• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.577-588
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• 2022

This study aims to identify the limiting nutrient for algal growth in the Geum River and the significant pollutant sources from the tributaries affecting the water quality and to provide a management alternative for an improvement of water quality. An eight-year of daily data (2013~2020) were collected from the Water Environment Information System (water.nier.go.kr) and Water Resources Management Information System (wamis.go.kr). 14 water quality variables were analyzed at five water quality monitoring stations in the Geum River (WQ1-WQ5). In the Geum River, the water quality variables, especially Chl-a vary greatly in downstream of the river. In the open weir gate operation, TP (total phosphorus) and water temperature greatly influence the growth of algae in downstream of the river. A correlation analysis was used to identify the relationship between variables and investigate the factor affecting algal growth in the Geum River. At the downstream station (WQ5), TP and Temp have shown a strong correlation with Chl-a, indicating they significantly influence the algal bloom. The principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to identify and prioritize the major pollutant sources of the two major tributaries of the river, Gab-cheon and Miho-cheon. PCA identifies three major pollutant sources for Gab-cheon and Miho-cheon, respectively. For Gab-cheon, wastewater treatment plant, urban, and agricultural pollutions pollution are identified as significant pollutant sources. For Miho-cheon, agricultural, urban, and forest land are identified as major pollutant sources. PCA seems to be effective in identifying water pollutant sources for the Geum River and its tributaries in detail and thus can be used to develop water quality management strategies.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2022

The occurrence of cyanobacterial blooming and the contaminant sources were analyzed in the downstream of Jecheon Stream, a tributary of Chungju Reservoir. The concentrations of chlorophyll a at the Myungseo Fishing Point (GPS; 37°03'25.5"N, 128°03'13.6"E) were 399.2 and 184.8 mg m^-3 on October 18, 2015 and September 25, 2016, respectively, and the concentrations of total microcystins, a cyanobacterial toxin mainly produced by Microcystis, were 124.09 and 79.71 ㎍ L^-1, respectively. The occurrence of cyanobacterial blooming at the downstream of Jecheon Stream was closely related to the water level of Chungju Reservoir. The cyanobacterial blooming occurred after the increase of water level in Chungju Reservoir, when the water body stagnated. As a result of analyzing National Water Quality Monitoring Data of the upper region of Jecheon Stream, the main source of pollutant was Jangpyeong Stream, the tributary of Jecheon Stream, and the discharge water from Jecheon Wastewater Treatment Plant located in Jangpyeong Stream was considered to be the most important source of contaminant.

• Clean Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.154-164
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• 2009

In 2007, 94% of organic wastewater sludge from industries located in Ulsan was disposed of by ocean dump. The ocean dump of organic sludge would be totally prohibited by the year of 2012. However, there is no alternative but incinerating the sludge from the industries located in Ulsan. Securing the technology for sludge treatment and on-land disposal is very important issue among the industries in the Ulsan Petrochemical Industry Complex. In this study, the material aspects of dried and carbonized sludge as a fuel were evaluated for petrochemical and sewage sludge from Ulsan. The dried and carbonized sludges from the factories producing terephthalic acid, BTX, propylene, chemical textile, etc. of which the low heat value exceeded 3,000 kcal/kg had high potential as a fuel according to the results of thermal characteristic analysis. However, the dried sludges with heat values lower than 2,100 kcal/kg and carbonized sludges, lower than 1,100 kcal/kg containing more Inorganic material from the industries producing pulp, paper, methylamine, amide, etc. had a little potential to be used as a fuel. In most cases, drying the sludge showed better results than carbonization in the aspect of thermal characteristics of sludge.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2016

In order to assess seasonal and geographical characteristics of pollutant Escherichia coli, we investigated its distribution in Nakdong River mouth and Busan coastal water from February 2013 to November 2015. The coastal area was divided into five different zones (I-V) based on the pollutant level and geographical characteristics. During the study periods, water temperature and salinity varied from 7.50 to 27.64℃ and 16.82 to 34.82 psu, respectively. The annual water temperature variation was characterized in temperate zone. The salinity was significantly (p<0.05) decreased in zone IV and zone III after heavy rain during summer season in 2014, resulting led to elevated E. coli biomass. The highest colony formation of E. coli was recorded at 6,000 cfu l^-1 during autumn at station 1 (zone I). On the other hands, during all seasons of 2015, E. coli abundances were kept to be low level in zone III. The E. coli was not significantly (p>0.05) correlated with water temperature. However, the salinity was significantly (r=-0.53, p<0.05) correlated with the E. coli, implying that salinity plays a crucial role in the proliferation of E. coli. Consequently, E. coli in western Busan coastal water might have been significantly promoted by pollutant sources from Nakdong Rive discharge during the spring and summer rainy seasons depending on annual rainfall variations. On the other hands, E. coli in station 1 (i.e., Suyeong Bay) was obviously high due to influences of discharge water from municipal wastewater treatment plant. However, there was no clear seasonality of E. coli.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.339-347
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• 2023

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a key component in the biogeochemical cycling in freshwater ecosystem. However, it has been rarely explored, particularly complex river watershed dominated by natural and anthropogenic sources, such as various effluent facility and livestock. The current research developed a new analytical method for TOC/TN (Total Organic Carbon/Total Nitrogen) stable isotope ratio, and distinguish DOM source using stable isotope value (δ¹³C-DOC) and spectroscopic indices (fluorescence index [FI] and biological index [BIX]). The TOC/TN-IR/MS analytical system was optimized and precision and accuracy were secured using two international standards (IAEA-600 Caffein, IAEA-CH-6 Sucrose). As a result of controlling the instrumental conditions to enable TOC stable isotope analysis even in low-concentration environmental samples (<1 mgC L^-1), the minimum detection limit was improved. The 12 potential DOM source were collected from watershed, which includes top-soils, groundwater, plant group (fallen leaves, riparian plants, suspended algae) and effluent group (pig and cow livestock, agricultural land, urban, industry facility, swine facility and wastewater treatment facilities). As a result of comparing characteristics between 12 sources using spectroscopic indices and δ¹³C-DOC values, it were divided into four groups according to their characteristics as a respective DOM sources. The current study established the TOC/TN stable isotope analyses system for the first time in Korea, and found that spectroscopic indices and δ¹³C-DOC are very useful tool to trace the origin of organic matter in the aquatic environments through library database.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.41-48
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• 1995

In former times the protection of our environment didn't play an important role due to the fact that emissions and effluents were not considered as serious impacts. However, opinions and scientific measurements meanwhile confirmed that the impacts are more serious than expected. Thus measures to protect our earth has to be taken into consideration. A part of these measures in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). One of the most important parts of the EIA is the collection of basic datas and the following evaluation. Experience out of the daily business of Gerling Consulting Group shows that the content of the EIA has to be revised and enlarged in certain fields. The historical development demonstrated that in areas in which the population and the industrial activities reached high concentration there is a high necessity to develop strict environmental laws and regulations. Maximum values of the concentration of hazardous materials were fixed concerning the emission into and water. Companies not following these regulations were punished. The total amount of environmental offences increased rapidly during the last decade, at least in Germany. During this development the public consciousness concerning environmental affairs increased as well in the industrialized countries. But it could clearly be seen that the development in the field of environmental protection went into the wrong direction. The technologies to protect the environment became more and more sophisticated and terms as: "state of the art" guided more and more to lower emissions, Filtertechnologies and wastewater treatment for example reached a high technical level-but all these sophisticated technologies has one and the same characteristic: they were end-of-the pipe solutions. A second effect was that this kind of environmental protection costs a lot of money. High investments are necessary to reduce the dust emission by another ppm! Could this be the correct way? In Germany the discussion started that the environmental laws reduce the attractivity to invest or to enlarge existing investments within the country. Other countries seem to be not so strict with controlling the environmental laws which means it's simply cheaper to produce in Portugal or Greece. Everybody however knows that this is not the correct way and does not solve the environmental problems. Meanwhile the general picture changes a little bit and we think it changes into the correct direction "End-of-the-pipe" solutions are still necessary but this word received a real negative touch and nobody wants to be brought into connection with this word received a real negative touch and nobody wants to be brought into connection with this word especially in connection with environmental management and safety. Modern actual environmental management starts in a different way. Thoughts about emissions start in the very beginning of the production, they start with the design of the product and modification of traditional modes of production. Basis of these ideas are detailed analyses of products and processes. Due to the above mentioned facts that the public environmental consciousness changed dramatically a continous environmental improvement of each single production plant has to be guarantied. This question is already an important question of the EIA. But it was never really checked in a wholistic approach. Environmental risks have to be taken into considerations during the execution of an EIA. This means that the environmental risks have to be reduced down to a capable risk-level. Environmental risks have to be considered within the phase of planning, during the operation of a plant and after shut down. The experience shows that most of the environmental relevant accidents were and caused by human fault. Even in highly protected plants the human risk-factor can not be excluded during evaluation of the risk-potential. Thus the approach of an EIA has to regard technical evaluations as well as organizational thoughts and the human factor. An environmental risk is a threat to the environment. An analysis of the risk concerning the organizational and human aspect however never was properly executed during an EIA. A possible solution could be to use an instrument as the actual EMAS (Environmental Management System) of the EC for more accurate evaluation of the impact to the environment during an EIA. Organizations or investors could demonstrate by an approved EMAS or even by showing their installment of EMAS that not only the technical level of the planned investment meets the requested standards but as well the actual or planned management is able to reduce the environmental impact down to a bearable level.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.341-352
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• 2017

Along with Cs-137 (half-life: 30.17 years), Sr-90 (half-life: 28.8 years) is one of the most important environmental monitoring radioactive elements. Rapid and easy monitoring method for Sr-90 using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has been studied. Strontium belongs to a bivalent alkaline earth metal such as calcium and has similar electron arrangement and size. Due to these similar chemical properties, it can easily enter into the human body through the food chain via water, soil, and crops when leaked into the environment. In addition, it is immersed into the bone at the case of human influx and causes the toxicity for a long time (biological half-life: about 50 years). It is a very reductive and related with the specific reaction that makes wet analysis difficult. In particular, radioactive strontium should be monitored by nuclear power plants but it is very difficult to be analysed from high-cost problems as well as low accuracy of analysis due to complicated analysis procedures, expensive analysis equipment, and a pretreatment process of using massive chemicals. Therefore, we introduce the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis method that analyzes the elements in the sample using the inherent spectrum by generating plasma on the sample using pulse energy, and it can be analyzed in a few seconds without preprocessing. A variety of analytical plates for samples were developed to improve the analytical sensitivity by optimizing the laser, wavelength, and time resolution. This can be effectively applied to real-time monitoring of radioactive wastewater discharged from a nuclear power plant, and furthermore, it can be applied as an emergency monitoring means such as possible future accidents at a nuclear power plants.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.667-682
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• 2014

The effects of liquid pig manure (LM) on the yield and quality of rice as well as soil chemical properties were determined in the field of sandy loam soil under the different fertilizer management. Treatments consisted of 100%, 130% and 160% N application rates of liquid manure as calculated on the basis of the recommended rate of nitrogen (9 kg N/10a) for rice cultivation. Chemical fertilizer (CF) was used as control. Concentrations of T-N and T-P in paddy water were measured by 5-day intervals up to 20days after application. LM treatments significantly increased T-N concentrations in paddy water proportionally with increasing rates of LM (13.2 to 25.7 mg/L). Similarly Total-P content in paddy water was increased right after LM applications but was well below the quality standard of wastewater and manure. Plant height and tillers in 100% and 130% N LM treatments were lower than those in CF control. In the 160% LM treatment, however, plant height and numbers of tillers were higher than those in the CF control. Yields in 100% LM and 160% LM plots were decreased by 3 and 5%, respectively, as compared with 422 kg per 10a in the CF plot. Rice protein contents were similar between 100% LM and CF control (about 6.8%) but it was increased to 7.2% and 7.7% in 130% LM and 160% LM treatments, respectively. Toyo-taste value in the 100% LM treatment was higher than in CF control plot. The proportions of perfect grain of the brown rice were lower in 130% LM and 160% LM treatments than that in CF control. Soil organic matter content, heavy metal and exchangeable cations were highest in the 160% LM plot. Thus considering yield and quality of rice and heavy metals contents in soil, 130% N basal application of liquid manure can be recommended for rice cultivation in this experiment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.542-548
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• 2014

Effects of bromide ($Br^-$) and iodide ($I^-$) concentrations, chlorine ($Cl_2$) doses, pH, temperature, ammonia nitrogen concentrations, reaction times and water characteristics on formation of iodinated trihalomethanes (I-THMs) during oxidation of iodide containing water with chlorine were investigated in this study. Results showed that the yields of I-THMs increased with the high bromide and iodide level during chlorination. The elevated pH significantly increased the yields of I-THMs during chlorination. The formation of I-THMs was higher at $20^{\circ}C$ than $4^{\circ}C$, $10^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$. In chloramination study, addition of ammonium chloride ($NH_4Cl$) markedly increased the formation of I-THMs. Among the water samples collected from seven water sources including wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent water (EfOM water), prepared humic containing water (HA water) and algal organic matter (AOM) containing water (AOM water), EfOM water generated the highest yields of I-THMs ($12.31{\mu}g/mg$ DOC), followed by HA water ($4.96{\mu}g/mg$ DOC), while AOM water produced the lowest yields of I-THMs ($0.99{\mu}g/mg$ DOC). $SUVA_{254}$ values of EfOM water, HA water and AOM water were $1.38L/mg{\cdot}m$, $4.96L/mg{\cdot}m$ and $0.97L/mg{\cdot}m$, respectively. The I-THMs yields had a low correlation with $SUVA_{254}$ values ($r^2$ = 0.002).

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.137-145
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• 2013

This study was performed at 2 sites of Nak-Dong River to investigate the changes of nitrifiers depending on the presence and absence of organic pollutants (due to the effluents of domestic wastewater treatment plant, WWTP). Conventional chemical parameters such as T-N, $NH_4$-N, $NO_2$-N, $NO_3$-N were measured and the quantitative nitrifiers at the 2 sites were analyzed comparatively by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with NSO190 and NIT3, after checking the presence of gene amoA of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and 16S rDNA signature sequence for Nitrobacter sp. that belongs to nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Also ${\alpha}{\cdot}{\beta}{\cdot}{\gamma}$-Proteobacteria were detected using FISH to get a glimpse of the general bacterial community structure of the sites. Based on the distribution structure of the ${\alpha}{\cdot}{\beta}{\cdot}{\gamma}$-Proteobacteria and the measurement of nitrogen in different phases, it could be said that the site 2 was more polluted with organics than site 1. Corresponding to the above conclusion, the average numbers of AOB and NOB detected by NSO160 and NIT3, respectively, at site 2 [AOB, $9.3{\times}10^5$; NOB, $1.6{\times}10^6$ (cells/ml)] was more than those at site 1 [AOB, $7.8{\times}10^5$; NOB, $0.8{\times}10^6$ (cells/ml)] and also their ratios to total counts were higher at site 2 (AOB, 27%; NOB, 34%) than those at site 1 (AOB, 18%; NOB, 23%). Thus, it could be concluded that the nitrification at site 2 was more active due to continuous loading of organics from the effluents of domestic WWTP, compared to site 1 located closed to raw drinking water supply and subsequently less polluted with organics.