• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.757-766
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• 2012

In this study, we have examined concentration distribution and patterns of PCBs in waters, sediments and soils in an agricultural area of South Korea to investigate the relationship between PCBs sources and concentration levels. The concentration of PCBs in water samples were ranged from lower values below detection limit to 8.25 ug/L and the concentration of PCBs in sediment samples were ranged from lower values below detection limit to 76.67 ug/Kg. The concentration of PCBs in soil samples were ranged from lower values below detection limit to 23.51 ug/Kg. These contamination levels were far below the guideline values suggested for environmental quality assessment. The homologue patterns in samples varied from sample to sample, but isomer patterns were very similar with each other. PCB-138 and PCB-153 were predominant congeners in the soil and sediment, which were similar to the results obtained from previous studies. With these results, the assessment of potential sources of PCBs contamination in the sediments of the Nakdong river basin was performed. The principal components were extracted by Principal Component Analysis(PCA). As the result of PCA, it could be expected that PCBs in samples of this study were more affected by PCB products than combustion processes and mostly affected by already-known sources. The PCBs in the soil and sediment samples were related with commercial PCB products.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.155-164
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• 2016

Soil has been recognized as an important resource due to its finitude and valuable functions. Therefore, many countries have adopted soil quality related indicators in Strategic Environment Impact Assessment(SEIA). However, Korean SEIA has used limited indicators such as soil contamination until now. In this study, the SEIA on "Development Basic Plan" was modified for considering complex characteristics of soil and applied to "Bogeumjari Housing Supply Plan" and "Urban Management Plan". The performance of the SEIA considering soil characteristics was evaluated using a checklist for assessing consistency with upper plan, adequacy of alternatives, and feasibility of siting. Soil organic matter and soil erosion were derived as main indicators for "Basic Development Plans". The proposed SEIA technique equipped with soil indicators is proved to contribute to the soil resource conservation.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2014

Uncertainty associated with a sampling method is very high in evaluating the degree of site contamination; therefore, such uncertainty affects the reliability of precise investigation and remediation verification. In particular, in evaluating a site for a small-sized filling station, underground utilities, such as connection pipes and oil storage tanks, make grid-unit sampling impossible and the resulting increase in uncertainty is inevitable. Accordingly, this study quantified the uncertainty related to the evaluation of the degree of contamination by total petroleum hydrocarbon and by benzene, toluene, ethylene, and xylene. When planning a grid aimed at detecting a hot spot, major factors that influence the increase in uncertainty include grid interval and the size and shape of the hot spot. The current guideline for soil sampling prescribes that the grid interval increase in proportion to the area of the evaluated site, but this heightens the possibility that a hot spot will not be detected. In evaluating a site, therefore, it is crucial to estimate the size and shape of the hot spot in advance and to establish a sampling plan considering a diversity of scenarios.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.420-429
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• 2018

Soil stabilization is a soil remediation technique that reduces the mobility of heavy metals in soils. Although it is a well-established technique, it is nonetheless essential to perform a follow-up chemical assessment via a leaching test to evaluate the immobilization of heavy metals in the soil matrix. Unfortunately, a standard chemical assessment is not sufficient for evaluation of the biological functional state of stabilized soils slated for agricultural use. Therefore, it is useful to employ a pyrosequencing-based microbial community analysis for the purpose. In this study, a recently stabilized site in the proximity of an exhausted mine was analyzed for bacterial diversity, richness, and relative abundance as well as the effect of environmental factors. Based on the Shannon and Chao1 indices and rarefaction curves, the results showed that the stabilized layer exhibited lower bacterial diversity than control soils. The prevalence of dominant bacterial populations was examined in a hierarchical manner. Relatively high abundances of Proteobacteria and Methylobacter tundripaludum were observed in the stabilized soil. In particular, there was substantial abundance of the Methylobacter genus, which is known for its association with heavy metal contamination. The study demonstrated the efficacy of (micro)biological assessment for aiding in the understanding and post-management of stabilized soils.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.294-297
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• 2000

Heavy metals are extracted from Chonju stream sediment, roadside soils and sediments along Honam expressway, soils and tailings from mining area using partial ectraction in Standard Method, partial ectraction method with maintaining 0.1N of extraction solution and acid digestion. In samples having buffer capacity against acid, 0.1N of extraction solution can not be maintained and pH of extraction solution increases up to 8.0 when partial extraction in Standard Method is used. The averages and ranges of (heavy metals extracted using partial extraction in standard method, HPE)/(heavy metals extracted using partial extraction method with maintaining 0.1N of extraction solution, HPEM) values are 0.506 and 0.145~1.126 in Cd, 0.534~ and 0.078~0.928 in Zn, 0.461 and 0.041~1.715 in Mn, 0.359 and 0.011~0.874 in Cu, 0.195 and 0.018~1.785 in Cr, 0.710 and 0.003~3.075 in Pb, and 0.088 and 1.73$\times$10$^{-5}$ ~0.303 in Fe. These data indicate that the difference between HPE and HPEM is big in the order of Fe, Cr, Cu, Mn, Cd, Zn and Pb. It is quite possible that the partial extraction method in Standard Method of soil in Korea is not adequate for an assessment of contamination in area where buffer capacity of soil will be decreased or lost after a long term exposure of soils to environmental damage.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.26-41
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to improve the Original DRASTIC Model (ODM) for the assessment of groundwater contamination vulnerability on the GIS platform. Miryang City of urban and rural features was selected for the study area to accomplish the research purpose. Advanced DRASTIC Model (ADM) was developed adding two more DRASTIC factors of lineament density and landuse to ODM. The fuzzy logic was also applied to ODM and ADM to improve their ability in evaluating the groundwater contamination vulnerability. Although the vulnerability map of ADM was a little simpler than that of ODM, it increased the area of the low vulnerability sector. The groundwater vulnerability maps of ODM and ADM using DRASTIC Indices represented the more detailed descriptions than those from the overlap of thematic maps, and their qualities were improved by the application of fuzzy technique. The vulnerability maps of ODM, ADM and FDM was evaluated by NO3-N concentrations in the study area. It was proved that ADM including lineament density and landuse factors produced a more reliable groundwater vulnerability map, and fuzzy ADM (FDM) made the best detailed groundwater vulnerability map with the significant statistical results.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.419-443
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• 2007

Recently, the branch-out of foreign companies into domestic markets through M&A and the opened followed by the Free Trade Agreement(FTA) with America have made the environmental site assessments of specific site more necessary. In this study, through case study of conducting actual environmental site assessment by use of a toolbox approach at a large scale of chemical plant with various contaminants located in a coastal area, the problems of guideline of domestic environmental assessment of soil were complemented. And an efficient and economical assessment was achieved. All six steps such as basic investigation, environmental site history survey, sampling and analysis, installation of monitoring wells and hydrogeological survey, and data interpretation were conducted in this study. All results of document survey, geological lineament analysis, field geology survey of surrounding area, geophysical prospecting of the site, hydraulic conductivity, measurement of groundwater flow rate and direction, sampling and analysis at each step were associated and estimated as an integrated tool box approach. As a consequence of this study, toolbox approaches were very useful techniques for contamination level and site characterization of subsurface media. The given conditions to conduct a basic survey for domestic soil environment assessment of site by use of existing documents, as well as interviews with the owner/manager/user of all adjacent properties and thorough review of all practically reviewable records pertaining to the property and surrounding properties within "Guideline for Soil Environment Assessment" radii are very poor. As a result, the application of toolbox approach in the environment site assessment of site is not only more efficient and economical, but also could be very useful assessment to integrate the soil and groundwater contamination.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.10-18
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• 2011

This study presents a state of the art in evaluation on naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) areas and effective strategies for investigation and management of NOA areas in Korea. First of all, we defined and classified the NOA area as compiling various countries' regulations, then discussed the best methods for evaluation and management of NOA for reducing exposure of asbestos in the vicinity of NOA areas. According to the literature survey, a three-steps management strategy was suggested in this study. The first step is a confirmation stage of asbestos contamination possibility and the second step is an assessment stage of asbestos contamination using investigation, analysis, evaluation and reclamation. The final step is a following-up control stage. These three management steps for NOA area will give the maximum effectiveness of NOA control in Korea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.447-454
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• 2012

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1997.05a
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• pp.8-11
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• 1997

Current methods of evaluating soil contamination by heavy metals rely on analyzing samples for total contents of metals or quantities recovered in various chemical extracting solutions. Results from these approaches provide only an index for evaluation because these methodologies yield values not directly related to bioavailability of soil-borne metals. In addition, even though concentrations of metals may be less than those required to cause toxic effects to biota, they may cause substantial effects on soil chemical parameters that determine soil quality and sustainable productivity. The objective of this research was to characterize effects of Cu or Cd additions on soil solution chemistry of soil quality indices, such as pH, EC, nutrient cation distribution and quantity/intensity relations (buffer capacity). Metals were added at rates ranging from 0 to 400 mg/kg of soil. Soil solution was sequentially extracted from saturated pastes using vacuum. Concentrations of Cu or Cd remaining in soil solutions were very low as compared to those added to the soils, warranting that most of the added metals were recovered as nonavailable (strongly adsorbed) fractions. Adsorption of the added metals released cations into soil solution causing increases of soluble cation contents and thus ionic strength of soil solution. At metal additions of 200~400 mg/kg, EC of soil solution increased to as much as 2~4 dS/m; salinity levels considered high enough to cause detrimental effects on plant production. More divalent cations (Ca+Mg) than monovalent cations (K+Na) were exchanged by Cu or Cd adsorption. The loss of exchangeable nutrient cations decreased long-term nutrient supplying capacity or each soil. At 100 mg/kg or metal loading, the buffering capacity was decreased by 60%. pH of soil solution decreased linearly with increasing metal loading rates, with a decrement of up to 1.3 units at 400 mg Cu/kg addition. Influences of Cu on each of these soil quality parameters were consistently greater than those of Cd. These effects were of a detrimental nature and large enough in most cases to significantly impact soil productivity. It is clear that new protocols are needed for evaluating potential effects of heavy metal loading of soils.