• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.19 no.E1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2003

The soil concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured at 12 sites in Ansung, Kyonggi province, Korea. Correlation coefficient (r) between total PCBs and organic matter content (OM) was significant (r=0.562, p< 0.05). It suggests that organic matter may be a key factor of soil absorption of PCBs. The PCB concentrations of low chlorinated congeners with high vapor pressure were relatively abundant in air but high chlorinated congeners with low vapor pressure were mainly dominated by soil. The results indicated the influence of physicochemical properties of PCBs such as vapor pressure, octanol - air partition coefficient ( $K_{OA}$ ). The calculated soil/air fugacity quotients suggested that the soil may be a source of heavier molecular PCBs (>penta-CBs) to the atmosphere, where lighter molecular PCBs appear to be affected by a movement from air to soil, especially tetra-CBs. Therefore, PCB homologs with low vapor pressure might have been influenced by revolatilization from soil.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.76-86
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• 2022

Calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) were introduced to remove Sr and Cs in soil, respectively. Four factor and three level Box-Bhenken design was employed to determine the optimal washing condition of Ca- and K-based solutions, and the ranges tested were 0.1 to 1 M of Ca or K, L/S ratio of 5 to 20, washing time of 0.5 to 2 h, and pH of 2 to 7. The optimal washing condition determined was 1 M of Ca or K, L/S ratio of 20, washing time of 1 h, and pH of 2, and Ca-based and K-based solutions showed 68 and 81% removal efficiency for Sr and Cs, respectively in soil. For comparison, widely used conventional washing agents such as 0.075 M EDTA, 0.01 M citric acid, 0.01 M oxalic acid, and 0.05 M phosphoric acid were tested, and they showed 25 to 30% of Sr and Cs removal efficiency. Tessier sequential extraction was employed to identify the changes in chemical forms of Sr and Cs during the washing. In contrast to the conventional washing agents, Ca-based and K-based solutions were able to release relatively strongly bound forms of Sr and Cs such as Fe/Mn-oxide and organic matter bound forms, suggesting the involvement of direct substitution mechanism, probably due to the physicochemical similarities between Sr-Ca and Cs-K.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.262-265
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• 2000

In order to estimate spatial physicochemical properties of the spring waters in the study area, spring waters at 57 sites were investigated for measuring ten items (temperature, pH, Eh, EC, TDS, DO, salinity, alkalinity, discharge rate, and surface elevation), To compare each component with one another, regression analysis was carried out. Kriging was used to estimate the spatial characteristics and continuity of data in the study area. To solve kriging equation, the semivariogram was calculated using geostatistical software GS$^{+}$(version 3.1). As a result of semivariogram analysis, the data of nine components but surface elevation could be assumed as stationary random function, and ordinary kriging method was used for making contour maps.s.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.262-266
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• 2003

The present study was carried out to investigate the relationships among intertillage and muddying by free-ranging ducks (Chinese native ducks) and pH, dissolved oxygen of irrigation water, and physicochemical properties of soil. Two paddy fields comprised of the muddying (muddy water without physical stimulation to a rice plant by the ducks) and the control plots (no ducks) were used for this study. As a muddying plot, 50 hills were randomly selected and each hill was fenced with a wire net in order to prevent from stimulating physically by the ducks. The variation in irrigation pH was smaller in the muddying plot than the control plot, and the pH was around 7.4. Dissolved oxygen was significantly higher (P＜0.01) in the muddying plot than the control plot during the first half period after the ducks were introduced. Then it decreased rapidly as the rice plants grew in all plots. The contents of the suspended soil and turbidity in irrigation water were not changed over the free-ranging period, but $\textrm{NH}_3\textrm{-N}$ and $\textrm{P}_2\textrm{O}_5$ were decreased by intertillage and muddying by the ducks. There were no differences in both the soil physics and chemistry between the muddying plot and the control plot during and after finishing of the free-ranging period. These results indicate that intertillage and muddying by the ducks resulted in a small variation in stagnant water pH, and reduced the dissolved oxygen and $\textrm{P}_2\textrm{O}_5$, although the physiochemical properties of soil were not changed.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2021

Background: Montane wetlands are unique wetland ecosystems with distinct physicochemical characteristics, and Molinia japonica often makes dominant communities in montane wetlands in South Korea. In order to figure out the environmental characteristics of M. japonica habitats and the major factors for the growth of M. japonica, field surveys were conducted in five wetlands from September to October 2019. Also, soil was collected at every quadrats installed in surveyed wetlands to analyze the physicochemical features. Results: The relative coverage of M. japonica was higher in low latitude wetlands than in high latitude. Redundancy analysis showed that soil water content had the strongest effect on the growth of M. japonica (F = 23.0, p < 0.001). Soil water content, loss on ignition, and relative light intensity showed a high correlation with the density (R = 0.568, 0.550, 0.547, respectively, p < 0.01) and the coverage of M. japonica (R = 0.495, 0.385, 0.514, respectively, p < 0.01). Soil water content, loss on ignition, and pH were highly correlated with each other. Conclusions: Molinia japonica lives in acidic wetlands at high altitude in temperate zone of low latitude, with peat layer placed on the floor. Also, M. japonica prefers open spaces to secure enough light for photosynthesis. High shoot production of M. japonica resulted in adding new peat material in every year, and this layer enforces the environmental characteristics of M. japonica habitats. This study may provide insights for further understanding of the method how wetlands maintain acidic condition by itself in montane wetlands in temperate zone.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2023

Super absorbent polymers (SAPs) are hydrophilic molecules that can absorb large amounts of water. This study was conducted to investigate the enhancement of the physicochemical properties of sand soil blended with three SAPs imbibed with 100, 150, and 200-fold water. Three treatments were applied, namely, 100SAP, 150SAP, and 200SAP. The three SAPs were blended at concentrations of 0% (control), 3%, 5%, 7%, and 10% with sand. The pH, electrical conductivity, and cation exchangeable capacity (CEC) of soil blended with the three SAPs were pH 6.35-6.46, 0.09-0.65 dS/m, and 1.42-1.92 cmol_c/kg, respectively, and their capillary porosity, total porosity, and saturated hydraulic conductivity were 21.0-29.3%, 39.2-48.7%, and 272-470 mm/hr. CEC, capillary porosity, total porosity, and saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil were positively correlated with the ratio of the SAPs (p<0.01). These results indicate that blending sand soil with SAPs increased CEC, capillary porosity, and saturated hydraulic conductivity, thus improving the nutrient-retention capacity, water-retention capacity, and permeability of the soil.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1517-1526
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• 2018

Investigating bacterial diversity and its metabolic capabilities is crucial for interpreting the ecological patterns in a desert environment and assessing the presence of exploitable microbial resources. In this study, we evaluated the spatial heterogeneity of physicochemical parameters, soil bacterial diversity and metabolic adaptation at meter scale. Soil samples were collected from two quadrats of a desert (Thar Desert, India) with a hot, arid climate, very little rainfall and extreme temperatures. Analysis of physico-chemical parameters and subsequent variance analysis (p-values < 0.05) revealed that sulfate, potassium and magnesium ions were the most variable between the quadrats. Microbial diversity of the two quadrats was studied using Illumina bar-coded sequencing by targeting V3-V4 regions of 16S rDNA. As for the results, 702504 high-quality sequence reads, assigned to 173 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at species level, were examined. The most abundant phyla in both quadrats were Actinobacteria (38.72%), Proteobacteria (32.94%), and Acidobacteria (9.24%). At genus level, Gaiella represented highest prevalence, followed by Streptomyces, Solirubrobacter, Aciditerrimonas, Geminicoccus, Geodermatophilus, Microvirga, and Rubrobacter. Between the quadrats, significant difference (p-values < 0.05) was found in the abundance of Aciditerrimonas, Geodermatophilus, Geminicoccus, Ilumatobacter, Marmoricola, Nakamurella, and Solirubrobacter. Metabolic functional mapping revealed diverse biological activities, and was significantly correlated with physicochemical parameters. The results revealed spatial variation of ions, microbial abundance and functional attributes in the studied quadrats, and patchy nature in local scale. Interestingly, abundance of the biotechnologically important phylum Actinobacteria, with large proposition of unclassified species in the desert, suggested that this arid environment is a promising site for bioprospection.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 2011

Cause of contamination in the study area nearby Jang Hang Refinery is dust scattering in refinery stack, and soil washing treatment is one of the proper technologies for soil remediation in this area. Site conditions frequently limit the selection of a treatment process. A treatment technology may be eliminated based on the soil classification or physicochemical characteristics of soil. This study was assessed the soil washing efficiency by conducting of soil characteristic analysis in the vicinity of Jang Hang Refinery Stack within a 2 km radius. Also, it was decided about remedial range with comparative analysis of As in soil by Korean Standard Test Method before/after revision, whereupon As concentration in soil showed a increasing tendency after revision. As a result, the soil washing using the size separation of soil was determined through identifying of As species in the soil. In this site, only particle size distribution and water content of soil can provide the initial means of screening for the potential use of soil washing.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1389-1394
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• 2012

This study was carried out to evaluate the physicochemical properties of topsoil from forest development area. The results of physicochemical properties of topsoil from forest development area shown on the average loamy sand~sandy clay loam in soil texture, 5.3~7.1 in pH, 0.02~0.18 dS/m in EC, 0.7~1.8% in OM, 0.03~0.11% in T-N, 11~15 $cmol^+/kg$ in CEC, 0.02~0.04 $cmol^+/kg$ in $K^+$, 4.51~8.18 $cmol^+/kg$ in $Ca^{2+}$, 0.93~2.77 $cmol^+/kg$ in $Mg^{2+}$, 6~49 mg/kg in available phosphate. And the results of physicochemical properties of topsoil from forest non-development area shown on the average sandy loam~sandy clay loam in soil texture, 4.4~5.3 in pH, 0.03~0.05 dS/m in EC, 3.1~4.6% in OM, 0.13~0.23% in T-N, 14~18 $cmol^+/kg$ in CEC, 0.02~0.04 $cmol^+/kg$ in $K^+$, 0.78~3.82 $cmol^+/kg$ in $Ca^{2+}$, 0.29~1.31 $cmol^+/kg$ in $Mg^{2+}$, 3~31 mg/kg in Av. $P_2O_5$. On the other hand, forest development area of topsoil sand content higher than 8~18% sand content than the forest non-development area. This trend is thought to be the absence of topsoil management development projects. Consequently, the results suggested a high potential of recycling of the topsoil from forest non-development area for planting soil. Therefore, in construction of the conservation and management of topsoil from forest non-development area is very important.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.81-88
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• 2001

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of residual food compost application on plant growth and physicochemical properties of soil when residual food compost made from the composting process as part of organic waste recycling was applied in soil as variable rate. The treatments were composed non-fertilizer treatment, control treatment applied with pig compost $20Mg(D.W.)ha^{-1}$, and residual food compost treatments each of applied with 20, 40, 60, $80Mg(D.W.)ha^{-1}$ and were randomized complete block design with three replication. Soil pH after experiment was more increased as more increase application of residual food compost. Other chemical properties of soil including EC were also showed the similar results. The plant growth in treatments applied much of residual food compost at the early growth stage was very damaged and these results were proved at the first growth measurement. Production of the red pepper especially reduced in treatments taken growth demage at the early stage and that of $20Mgha^{-1}$ treatment almost same as control treatment. Bulk density was reduced but porosity was increased according to increase of residual food compost application. Considering the reduction of red pepper production and the demage of growth at the early stage by plenty of salt and water soluble application volume of residual food compost was not permitted over of $30Mgha^{-1}$. Additively, to settle the application volume of residual food compost and to evaluate the plant growth and changes of physicochemical properties of soil, the results taken from continual applying is concluded more important than single application.