• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1-8
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• 2012

The success of stabilization treatment in heavy metal contaminated sediment depends on the heavy metal bioavailability reduction through the sequestration of the heavy metals. This study was performed to assess the changes in the bioavailability of Pb or Cd in the Pb or Cd contaminated sediments by using birnessite and hydroxyapatite as stabilizing agents. The toxicity tests were carried out using a microorganism (Vibrio fischeri), an amphipod (Hyalella azteca) and an earthworm (Eisenia foetida). With Vibrio fischeri, the toxicities of both Pb and Cd were reduced by more than ten times in the presence of birnessite and hydroxyapatite compared to that of in the absence of birnessite and hydroxyapatite. The concentrations of Pb and Cd in the contaminated sediments were lethal to Hyalella azteca, however, in the presence of birnessite and hydroxyapatite more than 90%, on average, of Hyalella azteca survived. With Eisenia foetida, the bioaccumulated concentrations of both Pb and Cd were reduced by more than 75%, on average, lower with the addition of birnessite and hydroxyapatite to the contaminated sediments. These results show that the addition of birnessite and hydroxyapatite can reduce the bioavailability of Pb and Cd in contaminated sediments. In addition, the in situ and ex situ performance of birnessite and hydroxyapatite as stabilizing agents can be verified using the toxicity tests with Hyalella azteca and Eisenia foetida, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.1269-1275
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• 2014

Ecotoxicity assessments with the physiochemical water quality items and the bioassay test using Daphnia magna were conducted for 18 selected effluents of 6 industrial types (metal processing, petroleum refining, synthetic textile manufacturing, plating, alcohol beverage manufacturing, inorganic compound manufacturing) being detected toxicity from industrial effluent in Ulsan city, and the interrelationship between total toxic unit (${\Sigma}TU$) and concentrations of Water Quality Conservation Act in Korea were investigated. The average toxic unit(TU) of effluents for 6 industrial types displayed the following ascending order: petroleum refining (0.2) < synthetic textile manufacturing (0.6) < alcohol beverage manufacturing (0.9) < metal processing (1.3) ${\leq}$ inorganic compound manufacturing (1.3) < plating (3.0). These values were less than effluent permission standard. Based on the result of substances causing ecotoxicity, the correlation analysis was not easy because most of heavy metals were not detected or were less than effluent permission standard. Toxicological assessment of industrial effluent was suitable for the evaluation of the mixture toxicity for pollutant. The whole effluent toxicity test using a variety of species was needed for the evaluation of industrial wastewater.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.25-39
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• 2017

A total number of 668 apparently healthy fish were obtained from farm to study the effect of two heavy metals in a form of (Copper sulfate and Mercuric chloride) on some hematological and biochemical parameters of blood. The $LC_{50}$ /96 hr. of Cu and Hg were estimated and fish exposed to $\text\tiny{^1/_2}$ $LC_{50}$ for 7 days and for $1/_{10}$ $LC_{50}$ for 8 weeks from each product separately. Results showed decrease in RBCs count, PCV% and Hb in acute and chronic mercury while a significant increase was shown in acute and chronic copper toxicity, total leucocytic count showed decrease in acute mercury toxicity and increase in the chronic case, while in copper toxicity non-significant decrease in acute and significant decrease in chronic toxicity was noticed. Elevated serum urea and creatinine in both acute and chronic mercury and copper toxicity was detected. No changes in total bilirubin in the acute mercury and chronic copper toxicity while significant increase in chronic mercury and acute copper. Elevation of serum AST and ALT in some days of acute toxicity of mercury and copper while in chronic mercury toxicity a significant elevation of both serums AST and ALT were detected .while in chronic copper toxicity serum AST was fluctuated and ALT showed no significant changes. CK study revealed significant decrease in acute mercury with fluctuation in the chronic toxicity while in copper toxicity it showed fluctuation in acute and significant decrease in chronic toxicity. Glucose value decreased in acute and chronic mercury toxicity while in copper toxicity it showed significant increase in the acute and increase followed by significant decrease in the chronic copper toxicity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2014

The object of this study was to evaluate the combined toxic interactions of the perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) with six heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd, Hg, and Pb). The individual and combined toxic effects were assessed using the Vibrio fischeri assay. In case of the individual toxicity, PFOA was higher toxic than PFOS and toxicity of PFOA and PFOS were lower than heavy metal. In the toxicity of heavy metals, the $Hg^{2+}$ was found to be most toxic followed by $Pb^{2+}$, $Cr^{6+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, and $Cd^{2+}$. The combined toxicity of PFOA or PFOS with $Cr^{6+}$ were synergistic effect because the $EC_{50}$ mix values were less than 1 TU. PFOA + $Zn^{2+}$, PFOS + $Zn^{2+}$, PFOA + $Cd^{2+}$ and PFOS + $Cd^{2+}$ produced addictive effect. Except in these case, all of binary mixtures show antagonistic effect. This study proved potential risk of coexistent with perfluorinated compounds and heavy metals in water environment.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.245-251
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study are to investigate the contamination levels of heavy metals in soil, ground water, and agricultural product near the abandoned Boeun and Sanggok mine areas in Korea and to assess the health risk for these local residents exposed to the toxic heavy metals based on analytical data. METHODS AND RESULTS: By the results of human health risk assessment for local residents around Boeun and Sanggok, human exposure to cadmium, copper, arsenic from soil and to lead, cadmium, and arsenic from rice grain were higher in Sanggok, but human exposure to zinc and arsenic from ground water was higher in Boeun. By the results of hazard index (HI) evaluation for arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc, HI values in both areas were higher than 1.0. This result indicated that the toxicity hazard through the continuous exposure to lead, cadmium, arsenic from rice, ground water, and soil would be likely to occur to the residents in the areas. Cancer risk assessment for arsenic, risks from the rice were exposed to one to two out of 10,000 people in Boeun and one of 1,000 people in Sanggok. These results showed that the cancer risks of arsenic in both areas were 10~100 times greater than the acceptable cancer risk range of US EPA ($1{\times}10^{-6}{\sim}1{\times}10^{-5}$). CONCLUSION(S): Therefore, if these two local residents consume continuously with arsenic contaminated soil, ground water, and rice, the adverse health effects (carcinogenic potential) would be more increased.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.603-610
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• 2013

According to industrialization, increased toxic chemicals discharge has been causing water pollution. Especially domestic sewage is a major source of water pollution. Sixty percent of the total wastewater discharged is domestic sewage. Self-purification capacity of rivers and streams is drastically reduced by the emission of domestic sewage, industrial wastewater and livestock wastewater. Although domestic sewage is managed by implementing standards and regulations, toxicity effect of domestic sewage to humans and the environment is not yet clearly understood. In this study, by using daphnia magna, the ecotoxicity of domestic swage was assessed. Cl, Cu, Pb, COD, T-N, DO, pH and residual chlorine were investigated as background concentrations. The experiments were conducted with water samples obtained from three local sewage treatment plants. The experiment results indicated that higher level of toxicity corresponds to the higher pollution concentrations. The higher level of combinations of background concentrations such as heavy metals leads to the worse ecotoxicity. Especially, the Cu concentration affects the TU value.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.144-154
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• 2007

The acute and chronic toxicity of ambient and effluent water discharged to Lake Shihwa were investigated by using Vibrio fischeri, Daphnia magna and Oryzias latipes. Physicochemical characteristics including biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and nine heavy metals in a total of 15 water samples were evaluated and were satisfied with relevant Korean Water Quality Standards (KWQS) except for Hg in one sample. Acute toxicity was observed in five samples collected from three sampling locations. When impacts on reproduction and growth after chronic exposure were evaluated with D. magna, all the samples showed significant chronic effects. Reproduction appeared relatively more sensitive endpoint. In 21 days chronic tests on O. latipes, survival, mean egg number per female per day, hatching success rate and time to hatch were affected by increasing sample concentration. The organ-level changes such as gonadosomatic index (GSI), and hepatosomatic index (HSI), and molecular biomarker of vitellogenin (Vtg) induction that evaluated with O. latipes increased as exposure concentrations increased. It is noteworthy that the samples that did not exceed the KWQS resulted in acute and chronic toxicities. The results suggested that numeric criteria based on physicochemical parameters may not be protective of aquatic ecosystem. Acute and chronic toxicity tests with organisms representing different trophic groups should be supplemented in order to provide adequate level of environmental protection.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.113-122
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• 2007

Experimental studies were performed to investigate speciation and leaching potential of heavy metals(Cu, Cd, Pb Zn, Ni) in ten sediment samples collected from Nakdong River. Acid Volatile Sulfide (AVS) and Simultaneously Extractable Metals (SEM) measurements were used to estimate heavy metals that can be leached under anaerobic conditions. Sequential Extraction Procedure (SEP) and Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) were used to characterize speciation and leaching potential of heavy metals under aerobic conditions. The results show that total concentrations of Cu, Zn and Ni were relatively high in the sediments from points Seongseo industrial complex stream (upper stream) (D), Seongseo industrial complex stream (midstream) (E), Dalseo stream (F), and Nakdong river estuary (J), and that Cd concentrations were higher in all sampling points except for Goriung Bridge (G) and Soosan Bridge (H). SEM and AVS analyses reveal that samples from points Ilsun Bridge (A), Namgumi Bridge (C), and Soosan Bridge (H) have potential of heavy metals leaching, although leachable concentrations are relatively low. The leaching potential of heavy metals in other points was low because of higher concentrations of AVS than SEM. SEP results show that more than 50% of Cu, Zn and Ni were present in residual fraction, which means these metals are less amenable to leaching in anaerobic conditions. On the other hand, more than 50% of Pb and Cd were extracted during the first through third step of the SEP, which means substantial fraction of these metals can be leached upon changing of redox conditions. TCLP tests predict that leaching potential of heavy metals was generally low, which is consistent with the results obtained by AVS and SEM measurements.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.440-447
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• 2007

This paper is dealing with recent hot issues related with copper toxicity and its criteria, which was caused by a new government policy relocating some industries discharging priority-water quality pollutants from the watershed of Han River to other regions. Author is not interested in arguments between two sides of anti- and pro-policy but would like to go over status of copper pollution and its management and regulatory policy in Korea. From the data of published Research Journals and Reports, it can be concluded that copper is very common metal not only in the effluent from publically owned wastewater treatment plants, but also as a non-point source pollutant in the rainfall runoff. In addition, there have been very few studies personal interests, not by National Fund Basis. In order to enforce a new regulation, national-wide macro and micro-mass balance work of heavy metals should be performed in advance. In particular, background concentration and measurement errors have to be clearly defined before a new standard or criteria is established. The new standard has to be acceptable in terms of the best available technology and cost.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Recent studies using many amendments for heavy metal stabilization in soil were conducted in order to find out new materials. But, the studies accounting for the use of appropriate amendments considering soil pH remain incomplete. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of initial soil pH on the efficiency of various amendments. METHODS AND RESULTS: Acid soil and alkali soil contaminated with heavy metals were collected from the agricultural soils affected by the abandoned mine sites nearby. Three different types of amendments were selected with hypothesis being different in stabilization mechanisms; organic matter, lime stone and iron, and added with different combination. For determining the changes in the extractable heavy metals, water soluble, Mehlich-3, Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure, Simple Bioavailability Extraction Test method were applied as chemical assessments for metal stabilization. For biological assessments, soil respiration and root elongation of bok choy (Brassica campestris ssp. Chinensis Jusl.) were determined. CONCLUSION: It was revealed that lime stone reduced heavy metal mobility in acid soil by increasing soil pH and iron was good at stabilizing heavy metals by supplying adsorption sites in alkali soil. Organic matter was a good source in terms of supplying nutrients, but it was concerning when accounting for increasing metal availability.