• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.82-90
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• 2019

Meeting the regulations based on the short-term leaching tests may not necessarily assure the environmental and human health safety of reusing mine wastes. This study investigated heavy metal leachability of four metal mine waste samples (e.g., Z, Y, H, and M) and human health risk of reusing them as construction materials. The heavy metal leachability did not depend on the total heavy metal contents. For example, the Z sample contained greater amounts of As and Fe than Zn, but the leachates contained only Zn at a detectable level. This can be attributed to the crystalline structure and heavy metal fractions of the mine wastes. The leaching test results suggested that the four mine waste samples are potentially reusable. But the Z and M samples reused in industrial areas imposed carcinogenic risks. This was largely attributed to As that is exposed via dermal contact. The Y and H samples reused in residential areas imposed carcinogenic risk. The major exposure route was the ingestion of crops grown on the mine wastes and Cr was the major concern. The two-stage assessment involving leaching tests and risk assessment can be used to promote safe reuse of mine wastes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2001.09a
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• pp.224-227
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• 2001

In general, municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash (MSWIF) has a potential hazardous leaching of heavy metal with subsurface environment variation. Therefore, to remove the heavy metal from MSWIF electrokinetic technology were used. With constant current density condition heavy metals in MSWIF removed by ion migration. During 7 days operation 40~80% of Cr, Cd and As were removed and longer operation, 14 days treatment, showed 35~100% removal efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.289-292
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• 2003

Laboratory tests were performed to investigate the dielectric property of saturated sands contaminated by heavy metals solution at low frequency. Differences of contamination and the real part of dielectric constant depend on heavy metal concentration was measured at low frequency, 100KHz below. The optimal frequency to develop the detection potentials of monitoring was 1KHz, 10KHz, 100KHz. At this frequency, Heavy metal contamination of saturated sands contamination can be recommended by analysis of complex dielectric constant.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.797-802
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• 2017

This study aimed to remove organic matter and heavy metals that could affect the recycling of soils contaminated by heavy metals, by means of electrolysis, carried out simultaneously with the leaching of the soil. To ensure better experimental equipment, a soil electrolysis apparatus, equipped with spiral paddles, was used to agitate the heavy-metal-contaminated soil effectively. The heavy-metal-contaminated soil was electrolyzed by varying the voltage to 5 V(Condition 1), 15 V(Condition 2), and 20 V(Condition 3), under the optimal operating conditions of the electrolysis apparatus, as determined through previous studies. The results showed that the pH of the electrolyte solution and the heavy-metal-contaminated soil, after electrolysis, tended to decrease with an increase in voltage. The highest removal efficiencies of TOC and $COD_{Cr}$ were 18.8% and 29.1%, 38.8% and 4.2%, and 33.3% and 50.0%, under conditions 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Heavy metals such as Cd and As were not detected in this experiment. The removal efficiencies of Cu, Pb and Cr were 4.7%, 8.3% and 2.1%, respectively, under Condition 1, while they were 42.9%, 15.2% and 22.1%, respectively, under Condition 2, and 4.7%, 23.0%, and 24.9%, respectively, under Condition 3. These results suggest that varying the voltage with the soil electrolysis apparatus for removing contaminants for the recycling of heavy-metal-contaminated soil allows the selective removal of contaminants. Therefore, the results of this study can be valuable as basic data for future studies on soil remediation.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.277-284
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• 2012

This study developed a new ceramics in which natural zeolite was mixed and calcined with industrial by-product such as converter slag, red mud, and fly ash and evaluated the feasibility of the ceramics for removal of heavy metals in acid wastewater. The removal rate of heavy metal by ceramics increased in the order of ZS (zeolite and slag) > ZR (zeolite and red mud) > ZF (zeolite and fly ash) ceramics. The alkalinity increment and coherence of ceramics were increased in the order of ZS > ZR > ZF ceramics. The mixing ratio of natural zeolite to industrial by-product for maximum removal efficiency of heavy metal was 1:1 for ZS ceramics and 1:3 for ZR and ZF ceramics. The order of removal efficiency of heavy metal was observed to be ZS > ZR > ZF ceramics under the mixing ratio of 1:1 for ZS ceramics and 1:3 for ZR and ZF ceramics. The removal efficiency of heavy metal by ZS ceramics with 1:1 mixing ratio was Al 100%, Cd 54.6%, Cr 99.9%, Cu 98.7%, Fe 99.9%, Mn 42.2%, Ni 59.9%, Pb 99.8%, Zn 87.6%, respectively. In addition, the removal capacity of heavy metal by ZS ceramics was observed to be Al 2.01 mM/g, Cd 0.27 mM/g, Cr 1.02 mM/g, Cu 0.83 mM/g, Fe 0.95 mM/g, Mn 0.41 mM/g, Ni 0.55 mM/g, Pb 0.25 mM/g, Zn 0.70 mM/g, respectively. The comparative evaluation in the light of removal capacity, alkalinity increment, and coherence of ceramics showed the ZS ceramics had higher feasibility as a media than others for removal of heavy metals in acid wastewater.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Heavy metals discharged from various sources contaminate the soil and water and the residuals can persistently be accumulated. In this study, the concentration of soil heavy metals was assessed over the whole regions of Korea based on the contamination factor and the geoaccumulation index. METHODS AND RESULTS: The data of averaged concentrations of heavy metals and fluorine were collected from the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS) and the research papers published. In order to classify the levels of heavy metal concentration, the contamination index, including the contamination factor and the geoaccumulation index, based on the relative ratio of the actual concentration of heavy metals in the soil to the background concentration was calculated. In addition, the distribution of heavy metals in soils was visualized by using the geographic information system (GIS). As a result, the Cd contamination in the soils was the most concerned. CONCLUSION(S): This study very roughly indicated the outline of heavy metal concentration over the whole regions of Korea. The change in heavy metals' concentration over the time should further be monitored and the larger data of heavy metal contamination are needed for better understanding in the future.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.157-162
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated the atmospheric heavy metal concentrations in the particulate matter inside the subway stations of Seoul. In particular, we examined the correlation between the heavy metals and studied the effect of the heavy metals on cell proliferation. In six selected subway stations in Seoul, particulate matter was captured at the platforms and 11 types of heavy metals were analyzed. The results showed that the mean concentration of iron was the highest out of the heavy metals in particulate matter, followed by copper, potassium, calcium, zinc, nickel, sodium, manganese, magnesium, chromium and cadmium in that order. The correlation analysis showed that the correlations between the heavy metals was highest in the following order: (Cu vs Zn), (Ca vs Na), (Ca vs Mn), (Ni vs Cr), (Na vs Mn), (Cr vs Cd), (Zn vs Cd), (Cu vs Cd), (Ni vs Cd), (Cu vs Ni), (K vs Zn), (Cu vs K), (Cu vs Cr), (K vs Cd), (Zn vs Cr), (K vs Ni), (Zn vs Ni), (K vs Cr), and (Fe vs Cu). The correlation coefficient between zinc and copper was 0.937, indicating the highest correlation. Copper, zinc, nickel, chromium and cadmium, which are generated from artificial sources in general, showed correlations with many of the other metals and the correlation coefficients were also relatively high. The effect of the heavy metals on cell proliferation was also investigated in this study. Cultured cell was exposed to 10 mg/l or 100 mg/l of iron, copper, calcium, zinc, nickel, manganese, magnesium, chromium and cadmium for 24 hours. The cell proliferation in all the heavy metal-treated groups was not inhibited at 10 mg/l of the heavy metal concentration. The only exception to this was with the cadmium-treated group which showed a strong cell proliferation inhibition. This study provides the fundamental data for the understanding of simultaneous heavy metal exposure tendency at the time of particulate matter exposure in subway stations and the identification of heavy metal sources. Moreover, this study can be used as the fundamental data for the cell toxicity study of the subway-oriented heavy metal-containing particulate matter.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.115-118
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• 1996

The study on the cytotoxicities of heavy metals, metal-metal and metal-chelator combinations was carried out to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of those on mouse L929 fibroblasts. The colorimetric assays (NR and MTT) were conveniently carried out in 96-well microtiter plates. The rank order was Cd > Zn Ni > Cr(III) for the heavy metals tested. Examination of the effect of metal-metal interaction on cytotoxicity showed a moderate reduction of cadmium toxicity by zinc. The colorimetric assays were also effectively used to investigate the effect of the chelators, ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) and chitosan. Reduction of heavy metal toxixity by chelator was efficient.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.56-63
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• 2003

Fractional composition and mobility of sediments some heavy metals in Okdong stream are investigated. The fractional scheme for sediment heavy metal was made for five chemically defined heavy metal forms as adsorbed fraction, carbonate fraction, reducible fraction, organic fraction, and residual fraction (Tessier et at., 1979). The most abundant fraction of the sediment heavy metal is reducible and secondly abundant organic fraction. Adsorbed fraction is minor part of the total heavy metals. Mobilization of sediment heavy metals in stream Okdong is occur 19.8∼56.7% of total cadmium concentrate. The most abundant fraction of the sediment metal is organic fraction in Cu, Pb metals investigated. Labile fraction of sediment metals are 0.5%∼48.5% of total Zn, 2.6%∼48.1% of total Pb, 0.2∼36.9% of total Cu respectively, Most of labile fraction consists of reducible fraction for Cd, Zn, adsorbed fraction for Pb, reducible fraction for Cu, adsorbed fraction for Ni. The Mobilization of Zn and Cu is most likely to occur when oxygen depletes and that of Pb and Ni occurs when physical impact, oxygen depletion and pH reduction.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 1998

The heavy metal concentrations of seawater collected from the Onsan coastal zone in February and July 1996 and mussels(Mytilus edulis) in February 1997 were analysed. The concentrations of cadmium in seawater were in the range of 0.008-2.988 ${\mu}g/L$, while the ranges of copper and zinc concentrations were 0.08-2.55, and 0.21-35.12 ${\mu}g/L$, respectively. The metal concentrations decreased gradually with increasing distances from Daejeong stream, indicating that this stream was the major source of heavy metal input into the Onsan coastal zone. The concentrations of cadmium, copper and zinc in mussels were in the ranges of 1.40-25.09, 8.5-64.5, and 46.8-291.2 ${\mu}g/g$, respectively. The metal concentrations decreased gradually with increasing distances from Daejeong stream. Among organs of mussels, gill showed the highest concentrations of cadmium and the digestive gland showed the highest concentrations of copper and for zine the kidney showed the highest concentrations. The digestive gland and kidney revealed high proportion of cadmium in cytosolic fraction and the percentage of copper was high in the kidney and that of zine was high in the digestive gland. Metal-binding protein of mussels collected from the mouth of Daejeong stream was separated, using gel-filtration chromatography. In the kidney and gill of mussels, most of cadmium was associated with metal-binding protein. In contrast, most of the metal in the digestive gland and remaining tissues is bound to high molecular weight protein rather than metal-binding protein.