• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.217-228
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• 2011

The feasibility study for the stabilization process using 5 amendments was performed to quantify As-immobilization efficiency in farmland soils around Samkwang abandoned mine, Korea. For the batch experiments, with 2% and 3% of granular lime(2-5 mm in diameter), leaching concentration of As from the soil decreased by 86% and 95% respectively, compared to that without the amendment. When 5% and 10% of granular limestone was added in the soil, As concentration decreased by 82% and 95%, showing that lime and limestone has a great capability to immobilize As in the soil. From the results of batch experiments, continuous column(15 cm in dimeter and 100 cm in length) tests using granular lime and limestone as amendments was performed. Without the amendment, As concentration from the effluent of the column ranged from 167 ${\mu}g$/L to 845 ${\mu}g$/L, which were higher than Korea Drinking Water Limit(50 ${\mu}g$/L). However, only with 1% and 2% of lime, As concentration from the column dramatically decreased by 97% for 9 years rainfall and maintained below 50 ${\mu}g$/L. With 5% of limestone and the mixed amendment(1% of lime + 2% of limestone), more than 95% diminution of As leaching from the column occurred within I year rainfall and maintained below 20 ${\mu}g$/L, suggesting that the capability of limestone to immobilize As in the farmland soil was outstanding and similar to that of lime. Results of experiments suggested that As stabilization process using limestone could be more available to immobilize As from the soil than using lime because of low pH increase and thus less harmful side effect.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.457-467
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• 2003

Soil Precise Investigation(SPI) for river deposits and farmland soils around Goro abandoned Zn-mine, Korea was performed to assess the pollution level of heavy metals(As. Pb, Cd, Cu) and to estimate the remediation volume for contaminated soils. Total investigation area was about 950000 $m^2$, which was divided into each section of 1500 $m^2$ corresponding to one sampling site and 545 samples for surface soil(0-10cm in depth) and 192 samples for deep soil(10-30cm in depth) from the investigation area were collected for analysis. Concentrations of Cu, Cd, Pb at all sample sites were shown to be lower than Soil Pollution Warning Limit(SPWL). For arsenic concentration, in surface soils, 20.5% of sample sites(104 sites) were over SPWL(6mg/kg) and 6.7%(34 sites) were over Soil Pollution Counterplan Limit(SPCL: 15mg/kg) suggesting that surface soils were broadly contaminated by As. For deep soils, 10.4% of sample sites(18 sites) were over SPWL and 0.6%(1 site) were over SPCL. Four pollution grades for sample locations were prescribed by the Law of Soil Environmental Preservation and Pollution Index(PI) for each soil sample was decided according to pollution grades(over 15.0 mg/kg, 6.00-15.00 mg/kg, 2.40-6.00 mg/kg, 1.23-6.00 mg/kg). The pollution contour map around Goro mine based on PI results was finally created to calculate the contaminated area and the remediation volume for contaminated soils. Remediation area with over SPWL concentration was about 0.3% of total area between Goro mine and a projected storage dam and 0.9% of total area was over 40% of SPWL. If the remediation target concentration was determined to over background level concentration, 1.1% of total area should be treated for remediation. Total soil volume to be treated for remediation was estimated on the assumption that the thickness of contaminated soil was 30cm. Soil volume to be remediated based on the excess of SPWL was estimated at 79,200$m^3$, soil volume exceeding 40% of SPWL was about 233,700 $m^3$, and soil volume exceeding the background level(1.23 mg/kg) was 290,760 TEX>$m^3$.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.5 s.174
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• pp.513-523
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• 2005

The contamination of soils and groundwaters in the Dalcheon mine area, Ulsan, is investigated, and a natural attenuation capacity on redox and pH is evaluated. Arsenopyrite, the major source of arsenic pollution in the Dalcheon mine area, is contained up to $2\%$ in tailings. Furthermore, As-bearing minerals such as loellingite, nicolite, rammelsbergite, gersdorffite cobaltite and pyrite are also source of arsenic contamination, which show various concentration of arsenic each other. Surface of pyrite and arsenopyrite in tailings partly oxidized into Fe-arsenates and Fe-oxides, which means a progressive weathering process. There is no relationship between pH and arsenic content in groundwaters, otherwise Eh and arsenic concentration in unsaturated and saturated groundwater shows positive relationship. RMB (Red Mud Bauxite) could be useful as a trigger on natural attenuation due to superior ability of removal capacity of arsenic when contaminated soil and groundwater in the Dalcheon mine area are remediated.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.89-101
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• 2003

River deposits and farmland soils were analyzed to investigate the pollution level of heavy metals in the vicinity of the Goro abandoned Zn-mine. Surface (0-40 cm) and subsurface (40-100 cm) soils were collected around a main river located at the lower part of the Goro mine, and analyzed by ICP-MS for Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and Cr after 0. 1N HCI extraction and by AAS for As after IN HCI extraction. Concentrations of cadmium and lead at the surface river deposits close to the mine were over the Soil Pollution Warning Limit (SPWL), and 43% of sample sites (6 of 14 samples) were over SPWL for As suggesting that river deposits were broadly contaminated by arsenic. Results from farmland soil analysis showed that surface soils were contaminated by heavy metals, while only arsenic was over SPWL at 50% of sampling sites. Main pollution mechanism around the Goro mine was the discharge of mine tailing and waste rocks from the storage site to the river and to adjacent farmland during flood season. Pollution Grades for sample locations were prescribed by the Law of Soil Environmental Preservation, suggesting that the pollution level of heavy metals around the Goro mine was serious, and the remediation operation fur arsenic and the isolation of mine tailing and waste rocks from river and farmland should be activated to protect further contamination. The area needed to clean up was estimated from pollution distribution data and the remediation methods such as a soil washing method and a soil improvement method were considered as the further remediation operation for arsenic contaminated soils and river deposits around the Goro abandoned mine.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.09a
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• pp.330-333
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• 2004

국내 폐금속광산 일대에서 비소 및 중금속의 발암 및 비발암 위해성을 근거로 복원 기준치를 설정하였다. 폐금속광산일대의 주요한 노출 경로는 부지내 폐광석과 광미로부터 직접적인 오염물 흡입과 지하수를 통한 부지내 및 외 섭취의 경로로 구분된다. 지하수의 오염원은 폐광석과 광미 침출로부터의 오염과 갱구 유출로부터의 오염 및 지질매체 자체에 의한 오염이 설정되었다. 높은 오염 수준에 대해서 높은 오염성분감소비와 폐광산일대의 다양한 배경농도로부터 복원기준치를 설정 했을때, 토양 및 지하수의 복원기준치는 비소 위해도의 영향이 매우 큰 것으로 평가되었다. 비소의 높은 독성은 복원 기준치를 매우 낮게 형성했고, 위해도가 낮은 아연과 카드늄은 높게 설정되었다. 궁극적으로 오염성분 감소비에 따른 복원기준치 설정은 오염성분의 노출 경로 차단이 복원 목표치를 현실화시킬 수 있음을 보여주었다.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.5 s.174
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• pp.547-561
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• 2005

General characteristics of groundwater contamination by As were reviewed with several recent researches, and its occurrence in groundwater of Korea was investigated based on a ffw previous studies and a groundwater quality survey in Nonsan and Geumsan areas. In Bangladesh, which has been known as the most serious arsenic calamity country, about $28\%$ of the shallow groundwaters exceeded the Bangladesh drinking water standard, $50{\mu}g/L$, and it was estimated that about 28 million people were exposed to concentrations greater than the standard. Groundwater was characterized by circum-neutral pH with a moderate to strong reducing conditions. Low concentrations of $SO_4^{2-}$ and $NO_3^-$, and high contents of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and $NH_4^+$ were typical chemical characteristics. Total As concentrations were enriched in the Holocene alluvial aquifers with a dominance of As(III) species. It was generally agreed that reductive dissolution of Fe oxyhydroxides was the main mechanism for the release of As into groundwater coupling with the presence of organic matters and microbial activities as principal factors. A new model has also been suggested to explain how arsenic can naturally contaminate groundwaters far from the ultimate source with transport of As by active tectonic uplift and glaciatiion during Pleistocene, chemical weathering and deposition, and microbial reaction processes. In Korea, it has not been reported to be so serious As contamination, and from the national groundwater quality monitoring survey, only about $1\%$ of grounwaters have concentrations higher than $10{\mu}g/:L.$ However, it was revealed that $19.3\%$ of mineral waters, and $7\%$ of tube-well waters from Nonsan and Geumsan areas contained As concentrations above $10{\mu}g/:L.$. Also, percentages exceeding this value during detailed groundwater quality surveys were $36\%\;and\;22\%$ from Jeonnam and Ulsan areas, respectively, indicating As enrichment possibly by geological factors and local mineralization. Further systematic researches need to proceed in areas potential to As contamination such as mineralized, metasedimentary rock-based, alluvial, and acid sulfate soil areas. Prior to that, it is required to understand various geochemical and microbial processes, and groundwater flow characteristics affecting the behavior of As.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.655-666
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• 2020

This study evaluated the characteristics of arsenic production in groundwater through microbial community analysis of groundwater contaminated with high arsenic in Haman area. Groundwater in Haman area is contaminated with arsenic in the range of 0-757.2 ㎍/L, which represents the highest arsenic contamination concentration reported in Korea as natural groundwater pollution source. Of the total 200 samples, 29 samples (14.5%) showed higher arsenic concentration than that of 10 ㎍/L, which is the standard for drinking water quality, and 8 samples (4%) found in wells with 80-100 m depth were above 50 ㎍/L. In addition, seven wells with arsenic concentration more than 100 ㎍/L located in the northern part of Haman. As a result of microbial community analysis for high arsenic-contaminated groundwater, the microbial community compositions were significantly different between each sample, and Proteobacteria was the most dominant phyla with an average of 61.5%. At the genus level, the Gallinonella genus was predominant with about 12.8% proportion, followed by the Acinetobacter and Methermicoccus genus with about 7.8 and 7.3%, respectively. It is expected that high arsenic groundwater in the study area was caused by a complex reaction of geochemical characteristics and biogeochemical processes. Therefore, it is expected that the constructed information on geochemical characteristics and microbial communities through this study could be used to identify the origin of high arsenic groundwater and the development of its controlling technology.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.5 s.174
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• pp.599-606
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• 2005

Arsenic is a significantly toxic contaminant in groundwater in many countries. Numerous treatment technologies have been developed to remove arsenic from groundwater. The USEPA recommends several technologies as the best available technology (BAT) candidates for the removal of arsenic. Based on the USEPA classification, arsenic treatment technologies can be divided into four technologies such as precipitation, membrane, ion exchange, and adsorption technology. The recent amendment of arsenic drinking water standard from 50 to $10{\mu}g/L$ in the United States have impacted technology selection and application for arsenic removal from arsenic contaminated groundwater. Precipitation technology is most widely used to treat arsenic contaminated groundwater and can be applied to large water treatment facility. In contrast, membrane, ion exchange, and adsorption technologies are used to be applied to small water treatment system. Recently, the arsenic treatment technology in the United States and Europe move towards adsorption technology to be applied to small water treatment system since capital and maintenance costs are relatively low and operation is simple. The principals of treatment technologies, effect factors on arsenic removal, arsenic treatment efficiencies of real treatment systems are reviewed in this paper.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.231-234
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• 2004

비소로 오염된 폐광산 하류부의 하천퇴적 토양과 밭 토양에 대한 연속추출법 적용 결과, 토양과 비소의 결합력이 약하여 쉽게 용출이 가능한 비소가 각각 39.5%, 33.8%로 비교적 높은 비율을 차지하고 있었으며, crystalline minerals에 존재하는 비소도 각각 52.6%, 62.3%의 큰 비중으로 존재하였다. 수산화나트륨을 최적 농도인 200mM과 6시간의 운전조건으로 각기 다른 진탕비(1:3, 1:5, 1:10, 1:20. 1:30)에서 연속 토양세척실험을 한 결과, 최적 진탕비는 2가지 토양에 대하여 모두 1:5가 적합하였다. 하천퇴적 토양은 1단계 세척후의 농도가 약 3mg/kg으로 토양환경보전법 가지역의 우려기준(6mg/kg) 이하였으며 2단계 세척시 1mg/kg까지 떨어졌다. 밭 토양의 경우에는 3단계 세척시 나지역 우려기준에 해당되는 20mg/kg보다 낮은 농도를 보였으며, 5단계 세척시에는 가지역 우려기준에 근접한 약 8mg/kg까지 낮아짐을 알 수 있었다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.318-321
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• 2003

비소로 오염된 토양, 하천 퇴적물 및 광미의 복원할 때, 토양 세척 공정에서 중요한 인자인 비소의 화학적 결합형태와 세척제에 따른 용출특성과 고효율 세척 및 세척액의 재활용도를 높이기 위한 공정을 바탕으로 토양세척장비를 설계하였다. 화학적 결합형태에 있어서 토양은 잔류 결합형태가 주되고, 퇴적물의 경우는 철산화물과의 결합형태가 강하며, 광미는 황화물과의 결합에 따른 잔류형태와 철산화물과의 결합형태가 상당부분을 차지한다. 세척제에 따른 용출특성으로부터, 철산화물과 황화물과 결합하고 있는 비소의 화학적 결합형태를 파괴하면서 비소를 추출할 수 있는 용제로 HCl, Oxalate, EDTA, M$_2$O$_2$를 사용하였다. 추출 결과, 비소가 철산화물과 결합한 형태가 비중이 높을수록 EDTA 나 Oxalate가 효율이 높으며, 황화물에 대해서는 HCl과 $H_2O$$_2$이 상대적으로 높은 추출 효율을 보였다. 구성된 세척조는 밀폐실린더형과 스크류이송형 세척조로 구성되어 각각 혼합교반에 의한 세척과 토양입자 분급에 따른 세척이 가능하다. 세척 공정중 최적 산도 조절이 중요한 인자가 되며, 세척액의 재활용도를 높일때, 세척수에 용해되어 있는 비소 및 중금속과 미립자의 동시 제거를 위한 응집 침전조에서 응집제에 의해서 미립자와 함께 제거하는 응집, 침전 및 분리공정을 배치하였다.