• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.306-314
• /
• 2023

Stream sediments are an important component of water quality management because they are receptors of various pollutants such as heavy metals and organic matters emitted from upland sources and can be secondary pollution sources, adversely affecting water environment. To effectively manage the stream sediments, identification of primary sources of sediment contamination and source-associated control strategies will be required. We evaluated the performance of machine learning models in identifying primary sources of sediment contamination based on the physico-chemical properties of stream sediments. A total of 356 stream sediment data sets of 18 quality parameters including 10 heavy metal species(Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, As, Zn, Cr, Hg, Li, and Al), 3 soil parameters(clay, silt, and sand fractions), and 5 water quality parameters(water content, loss on ignition, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorous) were collected near abandoned metal mines and industrial complexes across the four major river basins in Korea. Two machine learning algorithms, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and support vector machine (SVM) classifiers were used to classify the sediments into four cases of different combinations of the sampling period and locations (i.e., mine in dry season, mine in wet season, industrial complex in dry season, and　industrial complex in wet season). Both models showed good performance in the classification, with SVM outperformed LDA; the accuracy values of LDA and SVM were 79.5% and 88.1%, respectively. An SVM ensemble model was used for multi-label classification of the multiple contamination sources inlcuding landuses in the upland areas within 1 km radius from the sampling sites. The results showed that the multi-label classifier was comparable performance with sinlgle-label SVM in classifying mines and industrial complexes, but was less accurate in classifying dominant land uses (50~60%). The poor performance of the multi-label SVM is likely due to the overfitting caused by small data sets compared to the complexity of the model. A larger data set might increase the performance of the machine learning models in identifying contamination sources.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.39-48
• /
• 2021

In order to control algal bloom, which causes environmental problems such as eutrophication in freshwater ecological environments, many attempts have recently been made using biological approaches. Among them is filtration using bivalve. Algae control with filter-feeding bivalves is emerging as an eco-friendly method. In this study, bivalves collected at Baekje weir in Geum River in Korea from Jun to Sep 2020 were tested to find out the possibility of algae control using filter-feeding bivalves through laboratory experiments. The Unio douglasiae, Anodonta woodiana, and Anodonta arcaeformis collected from Baekje weir were put into a water tank (2 L) containing Clorella vulgaris, and as a result, the average filtration rate was 95.9% per animal after 24 hrs. Calculating this with the Chl-a concentration converted to a calibration curve, it was found that the average of 154.84 ㎍ L^-1 of Chl-a was reduced. Based on this calculation, the possibility that one bivalve can eliminate Chl-a in one month is 0.0005%. It is expected that the effect is 20.14% when there are 40,000 animals. These results indirectly showed how effective bivalve's ability to control Chl-a in their habitat is. Although this study was limited to calculating the algae control ability of aquatic ecosystem based on the filtration rate of bivalve and the corresponding Chl-a reduction rate, it is thought that it will be used as basic data for integrated research from various factors and viewpoints (phytoplankton, aquatic plants, benthic organisms, and sediments) through additional research.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.135-153
• /
• 2007

Temporal (seasonal) and spatial distributions and variations of various physico-chemical factors (salinity, temperature, pH, DO, COD, SPM, POC, silicate, DIP, DIN) in surface and bottom waters were studied in the coastal environment with typical macro-tidal range and monsoonal weather condition, Gyeonggi Bay, west coast of Korea. Spacial distribution patterns of these factors were generally similar to each other, and appeared to be inversely related to the distribution pattern of salinity, suggesting that water quality of the study area was primarily controlled by the physical mixing process of Han-River freshwater with nearby coastal seawater. During flooding season, silicate- and nitrogen-rich Han River water directly flowed into offshore as far as $20\sim30\;km$ from the river mouth, probably causing serious environmental problems such as eutrophication and unusual and/or noxious algal bloom, etc. Except the surface water during summer flooding season, high concentrations of nutrients appeared generally in dry season, whereas low values in spring, possibly because of the occurrence of spring phytoplankton bloom. On the other hand, nutrient flux through the estuary seems to be primarily depending on river discharge, sewage discharge and agricultural activities, especially during the rainy season. Also, nutrients in this coastal waters are considered to be supplied from the sediments of tidal-flats, which developed extensively around the Han-River mouth, especially during fall and winter of dry and low discharge seasons, possibly due to the stirring of tidal flat sediments with highly enriched pore-water nutrients by storm. And also, COD and DIN concentrations in the study area consistently increased during the last 20 years, probably because of agricultural activities and increasing discharge of industrial and domestic wastes.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.235-246
• /
• 2009

High-saline ground water, whose eclectrical conductivity value ranges from 12,000 to 21,000 $\mu$S/cm, occurs at the small catchment of Gilsan stream near Geum-river estuary dike. These high-saline ground water comes form three different aquifers consisting of two horizons of sand sediments and one weathered zone with top part of unconformity. For these three aquifers showing mutual independence in terms of hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical connection, we examined characteristics of aqifer occurrences and their water chemistry, and observed and analyzed the fluctuations of the ground water level and electrical conductivity. Our study results indicate that the high-saline characteristics of ground water in this study area should not come from dynamic recent seawater intrusion, but might be due to the fossil saline water included and isolated within the paleo-sediments or weathered zone and their upper unconformity part. This high-saline water seems to be now partially mixed and affected by freshwater in the higher inland reach of Gilsan stream.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.67-77
• /
• 2006

Sedimentological investigations on surface and suspended sediments were performed in Masan Bay of the South Sea in order to reveal recent changes in depositional environments concerning anthropogenic influence. Surface sediments had been classified as 3 sediment facies: mud, slightly gravelly mud, and gravelly mud. In general, mud facies with more than 60% of silt is predominant and slightly gravelly mud facies occurs at the watercourse of bay's central area. The silt-dominant mud faices appears to be predominant before and after dredging. Temperature and salinity changes during one tidal cycle for each season suggest that water columns were stratified without vertical mixing regardless of the season due to weak intensity of tide from the effect of geographical features. The effect of freshwater discharge from the land seems to be insignificant. The strongest current was observed during ebb tide in spring and autumn while observed during flood tide in summer and winter. Net sediment flux (fs) and net suspended sediment transport (Qs) for suspended sediment were determined by remaining drift developed here. Net suspended sediment transport loads were seaward with $62.02{\times}10^3kgm^{-1}$, $31.84{\times}10^3kgm^{-1}$ in spring and fall, respectively, and landward with $18.23{\times}10^3kgm^{-1}$, $3.22{\times}10^3kgm^{-1}$ in summer and winter, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
• /
• v.34 no.6_1
• /
• pp.1119-1130
• /
• 2018

Soyang Lake has been contributing to economic growth by preventing flood damage in the metropolitan area, the water level in the middle to upper flow of lake has been greatly decreased due to the drought in 2015. In order to restore the existing flow rate, Bupyungbo has been built in Bupyeong-ri, Shin Nam-myeon, Inje-gun to cause artificial changes on the sedimentary environment of Bupyeong freshwater region. Therefore, this study intends to confirm the changes of sedimentary environment since Bupyeongbo has been utilized. For this study, we used the Sentinel-2 satellite image data periodically to measure the dimension of water according to the volume of water kept near Bupyung district and analyzed the particle size and the percentage of water content of the sediments through field study. The Sentnel-2 satellite images showed us how the water surface has been changed and that during the period from September 2017 to October 2018, the minimum and maximum area of water surface was observed in June 2018 and in January 2018, respectively. In addition, we find that the smaller being the particle size, the higher having the water content and that there is higher the correlation between the water content and the grain size of the sediment layer. Hereafter, if we will acquire the drone images at Bupyung district, we expect that we will be able to measure the distribution of sediments in the same area according to different time periods and observe various kinds of sediment through field work.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.201-207
• /
• 2001

To study the distribution of organophosphorus pesticides which are extensively used for agriculture in Korea. Sea water samples were taken from 4 coastal areas during May and August of 1997 and sediment samples were collected from two coastal areas in August of 1997. These samples were analyzed using a Gas Chromatography/Nitrogen Phosphorus Detector (GC/NPD). In August the most commonly found organophosphorus pesticides in the surface waters of Kunsan area were IBP < S-Benzyl O,O-di-isopropyl phosphorothioate > $(m=432.5ng\;L^{-1})$ and EDDP < O-ethyl S,S-diphenyl phosphorodithioate > $(m=37.4ng\;L^{-1}) $ which are largely used between June and September to prevent rice blast disease. In Danghang Bay, dry fields located near the mouth of the estuary seemed to affect the concentrations of certain organophosphorus pesticides in the surface waters. Since organophosphorus pesticides applied in the watershed are rapidly decomposed while being transported along freshwater streams, watershed size is not proportional to the concentrations of these pesticides in the coastal waters. Pesticides concentrations measured in August were compared with those in May. IBP concentrations in coastal waters were about an order of magnitude higher in August than in May. Temporal and geographical distribution of individual organophosphorus pesticides is likely to be affected by types of agricultural practices in the watershed. Chloropyrifos was the most important of the organophosphorus pesticides in the sediments of the study area because of its persistent nature and high affinity to particulates.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.431-440
• /
• 2008

Turbid water or suspended sediment is associated with negative effects on aquatic organisms; fish, aquatic invertebrate, and periphyton. Effects of turbid water on fish differ depending on their developmental stage and a level of turbidity. Low turbid water may cause feeding and predation rates, reaction distance, and avoidance in fish, and it could make fish to die under high turbidity and long period. Therefore, it is very important to find out how turbid water or suspended sediment can affect fish in domestic watersheds. The objectives of this study were 1) to introduce international case studies and their standards to deal with suspended sediment, 2) to determine acute toxicity in 4 major freshwater fishes, and 3) to determine in relation to adverse effect of macroinvertebrates and fish. Impacts of turbid water on fish can be categorized into direct and indirect effects, and some factors such as duration and frequency of exposure, toxicity, temperature, life stage of fish, size of particle, time of occurrence, availability of and access to refugia, etc, play important role to decide magnitude of effect. A review of turbidity standard in USA, Canada, and Europe indicated that each standard varied with natural condition, and Alaska allowed liberal increase of turbidity over natural conditions in streams. Even though acute toxicity with four different species did not show any fatal effect, it should be considered to conduct a chronic test (long-term) for more detailed assessment. Compared to the control, dominance index of macroinvertebrates was greater in the turbid site, whereas biotic index, species diversity index, species richness index, and ecological score were smaller in the turbid site. According to histopathological analysis with gills of macroinvertebrate and fishes, morphological and physiological modification of gills due to suspended sediments can cause disturbance of respiration, excretion and secretion. In conclusion, in order to maintain good and healthy aquatic ecosystem, it is the best to minimize or prevent impact by occurrence of turbid water in stream and reservoir. We must make every effort to maintain and manage healthy aquatic ecosystem with additional investigation using various assessment tools and periodic biomonitoring of fish.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.69-79
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of metal pollution in the sediment from rivers, lakes, and streams in active gold mining districts in Ghana. Two hundred and fifty surface sediment samples from 99 locations were collected and analyzed for concentrations of As, Hg, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, and Mn using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Metal concentrations were then used to assess the human health risks to resident children and adults in central tendency exposure (CTE) and reasonable maximum exposure (RME) scenarios. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, and As were almost twice the threshold values established by the Hong Kong Interim Sediment Quality Guidelines (ISQG). Hg, Cu, and Cr concentrations in sediment were 14, 20, and 26 times higher than the Canadian Freshwater Sediment Guidelines for these elements. Also, the concentrations of Pb, Cu, Cr, and Hg were 3, 11, 12, and 16 times more than the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) sediment guideline values. The results of the human health risk assessment indicate that for ingestion of sediment under the central tendency exposure (CTE) scenario, the cancer risks for child and adult residents from exposure to As were $4.18{\times}10^{-6}$ and $1.84{\times}10^{-7}$, respectively. This suggests that up to 4 children out of one million equally exposed children would contract cancer if exposed continuously to As over 70 years (the assumed lifetime). The hazard index for child residents following exposure to Cr(VI) in the RME scenario was 4.2. This is greater than the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) threshold of 1, indicating that adverse health effects to children from exposure to Cr(VI) are possible. This study demonstrates the urgent need to control industrial emissions and the severe heavy metal pollution in gold mining environments.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.45 no.1
• /
• pp.42-53
• /
• 2019

Objectives: The Yongpung reservoir in Korea is a crucial facility that supplies water to farms in its surrounding $2km^2$ area. However, its water quality is not suited to the needs of current residents who wish for the availability of environmentally friendly agricultural products and desire to use the waterfront area. The aim of this research was to evaluate the reservoir's fish and benthic macroinvertebrate distributions and determine its water quality and the heavy metal content in its sediment. This basic data can be used to establish environmentally protective plans for the Yongpung reservoir. Methods: Six sites were selected for analysis in this investigation. Three points (YP-1, YP-2, and YP-3) were evaluated for water quality and metal content in sediments; they were located upstream, midstream, and downstream of the reservoir. Samplings of the fish and benthic macroinvertebrate populations were performed at three other sites: St. 1, St. 2, and St. 3. Results: Based on chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total nitrogen (T-N) data, the quality of the Yongpung reservoir water corresponds to Class VI (very poor) according to Korea's lake environmental standards. The lead levels measured in the sediment at the midstream and downstream points of the reservoir were 76.7 and 72.7 mg/kg, respectively, while 8 orders, 15 families, and 16 species of benthic macroinvertebrates were identified in the reservoir. The ecological score of the benthic macroinvertebrate community (ESB) was between 8 and 23, denoting poor to very poor environmental conditions. Further, 4 families and 7 species of fish were identified in the reservoir, with Cyprinidae accounting for 94.3% of all observed freshwater fish. Conclusion: Based on these findings, we conclude that management plans, including the removal of lead from the sediment, are necessary to improve the quality of the agricultural water in this reservoir. The T. japonica, which cover almost 30% of the water area, must also be removed.