• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.204-213
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• 2022

Background: The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant increased the level of anxiety related to the radioactive contamination of various foods sourced in Japan. Particularly, after the accident, the detection of artificial radionuclides in locally produced foods raised food safety concerns. In this study, the radioactivity concentrations and annual ingestions of ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs in food products commonly and frequently consumed by the general public were investigated, and the annual effective dose of each was evaluated. Materials and Methods: The 2016-2018 data from the Radiation Safety Management Report released by the Korea Nuclear Safety Technology Center was referenced for the evaluation of the amounts of ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs contained in food. Using the food-ingestion survey mentioned above as a reference, we selected 62 foods to include in our radioactivity concentration and dose assessment. We also developed a questionnaire and evaluated the responses from the subjects who answered the questionnaire. Results and Discussion: The radioactivity concentration of ¹³⁷Cs was found to be close to or below the level of minimum detectable activity. Additionally, the annual ingestion of 62 foods was 294.77 kg/yr, the effective doses from ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs were 136.4 and 0.163 μSv/yr, respectively. Conclusion: Thus, the findings confirmed that the effective dose from ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs in food tends to be lower than the effective dose limit of 1 mSv/yr suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 60. The questionnaire developed in this study is expected to be useful for estimating the annual effective dose status of Korean adults who consume foods containing ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.215-225
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• 2015

We performed injection tests in a deep-seated confined aquifer to assess the potential of artificial recharge as a means of preventing saltwater contamination, thereby securing groundwater resources for the Nakdong Delta area of Busan City, Korea. The study area comprises a confined aquifer, in which a 10-21-m-thick clay layer overlies 31.5-36.5 m of sand and a 2.8-11-m-thick layer of gravel. EC logging of five monitoring wells yielded a value of 7-44 mS/cm, with the transition between saline and fresh water occurring at a depth of 15-38 m. Above 5 m depth, water temperature is 10-15.5℃, whereas between 5 and 50 m depth the temperature is 15.5-17℃. Approximately 950 m³ of fresh water was injected into the OW-5 injection well at a rate of 370 m³/day for 62 hours, after which the fresh water zone was detected by a CTD Diver installed at a depth of 40 m. The persistence of the fresh water zone was determined via EC and temperature logging at 24 hours after injection, and again 21 days after injection. We observed a second fresh water zone in the OW-2 well, where the first injection test was performed more than 20 days before the second injection test. The contact between fresh and saline water in the injection well is represented by a sharp boundary rather than a transitional boundary. We conclude that the injected fresh water occupied a specific space and served to maintain the original water quality throughout the observation period. Moreover, we suggest that artificial recharge via long-term injection could help secure a new alternative water resource in this saline coastal aquifer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.66-74
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• 2005

This survey was conducted to assess the consumer perceptions of food-related hazard in 500 housewives from all over Korea. The subjects were selected by stratified random sampling method. The survey was performed using structured questionnaire through telephone interview by skilled interviewers. The results showed that 34.6% of the respondents felt secure and were not concerned about food safety, and 65.4% were concerned about food safety. Logistic regression analysis showed that the increasing concern on food brands, food additives (such as food preservatives and artificial color), and imported foodstuffs indicated the current increasing concern on food safety. Other related factors indicating the increasing concern on food safety were education level and care for children's health. The respondents who cared about food safety expressed a high degree of concern on processed foodstuffs such as commercial boxed lunch (93.3%), imported foods (92.7%), fastfoods (89.9%), processed meat products (88.7%), dining out (85.6%), cannery and frozen foods (83.5%), and instant foods (82.0%). The lowest degree of concern was on rice. All the respondents perceived that residues of chemical substances such as pesticides and food additives, and endocrine disrupters were the most potential food risk factors, followed by food-borne pathogens, and GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). However, these results were not consistent with scientific judgment. Therefore, more education and information were needed for consumers' awareness of facts and myths about food safety. In addition, the results showed that consumers put lower trust in food products information such as food labels, cultivation methods (organic or not), quality labels, and the place of origin. Nevertheless, the respondents expressed their desire to overcome alienation, and recognized the importance of knowing of the origin or the producers of food. They identified that people who need to take extreme precautions on food contamination were the producers, government officials, food companies, consumers, the consumer's association, and marketers, arranged in the order of highest to lowest. They also believed that the production stage of agriculture was the most important step for improving the level of food safety Therefore, the results indicated that there is a need to introduce safety systems in the production of agricultural products, as follows: Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), and Traceability System (75).

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2015

The interest of the people in the radioactive contamination of the water has increased significantly and the study about analysis and management of radioactive materials are being actively conducted. And monitoring spots have been expanded to the range of public water as well as drinking water by publishing the rule of drinking water quality standards and examination in the Environmental Enforcement Ordinance No. 553 of Korea. In this study, US EPA was investigated as the foreign advanced cases and the way that is appropriate for the Korea was sought by analyzing investigate radionuclide, interval and management. As a result, in the selection part of investigate radionuclide, geological survey, status of nuclear power plants and the presence of the use of artificial radionuclides of the Korea should be investigated and additionally after the selection of a few radionuclides, the systems should be extended to cover all possible radionuclides by considering radioactive pollution levels in humans may be exposed due to the annual drinking water. In the part of the investigate interval, the concept(MCL, DL) should be set up for preventing concentration detection of above MCL and it needs to the maintenance and management. For example, when the concentration is more than MCL, it should be investigated on a quarterly and when the concentration is lower than MCL, it should be investigated to each different interval and management. And the US EPA divided the management area and make the roadmap for managing drinking water. The each classified area has been organized to match the state budget and labor force and the individual data have been managed effectively by HPGe, the NaI, TLD and so on.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.28-40
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• 2004

Box experiments were performed to evaluate the removal efficiency of SVE (soil vapor extraction) for gasoline in soil. An activated carbon sorption tower and a biofilter were operated as post-treatment processes to remove VOCs extracted from extraction wells of SVE. An acrylic resin box (65 cm${\times}$20 cm${\times}$30 cm) was used to make artificial soil layers and two injection wells and one extraction well were built for SVE process in the box. Gases from extraction wells flew into the activated carbon sorption tower or the biofilter. Gasoline concentrations of VOCs emitted from the extraction well were compared with those after post treatments. More than 92% of initial gasoline mass in soil were removed by SVE within few days, suggesting that SVE is very available to remove VOCs from contaminated soils. To treat VOCs from extraction wells of SVE, an activated carbon sorption tower and a biofilter were attached to SVE process and their gasoline removal efficiencies were measured. These post treatment systems lowered gasoline concentrations to below 1.0 ppm within few days. Average remediation efficiency was 98% of gasoline for the activated carbon sorption tower and 84.1% for the biofilter. The maximum removal capacity of a biofilter was 10.7 g/L/hr, which was ten times higher than general biofilter removal capacity. Results from the study suggest that the activated carbon sorption tower and the biofilter would be available for the post treatment process to remove VOCs generated from SVE process.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.6 s.181
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• pp.753-770
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• 2006

In urban areas, groundwater pollution is heavily affected by urbanization with land use types. This study aims to characterize groundwater quality and contamination in Sasang industrial area of Busan Metropolitan City where metalworking, machinery and footwear factories are located. Busan Metropolitan City is the highest in the utilization of groundwater resources among the metropolitan cities in Korea. $K^+,\;Na^+,\;Ca^{2+},\;Mg^{2+},\;Cl^-,\;SO_4^{2-}\;and\;HCO_3^-$ concentrations, and electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) and salinity are high in the areas near the Nakdong River. The results are attributed to the influence of salt water which intruded into the coastal sediments during sedimentation. In addition, the dominant chemical type of Ca-Cl indicates the influence of salt water in the geological formations as well as anthropogenic pollution. $SiO_2$ ion is interpreted to originate from both water-silicate mineral reactions and the decomposition of cement concretes. Trichloroethylene (TCE) was detected at 12 sites of total 18 sites. However, tetrachloroethylene (PCE) was detected at f sites and 1.1.1-trichloroethane (TCA) at 3 sites. According to the factor analysis, factor 1 was explained by 49.8%, factor 2 19.8%, and factor 3 11.0% with total 80.6% explanation. pH, TDS, salinity, $Ca^{2+},\;K^+,\;Mg^{2+},\;Na^+,\;Al^{3+},\;As^{3+},\;Cl^-\;and\;Fe^{2+}$ were positively highly loaded to factor 1. The chemical components loaded to factor 1 represent the chemical characteristics of both industrial pollution and influence by salt water. Based on the cluster analysis and distribution pattern of chemical components, the concentration of $Na^+,\;Ca^{2+},\;Cl^-,\;SO_4^{2-}\;K^+,\;and\;Mg^{2+}$ is high in the riverside area of the Nakdong River composed of coastal sediments that is influenced by salt water. The downstream area of the Hakjang Stream is judged to be affected by both salt water and artificial pollution. The other part of the study area is interpreted by anthropogenic pollution.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.273-278
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• 2007

Recently, the demand for the powdered products to process raw grains and vegetables has been expanded, and the growth possibility of their fields(markets) in the future will be highly valued with the westernization of living environment and the change of the dietary life. We have bought and analyzed the 111 products of raw grains and vegetables from the large-sized marts, markets and internet orders from March to October 2006. The rate of moisture content was $1.7{\sim}12.5%$. We also found out that the foods over 10% moisture content was 8 of those samples we bought or collected. Their ash rates were averagely $0.3{\sim}8.6%$. The number of those foods that the alien substances were detected was 2. The tar pigments, artificial sweeteners and sulfur dioxides of components that contained food additives were not detected. Each detection range of Cadmium, Lead and Arsenic of the injurious heavy metals was non-detectable $(nd){\sim}0.55,\;nd{\sim}4.52,\;nd{\sim}0.10mg/kg$, while the average detection content were 0.08, 0.48, 0.01 mg/kg. By investigating the contamination degree of the microflora, we discovered that the number of the aerobic plate count, B. cereus over 1,000 cfu/g and C. perfringens over 100 cfu/g was 36 (32.4%), 9 (8.1%) and zero, and that the whole sanitation condition of the products of powdered raw grains and vegetables circulated in the market was not so good.