• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.11
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• pp.1145-1157
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• 2003

The surface sediments inside Hallim Harbor, one of the major harbors of Jeju Island, were sampled three times (June, September and December, 2001) and analyzed for 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), recommended by US-EPA as priority pollutants, to assess their distribution levels and to suggest their possible origins. The concentrations of PAHs ranged from 19 to 496 ng/g on a dry weight basis with a mean value of 245 ng/g, and the levels were low to moderate in comparison with other areas in the world. Based on comparisons of individual and total PAH concentrations with effects-based and equilibrium partitioning-based on sediment quality guidelines, the potential for the biological effects were expected to be low. The sedimentary PAHs may be correlated with organic carbon and mud contents to some extent. From the examinations of the four PAH origin indices, such as LMW/HMW (low molecular weight 2-3 ring PAHs over high molecular weight 4-6 ring PAHs), phenanthrene/anthracene ratio, fluoranthene/pyrene ratio, chrysene/benzo〔a〕anthracene ratio, it can be concluded that the sediment PAH contaminations were ascribed to both pyrolytic and petrogenic origins.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.441-446
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• 2012

In this study, mercury, methylmercury and heavy metals in sediment from the lake Andong were analyzed, along with the estimation of mercury flux between sediments and water in the lake Andong. Average mercury concentrations in sediments sampled in 2009~2011 were $155.0{\pm}71.9$ ng/g, $211{\pm}62$ ng/g and $198{\pm}6.88$ ng/g, respectively. The average methylmercury concentration were $1.85{\pm}1.09$ ng/g (2009) and $3.49{\pm}1.79$ ng/g (2011), and %methylmercury, the fraction of methylmercury in total mercury were $1.17{\pm}0.39%$ and $1.77{\pm}0.94%$, respectively. Heavy metal (Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu) concentrations of the sediments exceeded ERL (Effect Range Low) level of US NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)'s sediment quality criteria. Estimated mercury sedimentation flux was found to be 83.7 $ng/cm^2{\cdot}yr$ and mercury diffusion flux was estimated as 1.24 $ng/cm^2{\cdot}yr$.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.333-338
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to understand the pollution level of the surface sediment of Sihwa Lake by assessing its geochemical characteristics and investigating the spatial distribution of trace metals and organic matter. In the surface sediment of Sihwa lake, the mean grain size was between 2.94 and 6.35 Ø and the main type of sediment was sandy silt. The concentrations of As, Co, Cr, Ni, V and Li among the metal elements in the surface sediment were correlated with the mean crust concentration (p<0.05). Based on the strong correlation between the metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) and organic matter (Ignition Loss), the concentrations of these metal elements seem to be controlled by the organic matter dilution effect. The trace metal pollution level, determined by applying the Republic of Korea Marine environmental standard and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's sediment quality guidelines, showed the pollution level of As to be either close to or in excess of the above-mentioned standards at almost all levels. The enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index of As showed that there was an incremental increase of pollution by elements other than V, Cr, Co, Fe, Al and Mn. Moreover, the nearby industrial area and dike were more polluted than the other areas, so the surface sediments in Sihwa lake should be monitored by taking into consideration the geological variations.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.861-867
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• 2011

In order to understand the extent of contamination of the sediments on the Mankyoung and Dongjin Rivers flowing into the Saemangeum Reservoir, the concentrations of ignition loss (IL), COD, total nitrogen (T-N), total phosphorus (T-P), and heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn) were measured. The average concentrations of IL, COD, and T-P were 2.40 (${\pm}2.18$)%, 2.97 (${\pm}3.06$) mg/g sediment, 0.370 (${\pm}0.351$) mg/g sediment, respectively, showing the extent of contamination is not serious. However, the concentrations of these parameters in the samples taken in year 2009 were higher than those in year 2008, indicating the contamination of sediments goes on gradually. The concentrations of T-N were in the range of 0.59~13.11 mg/g sediment with variation of locations and seasons. It was determined that the T-N contamination is serious when the concentrations were compared with the dredging guidelines of sediments in the Korean freshwaters, indicating the countermeasures are required to maintain the water quality of the Saemangeum Reservoir. The concentrations of heavy metals except chromium did not exceed the worrisome level of soil contamination stipulated by the Soil Environment Conservation Act of Korea. The high concentration of chromium to be concerned in some samples from the upstream of Mankyoung River requires source analysis and countermeasure to control the contamination.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.392-402
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• 2020

We investigated the concentrations of acid volatile sulfide (AVS), ignition loss (IL), total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and metallic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, and Zn), in August 2015, to determine the spatial distribution and pollution status of organic matter and metals in the surface sediment of Jinju Bay, a spraying shellfish farming area, Korea. The concentrations of organic matter and metallic elements were significantly higher in the southern part of the bay than in the mouth and center of the bay. The C/N ratio (5.7~8.0) in the sediment represents the dominance of organic matter of oceanic origin in the surface sediment of the study area. The concentrations of AVS, TOC, and metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) were much lower than the values of the sediment quality guidelines applied in Korea. Based on the results of the pollution load index (PLI) and ecological risk index (ERI), the metal concentrations in the surface sediment of Jinju Bay have a weakly negative ecological effect on benthic organisms although the sediments with high metal pollution status are distributed in the southern parts of the bay, with high dense shellfish farming areas. Thus, the surface sediments in Jinju Bay are not polluted with organic matter and are slightly polluted with metallic elements.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.312-331
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• 2019

An offshore waste disposal facility refers to a landfill site for final landfilling of stabilized inorganic solid waste such as land and marine waste incineration materials, and the aim of such a facility is to solve the problem of insufficient waste disposal space on land and create and develop environmentally friendly marine spaces. The purpose of this study is to prepare guidelines for the construction of offshore waste disposal facilities, which reflect the need and importance of paying sufficient heed to environmental considerations from the initial stage of the project, in order to investigate, predict, and assess how such guidelines will affect the marine environment in relation to the construction of offshore waste disposal facilities, with the goal of minimizing the impact on and damage to the environment. For the purpose of this research, guidelines focusing on the construction of offshore waste disposal facilities were derived through an analysis of domestic cases and similar foreign cases and an assessment of their level of compliance with existing EIA guidelines through the operation of a discussion forum. In order to review the EIA report on similar cases in Korea, 17 EIA documents (2005~2016) for dredged soil dumping areas and ash ponds of thermal power plants were analyzed to investigate the status of marine organisms, marine physics, marine water quality, and marine sediment and to understand what types of problems can occur and what improvement measures can be taken. The purpose of these guidelines were to minimize damage to the marine environment by promoting EIA protocols in accordance with scientific and systematic procedures, to reduce the consultation period related to projects, to resolve social conflicts, and to reduce economic costs.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.789-797
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• 2015

The concentrations of trace metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, and Zn) were determined in 49 surface sediment samples collected in Yeoja and Gangjin Bays on the south coast of Korea, which contain many shellfish farms, in order to assess the contamination level and to understand the spatial distribution of trace metals. The average metal concentrations in the surface sediments of both bays decreased in the order Fe > Mn > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > As > Cd > Hg. There were no differences in metal concentrations between shellfish farms and reference sites. The metal concentrations were significantly higher in Gangjin Bay than in Yeoja Bay. Notably, the Cu, Cd, and Hg concentrations were nearly twice as high in Gangjin Bay as in Yeoja Bay. A multivariate analysis showed a strong correlation among Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb, and Cr in the sediments of both bays, implying that the metal concentrations in the sediments in the study area were mainly dependent on natural processes, such as crustal components and diagenesis. Based on the geoaccumulation index and marine sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), the surface sediments in Yeoja and Gangjin Bays are not polluted by trace metals.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.317-329
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• 2006

To assess the contamination status of organochlorine pesticides in the marine environment of Saemangeum, surface seawater and sediments were collected and analyzed. Organochlorine pesticides were widely distributed in the Saemangeum environment, with DDT, HCH and endosulfan II contamination being particularly prevalent. The overall concentrations of DDTs, HCHs, and endosulfan II in surface seawater were in the rage of 0.03-0.65ng/l (mean value: 0.36ng/l), 1.31-4.54ng/l (2.63 ng/l), and not detected (ND)-0.96ng/l (0.49ng/l), respectively. Among the target organochlorine pesticides, endosulfan II showed the hi띤est level at the river mouth flowing into the Saemangeum. Additionally, its negative gradient from the rivers to the outside and a good correlation with $NO_3^-$ indicate that endosulfan ll inflows to the Saemangeum through the river; this conclusion is also supported by the elevated levels of endosulfan II in sediments at the river mouth. In sediment, the concentration of DDTs, HCHs, CHLs, and endosulfan II were in the range of 0.05-1.96 ng/g, 0.03-0.31ng/g, 0.01-0.13ng/g, and ND-0.62ng/g, respectively. Levels of contamination in Saemangeum are relatively lower than the median concentrations previously observed at the Korean coastal regions and sediment quality guidelines suggested by NOAA (Long et at. 1995).

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.15-20
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• 2010

The contamination loadings generated in Changwon City are coming into Masan Bay through the Bongam tidal flat except the loadings collected and transferred by sewer lines to the wastewater treatment plant. The recovery of waterbirds, shellfishes, and fishes has been quite well recognized in recent years after the first implementation of Masan Bay TPLM (Total Pollution Loads Management) in Korea. This tidal flat has been conserved by the cooperation of several stakeholders and utilized as an ecosystem field site for in situ education. A large industrial complex has been operated since 1970's, therefore increasing the level of pollutants in estuary and costal sediments, especially by heavy metals. Zinc, copper, and lesd contamination of sediment was revealed at higher level by Clean-up guideline (MOMAF) or heavily polluted level by SQC (USEPA). There was a significant difference between two sites at the 95% confidence level, which implies no homogeneity in the processes of transport and deposition even at 500 m of distance. The heavy metal concentrations in the Bongam sediments have been gradually decreased with comparing the data of 2006, and 2009.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.329-342
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• 2023

Turbid water and suspended sediment (SS) load are having negative consequences such as water quality degradation and ecological damage, thus necessitating the establishment of management guidelines to reduce their impact. The present work investigates the spatio-temporal distribution of fish species and the effects of turbid water from 2011-2016 in the upper reaches of Soyang-Dam. The family Cyprinidae is the largest population in the study area, among which Zacco platypus and Zacco koreanus are the dominant species. The diversity of species is relatively abundant in the upper watershed, while the seasonal effect on the population distribution remains unclear. Using two main common components of the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, the distribution characteristics of 27 species at five survey sites are revealed. Zacco koreanus is found to be predominant at the upstream A-Naerincheon, while Zacco platypus and Rhinogobius brunneus are found to be predominant at the upstream B-Bukcheon. Disturbance of an aquatic ecosystem has a relatively greater impact in the downstream, as-compared to the upper area-the high proportion of forest area is decreased whereas that of agricultural and urbanized areas is increased. The patterns of representative species are changed according to the mid- to long-term effects of turbid water and SS. Accordingly, the significant correlation between the SS load and fish distribution EOF analysis indicates that it should be considered as a potential alternative that can overcome the limitations of impact assessment on turbid water to the Fish Assessment Index (FAI). A comprehensive study examining the long-term effects of SS load to the fish ecosystems with a systematic statistical analysis of sufficiently accumulated data at the national level is needed as future research.