• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.345-350
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• 2000

The objectives of this study were to find out distribution of heavy metal contents in the soils of Hanam city and to provide base-line data towards development of an eco-city Hanam. One hundred surface soil (0-20 cm) samples were collected from rice paddy field, cultivated upland, forest, riverside and other areas. The samples were air-dried, sieved to pass through 2 mm sieves, followed by analyses for As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn by the standard method set by the ministry of environment. All the average heavy metal contents were close to background level and were much lower than concern level of the Soil Environment Conservation Act of Korea. However, some individual heavy metal contents were higher than the action level. Since natural environment including soil environment of Hanam city is being destroyed rapidly and the number of the sampling points allocated to Hanam city based on the soil contamination monitoring network of the ministry of environment is only 6, an in-depth soil survey for contamination of Hanam city is highly recommended.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 1994

Groundwater and soil contamination by the leak of leachates from the waste disposal site (WDS) is one of the serious environmental problems, and leachates are generally produced by the biogeochmical decomposition and/or precipitation in the WDS. At the Sindae-dong waste disposal site in Taejon, the average Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations in the surrounding soils are higher than those in other Korean soils but these are not high enough to cause any harmful effect to man through the crop plants. Copper, Pb and Zn are not detected in the groundwater samples but the pH of the sample is 5.6 which is not suitable for the drinking water. In contaminated soil samples, the heavy metal concentrations are higher in subsurface soil than in surface soil and it may be influenced by the leachates in groundwater. With the electric resistivity method, the water contains layers are found in contaminated soils and the resistivity values are considerably low because of the dispersion of plume by the leak of leachates. According to the distance from the leak point of leachate, resistivity values increased and heavy metal concentraions in soils decreased due to the reduction of plume.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2006

One of the main attractions of treatment with herbal medicine is its apparent lack of side effects compared with the drug therapies used in allopathic medicine. However, evidence from various countries suggest that Asian herbal medicine carry a significant risk of contamination with toxic heavy metals at levels that may seriously threaten health. The aims of this study were to analyze and compare concentrations of heavy metals in urine and hair from 184 patients taking herbal medicines in the form of decoctions and/or pills in comparison to 101 control subjects taking either Western or no medications. Levels of metal concentrations exceeding WHO reference values were observed in a number of hair and urine samples for all subjects. After adjusting for potential confounders, taking decoctions or pills was associated with higher levels of some metals (such as Cu, Pb in urine), as well a higher odds ratio of exceeding the upper limit of reference ranges for Pb, Hg in hair. In contrast, taking decoctions or pills was associated with lower levels of some metals (such as Cu in urine and Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb in hair), suggesting that some herbal medicines may have a chelating effect on heavy metals in the body. Overall, the results obtained in the study show a mixed picture and suggest that heavy metals contamination in herbs is sometimes present, but may also be counteracted by the potential for some herbal medicines to act as chelating agents. Further study must be followed to obtain more concrete evidence.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.83-89
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• 2015

Soil samples collected in an area of Gahak Mine were investigated for the characterization of mineralogical and physicochemical properties of contaminants in soils. It is found that soils in the study area are contaminated by lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), in which their concentrations are 595.3 mg/kg, 184.9 mg/kg, 712.8 mg/kg, and 10.64 mg/kg, respectively. All the concentrations exceed the concern criteria of Korean standard. Upon distribution patterns of metals identified by the sequential extraction procedure, our results show that more than 50% of metals are found as a residual type, and 30% are accounted for the association of Fe/Mn oxides. Interestingly, XRD results show that minium (Pb₃O₄) and cuprite (Cu₂O) are identified in the soil samples, suggesting that the sources of the contaminants for Pb and Cu are these minerals. In SEM images, tens of µm of Pb oxides and Pb silicate-minerals are observed. We, therefore, note that the contamination of metals in the study area results from the direct influx and disturbance of tailings. Our findings indicate that the characterization of physicochemical and mineralogical properties of contaminated soils is a critical factor and plays an important role in optimizing recovery treatments of soils contaminated in mine development areas.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 1999

The objectives of this study are to investigate soil contamination in the vicinity of abandoned Au-Ag mine and to apply a remediation technique of liming to tailings. In the study area of the Imcheon Au-Ag mine, soils were sampled in and around the mine the analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry extracted by both 0.1N HCl and aqua regia. Elevated levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations extracted by 0.1N HCl were found in soils taken from tailings site. These high contents directly influenced metal concentrations in soils taken in the vicinity of the site. This is mainly due to clastic movement by wind and effluent of mine waste water. In addition, relatively enriched concentrations of the metals were found in soils extrated by aqua regia due to strong decomposition of the samples compared with 0.1N HCl extration. According to the statistical approach, metal concentrations in soils by 0.1N HCl had a positive correlation with those by aqua regia extraction. Mine waste waters and stream waters were also sampled around the mine in spring and summer and analyzed by AAS for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, and by Ion Chromatography for anions. Like soils developed over tailings, significant levels of metals and sulphates were found in the mine waste waters ranging of 0.2~0.3, 0.5~2.0, 0.2~2.8, 30~50 and 1,240~4,700 mg/l of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and $SO_4^{2-}$, respectively. These elevated levels influenced in the stream waters in the vicinity of the tailings site. In seasonal variation of metal and anion contents, relatively high levels were found in waters sampled on summer due to leaching the metals and anions from tailings by rain. This study also examined the possibility of lime treatment for remediation of acid mine tailings and assumed to be 46 tones of pulverized lime for neutralization of the tailings.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.504-510
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• 2014

In this study, physico-chemical properties and pollution degree of surface sediments collected at 5 stations(S1~S5) of Incheon H wharf in March 2014 were investigated. From particle size, surface area, XRD and XRF analyses, the sediment samples consisted of similar oxides and minerals. Considering total score of COD, AVS and IL, pollution level ranged between 2 and 3 based on domestic standards. In case of heavy metal contamination, Cd, Ni and Pb were classified as moderately polluted by USEPA standards. However, Cu, Zn and Cr were classified as heavily polluted. With geoaccumulation index value($I_{geo}$), Cd contamination was estimated as class 3. In addition, the calculated enrichment factors of Cd, Pb and Zn were exceeded a value of 1. Site S4 was high as 3.1 in total enrichment factor.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.559-567
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• 2020

The abnomal responseses on growth and morphology of attached diatoms by various heavy metals were studied. Ulnaria ulna (Nitzsch) Compère was employed as experimental species and exposed to the five heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, and As with four concentrations (0, 0.01, 0.1, and 2 mg L-1), respectively. The samples of Ulnaria ulna were examined on the changes of cell growth and teratological forms on the 7th, 14th, 21th, and 28th day, respectively, after exposure to the heavy metals. The samples exposed to the highest concentration, 2.0 mg L-1, of all the heavy metals showed the most obvious decreases of growth. The samples exposed to Cd (μ=0.049day-1) and As (μ=0.048day-1) showed the highest decreasing rate of growth (p=0.021(Cd), p=0.002(As)) and the highest morphological changes of diatom valves were also samples exposed to Cd (10.41%) and As (10.13%) (p=0.009 (Cd), p=0.005(As)). In contrast, Pb induced the lowest decreasing rate (μ=0.090 day-1) and the least change in valve morphology (3.31%). The Cd and As showed relatively stronger effects on growth rates compared to Cu, Zn, and Pb. For the percentage of emergence of morphological species by the type, the highest percentage were observed in sampled exposed to type 1 (43.4%) and followed by type 2 (29.1%). The type 2 and 4 were most abundant in samples exposed to Zn and Pb while the type 3 was most abundant in Cd and As. The Cu induced only type 1, suggesting that the frequency of emergence of each type varied among hevay metals. This research suggests that the degrees of abnomal changes on growth rate and valve morphology of Ulnaria ulna can be used as a bioindicater species for heavy metal contamination in freshwater.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.717-726
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• 2022

This study was conducted to assess the geochemical contamination degree of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, and Zn in the soil and water samples from an abandoned gold mine. Enrichment Factor (EF), Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), and Pollution Load Index (PLI) were carried out to assess the geochemical contamination degree of the soil samples. Variations of sulfate and heavy metals concentration in water samples were determined to identify the geochemical distribution with respect to the distance from the mine tailing dam. Geochemical pollution indices indicated significant contaminated with As, Cd, Pb, and Zn in the soil samples that areas close to the mine tailing dam, while, Sb showed similar indices in all soil samples. These results indicated that the As, Cd, Pb, and Zn dispersion has occurred via anthropogenic sources, such as mining activities. In terms of water samples, anomalies in the concentrations of As, Cd, Zn, and SO₄^2- was determined at specific area, in addition, the concentrations of the elements gradually decreased with distance. This result implies the heavy metals distribution in water has carried out by the weathering of sulfide minerals in the mine tailing and soil. The study area has been conducted the remediation of contaminated soil in the past, however, the geochemical dispersion of heavy metals was supposed to be occurred from the potential contamination source. Therefore, continuous monitoring of the soil and water is necessary after the completion of remediation.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.159-168
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• 2015

Forty-four surface sediments from Doam Bay were analyzed for total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), total metal (Al, Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) and further chemical partitioning of metals were carried out in some samples. The TOC (0.32~3.10%) and TN (0.03~0.26%) values of the samples were similar to those of other coastal area. The C/N ratios ranged from 7.9 to 11.9 with an average 9.3 which revealed that contribution of terrestrial organic matters was relatively rare. Contents of analysed metals showed a level lower than threshold effects level (TEL) in sediment quality guidelines. Based on the chemical speciation of metals, the lattice fractions were found in the order Cr > Cu > Ni > Zn > Pb > Mn, while Mn and Pb are the ratio of the non-lattice fractions accounted for more than 50%. The average baseline values were obtained relative cumulative frequency curves and linear regression analysis. The respective baseline concentrations for Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cr and Mn were 11.8, 23.1, 26.8, 76.6, 56.7, 585 mg/kg, respectively. Based on geoaccumulation index ($I_{geo}$) with a baseline values of Mn showed that face the contamination phase from estuarine stations. However, in case of Zn and Pb, although there is no sign of contamination, it could be release from sediment when there is a change in the environment, which is caused from the high ratio of non-lattice fractions.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2011

Potential risk of heavy metals to various receptors including humans depends on the bioavailability of the heavy metals in soil. In this study, the heavy metal extraction methods using 0.1N HCl and aqua regia were compared with the Tessier's sequential extraction method to assess whether these two methods can be used to determine the plant-available heavy metal concentrations. The contamination characteristics of copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) found in soils collected from 75 sites around the closed Janghang smelter were analyzed by extracting heavy metals using 0.1 N HCl, aqua regia, and the Tessier's sequential extraction method. The portion of metals bioavailable to plants is considered as the sum of the fraction 1 (exchangeable) and the fraction 2 (carbonates binding) of the Tessier's 5-step sequential extraction method, which were determined to be 3.1 ${\pm}$ 3.82, 0.6 ${\pm}$ 0.15, 20.6 ${\pm}$ 18.78, and 7.0 ${\pm}$ 6.48 mg/kg for Cu, Cd, Pb, and As, respectively, in this study. When the extraction using aqua regia and the Tessier's extraction method were compared, the extracted Cu and Pb concentrations did not show significant differences, whereas the extracted Cd and As concentrations showed significant differences. These results indicate that the portion of Cd and As in the fraction 5 of the Tessier's sequential extraction can not be extracted using aqua regia. Using aqua regia, which is the official test method, higher concentrations of Cu, Cd, Pb and As were extracted than the sum of the fraction 1 and 2. The results show that only 9, 40, 39 and 10% of Cu, Cd, Pb and As using aqua regia can be uptaken by plants (i.e., plant-available). Using 0.1N HCl, the portion of Cd equivalent to about 66% the fraction 1 could be extracted, while, with Pb, the portion of the fraction 1 and about 90% of the fraction 2 could be extracted. With As, the portion equivalent to the fraction 1, 2 and 79% of the fraction 3 was extracted, while with Cu, the portion equivalent to the fraction 1, 2, 3 and 20% of the fraction 4 was extracted using 0.1N HCl.