• Title/Summary/Keyword: geochemical conditions

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Functioning of the Geoecosystem for the West Side of Admiralty Bay (King George Island, Antarctica): Outline of Research at Arctowski Station

  • Rakusa-Suszczewski, Stanislaw
    • Ocean and Polar Research
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    • v.25 no.4
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    • pp.653-662
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    • 2003
  • Changes in the area of geo-ecosystem $(62^{\circ}09'S,\;58^{\circ}31'w)$ reflect climatic changes in the South Shetland Islands. Air temperature and deglaciation will increase. The ice-free space area at the SSSS 8- (ASPA 121) site has enlarged threefold during the last 21 years, thus creating conditions for inhabitation and succession. Wind, water and snow play important roles in transportation of geochemical components. They distribute nutrients, mineral substances, seeds, fragments of plants and animals, etc. Plant and animal colonization is patchy and it happens at random in an 'island' - like manner. The colonization pattern is dependant, to a high degree on physical factors. The newly uncovered ice-free areas are at first inhabited by a vascular plant known as the Deschampsia antarctica. The border of the land-oasis with Admiralty Bay is the place where the processes related to animal feeding at the sea and reproduction on the land take place. Bird colonies and pinniped lairs form centers of fertilization surrounded by high chemical gradients dependent on the direction of the flow of nutrients $(e.g.\;NH_4)$. During the last 25 years, the numbers of penguins in this region have decreased, and thus the amount of materials excreted on land has diminished. The numbers of fur seals change in multi-annual cycles, and their migration into this area is related to the E1 $Ni\~{n}o$ phenomenon. The numbers of elephant seals in the area did not change. Organic matter deposited by the sea onto the shore are a source of nutrients and deficient chemical elements on land. Mineral matter is washed out into the waters of Admiralty Bay. These processes change seasonally, and multi annually. Negative effects on the environment at Arctowski Station induced by man are slight, but noticeable nevertheless. Physical processes have the largest influence on the living conditions and distribution of plants and animals, and as a consequence, on the functioning of the geo-ecosystem in the coastal-shore zone of the Maritime Antarctic.

Geochemical Characteristics of Soil Solution from the Soil Near Mine Tailing Dumps and the Contamination Assessment in Duckum Mine (토양수의 자구화학특성에 따른 금속폐광산 광미야적장주변 토양오염평가: 덕음광산)

  • 이상훈;정주연
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.37 no.1
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    • pp.61-72
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    • 2004
  • The soil samples were collected from the paddy field near the mine tailing dumps in the abandoned Duckum mine in Korea. In the laboratory, the soil solution was extracted from the soil using centrifuge, and analysed for the chemical composition. Physical and chemical soil properties were also analysed. Kaolinite is the main clay minerals in the paddy soil and the CEC value is therefore relatively low. Nearly all soil samples show enrichment in their trace elemental concentrations(Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) compared with natural background level. Some soil samples exceed the soil remediation intervention values for Cd, Pb and Zn and target value for Cu, when compared with Dutch standard, whereas As, Ni and Cr are in normal range. Lead concentrations in some samples near the mine tailing dumps also exceed the standard for remediation act for agricultural area set by Korean soil conservation law. The trace elemental concentrations are higher in the paddy soil nearer the mine tailing dumps and lower for the samples from distance. Similar trend with distance is found for the soil solution chemistry but the decrease with distance from the mine tailing dumps are sharper than the changes in soil chemistry. Cadmium, Cu and Pb concentrations in the soil solution are very low, ranging from a tenth and hundredths to a maximum of several mg/l, whereas their concentrations in soils are highly enriched for natural background. Most of the trace elements are thought to be either removed by reduced iron sulphides or iron oxides, depending on the redox changes. Geochemical equilibrium modelling indicate the presence of solubility controlling solid phases for Cd and Pb, whereas Zn and Cu might have been controlled by adsorption/desorption processes. Although pollutants migration through solution phase are thought to be limited by adsorption onto various Fe, Mn solid phases, the pollutants exist as easily releasable fractions such as exchangeable site. In this case, the paddy soil would act as pollutant pool, which will supply to plants in situ. whenever the geochemical conditions favour.

Hydrogeochemical Research on the Characteristic of Chemical Weathering in a Granitic Gatchment (水文化學的 資料를 통한 花崗岩質 流域의 化學的 風化特性에 關한 硏究)

  • Park, Soo-Jin
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.1-15
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    • 1993
  • This research aims to investigate some respects of chemical weathering processes, espcially the amount of solute leaching, formation of clay minerals, and the chemical weathering rate of granite rocks under present climatic conditions. For this purpose, I investigated geochemical mass balance in a small catchment and the mineralogical composition of weathered bedrocks including clay mineral assemblages at four res-pective sites along one slope. The geochemical mass blance for major elements of rock forming minerals was calculated from precipitation and streamwater data which are measured every week for one year. The study area is a climatically and litholo-gically homogeneous small catchment($3.62Km^2$)in Anyang-shi, Kyounggi-do, Korea. The be-drock of this area id Anyang Granite which is composed of coarse-giained, pink-colored miner-als. Main rock forming minerals are quartz, K-Feldspar, albite, and muscovite. One of the chracteristics of this granite rock is that its amount of Ca and Mg is much lower than other granite rock. The leaching pattern in the weathering profiles is in close reltion to the geochemical mass balance. Therefore the removal or accumulation of dissolved materials shows weathering patterns of granite in the Korean peninsula. Oversupplied ions into the drainage basin were $H^+$, $K^+$, Fe, and Mn, whereas $Na^2+$, $Mg^2+$, $Ca^2+$, Si, Al and $HCO-3^{-}$ were removed from the basin by the stream. The consumption of hydrogen ion in the catchment implies the hydrolysis of minerals. The surplus of $K^+$ reflects that vegetation is in the aggravation stage, and the nutrient cycle of the forest in study area did not reach a stable state. And it can be also presumed that the accumulation of $K^+$ in the top soil is related to the surplus of $K^+$. Oversupplied Fe and Mn were presumed to accumulate in soil by forming metallic oxide and hydroxide. In the opposite, the removal of $Na^+$, Si, Al resulted from the chemical weathering of albite and biotite, and the amount of removal of $Na^+$, Si, Al reflected the weathering rate of the bedrock. But $Ca^2+$ and $Mg^2+$ in stream water were contaminated by the scattered calcareous structures over the surface. Kaolinite is a stable clay mineral under the present environment by the thermodynamical analysis of the hydrogeochemical data and Tardy's Re value. But this result was quite different from the real assemblage of clay miner-als in soil and weathered bedrock. This differ-ence can be explained by the microenvironment in the weathering profile and the seasonal variation of climatic factors. There are different clay forming environments in the stydy area and these differences originate from the seasonal variation of climate, especially the flushing rate in the weathering profile. As it can be known from the results of the analysis of thermodynamic stability and characteristics of geochemical mas balance, the climate during winter and fall, when it is characterized by the low flushing rate and high solute influx, shows the environmental characteristics to from 2:1 clay minerals, such as illite, smectite, vermiculite and mixed layer clay minerals which are formed by neoformation or transformation from the primary or secondary minerals. During the summer and spring periods, kaoli-nite is a stable forming mineral. However it should consider that the other clay minerals can transformed into kaolinite or other clay minerals, because these periods have a high flushing rte and temperature. Materials which are directly regulated by chemical weathering in the weathered bedrock are $Na^+$, Si, and Al. The leaching of Al is, however, highly restricted and used to form a clay mineral, and that of Si falls under the same category. $Na^+$ is not taked up by growing veget ation, and fixed in the weathering profile by forming secondary minerals. Therefore the budget of $Na^+$ is a good indicator for the chemical weathering rate in the study area. The amount of chemical weathering of granite rocks was about 31.31g/$m^2+$/year based on $Na^+$ estimation.

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Revealing the Paleo-ocean Environment of OSM-XX in the Western Pacific Magellan Seamount with Mineralogical and Geochemical Properties of Ferromanganese Crust (서태평양 마젤란해산군 OSM-XX 해저산 망간각의 광물학적, 지화학적 특성과 고해양 고환경 복원 연구)

  • Jinsub Park;Kiho Yang
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.56 no.1
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    • pp.55-63
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    • 2023
  • Variations in geochemical and mineralogical properties of the ferromanganese(Fe-Mn) crust reflect environmental changes. In the present study, geochemical and mineralogical analyses, including micro X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction, were utilized to reconstruct the paleo-ocean environment of western Pacific Magellan seamount cluster. Samples of the Fe-Mn crust were collected using an epibenthic sledge from the open seamount XX (151° 51.12' 7.2" E and 16° 8.16' 9.6" N, 1557 meters below sea level) in the Western Pacific Magellan Seamount. According to the structure and phosphating status, the Fe-Mn crust of the OSM-XX can be divided into the following: phosphatizated (L4-L5), massive non-phosphatizated (L3), and porous non-phosphatizated (L1-L2) portions. All ferromanganese layers contain vernadite, and owing to the presence of carbonate fluorapatite (CFA), the phosphatizated portion (L4-L5) is rich in Ca and P. The massive non-phosphatizated section (L3) contains high Mn, Ni, and Co, whereas the porous non-phosphatizated portion (L1-L2), which comprises detrital quartz and feldspar, is rich in Fe. Variations in properties of the Fe-Mn crust from the OSM-XX reflect changes in the nearby marine environment. The formation of this crust started at approximately 51.87 Ma, and precipitation of the CFA during the global phosphatization event that occurred at approximately 36-32 Ma highlights an elevated sea level and low temperature during the associated period. The high Mn, Ni, and Co concentrations and elevated Mn/Fe ratios of samples from the massive phosphatizated portion indicate that the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) was enhanced, and reducing conditions prevailed during the crust formation. The high Fe and low Mn/Fe ratios in the porous portion indicate a weak OMZ and dominantly oxidizing conditions. These data reflect environmental changes following the end of the Mi-1 glacial period in the Miocene-Oligocene boundary. Subsequently, Mn/Fe and Co/Mn ratios increased slightly in the outermost part of Fe-Mn crust because of the enhanced bottom current and OMZ associated with the continued cooling from approximately 9 Ma. However, the reduced carbonate dissolution rate in the Pacific Ocean from approximately 6 Ma decreased the growth rate of the Fe-Mn crust.

Temperature and Timing of the Mylonitization of the Leucocratic Granite in the Northeastern Flank of the Taebaeksan Basin

  • Kim, Hyeong-Soo
    • Journal of the Korean earth science society
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    • v.33 no.5
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    • pp.434-449
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    • 2012
  • The Mesozoic leucocratic granite in the northeastern margin of the Taebaeksan Basin was transformed to protomylonite and mylonite. Mylonitic foliations generally strike to NWWNW and dip to NE with the development of a sinistral strike-slip (top-to-the-northwest) shear sense. Grain-size reduction of feldspar in the mylonitized leucocratic granite occurred due to fracturing, myrmekite formation and neocrystallization of albitic plagioclase along the shear fractures of K-feldspar porphyroclasts. As the deformation proceeded, compositional layering consisting of feldspar-, quartz- and/or muscovite-rich layers developed in the mylonite. In the feldspar-rich layer, fine-grained albitic plagioclase and interstitial K-feldspar were deformed dominantly by granular flow. On the other hand, quartz-rich layers containing core-mantle and quartz ribbons structures were deformed by dislocation creep. Based on calculations from conventional two-feldspar and ternary feldspar geothermometers, mylonitization temperatures of the leucocratic granite range from 360 to $450^{\circ}C$. It thus indicates that the mylonitization has occurred under greenschist-facies conditions. Based on the geochemical features and previous chronological data, the leucocratic granite was emplaced during the Middle Jurassic at volcanic arc setting associated with crustal thickening. And then the mylonitization of the granite occurred during the late Middle to Late Jurassic (150-165 Ma). Therefore, the mylonitization of the Jurassic granitoids in the Taebaeksan Basin was closely related to the development of the Honam shear zone.

Effect of a Hydrothermal Reaction on the Expandibility, Layer Charge, and CEC of Smectite Clay (스멕타이트 점토의 팽창도, 층전하, 양이온 교환능에 대한 열수반응의 영향)

  • Lee, Jae-Owan;Cho, Won-Jin
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.8 no.3
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    • pp.173-179
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    • 2010
  • In a HLW repository, the buffer is exposed to an elevated temperature due to a radioactive decay and geochemical conditions for a long time and such a hydrothermal condition may cause a significant loss of its barrier function. This study carried out hydrothermal tests with a domestic smectite clay to investigate the changes in the expandibility, layer charge, and cation exchange capacity of the smectite. When the temperature and potassium concentration in solution was increased for the hydrothermal treatments, the expandibility decreased, the layer charge negatively increased, and the CEC also decreased.

Shifts in Biochemical Environments and Subsequent Degradation of Explosive Compounds (TNT and RDX) by Starch Ball Addition in the Benthic Zone of Bench Scale Settling Basins (전분 환 투입에 의한 실험실 규모 침전지 저부에서의 생화학적 환경 변화와 화약물질(TNT 및 RDX) 분해)

  • Park, Jieun;Bae, Bumhan
    • Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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    • v.19 no.3
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    • pp.82-93
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    • 2014
  • A starch ball was devised to conveniently supply carbon source to indigenous microorganisms and to enhance biotransformation of explosive compounds(TNT and RDX) in the sediments of settling basins installed in military shooting ranges. To identify optimum dose/sediment ratio for degradation of explosives in the basin, a series of bench scale settling basin experiments were performed for 30 days while monitoring supernatant pH, DO, concentrations of nitrite, nitrate, sulfate, explosive compounds, and acute toxicity measured by bacterial luminescence. Addition of starch ball induced changes in oxidation conditions from oxic to anoxic in the benthic zone of the basin, which resulted in subsequent reductive degradation of both TNT and RDX in the liquid and solid phase of basin. However, fermentation products of excess starch, acetic acid and formic acid, caused acute toxicity in the liquid phase. The optimum ratio of starch ball/sediment for explosive compounds degradation by inducing changes in bio-geochemical environments without increase in acute toxicity, was found to be 0.009~0.017.

An Experimental Study on Denitrification Efficiency of Agricultural Byproducts for Prevention of Nitrate Contamination from LID or Groundwater Recharge Facilities (지하수 함양시설 또는 LID시설에서의 질산성질소 오염방지를 위한 농업부산물의 탈질효율 실험연구)

  • Lee, Jinwon;Phung, Thanh Huy;Lee, Byungsun;Kim, Kangjoo;Lee, Gyusang
    • Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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    • v.26 no.6
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    • pp.82-94
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    • 2021
  • Facilities for low impact development (LID) or groundwater recharge have the high potential spreading groundwater nitrate contamination because of the rapid infiltration. This study was initiated to remove nitrate from the waters using agricultural byproducts as organic sources for denitrification during infiltration. As the first step of this purpose, we experimentally tested the denitrifying efficiency of 4 organic materials (pine tree woodchips, cherry leaves, rice straws, and rice hulls) and tried to identify the key factors controlling the efficiency. For this study, we precisely investigated the change of chemical reactions during the experiment by analyzing various geochemical parameters. The result shows that the denitrification efficiency is not simply linked to the availability of the easily decomposable contents in the organic matter. It is found that avoiding the severe pH decrease due to the CO2 generation is the essence to derive the efficient denitrifying conditions when organic matters were used.

Heavy Metal Contamination and Spatial Differences in Redox Condition of the Artificial Shihwa lake, Korea (시화호의 중금속 오염과 산화-환원 상태의 공간적 차이)

  • Hyeon, Sang-Min;Kim, Eun-Su;Paeng, U-Hyeon
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
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    • v.13 no.5
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    • pp.479-488
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    • 2004
  • Five sediment cores from the tidal flat of artificial Lake Shihwa are analyzed in terms of sedimentology and geochemistry to evaluate the heavy metal contamination and redox condition of surficial sediment following the Shihwa seawall construction. The variability of concentrations of various elements depends on the depositional environment, and reflects the various redox conditions and sediment provenances. The amounts of Ti and Al and their ratio of Ti/ Al with respect to Li clearly indicate that there is an anthropogenic contribution to the surficial sediment. The high concentrations of heavy metals suggest an anthropogenic contribution at ST. 34 and ST. 22. Concentrations of most elements (Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb) are higher near the Shihwa-Banwol industrial complex than in the central part of Lake Shihwa. Concentrations of heavy metal in surficial sediment near the Shihwa-Banwol industrial complex are two to eight times higher than in the center of Lake Shihwa. Enrichment factors (EF), which are normalized by the unpolluted shale, suggests a significant metallic contamination near the Shihwa-Banwol industrial complex (SBIC). The redox condition is divided into two anoxic and mixed oxi $c_oxic zones based on the carbon:sulfur (C/S) ratios of organic matter and elemental relationships. Correlations among geochemical elements Mn, U and Mo are significantly different from site to site, and may therefore be an indicator of the spatial redox condition. Controlling factors for switching anoxic/oxic conditions are thought to be water depth and the differences in industrial effluent supply. The variations of the Cu/Mn ratio in the sediments confirms above mentioned spatial differences of a redox condition in part, and therefore shows a location-dependence redox condition in sediments at four other sites. The redox condition of the surficial sediment characteristics of the Shihwa Lake are controlled by its geographic location and water depth.th.

Wet/dry Repetitions of Centennial Scale Reconstructed by Inorganic Chemistry of the Mid-Holocene Hwayang Wetland in the West Coast of Korea

  • Yang, Dong-Yoon;Kim, Ju-Yong;Nahm, Wook-Hyun;Yi, Sang-Heon;Kim, Jin-Kwan;Kim, Jeong-Chan;Lee, Jin-Young
    • The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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    • v.21 no.2
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    • pp.69-73
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    • 2007
  • Inorganic geochemical and mineralogical analyses from the trench sediments of the Hwayang wetland were carried out to verify the wet/dry conditions during 6000 - 5000 yr BP and abnormal event of 6300 yr BP of Korean west coast. Lithostratigraphy, mineralogy and major element concentrations of the sediments of the trench indicate that during 6000 - 5000 yr BP, a wet/dry conditions might be repeated at an interval of 200 years. Carbonate minerals precipitated with the decrease of water depth in the lake or wetland after about 6000 yr BP. On the other hand, the sediments coarser in mean grain size and larger in standard deviation were corresponded with periods of 6300 yr BP and 6230 yr BP. Especially, such a feature of grain size distribution of 6300 yr BP appears in other wetlands situated in the west coast, e.g., Hwangsan wetland and Cheollipo coastal wetland. During the period, the coarse sediments seem to have been delivered by a high energy like storming.

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