• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.163-183
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• 2019

We investigated acid mine drainage (AMD) of Bongyang abandoned coal mine, Danyang, Chungbuk Province with emphasis on geochemical contaminants in AMD and precipitates using chemical analyses, XRD, SEM, IR, and $^{27}Al$ NMR. Water chemistry changes with pH and oversaturation of chemical species. According to calculation of saturation index, the AMD is saturated with various Fe, Al minerals. Orange or orcher precipitates are composed of schwertmannite and goethite, associated with Leptothrix orchracea bacteria, whereas whitish precipitates are composed mostly of alumimous minerals such as basaluminite with poor crystallinity. The whitish precipitates include trace $Al_{13}$-Tridecamer. It is important to control the precipitation and solubility of aluminous species for ensuring remediation and control for the AMD discharged from the Bongyang abandoned coal mine.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.253-258
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• 2023

In the environment, chromium often exists in a highly mobile and toxic form of Cr(VI). Therefore, the reduction of Cr(VI) to less toxic Cr(III) is considered an effective remediation strategy for Cr(VI)-contamination. In this study, the biological reduction of hexavalent chromium was examined at the concentrations of 0.01 mM, 0.1 mM, and 1 mM Cr(VI) by the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium, Shewanella sp. HN-41 in the presence of ferric-citrate. With the relatively condensed cell densities, the aqueous phase Cr(VI) was reduced at the proportions of 42%, 23%, and 31%, respectively for the 0.01 mM, 0.1 mM, and 1 mM Cr(VI) incubations, while Fe(III)-citrate was reduced at 95%, 88%, and 73%, respectively. Although the strain HN-41 was not considered to reduce Cr(VI) as the sole electron acceptor for anaerobic metabolism in the preliminary experiment, it has been presumed that outer-membrane c-type cytochromes such as MtrC and OmcA reduced Cr(VI) in the presence of ferric-citrate as the electron acceptor. Since this study indicated the potential of relatively high cell density for Cr(VI) reduction, it might propose a bioremediation strategy for Cr(VI) removal from contaminated waters using engineered systems such as bioreactors employing high cell growths.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.148-154
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• 1998

Gubong gold-mine, previously one of the largest gold mines in Korea, is located at the mid-west of the South Korea. In the areas nearby the mine, the shallow groundwater was the major source for domestic and farming water-supply. Soil contamination by Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn was previously known in this area. This study is objected to identify quality of the shallow groundwater, possibly affected by the mine tailings. Samples were collected from a nearby stream, shallow groundwater and seepage from the tailings. Chemical analysis for the water quality includes major cations such as Na, K, Ca, and Mg, anions as F, Cl, NO$_3$, SO$_4$, HCO$_3$, and trace elements as Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Se, As, Hg. Water types could be drawn into four groups from the plots of Piper, Stiff diagrams and cluster analysis. SAR-Conductivity plot indicates the water does not pose either alkalinity or salinity hazards for irrigation. Major contaminant in groundwater appeared to be arsenic, released from arsenopyrites in tailings by oxidation. Dredging of buried railing materials could stimulate the release of arsenic from the sediments to the groundwater.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 1998

Heavy metal contamination in subsurface soils and stream sediments at the Suggok mine area were investigated on the basis of major, trace and rare earth elements geochemistry and mineralogy. The Sanggok mine area is mainly composed of Cambro-Ordovician carbonate rocks. The mine had been mined for Pb-Zn-Fe and Au- Ag, but already closed in past. For major elements, especially Fe (mean value=18.58 wt.%) and Mn (mean value=4. 18 wt.%) are enriched in soils, and the average enrichment indices of soils and sediments are 6.84 and 1.54, respectively. The average enrichment index of rare earth elements are 0.92 of mining drainage sediments and 0.52 of subsurface soils on the tailing dam. Concentrations of minor and/or environmental toxic elements in those samples range from 29 to 3400 for As,1 to 11 for Cd, 35 to 292 for Cu, 50 to 1827 for Pb, 1 to 22 for Sb and 112 to 2644 for Zn. Extremely high concentrations (mean values) are found in subsurface soils on the tailing dam (As=2278, Cd=7, Cu=206, Pb=1372, Sb=14 and Zn=2231 ppm, respectively). Average enrichment index normalized by composition of non-mining drainage sediments is 2.42 in mining drainage sediments and 25.47 in subsurface soils on the tailing dam. Based on EPA value, enrichment index of toxic elements is 0.53 in non-mining drainage sediments, 1.84 in mining drainage sediments and 23.71 in subsurface soils on the tailing dam. As a results from X-ray powder diffraction method, mineral composition of soils and sediments near the mine area varied in part, and are calcite, dolomite, magnesite, quartz, mica, chlorite and clay minerals. With the separation of heavy minerals, soils and sediments of highly concentrated toxic elements included some pyrite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite, galena, goethite and hydroxide minerals on the polished sections.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 2010

In order to investigate the degree of household dust contamination, 48 samples of household dust (24 from urban area and 24 from rural area) in Daegu city were collected in vacuum cleaner during January to February 2009. Samples were sieved below 100 ${\mu}m$, and 14 elements (Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, V, Zn) were analyzed using ICP after acid extraction. Results obtained from the source assessment of trace elements using enrichment factor showed that Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, and V were influenced by natural sources such as weathered rock and resuspended soil, while Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were influenced by anthropogenic sources such as fuel combustion and waste incineration. Concentrations were remarkably higher in components from natural sources than in components from urban anthropogenic sources. Household dust in urban area was more affected by anthropogenic sources compared with that of rural area. Pollution index of heavy metals revealed that urban area was 1.8 times more contaminated with heavy metal components than rural area. The correlation analysis among trace elements indicated that components were correlated with natural sources-natural sources (Al-Mg, Al-Mn, Fe-Mn) and natural sources-anthropogenic sources (Al-V, Fe-Cr, V-Mn) in both urban area and rural area. Trace element components of rural area were more correlated than those of urban area. Houses that use oil for heating fuel had relatively higher contents of heavy metals rather than those using gas or electricity for heating fuel. Houses with children also had higher contents of heavy metals. In addition, the age of houses was found to influence the heavy metal levels in household dusts, with older houses (>10years) having higher concentrations than newer houses (<10years) and houses located near the major road (<10 m) were found to have relatively higher heavy metal levels in household dust.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.481-490
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• 2003

The objectives of this study are (1) to determine the extent and degree of As contamination of the water and sediments influenced by mining activity of the abandoned Au-Ag mines, (2) to examine As speciation In contaminated water, (3) to monitor variation of As contamination in water system throughout the dry and wet seasons, and (4) to investigate the As chemical form in the sediments through the sequential extraction analyses. Natural water(mine water, surface water and groundwater) and sediments were collected in six abandoned Au-Ag mine(Au-bearing quartz veins) areas. The contamination level of As in mine water of the Dongil(524${\mu}m$/L) is more higher than the tolerance level(500 ${\mu}m$/L) for waste water of mine area in Korea. Elevated levels of As in stream water were also found in the Dongil(range of 63.7∼117.6 ${\mu}m$/L.) and Gubong(range of 56.1∼62.9 ${\mu}m$/L) mine areas. Arsenic contamination levels in groundwater used by drinking water were more significant in the Dongil(11.3∼63.5 ${\mu}m$/L), Okdong(0.2∼68.9 ${\mu}m$/L) and Gubong(2.0∼101.0${\mu}m$/L) mine areas. Arsenate[As(V), $H_2AsO_4^-$] is more dominant than arsenite[As(III), $H_3AsO_3$] in water system of the most mine areas. The concentration ratios of As(III) to As(total), however, extend to the 95% in stream water of the Okdong mine area and 70∼82% in groundwater of the Okdong and Dongjung mine areas. As a study of seasonal variation in the water system, relatively high levels of As from the dongil mine area were found in April rather than in September. Sequential extraction analysis showed that As was predominantly present as coprecipitated with Fe hydroxides from sediment samples of the Dongjung and Gubong mine(35.9∼40.5%), which indicates its possibility of re-extraction and inducing elevated contamination of As in the reductive condition. In sediments from the Dongil, Okdong and Hwachon mine area, high percentage(55.2∼83.4%) of As sulfide form was found.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.13-28
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• 2019

This study analyzed precipitation environment, heavy metal contamination, and mineral composition of white, reddish brown and mixed precipitates occurring at the Osip stream drainage, Gangwondo. Furthermore, spectral characteristics of the precipitates associated with heavy metal contamination and mineral composition was investigated based on spectroscopic analysis. The pH range of the precipitates was 4.43-6.91 for white precipitates, 7.74-7.94 for reddish brown precipitates, and 7.59-7.9 for the mixed precipitates, respectively. XRF analysis revealed that these precipitates were contaminated with Ni, Cu, Zn, and As. The white precipitates showed high Al concentration compared to reddish brown precipitates as much as 3.3 times, and the reddish brown precipitates showed high Fe concentration compared to white precipitates as much as 15 times. XRD analysis identified that the mineral composition of the white participates was aluminocoquimbite, gibbsite, quartz, saponite, and illite, and that of reddish brown precipitates was aluminum isopropoxide, kaolinite, goethite, dolomite, pyrophyllite, magnetite, quartz, calcite, pyrope. The mineral composition of the mixed precipitates was quartz, albite, and calcite. The spectral characteristics of the precipitates was manifested by gibbsite, saponite, illite for white precipitates, goethite, kaolinite, pyrophyllite for reddish brown precipitates, and albite for the mixed precipitates, respectively. The spectral reflectance of the precipitates decreased with increase in heavy metal contamination, and absorption depth of the precipitates indicated that the heavy metal ions were adsorbed to saponite and illite for white precipitates, and goethite and magnetite for reddish brown precipitates.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.39-46
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• 2016

This study investigated the potential use and the effectiveness of biomass ashes for the stabilization of heavy metals in soil through a series of experiments. The ashes used for the experiments were obtained from the gasification of biomass including miscanthus and woodchips. The amounts of nickel and chromium released from the soil and ash mixture were analyzed. Chemical analysis showed that the ash contained unburned carbon as well as silica and alkali metals. Miscanthus ashes have C (83.400 %) > Si (9.040 %) > K (3.180 %) > Ca (1.800 %), and woodchip ashes have C (93.800 %) > Ca (2.220 %) > Fe (1.370 %) > K (1.200 %). KSLT and TCLP test results implied that the heavy metal concentrations were below the environmental standards and would not impose the risks. The results also showed that Ni releases were more limited as more ashes were mixed with the soil due to the increases in exchangeable, carbonate, and oxide nikels. Both miscanthus and woodchip ahses were effective in stabilizing nickel and chromium through mixing with the soil. It could be seen that ashes produced from biomass gasification can be used to stabilize the heavy metals in soils.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.615-623
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• 2012

In this study, we evaluate the corrosion indexes (CI) such as Langelier Index (LI), Larson ratio (LR), Ryznar saturation index (RSI), Aggressiveness index (AI) of water quality for raw water, treated water and water in distribution reservoir at major eight drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in Korea. By analyzing secondary contamination of tap water, the variation of secondary contaminants was investigated with regard to pipe materials, aging and corrosion index (CI). In addition, we suggested an appropriate CI applicable water quality and the management plan for CI monitoriing. All CI showed corrosive water quality, and they did not change significantly in the distribution network. However, Copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) concentrations as secondary contaminants increased through the distribution network. Among CI, LI was most sensitive to changes in raw water quality and drinking water treatment. Also, it has high correlations with other indexes such as RSI, AI. Therefore, LI is considered as an appropriate CI to the domestic water quality. Based on these result, we propose LI as a drinking water quality standard to control the pipe corrosion from DWTPs.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.85-98
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• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the geochemical factors governing the distribution of heavy metals(Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in the marine surface sediment samples collected from the Samcheonpo coal-fired power plant. Variations of absolute metal concentrations were related to those in textural and/or carbonate and organic matter content. Most elements, except for Pb, showed generally lower contents compared with the average shale concentration, and the effect of anthropogenic input appeared to be minimal in the sediments. Computations of LF%(labile fraction) and EF(enrichment factor) based on all trace metal data indicated the presence of mineralogical control for Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn, and anthropogenic contamination for Pb, which needs to be considered in the design of long term monitoring programmes.