• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: This study was to carry out risk assessment of contamination of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and inorganic arsenic (I-As) in agricultural products of 25 crops from the abandoned mine areas. The 36 typical investigation sites located in Gyeongbuk provincial area were selected by considering the heavy metal levels, that had been known that the amount of the heavy metals exceeded the contamination level based on the previous survey. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cadmium, lead, and total arsenic (T-As) concentrations were determined using microwave device and ICP-MS. Inorganic arsenic was determined by HPLC-ICP-MS. The limits of quantification for heavy metals were 0.59 ㎍/kg for Cd, 0.42 ㎍/kg for Pb, 0.55 ㎍/kg for T-As, and sum of As (III) (1.74 ㎍/kg) and As (V) (2.25 ㎍/kg) for I-As, respectively. The contents of Cd, Pb, and I-As (only rice) were N.D.-0.958 mg/kg, N.D.-0.227 mg/kg, and 0.082 mg/kg, respectively, in the agricultural products. For risk assessment, dietary exposures of heavy metals through usual intake were 5.20×10^-4-7.15×10⁰ ㎍/day for Cd, 7.00×10^-5-7.75×10^-1 ㎍/day for Pb, and 1.17×10¹ ㎍/day for I-As, taking 0.01-14.37%, 0.01-2.05%, and 15.16% as risk indices, respectively. CONCLUSION: It requires to consider the critical levels of heavy metals in agricultural products due to unexpectedly high levels in a few places, while concentrations of heavy metals in the samples were relatively low in most areas.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.473-482
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• 2009

In this study, iron and manganese coated sand (IMCS) was prepared by mixing Joomoonjin sand with solutions having different molar ratio of manganese ($Mn^{2+}$) and iron ($Fe^{3+}$). Mineral type of IMCS was analyzed by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Removal efficiency of arsenic through As(III) oxidation and As(V) adsorption by IMCS having different ratio of Mn/Fe was evaluated. The coated amount of total Mn and Fe on all IMCS samples was less than that on sand coated with iron-oxide alone (ICS) or manganese-oxide alone (MCS). The mineral type of the manganese oxide on MCS and iron oxides on ICS were identified as ${\gamma}-MnO_2$ and mixture of goethite and magnetite, respectively. The same mineral type was appeared on IMCS. Removed amount As(V) by IMCS was greatly affected by the content of Fe rather than by the content of Mn. Adsorption of As(V) by IMCS was little affected by the presence of monovalent and divalent electrolytes. However a greatly reduced As(V) adsorption as observed in the presence of trivalent electrolyte such as $PO_4\;^{3-}$. As(III) oxidation efficiency by MCS in the presence of NaCl or $NaNO_3$ was two times greater than that in the presence of $PO_4\;^{3-}$. Meanwhile a greater As(III) oxidation efficiency was observed by IMCS in the presence of $PO_4\;^{3-}$. This was explained by the competitive adsorption between phosphate and arsenate on the surface of IMCS.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.248-256
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• 2021

A total of 120 samples corresponding to 12 categories of dried processed fishery products distributed in Gyeonggi-do were examined for radioactivity contamination (¹³¹I, ¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs) and heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury). One natural radioactive material, ⁴⁰K, was detected in all products, while the artificial radioactive materials ¹³¹I, ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs were not detected at above MDA (minimum detectable activity) values. The detection ranges of heavy metals converted by biological basis were found as follows: Pb (N.D.-0.332 mg/kg), Cd (N.D.-2.941 mg/kg), As (0.371-15.007 mg/kg), Hg (0.0005-0.0621 mg/kg). Heavy metals were detected within standard levels when there was an acceptable standard, but the arsenic content was high in most products, although none of the products had a permitted level of arsenic. In the case of dried processed fishery products, there are products that are consumed by restoring moisture to its original state, but there are also many products that are consumed directly in the dry state, so it will be necessary to set permitted levels for heavy metals considering this situation in the future. In addition, Japan has decided to release contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean, so there is high public concern about radioactivity contamination of food, including fishery products. Therefore, continuous monitoring of various food items will be necessary to ease consumers' anxiety.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.349-355
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• 2012

In this study, we configured a system which ranks hazardous chemicals to determine their management priorities based on experts' opinions and the existing CRS (chemical ranking and scoring). Aggregate exposure of food, health functional food, oriental/herbal medicine and cosmetics have been taken into account to determine management priority. In this study, 25 hazardous chemicals were selected, such as cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic, etc. These 25 materials were ranked according to their 1) risk (exposure or hazard) indexes, 2) exposure source-based weight, and 3) public interests, which were also formed based on the existing priority ranking system. Cadmium was scored the highest (178.5) and bisphenol A the lowest (56.8). Ten materials -- cadmium, lead, mercury, arsenic, tar, acrylamide, benzopyrene, aluminium, benzene, and PAHs -- scored higher than 100. Eight materials -- aflatoxin, manganese, phthalate, chromium, nitrate/nitrite, ethylcarbamate, formaldehyde, and copper -- recorded scores in the range from 70 to 100. Also evaluated as potential risks were 7 materials; sulfur dioxide, ochratoxin, dioxins, PCBs, fumonisin, methyl mercury, and bisphenol A, and these materials were scored above 50. Then we compared risk index and correlation coefficient of total scores to confirm the validity of the total scores; we analyzed correlation coefficient of parameter and indicator. We discovered that the total score and weight, which has incorporated public interests, were high and statistically significant. In conclusion, the result of this study contributes to strengthening risk assessment and risk management of hazardous chemicals.

• Clean Technology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.39-54
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• 2020

This study analyzed the groundwater quality according to the depth and geological features in Gyeongsangnam-do area using groundwater quality monitoring network data to grasp the groundwater quality characteristics and to provide basic data for policy making on efficient groundwater management. Five hundred and three data sets were acquired from background water quality exclusive monitoring network in soil groundwater information system for five years (2013 ~ 2017). Except for the total coliforms and tracer items such as mercury, phenol, and others, the parameters of water quality were significant or very significant, depending on depth and geological features. As the depth got deeper, the average value of pH and electrical conductivity increased; water temperature, dissolved oxygen, oxide reduction potential, arsenic, total coliforms, and turbidity decreased; and total unfit rate for drinking water standards was lower. It was found that the sum of the positive and negative ions was the highest in the clastic sedimentary rock and the lowest in metamorphic rock. The total unfit rate for drinking water standards was the highest for metamorphic rocks, followed by clastic sedimentary rock and unconsolidated sediments and, finally, intrusive igneous rock with the lowest penetration. The Na-Cl water type, which indicated the possibility of contamination by external pollutants, appeared only at some points in shallow depths and in clastic sedimentary rocks.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.93-102
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• 2011

In this study, experiments on total digestion and sequential extraction were conducted in order to understand total metal contents, and mobility, bioavaliability and toxicity of metals in marine dredged sediment from Busan New Port. The total concentrations of arsenic and heavy metals in the dredged sediment were relatively low as follows: Al (2.36~2.96 wt.%), As (1.6~3.3 mg/kg), Ba (30.0~33.8 mg/kg), Cd (0.12~0.18 mg/kg), Cr (27.5~35.0 mg/kg), Cu (11.3~15.0 mg/kg), Fe (2.91~3.51 wt.%), Mn (324~408 mg/kg), Ni (18.8~23.8 mg/kg), Pb (23.8~31.3 mg/kg), and Zn (70.0~86.3 mg/kg). In addition, it was found that most of Al (87.5~95.9%), As (74.1~93.8%), Ba (71.8~77.6%), Cr (69.5~94.3%), Cu (50.0~78.7%), Fe (70.8~87.6%), Ni (64.5~75.3%), Pb (53.4~64.3%), and Zn (62.5~81.7%) existed in the residual fraction, meaning that those elements might come from natural sources. On the other hand, Cd and Mn were present mainly in the non-residual fraction. Due to low concentrations of toxic heavy metals and high percentage of residual fraction, it could be possible to reuse the dredged sediment for bricks, pavement base material, etc.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.906-914
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• 2020

To investigate the usefulness of natural plants, physicochemical characteristics, functional components and physiological activities of dodder(Cuscuta australis R.Brown) were experimented. The extraction of dodder was carried out at 60℃ in shaking bath with 10 times of distilled water for three hours. Harmful metals such as lead, cadmium and arsenic were not detected, but the content of mercury from dodder was 0.0004ppm in acceptable standards. The extraction yield was 23.45%, total content of phenolics equivalent to gallic acid was 699.8 mg/100g and total content of flavonoid equivalent to naringin was 373.8 mg/100g. 28 kinds of free amino acids were detected with the contents of 252mg/100g in the dodder extract, and the contents of anserine and sarcosine were analysed highest in all amino acids. From the comparison of physiological activities of dodder extract with those of ascorbic acid, total reducing power, electron donating ability based on DPPH radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power was equivalent to 88%, 56% and 40%, respectively, of ascorbic acid. The nitrite scavenging activity of dodder extract was 78% of ascorbic acid on pH 1.5, but the antioxidant index of dodder on perilla oil was about 4 times greater than that of ascorbic acid.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.589-597
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• 2016

There are a number of industrial complexes which could be a source of heavy metal (loid)s contamination of arable soil in Gyeongnam province of South Korea. Heavy metal (loid)s accumulation of plant is more related to the concentration of plant available heavy metal (loid)s in arable soil than that of total heavy metal (loid)s. The objectives of this study were 1) to examine heavy metal concentrations in soils located near industrial complexes in Gyeongnam province and 2) to determine the relationship between concentration of plant available heavy metal (loid)s and chemical properties of soil. Soil samples were collected from 85 sites of arable lands nearby 7 industrial complexes in Gyeongnam province. Total heavy metal (loid)s concentration, available heavy metal (loid)s concentration, and chemical properties of collected soils were measured. The mean concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in the soils were $5.8mg\;kg^{-1}$, $1.3mg\;kg^{-1}$, $0.03mg\;kg^{-1}$, $51.5mg\;kg^{-1}$, and $68.7mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. Total concentration of Cd and Zn in arable soil located near ${\nabla}{\nabla}$ industrial complex exceeded the warning criteria ($4mg\;kg^{-1}$ and $300mg\;kg^{-1}$ for Cd and Zn, respectively) as described by in the soil environmental conservation Act of Korea. The concentration of plant available heavy metal (loid)s was negatively related to the soil pH and available Pb and Zn concentrations had relatively high correlation coefficient when compared with other heavy metal (loid)s. The concentration of plant available Pb and Zn was negatively related to that of organic matter (OM). Based on the above results, it might be a good soil management to control pH and OM concentration with soil amendments such as lime and compost to reduce phytoavailability of heavy metal (loid)s in arable soil located near industrial complex.

• Carbon letters
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• v.26
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• pp.31-42
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• 2018

Adsorption is one of the best methods for wastewater purification. The fact that water quality is continuously decreasing requires the development of novel, effective and cost available adsorbents. Herein, a simple procedure for the preparation of a magnetic adsorbent from agricultural waste biomass and ferrofluid has been introduced. Specifically, ferrofluid mixed with wheat straw was directly pyrolyzed either by microwave irradiation (900 W, 30 min) or by conventional heating ($550^{\circ}C$, 90 min). Magnetic biochars were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, $M{\ddot{o}}ssbauer$ spectroscopy, textural analysis and tested as adsorbents of As(V) oxyanion and cationic methylene blue, respectively. Results showed that microwave pyrolysis produced char with high adsorption capacity of As(V) ($Q_m=25.6mg\;g^{-1}$ at pH 4), whereas conventional pyrolysis was not so effective. In comparison to conventional pyrolysis, one-step microwave pyrolysis produced a material with expressive microporosity, having a nine times higher value of specific surface area as well as total pore volume. We assumed that sorption properties are also caused by several iron-bearing composites identified by $M{\ddot{o}}ssbauer$ spectroscopy ([super] paramagnetic $Fe_2O_3$, ${\alpha}-Fe$, non-stoichiometric $Fe_3C$, ${\gamma}-Fe_2O_3$, ${\gamma}-Fe$) transformed from nano-maghemite presented in the ferrofluid. Methylene blue was also more easily removed by magnetic biochar prepared by microwaves ($Q_m=144.9mg\;g^{-1}$ at pH 10.9) compared to using conventional techniques.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1-8
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• 2014

The metals contamination of farmland soil nearby abandoned metal mine was serious problem in Korea. Stabilization of contaminated soil was reported using various stabilizers. Application of limestone and steel refining slag was reported as effective stabilizers in the stabilization of metals. The batch studies confirmed that the mixture of limestone and steel refining slag was suitable for stabilization of metals in contaminated soil. The limestone and steel refining slag mixture (2 : 1 and 3 : 2) were used in column studies and it was confirmed that the stabilizers effectively stabilized heavy metals in contaminated soil. The pH of the soil was increased with the addition of stabilizers. Total leached concentration of metals from the column study was reduced 44, 17, and 93% in comparison to the control at arsenic, cadmium and copper, respectively. The sequential extraction studies showed that the exchangeable fraction was changed into carbonate bound fraction (Cd and Cu) and Fe-Mn oxide bound fraction (As). Based on the results we confirmed that 2:1 ratio of limestone and steel refining slag effectively stabilizes the heavy metals. The mixed treatment of lime stone with steel refining slag would be an effective and feasible method for controlling metals leaching in contaminated soil.