• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.504-510
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• 2014

In this study, physico-chemical properties and pollution degree of surface sediments collected at 5 stations(S1~S5) of Incheon H wharf in March 2014 were investigated. From particle size, surface area, XRD and XRF analyses, the sediment samples consisted of similar oxides and minerals. Considering total score of COD, AVS and IL, pollution level ranged between 2 and 3 based on domestic standards. In case of heavy metal contamination, Cd, Ni and Pb were classified as moderately polluted by USEPA standards. However, Cu, Zn and Cr were classified as heavily polluted. With geoaccumulation index value($I_{geo}$), Cd contamination was estimated as class 3. In addition, the calculated enrichment factors of Cd, Pb and Zn were exceeded a value of 1. Site S4 was high as 3.1 in total enrichment factor.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.717-726
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• 2022

This study was conducted to assess the geochemical contamination degree of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, and Zn in the soil and water samples from an abandoned gold mine. Enrichment Factor (EF), Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), and Pollution Load Index (PLI) were carried out to assess the geochemical contamination degree of the soil samples. Variations of sulfate and heavy metals concentration in water samples were determined to identify the geochemical distribution with respect to the distance from the mine tailing dam. Geochemical pollution indices indicated significant contaminated with As, Cd, Pb, and Zn in the soil samples that areas close to the mine tailing dam, while, Sb showed similar indices in all soil samples. These results indicated that the As, Cd, Pb, and Zn dispersion has occurred via anthropogenic sources, such as mining activities. In terms of water samples, anomalies in the concentrations of As, Cd, Zn, and SO₄^2- was determined at specific area, in addition, the concentrations of the elements gradually decreased with distance. This result implies the heavy metals distribution in water has carried out by the weathering of sulfide minerals in the mine tailing and soil. The study area has been conducted the remediation of contaminated soil in the past, however, the geochemical dispersion of heavy metals was supposed to be occurred from the potential contamination source. Therefore, continuous monitoring of the soil and water is necessary after the completion of remediation.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.6-13
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: Most of the tailings have been left without any management in abandoned metalliferous mines and have become the main source of heavy metal contamination for agricultural soils and crops in the these areas. METHODS AND RESULTS: This experiment was carried out to investigate the assessment of the heavy metal contamination in paddy soils located on downstream of the closed metalliferous mine. The average total concentrations of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and arsenic (As) in paddy soils were 8.88, 56.7, 809, 754, and 37.9 mg/kg, respectively. Specially, the average concentrations of Cd, Pb and Zn were higher than those of warning criteria for soil contamination(4 mg/kg for Cd, 200 mg/kg for Pb, and 300 mg/kg for Zn) in agricultural soil established by Soil Environmental Conservation Act in Korea. The proportions of 0.1 M HCl extractable Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and As concentration to total concentration of these heavy metals in paddy soils were 27.7, 21.3, 35.1, 13.8 and 10.5%, respectively. The pollution index of these five metals in paddy soils ranged from 0.42 to 11.92. Also, the enrichment factor (EFc) of heavy metals in paddy soils were in the order as Cd>Pb>Zn>Cu>As, and the enrichment factor in paddy soil varied considerably among the sampling sites. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) of heavy metals in soils were in the order as Cd>Pb>Zn>Cu>As, specially, the average geoaccumulation index of Cd, Pb, and Zn (Igeo 2.49~3.10) were relatively higher than that of other metals in paddy soils. CONCLUSION: Based on the pollution index, enrichment factor, and geoaccumulation index for heavy metal in paddy soils located on downstream of closed metalliferous mine, the main contaminants are mine waste materials and mine drainage including mine activity.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.799-811
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• 2019

The aim of this study was to evaluate heavy metal contamination and pollution index of agricultural soils around industrial complexes in the Jeon-Buk Regions of Korea. Soil samples near industrial complexes in 2017 were collected at two depths (0 - 15 and 15 - 30 cm) within a 500- and 1000-meter radius before planting. Eight heavy metals (Arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), Cupper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and zinc (Zn)) and the pollution index (PI), geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and soil pollution index (SPI) were evaluated based on soil contamination warning standard (SCWS). Overall, the heavy metal concentrations were below the SCWS. The PI ranged from 0.1 to 0.9 and categorized into Group 1 which is not polluted with any heavy metals. The average Igeo values of all the soil samples ranged from - 2.56 to 3.22. The Igeo values of Cd and Hg may not represent well the pollution index because the heavy metal concentrations in the soil is lower compared to the SCWS. In fact, based on the heavy metal concentrations, the Igeo for monitored soils should be categorized into Group 1, uncontaminated to moderately contaminated. However, the Igeo of Cd and Hg are classified into heavily contaminated. These results suggest that for calculating the Igeo, the heavy metal concentration and background concentration should be used very carefully if the heavy metal concentration in the soil is lower than the background concentration. SPI for all the soil samples ranged from 0.00 to 0.11 which indicates no heavy metal pollution was observed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.1 s.182
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• pp.15-28
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• 2007

The study is for contaminations of major, rare earth and trace elements of the farmland soils from the Boeunjeil mine area. The results are compared with the soils of Chungjoo, Deokpyeong, Boeun and Chubu areas. Fe and S contents of the contaminated area are high relative to those from the uncontaminated areas, Chungjoo and Boeun areas. Trace elements of the contaminated area are high relative to those from uncontaminated area, Chunajoo, Deokpyeong, Boeun and Chubu areas. The trace elements ares divided into Cd, Ni, Sr, U, V, Zn and As, Co, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sb, based on these dispersion and correlation. Two groups show the positive correlation. Enrichment factor of potentially toxic elements from contaminated area is >5 value, but <4 value in the uncontaminated area. In the geoaccumulation index of the minor elements, the contaminated area has >1 value and the uncontaminated area has <1 value except Mn. Enrichment index of potentially toxic elements(As, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, U, Zn) ranges from 0.3 to 87.0 in the contaminated area and from 0.4 to 3.9 in the uncontaminated area. Overall results show that the high contents of farmland soils for the elements(Fe, S, As, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, U, Zn) indicate the contamination by coal-related activities.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.923-931
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• 2005

A study was carried out to identify the major causes of sediments pollution in the Paldang Lake in the vicinity of Gyeongan river. Samples from 40 sites were collected and analyzed to characterize the regional distributions of grain size, organic matter contents, and concentrations of T-N, T-P and heavy metals. contaminations. The mean grain size(Mz) ranged from sand type(Mz, $1{\sim}3\;{\phi}$) where Bukhan River and Namhan River converges at a high flow rate to silt type(Mz, $5{\sim}10\;{\phi}$) at the downstream of Gyeongancheon and Paldang lake, reflecting the water circulation in the area. Except sampling point St. 36 near the wetland, the determination coefficient($r^2$) of Mz and organic matter(LOI) was 0.88, showing that more organic matters are concentrated inside finer sediments. The concentrations of T-N and T-P in sediments were higher in the area at which Mz and organic matters are also higher. High concentrations of T-P analyzed in the sediments, ranging from $216{\sim}1,623\;{\mu}g/g$ (Avg. $769\;{\mu}g/g$) could be considered as a critical level. Adsorbed-P and NAI-P, which are easily released to the surrounding environments when physico-chemical characteristics of sediments are changed, was found to be around 20%, which was showed by the result of fractionated-P. Moreover, Principle Component Analysis(PCA), showed that high concentrations of T-N, T-P, organophilic metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) are distributed in the areas where high organic matter contents and fine grain-sized sediments are found. However, results of $I'_{geo}$ (Geoaccumulation Index) that considers the grain size of sediments showed that heavy metal concentrations in the lake was low enough to be considered as Class 1 indicating the relative degree of pollution was less than zero.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.358-371
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• 2014

For the systematic scientific management in Cheonsu Bay of Korea, this study was conducedt to survey the particle composition, organic matter(I.L.) and heavy metals in farming and non-farming areas. The sediment of study area showed feature mixed property by sand, silt and clay. The farming area showed superior by fine-grained sediment, non-farming area showed superior by coarse-grained sediment. The organic pollution of farming area were appeared to be heavily polluted more than non-farming area. The concentration of total nitorgen in sediment was higher farming area than non-farming area. Also, in the case of heavy metals pollution in sediments, farming area was higher than non-farming area. The correlation analysis among to heavy metals, organic matter and particle size was found to have a good interrelationship. For evaluation of heavy metals pollution of sediments, three criteria are applied, Enrichment Factor(EF), Geoaccumulation index(Igeo) and NOAA criteria for sediment. In the case of EF, Heavy metals pollution was appeared to artificial effect all heavy metals if except Cu. In the case of Geoaccumulation index, Cu, Al, Pb was shown zero grade, that is non polluted group, and Cd, Hg, Cr was shown to 0~1 grade, that is mid polluted group, As was shown to 2 grade, that is moderately polluted group. In the case of NOAA, pollution levels of heavy metals except Cd belonged to a group of ERL(Effect range low)~ERM(Effect range median).

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.346-360
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• 2003

In order to investigate the geochemical characteristics of surface sediments in streams of Gwangju City, sediment samples from the main stream of Yeongsan river, Hwangryong river, and Gwangjucheon in the city were collected and analyzed for grain size and metal and organic carbon contents. The sediment types of the streams widely vary from pebble to mud. The metal contents in the sediments from Yeongsan river and Hwangryong river are mainly dependent on the grain size of the sediments and the geology around the streams, while the sediments in Gwangiucheon are controlled by organic matter contents from the domestic sewage. The enrichment factor (Ef) and index of geoaccumulation (Igeo) representing the degree of metal contamination in the sediments are relatively low in the mainstream of Yeongsan river and Hwangryong river. However, those of Gwangjucheon show EF values of P=8.30, Cu=5.54, Zn=14.28 and Pb=7.41 and Igeo values of P=3.78, Cu=2.79, Zn=3.66 and Pb=1.59. The heavy metal contamination is especially significant near the area where the Seobangcheon and Donggyecheon branches of Gwanjucheon, join. Therefore, it is suggested that the metallic contaminations of these small streams are significantly influenced by the domestic sewage of the city.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.393-405
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• 2007

To examine the sedimentary geochemical characteristics of sediment in the Tamjin River and Doam bay, the analysis was conducted, using the sample obtained in February 2000, on the grain size and the contents of metallic elements and organic carbon. The factors that influence the geochemical behavior of metallic elements in the surface sediment are grain size, organism, surrounding soil and $CaCO_3$. To find out the pollution level of metallic elements, the enrichment factor (EF) and the index of geoaccumulation ($I_{geo}$) were researched. The majority of metallic elements sustain their values in natural state. The elements such as K, Ba, Zr, etc. appear to be rich in some places. The EF and $I_{geo}$ of P, Cu, Zn, and Pb, which belong to toxic heavy metals, are partly related with man-made pollution. P and Cu have a high EF, Pb has a high $I_{geo}$ and Zn is high in both EF and $I_{geo}$. The low contents of P and Cu are not likely to be related with the pollution of water environment. However, given the development of relative pollution, the research and the management regarding the pollutants are needed. Because Pb, naturally enriched by geological characteristics, has a large influence on water environment along with Zn, the adequate measures against man-made pollution should be worked out.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.333-338
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to understand the pollution level of the surface sediment of Sihwa Lake by assessing its geochemical characteristics and investigating the spatial distribution of trace metals and organic matter. In the surface sediment of Sihwa lake, the mean grain size was between 2.94 and 6.35 Ø and the main type of sediment was sandy silt. The concentrations of As, Co, Cr, Ni, V and Li among the metal elements in the surface sediment were correlated with the mean crust concentration (p<0.05). Based on the strong correlation between the metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) and organic matter (Ignition Loss), the concentrations of these metal elements seem to be controlled by the organic matter dilution effect. The trace metal pollution level, determined by applying the Republic of Korea Marine environmental standard and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's sediment quality guidelines, showed the pollution level of As to be either close to or in excess of the above-mentioned standards at almost all levels. The enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index of As showed that there was an incremental increase of pollution by elements other than V, Cr, Co, Fe, Al and Mn. Moreover, the nearby industrial area and dike were more polluted than the other areas, so the surface sediments in Sihwa lake should be monitored by taking into consideration the geological variations.