• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.290-298
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• 2014

A bacterial strain with the potential ability to solubilize heavy metals was isolated from heavy metal contaminated soils collected from abandoned mines of Boryeong area in South Korea. The bacterial strain with the highest degree of metal resistance was shown to have close proximity with Shewanella xiamenensis FJ589031, according to 16S rRNA sequence analysis, and selected for investigating the mobilization of metals in soil or plant by the strain. The strain was found to be capable of solubilizing metals both in the absence and in the presence of metals (Co, Pb and Cd). Metal mobilization potential of the strain was assessed in a batch experiment and the results showed that inoculation could increase the concentrations of water soluble Co, Pb and Cd by 48, 34 and 20% respectively, compared with those of non-inoculated soils. Bacterial-assisted growth promotion and metal uptake in sunflower (Helianthus annuus) was evaluated in a pot experiment. In comparison with non-inoculated seedlings, the inoculation led to increase the growth of H. annuus by 24, 18 and 16% respectively in Co, Pb and Cd contaminated soils. Moreover, enhanced accumulation of Co, Pb and Cd in the shoot and root systems was observed in inoculated plants, where metal translocation from root to the above-ground tissues was also found to be enhanced by the strain. Plant growth promotion and metal mobilizing potential of the strain suggest that the strain could effectively be employed in enhancing phytoextraction of Co, Pb and Cd from contaminated soils.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.179-188
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• 2018

BACKGROUND: Reclamation of heavy metal-contaminated agricultural fields has intensively been done to ensure the soil quality and food security. This study evaluated the efficiency and longevity of current physical and chemical approaches for heavy metal-contaminated soils. METHODS AND RESULTS: Concentrations of 0.1 N HCl-leachable trace metals of Cd, Pb, and As from the stabilizing agents-treated soils decreased by 50%, 70%, and 40%, respectively, compared to the control. Among the stabilizing agents, the $CaCO_3$ was the best for stabilization. For physical stabilization, the soil dressing reduced the concentrations of Cd, Pb, and As by 88%, 94%,and 88%, respectively, compared to the control. Moreover, the dilution of the contaminated soils decreased the metals by an average of 25.3% when compared with the control. The longevity of each stabilization method was determined by using the availability assessment of heavy metals in the soils. Results showed that the leaching methods using HCl and $NH_4NO_3$ had 120 and 32 weeks longevity, respectively. Interestingly, any stabilization efficacy was not found over the time for Cd and Pb (i.e., cation metals), whereas the stabilization efficacy of As was sharply decreased under 50% after 32 weeks. However, the change of metal concentration was not significant with the physical stabilization compared to the chemical stabilization. CONCLUSION: The stabilization methods should carefully be selected based on long-term monitoring under climate conditions.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.106-114
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• 2017

There is an increasing concern over heavy metal(loid) contamination of soil in agricultural areas including paddy soils. This study was conducted to determine the bioconcentration factor (BCF) for heavy metal(loid)s to brown rice grown in paddy soils vulnerable to heavy metal(loid)s contamination, for the quantitative health risk assessment to the residents living nearby the metal contaminated regions. The samples were collected from 98 sites nationwide in the year 2015. The mean and range BCF values of As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in brown rice were 0.027 (0.001 ~ 0.224), 0.143 (0.001 ~ 2.434), 0.165 (0.039 ~ 0.819), 0.028 (0.005 ~ 0.187), 0.006 (0.001 ~ 0.048), and 0.355 (0.113 ~ 1.263), respectively, with Zn showing the highest. Even though the relationship between heavy metal(loid) contents in the vulnerable soils and metal contents in brown rice collected at the same fields was not significantly correlated, the relationship between log contents of heavy metal(loid)s in the vulnerable soils and BCF of brown rice wes significantly correlated with As, Cd, Cu, and Zn in rice. In conclusion, soil environmental risk assessment for crop uptake should consider the bioconcentration factor calculated using both the initial and vulnerable heavy metal(loid) contents in the required soil and the crop cultivated in the same fields.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.223-229
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Mining activities, smelter discharges, and sludges are the major sources of heavy metal contamination to soils. The objective of this study was to determine the efficiency of magnetite and bottom ash derived from coal ash in remediating As-contaminated soil. METHODS AND RESULTS: An incubation experiment was conducted for 10 weeks. Magnetite and bottom ash at different rates and ratios were applied to each plastic bottle repacked with 1,000 g of dried As-contaminated soil. After 3-weeks of incubation, the concentrations of available As were measured by using Mehlich-3, SBET, and sequential extraction methods. All of the subjected soil amendments resulted in significant decreases in available As concentration compared to the controls. The addition of magnetite at the highest rate was the best to stabilize As in the soils; however, the values of As concentration varied with the extraction methods. CONCLUSION(S): To ensure the stabilization accuracy of heavy metals in soil, both single and sequential extractions are recommended. The magnetite derived from fly coal ash can also be applicable as a heavy metal stabilizer for the As-contaminated soil.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1-8
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• 2012

The success of stabilization treatment in heavy metal contaminated sediment depends on the heavy metal bioavailability reduction through the sequestration of the heavy metals. This study was performed to assess the changes in the bioavailability of Pb or Cd in the Pb or Cd contaminated sediments by using birnessite and hydroxyapatite as stabilizing agents. The toxicity tests were carried out using a microorganism (Vibrio fischeri), an amphipod (Hyalella azteca) and an earthworm (Eisenia foetida). With Vibrio fischeri, the toxicities of both Pb and Cd were reduced by more than ten times in the presence of birnessite and hydroxyapatite compared to that of in the absence of birnessite and hydroxyapatite. The concentrations of Pb and Cd in the contaminated sediments were lethal to Hyalella azteca, however, in the presence of birnessite and hydroxyapatite more than 90%, on average, of Hyalella azteca survived. With Eisenia foetida, the bioaccumulated concentrations of both Pb and Cd were reduced by more than 75%, on average, lower with the addition of birnessite and hydroxyapatite to the contaminated sediments. These results show that the addition of birnessite and hydroxyapatite can reduce the bioavailability of Pb and Cd in contaminated sediments. In addition, the in situ and ex situ performance of birnessite and hydroxyapatite as stabilizing agents can be verified using the toxicity tests with Hyalella azteca and Eisenia foetida, respectively.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.413-424
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• 2021

In order to enhance rhizoremediation performance, which remediates contaminated soils using the interactions between plants and microorganisms in rhizosphere, it is required to develop effective microbial resources that simultaneously degrade contaminants and promote plant growth. In this study, heavy metal-resistant rhizobacteria, which had been cultivated in soils contaminated with heavy metals (copper, cadmium, and lead) and diesel were isolated from rhizospheres of maize and tall fescue. After that, the isolates were qualitatively evaluated for plant growth promoting (PGP) activities, heavy metal tolerance, and diesel degradability. As a result, six strains with heavy metal tolerance, PGP activities, and diesel degradability were isolated. Strains CuM5 and CdM2 were isolated from the rhizosphere soils of maize, and were identified as belonging to the genus Cupriavidus. From the rhizosphere soils of tall fescue, strains CuT6, CdT2, CdT5, and PbT3 were isolated and were identified as Fulvimonas soli, Cupriavidus sp., Novosphingobium sp., and Bacillus sp., respectively. Cupriavidus sp. CuM5 and CdM2 showed a low heavy metal tolerance and diesel degradability, but exhibited an excellent PGP ability. Among the six isolates, Cupriavidus sp. CdT2 and Bacillus sp. PbT3 showed the best diesel degradability. Additionally, Bacillus sp. PbT3 also exhibited excellent heavy metal tolerance and PGP abilities. These results indicate that the isolates can be used as promising microbial resources to promote plant growth and restore soils with contaminated heavy metals and diesel.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.209-218
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to accumulation of the heavy metals by riparian vegetation throughout analysis of the heavy metal concentration in riparian vegetation, water, and sediment near mine drainage. According to analyzing concentration of the heavy metals in riparian vegetation, water, and sediment the heavy metal was indicated at the leaf significantly. Compared with the concentration of sediment soil, the maximum concentration of the As, Cd, CN, Pb, Zn was higher 2.6, 2.6, 25, non-detect, and 15 times in leaf. Also those concentration have 9.6, 16.6, 25, 1.6, and 25 times in root. As the results, the author can know the sediment has a very relative to vegetation in mine drainage. because, the increasing of concentration of heavy metal in sediment gives the more accumulative concentration of heavy metal in vegetation. Compared with the concentration of conta minated site and non-contaminated site. As, Cd, CN, Pb, Zn the maximum concentration in sediment soil was higher 5.7, 258.1, 10.9, 370.0, and 298.3 times respectively. In case of vegetation, the maximum concentration of the As, Cd, CN, Pb, Zn was higher 5.6, 62.3, 5.0, non-detect, and 30.6 times in leaf. Also those concentration have 8.5, 63.3, 2.6, 60.7, and 62.1 times in root. In this study, the author can surmise that there indicated a lot of adsorption with the heavy metal concentration in contaminated mine drainage.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.56-62
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• 2005

Chemical analyses are generally used to assess contaminated soils and to monitor the efficiency of soil remediation. In this study, the ecotoxicological methods was suggested to evaluate soil pollution by using a battery of bioassay. Plant assay and earthworm assay were conducted to evaluate ecotoxicity o soils contaminated by heavy metals (cadmium and copper) and oil (BTEX compounds, toluene). Test plants were Zea may, Triticum aestivum, Cucumis sativus, and Sorghum bicolor. The presence of heavy metals decreased the seedling growth. Cucumis sativus and Sorghum bicolor seemed to be good indicator plants which are sensitive to heavy metal pollution as well as BTEX contamination. An earthworm bioassay was performed to predict the ecotoxicity in toluene-contaminated soils, based on a simple contact method. Perionyx excavatus was adopted as a test earthworm species, and the severity of response increased with increasing toluene concentration. The present study demonstrated that ecotoxicological methods could be a quantitative approach to evaluate contaminated soils.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.565-571
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the tolerance of some resistant fungal strains from soils contaminated with heavy metals. Various fungal strains were isolated from soil samples collected from studied sites which heavy metals and other pollutants have been emitted in effluents for several years. Fungi isolated belong to different genera; however, Penicillium spp. showed the most frequent species. The microbial number was remarkably higher in the control soil than contaminated soil samples collected from mining areas. $Pb^{2+}$ and $Zn^{2+}$ had the highest concentration in the polluted soils ranging from 89 - 3,521 ppm and 98 - 4,383 ppm, respectively. The minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) of $Pb^{+2}$ and $Zn^{+2}$ showed the highest values against the fungal strains. $Ni^{+2}$ and $Co^{+2}$ were the lowest contaminants in the polluted soils with the concentration of 5 to 12.1 ppm and 1.8 to 4.8 ppm, respectively. The tested resistant strains showed the strongest inhibition for $Ni^{+2}$ and $Co^{+2}$ up to 200-400 ppm. Cadmium was the most highly toxic heavy metal for most of strains, however, 1 mM of $Cr^{3+}$, $Cu^{2+}$ and $Pb^{2+}$ accelerated the growth of Penicillium verrucosum KNU3. $Cu^{+2}$ and $Zn^{+2}$ at concentration of 1 mM did not affect the growth rate P. funiculosum KNU4. Tolerance of fungal species to heavy metals appears to be strain and origin dependent.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1431-1438
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• 2009

The role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in the phytoremediation of heavy-metal-contaminated soils is important in overcoming its limitations for field application. A plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium, Serratia sp. SY5, was isolated from the rhizoplane of barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) grown in petroleum and heavy-metal-contaminated soil. This isolate has shown capacities for indole acetic acid production and siderophores synthesis. Compared with a non-inoculated control, the radicular root growth of Zea mays seedlings inoculated with SY5 can be increased by 27- or 15.4-fold in the presence of 15 mg-Cd/l or 15 mg-Cu/l, respectively. The results from hydroponic cultures showed that inoculation of Serratia sp. SY5 had a favorable influence on the initial shoot growth and biomass of Zea mays under noncontaminated conditions. However, under Cd-contaminated conditions, the inoculation of SY5 significantly increased the root biomass of Zea mays. These results indicate that Serratia sp. SY5 can serve as a promising microbial inoculant for increased plant growth in heavy-metal-contaminated soils to improve the phytoremediation efficiency.