• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.108-115
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• 2012

The Urban Areas Working Group within the EMRAS-2 ($\underline{E}$nvironmental $\underline{M}$odelling for $\underline{RA}$diation $\underline{S}$afety, Phase 2), which has been supported by the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), has designed some types of accidental scenarios to test and improve the capabilities of models used for evaluation of radioactive contamination in urban areas. For the comparison of the results predicted from the different models, the absorbed doses in air were analyzed as a function of time following the accident with consideration of countermeasures to be taken. Two kinds of considerations were performed to find the dependency of the predicted results. One is the 'accidental season', i.e. summer and winter, in which an event of radioactive contamination takes place in a specified urban area. Likewise, the 'rainfall intensity' on the day of an event was also considered with the option of 1) no rain, 2) light rain, and 3) heavy rain. The results predicted using a domestic model of METRO-K have been submitted to the Urban Areas Working Group for the intercomparison with those of other models. In this study, as a part of these results using METRO-K, the countermeasures effectiveness in terms of dose reduction was analyzed and presented for the ground floor of a 24-story business building in a specified urban area. As a result, it was found that the countermeasures effectiveness is distinctly dependent on the rainfall intensity on the day of an event, and season when an event takes place. It is related to the different deposition amount of the radionuclides to the surfaces and different behavior on the surfaces following a deposition, and different effectiveness from countermeasures. In conclusion, a selection of appropriate countermeasures with consideration of various environmental conditions may be important to minimize and optimize the socio-economic costs as well as radiation-induced health detriments.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.59-77
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• 2015

In order to meet the new requirements for landfill materials, this study planned a study to apply mixed soil of mixing bottom ash and coastal dredged soil to the dredged ground. Coal ash generated from thermal power plant is divided into fly ash and bottom ash. In the case of fly ash, many studies have been conducted because small particles causes permeability coefficient to be small during recycling so no problem has been raised in the environmental area but the utilization of bottom ash has been limited because environmental problems have been raised during recycling due to its larger particle size and greater permeability coefficient. According to recently published studies, however, the results of the study that conducted the water analysis of leachate generated in the ground improvement section using bottom ash showed that heavy metal contamination levels were found to be within the reference value and no significant environmental problems were found so utilization of bottom ash is evaluated to increase significantly in the future. This bottom ash has the particle size of sand and only transportation costs need to be considered when providing materials because the majority has been disposed and it is judged as the most suitable material in dredging landfill in the economic aspect because most thermal power plants are located in the coast and transportation costs can be reduced by ship. Also, research on mixed soil that can maximize the effect of the construction period and construction cost savings than dredged soil is determined as needed because the demand for coastal dredging reclamation is increasing such as Saemangeum project etc. Therefore, we studied self-weight consolidation characteristics depending on sample processing and mixing method of mixed soil by carrying out interior self-weight consolidation experiments on mixed soil of mixing bottom ash and Kaolinite according to the new development needs of recent coastal reclaimed ground and these result findings are expected to be used as basic data when applying the large coastal dredged ground in the future.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.255-264
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• 2012

The stabilization using limestone ($CaCO_3$) and steel making slag as the immobilization amendments for Cu and Pb contaminated farmland soils was investigated by batch tests, continuous column experiments and the pilot scale feasibility study with 4 testing grounds at the contaminated site. From the results of batch experiment, the amendment with the mixture of 3% of limestone and 2% of steel making slag reduced more than 85% of Cu and Pb compared with the soil without amendment. The acryl column (1 m in length and 15 cm in diameter) equipped with valves, tubes and a sprinkler was used for the continuous column experiments. Without the amendment, the Pb concentration of the leachate from the column maintained higher than 0.1 mg/L (groundwater tolerance limit). However, the amendment with 3% limestone and 2% steel making slag reduced more than 60% of Pb leaching concentration within 1 year and the Pb concentration of leachate maintained below 0.04 mg/L. For the testing ground without the amendment, the Pb and Cu concentrations of soil water after 60 days incubation were 0.38 mg/L and 0.69 mg/l, respectively, suggesting that the continuous leaching of Cu and Pb may occur from the site. For the testing ground amended with mixture of 3% of limestone + 2% of steel making slag, no water soluble Pb and Cu were detected after 20 days incubation. For all testing grounds, the ratio of Pb and Cu transfer to plant showed as following: root > leaves(including stem) > rice grain. The amendment with limestone and steel making slag reduced more than 75% Pb and Cu transfer to plant comparing with no amendment. The results of this study showed that the amendment with mixture of limestone and steel making slag decreases not only the leaching of heavy metals but also the plant transfer from the soil.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.79-89
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• 2009

For preliminary diagnosis on current fishing ground environment and basic information for establishment of effective and rational management policy in fisheries resources protection area, water and sediment quality and changes of total area in the 10 marine protection areas designated for fisheries resources management in Korea were assessed. Results showed that environmental quality in these areas has been degraded by pollution sources, coastal utilization and development stress, etc. The pattern and degree of contamination differed by protection areas, suggesting that it is necessary for optimum environmental management plan considering the regional characteristics. The total designated area of protection areas in 2003 changed by $-22.9{\sim}2.4%$, on average -6.4%, compared with the first year of designation; Wando-Doam Bay showd the highest increase rate (2.4%), and Hansan Bay has the highest decrease rate (-22.9%) Decrease rate of land and sea in total area showd 6.1% and 6.6%. An integrated management of environmental data in protection areas is required for systematic assessment. Therefore, the suitable environmental and information management is needed specifically considering the environment characteristics such as development and utilization conditions of land and sea area Furthermore, bemuse urbanization and industrialization threats the junctions of the protection areas, authorized ministry (MIFAFF) should develope and establish monitoring and management procedures based on the related laws.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.504-513
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• 2009

In this study, the safety of commercial herbal medicines was evaluated by determining concentration of hazardous heavy metals. 3,152 samples (244 types) purchased by individual packing unit from market in Seoul, were analyzed using ICP-MS and mercury analyzer. As a result, the content (mg $kg^{-1}$) of Pb was higher in the above-ground part (0.92) than underground part (0.43). But in case of As and Cd contents, there is slightly higher in the underground-parts (0.26, 0.13) than the above-ground parts (0.18, 0.08). There were many herbal medicines exceeding regulatory limits of Cd comparing with other metals. The levels of Hg seemed to be different between above-ground part(0.009) and underground part (0.008) but there was no sample exceeding tolerance limits. In the comparison of imported samples with domestic herbal medicines, it was shown that Pb, As, and Hg were measured highly in the imported ones, Cd was not significantly different (t-test, p<0.05). The significant correlation was observed between Pb and As (r=0.386, p<0.01) but there was no difference in other parts. The heavy metal contamination of herbal medicines measured in total amount of respective heavy metals (mg $kg^{-1}$) was high in Flos (6.241) and Caulis (2.238), and decreased in the order of Cortex (1.634), Herba (1.154), Perithecium (0.861), Rhizoma (0.828), Radix (0.825), Fructus (0.475), and was low in Semen (0.422) (ANOVA-test, p<0.05).

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.27-35
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• 2003

The study site located in an industrial complex has a Precambrian age gneiss as a bedrock. The poorly-developed, disturbed soils in the study site have loamy-textured surface soil (1 to 2 m) and gravelly sand alluvium subsurface (2 to 6 m) on the top of weathered gneiss bedrock. The depth of the groundwater table was about 3.5 m below ground surface and increased toward down-gradient of the site. The hydraulic conductivity of transmitted zone (gravelly coarse sand) was in the range of 5.0${\times}$10$\^$-2/∼1.85${\times}$10$\^$-1/ cm/sec. The fine sand layer was in the range of 1.5${\times}$10$\^$-3/ to 7.6${\times}$10$\^$-3/ cm/sec. and the reclaimed upper soil layer was less than 10$\^$-4/ cm/sec. Toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (TEX) was the major contaminant in the soil and groundwater. The average depth of the soil contamination was about 1.5 m in the gravelly sand alluvium layer. At the depth interval 2.4∼4.8 m, the highest contamination in the soil is located approximately 50 to 70 m from the suspected source areas. The concentration of TEX in the groundwater was highest in the suspected source area and a lesser concentration in the center and southwest parts of the site. The TEX distribution in the groundwater is associated with their distribution in the soil. Microbial isolation showed that Pseudomonas flurescence, Burkholderia cepacia, and Acinetobactor lwoffi were the dominant aerobic bacteria in the contaminated soils. The analytical results of the groundwater indicated that the concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO), nitrate, and sulfate in the contaminated area were significantly lower than their concentrations in the none-contaminated control area. The results also indicated that groundwater at the contaminated area is under anaerobic condition and sulfate reduction is the predominant terminal electron accepting process. The total attenuation rate was 0.0017 day$\^$-1/ and the estimated first-order degradation rate constant (λ) was 0.0008 day$\^$-1/.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.3-21
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• 1997

The remediation of contamiated sites using currently available remediation technologies requires long term treatment and huge costs, and it is uncertain to achieve the remediation goal to drop contamination level to either back-ground or health-based standards by using such technologies. Intrinsic remediation technology is the remediation technology that relies on the mechanisms of natural attenuation for the containment and elimination of contaminants in subsurface environments. Initial costs for the intrinsic remediation may be higher than conventional treatment technologies because the most comprehensive site assessment for intrinsic remediation is required. Total remediation cost, however may be the lowest among the presently employed technologies. The applicability of intrinsic remediation in the contaminated sites should be theroughly investigated to achieve the remedial goal of the technology. This paper provides the frame of the extended site assessment procedure based on knowledge of biodegradability to evaluate the applicability of intrinsic remediation. This site assessment procedure is composed of 5 steps such as preliminary site screening, assessment of the current knowledge of biodegradability, selecting the appropriate approach, analyzing the contaminant fate and transport and planning the monitoring schedule. In the step 1, followings are to be decided 1) whether to go on the the detailed assessment or not based on the rules of thumb concerning the biodegradability of organic compounds, 2) which protocol document is selected to follow for detailed site assessment according to the site characteristics, contaminants and the relative distance between the contamination and potential receptors. In the step 2, the database for biodegradability are searched and evaluated. In the step 3, the appropriate biodegradability pathways for the contaminated site is selected. In the step 4, the fate and transport of the contaminants at the site are analyzed through modeling. In the step 5, the monitoring schedule is planned according to the result of the modeling. Through this procedure, users may able to have the rational and systematic informations for the application of intrinsic remediation. Also the collected data and informations can be used as the basic to re-select the other remediation technology if it reaches a conclusion not to applicate intrinsic remediation technology at the site from the site assessment procedure.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.328-336
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• 2008

Metal mining district drainage is a well recognized source of environmental contamination. Oxidation of metal sulfides produces acidic and metal-rich waters that contaminate local surface water and ground water in mines, mine dumps, and tailing impoundments. This monitoring study was carried out to investigate the stream water quality and pollution as affected by the Sambo mine drainage in relation to the relative distance from the mine. It obvious that pH values of the mine drainage ranged from 5.8 to 6.9, while the average concentrations of the dissolved chemical constituents for EC, $SO_4^{2-}$, $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ were $1.77\;dS\;m^{-1}$, 929, 14.6, 263.3, and 46.9 mg/L in mine drainage discharged from the main waste rock dumps (WRD), respectively. Furthermore, EC values and sulfate concentrations exceeded the critical toxicity levels in agricultural water for rice plant ($1.0\;dS\;m^{-1}$ for EC and 54.0 mg/L for $SO_4^{2-}$). Also, the average of dissolved cadmium concentrations ($0.016{\sim}0.021\;mg/L$) was higher than water quality standard (0.01 mg/L) for agricultural water in Korea, in addition to Zn, Fe and Mn were higher than trace metals maximum concentrations which recommended by FAO for irrigation water. The results indicate that mine drainage discharged from the Sambo mine affected stream water at least to distance of 1 km downstream of the mine water discharge point. EC values, $SO_4^{2-}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ concentrations in discharged water positively correlated with dissolved Cd, Zn, Al and Mn concentrations, while the pH values negatively correlated. In addition, EC values, $SO_4^{2-}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ concentrations were negatively correlated with pH values.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.29-33
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• 2004

Until early 1980s we have lived without thinking that radon ruins our health. But, scientists knew truth that radon radioactive danger is bedeviling on indoor that we live for a long time. Specially, interest about effect that get in danger and injury for Radon and human body is inactive in our country. Recently, with awareness for Radon contamination, We inform about importance and danger of Radon in some station of the Seoul subway, indoor air of school facilities and We had interest with measure and manages. Usually, Radon gas emitted in base of building enters into indoor through building floor split windage back among radon or indoor air of radon daughter nucleus contamination is increased. Therefore, indoor radon concentration rises as there are a lot of windages between number pipe of top and bottom and base that enter crack from estrangement of the done building floor, underground to indoor. Thus, Radon enters into indoor through architecture resources water as well as, kitchen natural gas for choice etc., but more than about 85% from earth's crust emit. Danger and injury of health by Radon and Radon daughter nucleus that is indicated for cause of lung cancer incerases content of uranium of soil rises specially from inside pit of High area and a mine, cave, hermetical space with house. Safe sub-officer of radon concentration can not know and danger always exists large or small during. So, Important thing reduces danger of lung cancer by lowering concentration of Radon within house and building. Therefore, is thought that need general house Radon concentration measurement, measured Radon concentration monthly using Sintillator radon monitor. Study finding appeared high all underground market 1 year than the ground, and the winter appeared high than the summer. Specially, month that pass over 4pCi in house that United States Environmental Protection Agency advises appeared in underground, and appeared and know Radon exposure gravity by 4 months during 12 months. Therefore, Thinking that establishment and regulation of norm and preparation of reduction countermeasure about Radon are pressing feels, and inform result that measure Radon concentration.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.35-48
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• 2021

In this study, the assessment of field applicability of in-situ remediation of nitrate-contaminated groundwater located in Yesan-gun was performed. Zero-valent iron/bio composite media injected PRB (Permeable Reactive Barrier) and monitoring well were installed in the contaminated groundwater site and monitored main remediation indicators during the PRB operation. Nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, Fe ion, TOC, and turbidity were analyzed and the diversity and population of microorganism in the PRB installed site were investigated for the verification of effect of injected PRB. In the study site where is an agricultural area, a river flows from west to east that forms a river boundary and the southern area has an impermeable sector. It was found that nitrate flows into the river, which is similar as groundwater flow. Simulation result for the fate of nitrate in groundwater showed steady state of nitrate arrived after 3~5 years passed. However, it is just to consider current conditions with no additional input of contaminant source, if additional input of contaminant source occurs contamination dispersion and time for steady state are expected to be increased. The monitoring results showed that Fe ion, TOC and turbidity in groundwater were not clearly changed in concentration after PRB installation, which indicates adaptability of the injected PRB for remediation of groundwater with no additional harmful effect to water quality. The concentration of nitrate maintained less than 5mg/L until 42 days after PRB installation and recovered its initial concentration after 84 days passed and showed termination of reactivity of injected zero-valent iron/bio composite media for removal nitrate. Nitrite and ammonia ions found after installation of PRB indicates reductive removal of nitrate. And the outstanding increase of microorganism diversity and population of Betaproteobacteria Class which includes denitrification microorganism explains biologically reductive removal of nitrate in injected PRB.