• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.97-108
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• 2012

Physical, chemical and biological hazards of strawberry farms at the cultivation stage were analyzed to establish the GAP(Good Agricultural Practice) system. Samples were collected from the plants, cultivation environments(water, soil and air), and personal hygiene (hand, glove, and clothes) of three strawberry farms(A, B, and C) and were tested to analyze physical, chemical (heavy metals and pesticide residues), and biological(sanitary indications and foodborne pathogens) hazards. Physical hazards such as insects and pieces of metal and glass were found in the strawberry farms and can be potential bow for strawberry products. Heavy metal and pesticide residue as chemical hazards were detected at levels lower than the regulation limit. In case of biological hazards, total bacteria and coliform were detected at the levels of 1.6~7.3 and 1.3~5.6 log CFU/g, leaf, mL, hand or $100cm^2$. However, Escherichia coli was not detected in all samples. Bacillus cereus and Staphylococuus aureus were detected at levels of ${\leq}$ 1.1~6.1 log CFU and 4.7~5.4 log CFU/g, mL, hand or $100cm^2$, whereas Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157 and Salmonella spp. were not detected in all samples. This study demonstrates that various harzards were in strawberry farms at the growing stage. Therefore proper management such as GAP is needed to prevent the occurrence of food poisoning associated with the hazards revealed in this study.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.418-428
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• 2007

Physical and chemical properties of the aggregate by-products including sludge and crushed dust samples collected from the 21 private companies throughout the country were analyzed to evaluate possible usage of the by-products as artificial soil materials for plantation. The pH of the materials ranged from 8.0 to 11.0. The organic matter content was $2.85g\;kg^{-1}$, and the total nitrogen content and available phosphate content were low as 0.7 percents and $12.98mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. Exchangeable $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $K^+$, and $Na^+$ were 2.29, 0.47, 0.02 and $0.05cmol\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. Heavy metal contents were lower than the limits regulated by environmental law of Korea. Textural analysis showed that most of the materials were silt loam with low water holding capacity ranged from 0.67 to 7.41 percents, and with low hydraulic conductivity ranged from 0.4 to $2.8m\;s^{-1}$. Mineralogical analysis showed that the aggregate by product materials were mostly composed of silicate, alumina and ferric oxides except calcium oxide dominant materials derived from limestones. The primary minerals were quartz, feldspars and dolomites derived from granite and granitic gneiss materials. Some samples derived from limestone material showed calcite and graphite together with the above minerals. According to the result, it can be concluded that the materials could be used as the artificial soil material for plantation after proper improvement of the physico-chemical properties and fertility.