• Advances in materials Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.15-36
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• 2013

Incorporation of polar functional moieties into polyethylene (PE) film has been achieved by graft copolymerization of polar monomers such as methacrylic acid (MAAc) and acrylamide (AAm) on to PE film, preirradiated with ${\gamma}$-rays from $^{60}Co$ source, using benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as initiator in aqueous medium. Percentage of grafting of MAAc and AAm was determined as a function of irradiation dose, monomer and initiator concentration, temperature, reaction time and amount of water. Maximum percentage of grafting of MAAc (1453%) and AAm (21.28%) was obtained at [MAAc] = $235.3{\times}10^{-2}$ mol/L, [AAm] = $23.4{\times}10^{-2}$ mol/L, [BPO] = $5.5{\times}10^{-2}$ mol/L and $16.5{\times}10^{-2}$ mol/L at $80^{\circ}C$, $90^{\circ}C$ in 180 min and 90 min respectively. The grafted PE films were characterized by FTIR, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) Scanning Electron Micrography (SEM) and X-ray diffraction methods. Some selective properties of grafted films such as swelling behavior, ion and metal uptake have been carried out. The biodegradation studies of the grafted PE films have also been investigated. The grafted films developed superior swelling behavior with maximum swelling (480%) in water as compared to pristine PE (13.55%), better thermal stability and ion and metal uptake studies showed promising results that can be effectively used for desalination of brackish water and separation of metals from the industrial effluents.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.283-294
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• 2015

In the present study, a porous concrete with alkali activated slag (AAS) and coal bottom ash was developed and the effect of carbonation on the physical property, microstructural characteristic, and heavy metal leaching behavior of the porous concrete were investigated. Independent variables, such as the type of the alkali activator and binder, the amount of paste, and $CO_2$ concentration, were considered. The experimental test results showed that the measured void ratio and compressive strength of the carbonated porous concrete exceeded minimum level stated in ACI 522 for general porous concrete. A new quantitative TG analysis for evaluating $CO_2$ uptake in AAS was proposed, and the result showed that the $CO_2$ uptake in AAS paste was approximately twice as high as that in OPC paste. The leached concentrations of heavy metals from carbonated porous concrete were below the relevant environmental criteria.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.44-53
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• 2021

Urban stormwater runoff contains heavy metals that accumulate in on-site treatment systems, thus resulting to facility deterioration and maintenance problems. In order to resolve these problems, low impact development (LID) technologies that promote natural materials circulation are widely used. LID facilities are capable of treating heavy metals in the runoff by means of plant uptake; however, the uptake or phytoremediation capabilities of plants have not been studied extensively, making it difficult to select the most suitable plant species for a certain LID design. This study investigated the vegetative components of an LID facility, roadside plants, and plants in landscape areas with different heavy metal exposure and frequency to determine the uptake capabilities of different plant species. The plants harvested inside the LID facilities and roadsides with high vehicular traffic exhibited greater heavy metal concentrations in their tissues as compared with the plants in landscape areas. Generally, the accumulation of heavy metals in the plant tissues were found to be influenced by the environmental characteristics (i.e. influent water quality, air pollution level, etc.). Dianthus, Metasequoia, Rhododendron lateritium, and Mugwort were found to be effective in removing Zn in the urban stormwater runoff. Additionally, Dianthus, Metasequoia, Mugwort, and Ginkgo Biloba exhibited excellent removal of Cu. Cherry Tree, Metasequoia, and mugwort efficiently removed Pb, whereas Dianthus was also found to be effective in treating As, Cr, and Cd in stormwater. Overall, different plant species showed varying heavy metal uptake capabilities. The results of this study can be used as an effective tool in selecting suitable plant species for removing heavy metals in the runoff from different land use types.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.63-72
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• 2013

This study estimated stabilization efficiency of As and heavy metal contaminated agricultural soil in abandoned mine through pot experiment. Also contaminants uptake of plant (lettuce) was compared as function of amendment (limestone, steelmaking slag and the mixture of these) addition. In soil solution analysis, concentration of contaminants in soil solutions which added limestone or steelmaking slag were lower than that of the mixture. Especially in As analysis, concentration with 5% (wt) addition of steelmaking slag showed the lowest value among those with other amendments. This seems that As stabilization happens through Fe adsorption during precipitation of Fe by pH increasing. Leachability of As in stabilized soil by TCLP was represented similar result with soil solution analysis. However leachability of heavy metals in stabilized soil was similar with that of non-stabilized soil due to dissolution of alkali precipitant by weak acid. Contaminants uptake rate by plant was also lower when limestone or steelmaking slag was used. However this study revealed that concentration of contaminants in soil solution didn't affect to the uptake rate of plant directly. Because lower $R^2$ (coefficient of determination) was represented in linear regression analysis between soil solution and plant.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.173-179
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• 2005

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the composition of organic acids on the bioavailability of heavy metals in the rhizosphere of corn (Zea mays L.) over 12 weeks after treatment of biosolids. After planting the plants were sampled at 12th week and analyzed for heavy metals in shoot and root and organic acids in the rhizosphere. Results showed that biomass yields of Zea mays L. grown on biosolids-treated media were significantly higher than those grown on standard media. The effect of biosolids on biomass yields of Zea mays L. was in order of Riverside ${\approx}$ Los Angeles ${\approx}$ MWRDGC > Milorganite > Nu-earth > standard media. Metal uptake by Zea mays L. was closely related with the contents contained on biosolids treated. In the plot treated with Nu-earth the uptake of Cd and Zn by shoot was significantly higher than those at the plots treated with other biosolids. The uptake patterns of Cd and Zn by root were similar to those of shoot. The uptake of Cr and Ni was significantly higher with application of Nu-earth over other biosolids. In all cases, the major organic acids in the rhizoshpere were lactic, acetic, propionic, butyric, and oxalic acids. Other organic acids were glutaric and succinic and occasionally, pyruvic and tartaric acids were also found. And the organic acid compositions did not vary significantly with the treatments of biosolids. Butyric and acetic acids were distinctively dominant both in the standard and the biosolids treatments.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2016

Magnetic nano-based sorbents have been synthesized for the recovery of two rare earth elements (REE: Nd(III) and Yb(III)). The magnetic nano-based particles are synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal procedure involving co-precipitation under thermal conditions of Fe(III) and Fe(II) salts in the presence of chitosan. The composite magnetic/chitosan material is crosslinked with epichlorohydrin and modified by grafting alanine and serine amine-acids. These materials are tested for the binding of Nd(III) (light REE) and Yb(III) (heavy REE) through the study of pH effect, sorption isotherms, uptake kinetics, metal desorption and sorbent recycling. Sorption isotherms are well fitted by the Langmuir equation: the maximum sorption capacities range between 9 and 18 mg REE $g^{-1}$ (at pH 5). The sorption mechanism is endothermic (positive value of ${\Delta}H^{\circ}$) and contributes to increase the randomness of the system (positive value of ${\Delta}S^{\circ}$). The fast uptake kinetics can be described by the pseudo-second order rate equation: the equilibrium is reached within 4 hours of contact. The sub-micron size of sorbent particles strongly reduces the contribution of resistance to intraparticle diffusion in the control of uptake kinetics. Metal desorption using acidified thiourea solutions allows maintaining sorption efficiency for at least four successive cycles with limited loss in sorption capacity.

• 한국환경농학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.07a
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• pp.93-115
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• 2009

There are growing public concerns over crop and food safeties due to the elevated levels of heavy metals grown in contaminated soil. Heavy metals are classified as the chemical harmful risks for crop and food safety. With implementation of GAP, crop safety is controlled by many regulatory options for soil, irrigation water and fertilizers. Any attempt to retard the metal uptake by crops may be the best protocol to secure crop and food safety. This article reviews the management strategies for heavy metals in view of crop safety in Korea and demonstrates results from the field experiments to retard metal translocation from soil to crops by using chemical amendments and soil layer management methods. Major source of soil pollution by heavy metals has been related with mining activities. Risk assessment revealed that rice consumption and groundwater ingestion in the abandoned mining areas were the major exposure pathways for metals to human and the heavy metal showed the toxic effects on human health. Chemical amendments such as lime and slag retarded Cd uptake by rice (Oryza sativa L.) by increasing soil pH, lowering the phytoavailable Cd concentration in soil solution, immobilizing Cd in soil and converting the available Cd fractions into non-available fractions. The soil layer management methods decreased the Cd uptake by 76% and Pb by 60%. Either reversing the surface layer with subsurface layer or immobilization of metals with layer mixing with lime was considered to be the practical option for the in-situ remediation of the contaminated paddy soils. Combination of chemical soil amendments and layer management methods was efficient to retard the metal bioavailability and thus to secure crop safety for heavy metals. This protocol seems to be cheap, relatively easy to practice and practical in the agricultural fields. However, a long term monitoring work should be followed to verify the efficiency of this protocol.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.97-126
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• 1992

Greenhouse pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of lime, fly ash and ash(from rice straw) on the cadmium and lead translocation from soil to radish. The soils with low metal contents(Cd 1.52 ppd and Pb 25.37ppm) were prepared and high metal contents (Cd 8.99 rpm and Pb 50.81ppm) were prepared and amended with 0.25%, 0.5%, 1.095, 2.055 each of lime, fly ash and ash. Radishes(Raphanus satiuus) were cultivated and cropped on the soils during 25, 50 and 75 days after sprout, and then cadmium and lead contents of radishes were analyzed by roots and tops. The results obtained are as follows. 1. Lime and ash were effective in raising the soil pH, but fly ash was not effective. 2. The growth of radishes were not impaired by the cadmium and lead contamination but, impaired by soil pH 7.5 or more. 3. Cadmium was accumulated very strongly in radishes and the greater concentration was found in tops than roots, but lead showed no evidence of accumulation in radishes. 4. In general, when the concentrations of lime and ash in soils increased, the uptake of cadmium and lead by radishes decreased, and lime was more effective than ash, while fly ash revealed no effect of reducing the translocation of cadmium and lead from soils to radishes. 5. The uptake of cadmium by radishes decreased more effectively than lead and the uptake of Cd or Pb by radishes grown in the soils with high metal contents decreased more effectively than low metal con tents. 6. Cadmium and lead contents of radishes were negatively correlated with soil pH values and the relationship in cadmium content was stronger than that in lead content.

• Environmental Sciences Bulletin of The Korean Environmental Sciences Society
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• v.10 no.S_4
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• pp.189-196
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• 2001

The blue green alga, Microcystis aeruginosa, was found to accumulate proline under the stressful concentration of cupric ions. The changes of proline level in Microcystis aeruginosa in response to copper(Cu) have been monitored and the function of the accumulated proline was studied with respect to its effect on Cu uptake. Exposure of Microcystis aeruginosa elevated concentrations of Cu led to accumulation of fee proline depending on the concentrations of the metal in the external medium. The greater the toxicity or accumulation of the metal, the higher the amount of proline in algal cells were found. When proline was exogenously supplied prior to Cu treatment, the absorption of Cu was markedly reduced. When exogenous proline was supplied after Cu treatment, it resulted in a remarkable desorption of the adsorbed Cu immediately after the addition of proline. Pretreatment of Microcystis aeruginosa with proline counteracted with metal-induced lipid peroxidation. The results of the present study showed a protective elect of proline on metal toxicity through inhibition of lipid peroxidation and suggested that the accumulation of proline may be related to the tolerance mechanism for dealing with Cu stress.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.27-33
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was in search of native plant species showing metal-resistant property and excessively accumulating heavy metals in metal-contaminated soil or abandoned mines as well as in evaluation of applicability of phytoremediation. In the study area, species showing excessively accumulating heavy metals were a shepherd´s purse, pampas grass, a Korean lettuce, a Hwansam vine, the Korean persicary, a foxtail, a goosefoot, and a water pepper. The first screened plant species in Sambo mine were as shepherd's purse, Korean lettuce and pampas grass Among them the shepherd´s purse can be excluded because it is a seasonal plant and has lower removal capacity for heavy metals. The Korean lettuce was also excluded because of having lower removal capacity for heavy metals. Pampas grass is a highly bionic plant species constantly growing from spring. However it has weak points such as little accumulation capacity for zinc as well as small values of an accumulation factor and a translocation factor. Another problem is regarded as removal of roots after the clean up if pampas grass is applied to a farmland. In Sanyang mine, wormwood and Sorijaengi were considered as adaptable species.