• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 2014

Total concentration and chemical speciation of trace metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Ni) were determined to evaluate pollution level and potential ecological risk in surface sediments of the Masan Bay. The results showed that the trace metal concentrations, except for Ni, were high in the inner Masan Bay. Based on the chemical speciation of metals in sediments, the percentage of total concentrations of Cd and Pb in non-residual fraction was 92% and 88%, respectively, indicating that these metals originated mainly from anthropogenic sources. However, Ni (70%) was dominant in residual fraction. Pollution load index (PLI) and ecological risk index (ERI) values in the inner bay indicate the presence of anthropogenic pollution and considerable-moderate ecological risk, respectively. Ecological index (Ei) value for Cd was high at most stations in the Masan Bay, and Cd content was the highest in acid soluble fraction, which presents the highest ecological risk. The results obtained in this study indicate that Cd presents a high potential ecological risk to benthic biota in the Masan Bay.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.3 s.172
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• pp.261-272
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• 2005

The groundwaters in the basin of Seomjin River are classified mainly into Na-Cl type with high EC and $NaHCO_3$ type with low EC, and are characterized by enriched $K^+,\;Mg^{2+},\; NO_3^-,\; and\;SO_4\;^{2-}$ contents. The epm fraction of $Na^+Cl^-$ in TDS increases in general with increasing EC of groundwater. The correlation patterns among dissolved ions indicate that $Na^+\;and\;Cl^-$ are derived mainly from intruded seawater, and $K^+,\;Mg^{2-},\;and\;SO_4\;^{2-}$ from anthropogenic source such as a chemical fertilizer. The groundwaters that exceed the recommended limits far agricultural irrigation water contains $23\%\;of\;Cl^-$ reflecting sea-water intrusion, but $50\%\;of\;NO_3^-$ as an anthropogenic pollution, among the wells investigated. In risk assessment of groundwaters by the EC-SAR relationship, only $40\%$ of the groundwaters shows the suitable quality for agricultural irrigation water without any sodium and salinity hazards. Consequently, the pollution sources that cause degradation of groundwater quality in the basin of Seomjin River are the usage of chemical fertilizers and the intrusion of seawater, resulted primarily from the extension of riverward backflow of seawater and secondarily from the overpumping of groundwater.

• Carbon letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.121-130
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• 2011

Public concern has recently increased over the potential risk of toxic elements emitted from anthropogenic sources. Among these, mercury has drawn special attention owing to its increasing level of bioaccumulation in the environment and in the food chain, with potential risks for human health. This paper presents an overview of research related to mercury control technology and identifies areas requiring additional research and development. It critically reviews measured mercury emissions progress in the development of promising control technologies, including catalytic oxidation, sorbent injection, photochemistry oxidation, and air pollution control devices.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 1993

In order to study on the cause of visibility aggravation, we have selected the days of low-visibility observed in Seoul with haziness that was below 6km from 12 to 15 LST. According to the examinations, the number of low-visibility days satisfying the criteria is 30 days in 1989, 39 days in 1990, and 35 days in 1991, respectively. The annual number of low visibility days appears to increase mainly due to an increase in emission of air pollutants and in anthropogenic water vapor in the biosphere. The relationship between visibility and air pollutants(TSP, $NO_2, SO_2, O_3$) of selected days is also studied. Air pollution concentrations of selected days are much higher than those of other days. It is observed that the cause of visibility aggravation in Seoul is mainly smog and air pollutants. In particular, the visibility reduction and high $SO_2$ concentrations at Seoul in winter are similar phenomena that occurring with London smog, while the visibility reduction and high $O_3$ concentrations at Seoul in summer are also similar to the type of Los Angeles smog.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.115-123
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• 1995

Most countries have problems regarding the quantity and quality of their fresh water resources, and many countries are suffering from the e(feces of pollution of their inland and coastal waters. Italy is one of the country in which water supply is extremely uneven, and there are wide areas where it represents a real emergencies during periods of drought. All the watershed's water resources, however, are subjected to considerable anthropogenic pressure such as organic load with heavy metals. The high values of organic materials are accounted for mainly by runoff and percolation waste water from urban and agricultural land extensively ma- nured with effluents (rom livestock farming, while high concentration of heavy metals are found in watersheds of national and interregional significance. More than 35% of the underground water bearing strata of certain basins are already contaminated by pollution boih industrial and agricultural pollutants. In these connection, the problems and new measures of water resources in Italy are overviewed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1291-1298
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• 2018

Marine ecosystems are frequently exposed to a variety of chronic and acute pollutants derived from anthropogenic production and consumption activities. Mussels are sessile (can provide location-specific information), medium-sized (have enough tissue matrix for chemical analysis) filter-feeders (show accumulation of pollutant chemicals from seawater). These biological and ecological characteristics make mussels virtually ideal for pollution monitoring. In this study, Korean mussels (Mytilus coruscus) were collected from nine different sites situated along the coasts of the western sea to the eastern sea of Korea in 2017. Total mercury concentration was highest (mean ${\pm}$ standard error, $92.7{\pm}3.5ng/g\;dry$) on Baengnyeongdo Island in the western sea, and the sites in the southern sea showed the lowest mean concentrations (42.3 - 44.5 ng/g dry). These results were discussed in terms of possible pollution sources.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.385-392
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• 1999

This study was carried out to investigate the constituents of inorganic ions of precipitation in Mokpo and Yeochon area from Jan. 1996 to Dec. 1997. The volume-weighted mean pH of precipitation was 5.7(4.8~7.8) at Mokpo, and 5.6(5.1~7.4) at Yeochon area, respectively. The non-seasalt(nss) anion concentrations were found in order of $nss-SO^{2-}_4>NO^-_3>nss-Cl^-$ at two areas. The portion of $nss-SO^{2-}_4;and;NO^-_3$ was 71~84% out of anions. The the non-seasalt cation concentrations were found in order of $NH^+_4>nss-Ca^{2-}>nss-Mg^{2+}>nss-K^-$ at two areas. The portion of $NH^+_4;and; nss-Ca^{2+}$ was 85~92% out cations. Compared regionally the year concentraton of $nss-SO^{2-}_4$, the result of Yeochon was 3 times higher than that of Mokpo in 1996, while the results of two regions were almost similar in 1997. The reason was that Yeochon was restricted area of the use of 0.5% sulfur B-C oil, controlled air pollution emission area, controlled semitotal amounts of air pollution emission area and partial operating of factories in 1997. There were no ions having high correlation with $H^+,;but;nss-SO^{2-}_4,;NO^-_3,;NH^+_4;and;nss-Ca^{2+}$ showed high correlation coefficient each other. It seems that these ions have little correlation with $H^+$ because they are washed out on binding state. Factor analysis showed that the first factor was complicated factor containing anthropogenic and soil resource, the second factor was sea-salt resource and the third factor was independent behavior of hydrogen at Mokpo. While, the first factor was complicated factor containing anthropogenic and sea-salt resource, the second factor was $Ca(NO_3)_2$ salt and the third factor was $NH^+_4;and;SO^{2-}_4$ synergied by resource and combination at Yeochon.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.51-60
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• 2017

In this study, the concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in agricultural soils across a region of South Korea (Buyeo County) were investigated. Their pollution sources were assessed using multivariate statistical analysis, and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology was used to determine the distribution of these elements. Surface soil samples were collected from 114 locations across the agricultural fields in the study site. Cu and Zn were derived from natural sources (i.e., parent rocks of the soil), whereas As, Cd, and Pb were found to be originated from abandoned mines. The results of this study clearly show that the transport of anthropogenic As, Cd, and Pb is governed mostly by the specific environment of the paddy soil. Our approach was effective in clearly identifying the sources of metals and analyzing their contamination characteristics. We believe this study will provide useful information to future studies on soil pollution by anthropogenic sources.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.212-221
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• 2020

Background: Rapid industrialization has caused various impacts on nature, including heavy metal pollution. However, the impacts of industrialization vary depending on the types of industrializing activity and surrounding environment. South Korea is a proper region because the rapid socio-economical changes have been occurred since the late nineteenth century. Therefore, in this study, we estimate the anthropogenic impacts on an ecosystem from a sediment core of Yonghwasil-mot, an irrigation reservoir on the western coast of Korea, in terms of heavy metal concentrations, nutrient influx, and pollen composition. Results: The sediment accumulation rate (SAR) determined by 210Pb geochronology showed two abrupt peaks in the 1930s and 1950s, presumably because of smelting activity and the Korean War, respectively. The following gradual increase in SAR may reflect the urbanization of recent decades. The average concentrations of arsenic (As), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb) during the twentieth century were > 48% compared to those before the nineteenth century, supporting the influence of smelting activity. However, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, the As, Cu, and Pb concentrations decreased by 19% compared to levels in the twentieth century, which is coincident with the closure of the smelter in 1989 and government policy banning leaded gasoline since 1993. The pollen assemblage and nutrient input records exhibit changes in vegetation cover and water level of the reservoir corresponding to anthropogenic deforestation and reforestation, as well as to land-use alteration. Conclusions: Our results show that the rapid socio-economic development since the twentieth century clearly affected the vegetation cover, land use, and metal pollutions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.168-176
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• 2012

A total of 48 dust samples were collected from large shopping mall parking lots in Daegu metropolitan city in March 2011. Samples were sieved through a 100 ${\mu}m$ mesh and the concentration of 14 elements have been determined using by ICP after acid extraction. Results showed that Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na and V were affected by natural sources while Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were affected by anthropogenic sources. The measured values were remarkably higher in components from natural sources than in components from anthropogenic sources. Anthropogenic trace element concentrations of ground roof dust were higher than those of ground and underground indoor dust. A large percentage of trace elements came from natural sources rather than anthropogenic sources. The percentage composition of chemicals of ground roof dust were higher than those of ground and underground indoor dust. This study showed that investigated parking lots were rarely contaminated with hazardous heavy metals. The heavy metal pollution of ground roof were higher than those of ground and underground indoors. The correlation analysis among trace elements suggest that components in ground roof were more highly correlated than those in ground and underground indoor. Also anthropogenic trace element levels were well correlated with parking lot age and parking density.