• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.426-435
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• 2010

The present study attempts to compare the soil chemical characteristics and biological activities (i.e. microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities), and litter decomposition rate of Arundinella hirta and Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens) collected from serpentine and non-serpentine sites by litter bag techniques at serpentine and non-serpentine field experiment sites over a 9-month period. The serpentine soil showed higher pH and soil alkaliphosphatase activity, and lower soil dehydrogenase and urease activities than the non-serpentine soil. Microbial biomass-N at the serpentine soil was larger than the non-serpentine soil, although the microbial biomass-C and microbial biomass-N represented no significant difference between serpentine and non-serpentine soil. These results suggest that the larger microbial biomass-N caused the lower C/N in serpentine soil. At the end of the experiment, the litter samples of A. hirta and M. sinensis collected from serpentine soil revealed a 39.8% and 38.5% mass loss, and the litter sample from non-serpentine soil also showed a 41.1% and 41.7% mass loss at the serpentine site. On the other hand, at the non-serpentine site, 42.2%, 37.4%, and 46.8%, 44.8% were respectively shown. These results demonstrate that the litter decomposition rate is more intensely affected by the heavy metal content of leaf litter than soil contamination. Moreover, the litter collected from the serpentine soil had a lower C/N, whereas the litter decomposition rate was slower than the litter from the non-serpentine soil, because the heavy metal inhibition activities on the litter decomposition process were more conspicuous than the effect of litter qualities such as C/N ratio or lignin/N. The nutrient element content in the decomposing litter was gradually leached out, but heavy metals and Mg were accumulated in the decaying litter. This phenomenon was conspicuous at the serpentine site during the process of decomposition.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.129-135
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• 2012

This study was to investigate the heavy metal content of 55 commercial salts in the Seoul area. There were 22 types of solar sea salt, 17 types of processed salt and 16 types of reworked salt. Looked at another way, there were 22 types of domestic salt and 33 types of salt imported from France, the U.S., Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina. The samples were measured using both a mercury analyzer and an Inductively-Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES). The average heavy metal contents for commercial salts were Pb $0.281{\pm}0.344$, Cd $0.035{\pm}0.221$, Cr $0.364{\pm}0.635$, Cu $0.182{\pm}0.313$, As $0.046{\pm}0.062$, Ni $0.155{\pm}0.247$, Al $5.753{\pm}10.746$, Co $0.028{\pm}0.211$ and Hg $0.001{\pm}0.001$ mg/kg. The leads were detected highly in solar sea salt rather than in processed salt or reworked salt. Also chrome, arsenic and nickel were found more in processed salt. There were large differences in aluminum content between imported solar sea salt and processed salt. Aluminum was highly detected in French products, showing that salt can be affected by regional differences. The weekly average intakes of Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Hg from commercial salt were 1.652% (0.000~6.754), 0.372% (0.000~7.214), 3.177% (0.000~26.279), 0.008% (0.001~0.049), and 0.031% (0.000~0.094) respectively compared with Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee for the evaluation of food safety. The content of heavy metals from commercial salts was determined to be at safe levels.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.133-147
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• 2004

Environmental quality(water and sediment) was analyzed in the tidal flat of Saemangum of Jeonbuk Province, the west coast of Korea, using the 101 sediment samples and 69 water samples collected in September 4~13, 2001. Major water quality parameters with the means of 69 surface water samples are as follows; $25.51{\pm}0.68^{\circ}C$ for water temperature, $29.88{\pm}5.01$ for salinity, $1.40{\pm}0.78mg/L$ for COD, $0.352{\pm}0.417mg/L$ for DIN, and $0.027{\pm}0.023mg/L$ for phosphate, respectively. Higher values were found at the subestuary of Dongjin and Mangyung River, and lower values at the Saemangum embayment and Gomso Bay. There was a significant negative correlation between salinity and the other water quality parameters(p<0.0001) such as COD, nutrients, SS and N/P. This correlation suggested that the major pollution sources be from terrestrial inputs through tributaries in this area. Principal component analysis clearly revealed a spatial variation of water quality; stations with higher values of nutrients and COD located subestuary of tributaries. 14 sediment quality parameters including 8 trace metals were measured using the 101 surface sediment samples. Average values for the parameters are as follows; Al $2.28{\pm}0.92%$, Cd $0.61{\pm}0.27ppm$, Cu $8.95{\pm}4.06ppm$, Fe $1.19{\pm}0.37%$, Mn $182.31{\pm}77.45ppm$, Ni $10.83{\pm}4.97ppm$, Pb $15.20{\pm}4.35ppm$, Zn $41.34{\pm}34.62ppm$, COD $2.68{\pm}1.85mg/g\;dry$, AVS $0.04{\pm}0.08mg/g\;dry$, IL $1.29{\pm}1.08%$, water content $24.11{\pm}4.49%$, TN $0.02{\pm}0.02%$, TC $0.22{\pm}0.30%$. Spatial variations of sediment quality were not clear as water quality. Some higher values were found at the subestuary of Gum River and lower values at the other area. There was a significant positive correlation between the heavy metal concentrations and organic materials within the sediment(p<0.05). Enrichment factors showed the ranges of 1~2 for most of the metals in the sediment except zinc(1~6), indicating no serious exogenous input of heavy metals in the study area. Also, the heavy metal concentrations in the sediment were within the ranges found at the natural marine environments.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.121-131
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• 2009

The distribution characteristics of heavy metals for surface sediments in east oceanic dumping area (EDA) and west oceanic dumping area (WDA) are evaluated by grain sizes, minerals, sedimentation rates and compositions of heavy metals. The mean grain sizes in EDA and WDA range from $7.95{\Phi}$ to $8.51{\Phi}$ and $7.42{\Phi}$ to $8.15{\Phi}$, respectively. These are mostly belonging to the M (mud) type. Minerals in the surface sediments consist of illite with chlorite, smectite, and kaolinite. Sedimentation rates estimated by $^{210}Pb$ method in EDA and WDA are 1.11 mm/yr$\sim$1.73 mm/yr and 1.87 mm/yr, respectively. According to the interrelationship, concentrations of Ni, Cu, Cr, and Zn are closely associated with mean grain size, Al, and Fe, whereas concentrations of Cd and Pb are poorly associated with ones. The enrichment factors of these elements are higher than 1.5, suggesting that the concentrations of Cd and Pb in the surface sediments are affected by anthropogenic sources. The $I_{geo}$-class numbers of Cd and Pb in the surface sediments are mostly classified in 2 to 4, showing moderate to strongly polluted. These numbers in EDA are higher than that of WDA, and the highest number is 4, indicative of the strongly polluted class. Our results show that the disposed wastes at EDA include mineralogical wastes, dredged materials from sewage disposals, and sludges from constructions having materials of WDA. The annual amount of oceanic dumping in EDA is double than that in WDA.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.4-25
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• 2011

This study was performed in 2010 to examine the flora and vegetation structure and chemical characteristics of soil in the growing community of Abeliophyllum distichum, located in the Byeonsanbando National Park. This Abeliophyllum distichum community has more individual numbers in Cheongrim-ni and Jungkye-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, and Buan-gun area, which is designated as a Natural Monument (No. 370), and also where the habitat conditions for Abeliophyllum distichum is more favorable. The authors recorded 100 taxa with 45 families, 82 genus, 93 species, 4 varieties, and 3 forms. Among them, species such as Abeliophyllum distichum (critically endangered), Asarum maculatum (near threatened) and Chionanthus retusa (near threatened), which are categorized as rare plants, were recorded. According to the list of Korean endemic plants, 4 taxa, particularly Philadelphus schrenckii, Abeliophyllum distichum, Weigela subsessilis, and Lonicera subsessili, were recorded. The community of Abeliophyllum distichum is located in the northwest slope of Baekcheon watershed and the community is comprised of healthy soil. The community structure was classified into three: the Castanea crenata community, Zelkova serrata community, and Quercus serrata community. The Castanea crenata community is composed of the Cornus walteri, Platycarya strobilacea, Zelkova serrata, Rhamnella frangulioides, arranged in terms of importance percentage. The Zelkova serrata community is composed of Celtis sinensis, Quercus aliena, Styrax japonica, and Acer pseudo-sieboldianum, also according to importance percentage. As for the Quercus serrata community, it is composed of Quercus variabilis, Castanea crenata, and Prunus sargentii, also arranged in terms of importance percentage. The importance percentage of Abeliophyllum distichum is 6.6% in the Castanea crenata community, 5.6% in the Zelkova serrata community and 5.1% in the Quercus serrata community. Moreover, in order of chemical characteristics of soil pH, electrical conductivity, available phosphoric, organic matter, and exchangeable cation (K, Ca, Mg) are analyzed. The No. 3 site was relatively higher than other districts of the same chemical characteristics of soil.