• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.295-304
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• 2003

The Dukpyung and the Chubu areas were selected to investigate the migration and enrichment of arsenic and other toxic elements in soils and crop plants in areas covered with black shales. Rock and soil samples digested in 4-acid solution (HCI+HNO$_3$+HF+HC1O$_4$) were analyzed fer arsenic and other heavy metals by ICP-AES and ICP-MS, and plant samples by INAA. Mean concentration of As in Okchon black shale is higher than those of both world average values of shale and black shale. Especially high concentration of 23.2 mg/kg As is found in black shale from the Dukpyung area. Mean concentration of As is highly elevated in agricultural soils from the Duk-pyung (28.2 mg/kg) and the Chubu areas (32.6 mg/kg). Arsenic is highly elevated in rice stalks and leaves from the Dukpyung (1.14 mg/kg) and the Chubu areas (1.35 mg/kg). The biological absorption coefficient (BAC) of As in plant species decreases in the order of rice leaves>com leaves>red pepper>soybean leaves=sesame leaves>corn stalks>corn grains.