without a proper treatment in the upper Okdong River basin at Southeastern part of Kangwon Province. Erosion of these wastes contaminates soil, surface water, and sediments with heavy metals. Objectives of this research were to fractionate heavy metals in the mine tailing stored in the Sangdong Tungsten tailing dams and to assess the potential pollution index of each metal fraction. Tailing samples were collected from tailing dams at different depth and analyzed for physical and chemical properties. pH of tailings ranged from 7.3 to 7.9. Contents of total N and organic matter were in the ranges of 3.2~5.5%, and 1.3~9.1%, respectively. Heavy metals in the tailings were higher in the newly constructed tailing dam than those in the old dam. Total concentrations of metals in the tailings were in the orders of Zn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cd, exceeded the corrective action level of the Soil Environment Conservation Law and higher than the natural abundance levels reported from uncontaminated soils. Relative distribution of heavy metal fractions was residual > organic > reducible > carbonate > adsorbed, reversing the degree of metal bioavailability. Mobile fractions of metals were relatively small compared to the total concentrations. Distribution of metals in the tailing dam profiles was metal specific. Concentrations of Cu at the surface of tailing dams were higher than those at the bottom. Pollution index (PI) values of each fraction of metals were ranged from 4.27 to 8.51 based on total concentrations. PI values of mobile fractions were lower than those of immobile fractions. Results on metal fractions and PI values of the tailing samples indicate that tailing samples were contaminated with heavy metals and had potential to cause a detrimental effects on soil and water environment in the lower part of the stream. A prompt countermeasure to prevent surface of tailings in the dams from water and wind erosions is urgently needed.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.6-14
• /
• 2008

Objective of this study was to investigate the residual levels of mercury (Hg) in soil for "Top-rice" area and its uptake into rice plant for making sure food safety as compared to "Top-rice" & common rice produced from 2005 to 2006. Hg was analyzed with the direct mercury analyzer (DMA 80, Milestone, Italy), which implements the US/EPA method 7473. The average concentration of Hg in paddy soil was 0.031 mg/kg, which was below at 1/25-1/65 fold of the threshold levels (concern level 4 mg/kg, action level 10 mg/kg) for soil contamination designated by "The Soil Environment Conservation Law" in Korea. The maximum residue level (MRLs) for Hg residue in the polished rice is not designated in Korea. Therefore, Hg contents in the polished rice of "Top-rice" brand and common rice were compared to other country's criteria. Hg contents in the polished rice of "Top-rice" brand was 0.0018 mg/kg, which was lower at 1/10-1/30 fold than the MRLs, 0.02 mg/kg of China criteria and 0.05 mg/kg of Taiwan criteria, respectively. Hg were 0.02788, 0.00896, 0.00182, 0.00189, 0.00166, 0.00452 and 0.00145 mg/kg in soil, rice straw, unhulled rice, rice hulls, brown rice, rice bran, and polished rice produced in 2006 "Top-rice" area, respectively. For the ratio of Hg as compared to Hg contents in soil, there were 0.321 of rice straw ${\gg}$ 0.162 of rice bran ${\gg}$ 0.068 of rice hulls > 0.065 of unhulled rice > 0.060 of brown rice> 0.052 of polished rice. And, the slope of Hg uptakes was steeped as following order; rice straw ${\gg}$ rice bran ${\gg}$ rice hulls > unhulled rice > brown rice > polished rice. It means that the more slope steeped was the more uptakes. For the distribution of Hg uptaken, there was 83.8% into rice straw, and 16.2% into unhulled rice, 2.8% into rice hulls, 12.4% into brown rice, 3.5% into rice bran and 9.7% into polished rice. Consequently, it was appeared that the Hg contamination in the polished rice should not be worried in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.131-138
• /
• 2009

Heavy metal residues in soil, rice straw, unhulled rice, rice hull, polished rice, and rice barn on the rice paddy in the "Top rice production complex which is non-contaminated area were evaluated. It was observed that the average concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Hg in the paddy soils were 1.235, 0.094, 4.412, 4.728 and 0.0279 mg/kg, respectively. There were no cultivation areas exceeded of the threshold for soil contamination designated by "The Soil Environment Conservation Law" in Korea. For the polished rice, there were no samples exceeded of a permissible level of heavy metal residues such as 0.051 mg/kg of As, 0.040 mg/kg of Cd, 0.345 mg/kg of Cu, 0.065 mg/kg of Pb and 0.0015 mg/kg of Hg. For the uptake and translocation of heavy metals to rice plant, a main part of heavy metal accumulation was rice straw, and then rice bran. Furthermore, it shown that accumulation of heavy metals in unhulled rice, rice hulls, brown rice, and polished rice was approximately similar as low. The slopes of translocation of heavy metals from soil to polished rice were following order as Cd, 0.4321 > Cu, 0.054 ${\fallingdotseq}$ Hg, 0.052 > As, 0.021 > Pb, 0.008. It was observed that potential ability of Cd uptake in rice plant and then its translocation into polished rice was very high. Concentrations of copper and mercury absorbed in the rice plant were moderate for translocating into the polished rice, while the arsenic and lead in the plant were scarcely translocated into the polished rice. The distribution of heavy metals absorbed and translocated into aboveground parts of rice plant was appeared that there were remained at 63.3-93.4% in rice straw, 6.6-36.9% in unhulled rice, 0.6-5.7% in rice hulls, 3.2-31.3% in brown rice, 0.8-4.6% in rice bran and 1.1-26.7% in polished rice. The accumulation ratio of Cd in the aboveground parts of rice plant was remained at 26.7-31.3% in brown and polished rice.