• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.211-217
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• 2001

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Zn and Cu on physiological responses of tobacco at the different leaf ages for the purpose of phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated field. Plant height was significantly decreased at Zn and Cu concentrations of 1.0 mM or higher. Especially, root dry weight decreased more (50% reduced) than shoot dry weight. Zn and Cu accumulation in the shoot and root was dramatically increased after 2.0 mM treatment. The accumulation pattern was different by leaf aging in that Zn accumulated more in senescence leaf and Cu accumulated more in growing leaf. The amounts of heavy metal accumulations per plant were 146,000 mg/kg for Zn and 20,500 mg/kg for Cu at 2.0 mM treatment. The proper harvesting time would be suggested as vegetative growth stage for Zn and reproductive stage for Cu. The concentrations of other inorganic ions (Mg, Mn, Fe) were decreased when Zn and Cu concentrations were increased. Cu concentration and Zn concentration of both shoot and root were decreased in Zn treatment and Cu treatment, respectively.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.101-113
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• 1994

Geochemical investigations based on measurements of water parameters and sampling of stream sediments have been carried out, in the Okdongcheon stream and its tributaries in the Sangdong area of South Korea. There are two main problems occurring in the Okdongcheon stream: an acid mine drainage in the upper reaches and toxic trace metal contamination of the stream sediments mainly in the lower reaches. Acid mine water originating from coal mining was neutralized at the confluence of the Cheonpyongcheon stream whilst suspended solids due to flocculation of iron in water caused turbidity which was undesirable. Sediments in the Okdongcheon stream have been contaminated by mining activites. Iron was heavily concentrated in sediments in the upper Okdongcheon whilst toxic trace metals including Pb, Cu, Zn, Co, Cd, As and Bi were accumulated in sediments at stations draining metallic mining areas and near the tailings dam. There is now a requrement to neutralise the acid mine drainage and to use site-specific analysis of biological communities to ensure the conservation and preservation of aquatic organisms.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.31-39
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• 2008

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the efficiency of soil pollution investigation conducted at South Korea and Gyeonggi-do, and to drive the way to improve its efficiency. The average pollution discovery rates in the soil pollution investigation were 2,7% in South Korea and 1.9% in Gyeonggi-do respectively during the last six years (2002${\sim}$2007), which the discovery rates were lower than those of Japan and United States of America. The exceeding rate of the Korea soil pollution standard of the heavy metal and petroleum compounds in the soil pollution investigation were 89.8% and 8.9%, respectively in the whole country. The investigation rate of topsoil for heavy metal and deepsoil analysis for petroleum compounds analysis were 38% and 62% respectively. This show contradictory result which is demanded the improvement of investigation method on the deep soil. The main steps affecting the discovery rate of soil pollution were site selection step, sampling step and analysis step. We suggested the the guideline of priority on the site selection step which was the most important step. Also, the certificate need to be provided to the companies which have lower soil pollution degree after conducting the soil pollution investigation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.549-559
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• 2009

The objectives of this study are to investigate the biomineralization of goethite and lepidocrocite formed on the twisted-stalk and the sheathed-filament structure that is suggest microbe origin, and heavy metal in the yellow Fe-hydroxide. On the ratio of Cl and the Cl/Br ratios that are a pollution and non-pollution of groundwaters, it is indicated that the groundwater in this areas were relatively contaminated by human activity. The composition of the yellow Fe-hydroxide consisted mainly of $Fe_2O_3$ and $SiO_2$. The content of $Fe_2O_3$ ranges from 58.57 wt.% to 75.7 3wt.%, and $SiO_2$ content ranges from 5.8 wt.% to 16.17 wt.%. Heavy metal elements such as Zn(max. 6,160 mg/kg), Pb(max. 377 mg/kg), U(max. 503 mg/kg), Cr(max. 203 mg/kg), Cu(max. 77 mg/kg), V(max. 162 mg/kg), Ni(max. 105 mg/kg) were observed to be rich in those yellow Fe-hydroxide. The lath and platy crystals and needle-shaped crystals were clearly observed on the twisted-stalks and sheathed-filaments structure. The goethite, gypsum, and lepidocrocite were identified in the yellow Fe-hydroxide by x-ray powder diffraction.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.702-707
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• 2017

Insects and their extract have been traditionally used as medicinal resources in Asia. Recently, Gryllus bimaculatus and the larva of Tenebrio molitor, Protaetia brevitarsis, and Allomyrina dichotoma were enlisted as general food ingredients by Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. As the interest in these insects is growing, the detailed investigation is needed for the standardization of suitable and safe rearing techniques. This survey was conducted via personal interviews about edible insect rearing farms in Korea. The basic feed is fermented oak sawdust for P. brevitarsis and A. dichotoma and wheat bran for T. molitor. The various feed additives are blended with each farm's own recipes. The overall growth condition, including sawdust fermentation method, feeding period, and rearing density, varies among the investigated farms. It seems that weight of last instar larva was correlated with the rearing density and duration of the larval period. The heavy metal contents were analyzed after 48 hour starvation and they were very small amount or not detected in investigated insects. We believe that the present data will contribute to develop and standardize the safe rearing techniques of edible insects in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.508-513
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• 2000

In an attempt to evaluate the fertilizer of sediments obtained from coastal farming areas, chemical composition, bacteriological quality and heavy metals in the sediments alkalized by quicklime and magnesium hydroxide were analyzed. The optimum conditions of alkalization were also measured. A perfect reaction was possible by the addition of quicklime of $30{\%}$ at the rate of $25{\%}$ of sediment and $100{\%}$ of livestock wastes. According to the classification standard for compost constituent by Higgins, all composts had the intermediate or high grade in $T-N, K_2O,\;CaO\;and\;MgO$, but below the low grade in $P_2O_5$, Stabilization by quicklime and magnesium hydroxide has been known to inhibit bacterial decomposition of organic matter and activity of pathogenic organisms. In this study, raising pH of stabilized sediments to 12 for 2 hours (PSRP rriteria of EPA) allowed $99.9{\%}$ of coliform group, fecal group and viable cell count to be reduced. As a result, sediments of coastal farming areas are likely to be used to produce the organic fertilizer by alkaline stabilization.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.193-200
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• 2016

Water flea is a widely used test species in the aquatic ecotoxicity test. In Korea, D. magna is currently used as a standard test species, however that do not inhabit in the Korean aquatic ecosystem. In this study, Daphnia galeata, which is a dominant species in the Korean aquatic ecosystem, was collected from domestic lake and investigated to suggest the D. galeata for ecotoxicity assessment in Korea. We investigated the characteristics, life span, and toxicity sensitivity compared with D. magna. The life span test of D. galeata was performed in this study, and then the results were compared to the sensitivity with D. magna to confirm the applicability for ecotoxicity assessment. The 48h-L(E)C50 values for seven heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, and Zn) of D. galeata and D. magna were collected and analyzed. As a results, shorter lifetime, less reproduction, smaller body size of D. galeata were observed compared with D. magna. D. galeata was similar or more sensitive than D. magna for seven heavy metals. Therefore, we propose that D. galeata is a suitable test species for ecotoxicity testing in Korea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.207-216
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• 2009

In this study, water quality variation in borehole groundwaters and surface leachate waters were investigated on a seasonal sampling and remote monitoring basis within the waste impoundments at the Geopung mine site where previous rehabilitation measures were unsuccessful to prevent acidic drainage. All groundwaters were typical acidic drainage with acidic pH (3.3${\sim}$4.6) and high TDS (338${\sim}$3330 mg/L) values during the dry season, but increases in metal contents (TDS 414${\sim}$4890 mg/L) and decrease of pH (2.7${\sim}$3.6) were observed during the rainy season. Surface leachate waters showed a similar pattern in water quality variation. Surface runoff waters during rain events had acidic pH (3.0${\sim}$3.4) through direct reactions with waste rocks. Good correlations were found between major and trace elements measured in water samples, but no significant seasonal variation in chemical compositions was shown except relative changes in contents. It can be suggested that dissolution of soluble secondary salts caused by flushing of weathered waste rocks and tailings directly influenced the water quality within the waste impoundments. Increases in acid and metal concentrations and their loadings from mine wastes are anticipated in the rainy season. More appropriate cover systems on waste rocks and tailings necessitate consideration of more extreme conditions in the study mine.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2016

Mine tailings generated during mining activity often contain high concentrations of heavy metals, with pyrite-containing mine tailings in particular being a major cause of environmental problems in mining areas. Chemical cell technology, or fuel cell technology, can be applied to leach heavy metals in pyrite-containing mine tailings. As pyrite dissolves through spontaneous oxidation (i.e. galvanic oxidation) in the anode compartment of the cell, $Fe^{3+}$, sulfuric acid are generated. A decrease in pH due to the generation of sulfuric acid allows heavy metals to be leached from pyrite-containing mine tailings. In this study, pyrite was dissolved for 4 weeks at $23^{\circ}C$ in an acidic solution (pH 2) and in a galvanic reactor, which induces galvanic oxidation, and total Fe leached from pyrite and pH were compared in order to investigate if galvanic oxidation can facilitate pyrite oxidation. The change in the pyrite surface was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Comparing the total Fe leached from the pyrite, there were 2.9 times more dissolution of pyrite in the galvanic reactor than in the acidic solution, and thus pH was lower in the galvanic reactor than in the acidic solution. Through SEM analysis of the pyrite that reacted in the galvanic reactor, linear-shaped cracks were observed on the surface of the pyrite. The study results show that pyrite dissolution was facilitated through the galvanic oxidation in the galvanic reactor, and also implied that the galvanic oxidation can be one remediation option for pyrite-containing mine tailings.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1685-1689
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• 2009

Phytochelatins (PCs) are small polypeptides synthesized by PC synthase (PCS). They are present in various living organisms including plants, fission yeast, and some animals. The presumed function of PCs is the sequestration of cytosolic toxic heavy metals like cadmium (Cd) into the vacuoles via vacuolar membrane localized heavy metal tolerance factor 1 (HMT-1). HMT-1 was first identified in fission yeast (SpHMT-1), and later in Caenorhabdtis (CeHMT-1). Recently, its homolog has also been found in PC-deficient Drosophila (DmHMT-1), and this homolog has been shown to be involved in Cd detoxification, as confirmed by the heterologous expression of DmHMT-1 in fission yeast. Therefore, the dependence of HMT-1 on PC in Cd detoxification should be re-evaluated. I heterologously expressed SpHMT-1 in cytosolic PC-deficient yeast, Saccharomycea cerevisiae, to understand the dependence of HMT-1 on PC. Yeast cells expressing SpHMT-1 showed increased tolerance to Cd compared with control cells. This result indicates that SpHMT-1 is not strictly correlated with PC production on its function. Moreover, yeast cells expressing SpHMT-1 showed increased tolerance to exogenously applied glutathione (GSH) compared with control cells, and the tolerance to Cd was further increased by exogenously applied GSH, while tolerance in control cells was not. These results indicate that the function of SpHMT-1 in Cd detoxification does not depend on PCs only, and suggest that SpHMT-1 may sequester cytosolic GSH-Cd complexes into the vacuole.