• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.473-479
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• 2014

In this study, chemical characteristics of groundwater around carcass burial areas and those in agricultural and livestock-farming complex areas in South Korea were monitored. Groundwater samples were collected from 166 wells around carcass burial sites and 466 wells around the agricultural areas where carcass burial sites are absent. The chemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, oxidation reduction potential, $NO_3$-N, $NH_4$-N, and $Cl^-$) in carcass burial areas and agricultural areas were similar. The $NO_3$-N concentrations exhibited minimal seasonal fluctuations below $30mg\;L^{-1}$ in most of the wells, even in the wells located close to the carcass burial sites; and $Cl^-$ concentrations also showed similar patterns. The chemical characteristics of groundwater monitored in this study indicated that groundwater was widely contaminated by agricultural activities and livestock farming, but probably not by leachates derived from nearby carcass burial sites.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.30-40
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• 2018

To evaluate potential impacts of shallow groundwater by the leachate from buried carcass, we investigated hydrochemical characteristics of both leachate and shallow groundwater from monitoring wells and surrounding shallow groundwater wells in an area potentially affected by pig carcass burial. The hydrochemical survey was conducted before and after the relocation of a burial pit. The leachate samples and the groundwater affected by leachate showed the hydrochemistry of $Ca-HCO_3$ type with high $NH_4{^+}$ concentrations, while unaffected groundwater was mostly the $Ca(Na)-Cl+NO_3$ type due to pervasive impacts from agrochemicals. The results of factor analysis on hydrochemical data showed the followings: 1) contamination of groundwater from agro-livestock farming and livestock burial are coexisting in the study area, 2) among ionic species, $HCO_3{^-}$, $NH_4{^+}$, $NO_3{^-}$ and Mn are very useful to differentiate the groundwater contamination from leachate, and 3) groundwater contamination by leachate has been recognized around the monitoring wells even after the relocation of a burial pit, likely due to residual contaminants in surrounding soils. Therefore, it is suggested that continued monitoring of groundwater contamination should be conducted after the relocation of carcass burial pits.