• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.651-662
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• 2002

Weather elements were observed by the AWS (Automatic Weather System) and dustfall particles were collected by the modified American dust jar (wide inlet bottle type) at 4 sampling sites in Busan area from March. 1999 to February, 2000. Thirteen chemical species (Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, and Zn) were analyzed by AAS and ICP. The purposes of this study were to estimate qualitatively various bulk deposition flux of dustfall and insoluble components by applying regional and seasonal wind intensity. Frequency of wind speed were found in order of low(1-3m/s), very low(<1m/s), medium(3-8m/s) and high(>8m/s), and annual mean had higher range at low(1-3m/s) for 56.3%. Strong negative linear correlation were observed between dustfall and wind direction (northeastern and eastern), but strong positive linear correlation were observed between dustfall and wind direction (western and northwestern) at industrial, commercial and coastal zone(p<0.05). While a negative correlation were observed between wind speed frequency of very low(<1 m/s) and dustfall, and positive correlation were observed between wind speed frequency of low(1-3m/s) and dustfall in coastal zone(p<0.05). The correlation coefficient was observed 0.556 between wind speed frequency of low(1-3m/s) and Ni by commercial zone(p<0.05). The correlation coeffcient show well-defined insoluble trace metals (Al, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn) and wind speed frequency of low(1-3m/s) at coastal zone, which was found significant difference(p<0.01).

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

When processing the biomass by Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), a slow pyrolysis process, it produces bio-gas, biooil, and biochar. Among these end products, biochar is known for isolating or storing carbon and being used as a soil amendment. In this study, the characteristics of biochar generated by HTC at $250^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, and 20 hours with synthetic food wastes and wood wastes were analyzed for potential uses in soil contaminated with heavy metals. The yield of biochar (weight %) increased when the ratio of wood wastes increased and showed a decreasing tendency as reaction time increased. Elemental analysis of biochar based on various conditions showed a maximum of 70% carbon (C) content. The carbon content showed an increasing tendency with the increase of wood wastes. Iodine adsorption test was peformed to determine the optimum reaction condition, which was 15% wood waste for mixing ratio and 2 hours for reaction time. Using biochar generated at the optimum condition, its capability of adsorbing heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni) was evaluated. It was concluded that lead (Pb) was removed efficiently while zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) were hardly adsorbed by biochar.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.75-85
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• 2023

The potential sources and spatial distribution of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in the leaf plants of Al-Zubair city. A total of 14 samples of conocarpus lancifolius plant leaf were collected and analyzed for their heavy metals and PAHs content using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and a 7890 Agilent capillary gas chromatograph (GC) respectively. Bioaccumulation factor calculation revealed the highest pollution of heavy metals , due to the activity of a petrochemical in the area. The diagnostic ratio of Ant/(Phe+Ant), BaA/BaA+Chr), In/(In+BghiP), Flu/Pyr, FlA/FlA+Pyr), FlA/FlA+Pyr), ∑LMW/∑HMW are commonly used for determining the origin and source of PAHs in various environmental media. The diagnostic ratio indicated the anthropogenic origin. PAHs with five-to-six membered rings were dominant in the plant leaf, which likely results from anthropogenic activities. The leaves of C. lancifolius have a preponderance of high molecular weight PAHs compared to low molecular weight PAHs, indicating a combustion origin (car exhaust, petroleum emissions, and fossil fuel). C. lancifolius leaves are a reliable indication of atmospheric PAHs absorption. The background level of heavy metals in the city (or the near environment) is in the order of Fe > Cu > Ni > Cr. On the other hand, the bioaccumulation in plant leaves showed greater tendencies as follows: Co>Cd>Zn=As>Cu>Mn>Ni>Pb>Cr>Fe. Cobalt showed high bioaccumulation, indicating strong uptake of Co by plant leaves. These findings point to human activity and car emissions as the primary sources of roadside vegetation pollution in Al-Zubair city.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.25-35
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• 2005

This study analyzed total concentrations and existing forms of heavy metals in soils of Ulsan using a sequential extraction method. Soil samples were collected from 6 categorized areas including green, residential, heavy traffic, petrochemical industrial complex(IC), mechanical and shipbuilding IC, and non-ferrous metal IC areas. which represent different emission characteristics. The highest total concentrations of heavy metals by a sequential extraction analysis were observed in the soils collected from the non-ferrous metal IC area, followed by the mechanical and shipbuilding IC and heavy traffic areas. Dominant(> 50%) existing forms of Cd, Cr and Ni were residual forms followed by Fe and Mn oxides in almost areas. Residual fractions in the non-ferrous metal IC areas were relatively lower than those in other areas. However, the fractions of organic and sulphides in the IC areas were higher. The dominant farms of Cu were much different with the investigated areas. In most areas, the dominant forms of Pb and Zn were Fe and Mn oxides, followed by residual fraction for Pb. The exchangeable and carbonate fractions represent mobility of metallic elements in soils. They are also significantly affected by the environmental renditions, such as pHs of soil and rainfall. In this study the exchangeable and carbonate fractions were lower than other fractions. Because the total concentrations of heavy metals in the soils of the non-ferrous metal IC area were extremely high, however, the mobile fractions of heavy metals in the IC area would be significant. Thus a large amount of heavy metals can be released into plants, water bodies, and soils. Therefore, urgent measures, such as source control for soil remediation of heavy metals, in the non-ferrous metal IC areas are essentially required. Analysis results obtained from the sequential extraction and the aqua regia extraction showed a high correlation, whose determination coefficients(R2) of heavy metals except Cd approximately ranged from 0.7 to 0.9.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.69-83
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• 2013

Metal concentrations in creek water, sewer outlets and core sediments were analyzed to identify the potential origin of metal pollution and to evaluate the extent of metal pollution and potential toxicity of Lake Shihwa. Mean concentrations for dissolved metals in creek water and sewer outlets were 1.6~136 times higher than those in the surface seawater of Lake Shihwa. Metal concentrations in creek water from an industrial region were also higher than those from municipal and agricultural regions, indicating that the potential source of metal pollution in the study area might be mainly due to industrial activities. The vertical profiles of metals in core sediments showed an increasing trend toward the upper sediments. Extremely higher concentrations of metals were observed in the vicinity of Banweol industrial complex. The results of a geo-accumulation index indicated that Cu, Zn and Cd were highly polluted. By comparing the sediment quality guidelines such as TEL and PEL, six metals such as Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb levels in core sediments nearby industrial complex exceeded the PEL value. Mean PEL quotient (mPELQ) was used to integrate the estimate of potential toxicity for measured metals in the present study. Mean PELQs in core sediments from Lake Shihwa ranged from 0.2~2.3, indicating that benthic organisms nearby the industrial complex may have been adversely affected.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.268-277
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• 2013

This study investigates the effects of accumulated levels of heavy metals and nutrients of cultivated soybean plant tissues, after the continuous application of sewage sludge (SS) and industrial sludge (IS). SS and IS were applied to soybean plants at loading of 0, 11.25, 22.50, and 45.00 Mg/ha, and the contents of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu, and Zn), proteins, and amino acids in the cultivated soybean plants were measured. The Cd content in the soybean was 0.02~0.05 mg/kg, which is within the safety level set in the standard, and that of Pb was 0.02~0.15 mg/kg, which is also within the safety level except for IS 45 Mg/ha. The soybean harvest quantity was higher in the treatment groups than the control group in the first year. However, in the second year, SS had lower harvest and IS had the same level or a decreasing tendency, compared with the control group. In the first year, the content of amino acid which followed handling of SS was increased in the sludge groups more than in the control group in the case of glutamate. However, the influence of continuous application was increased in the sludge groups in the case of amino acids of 12 types. In conclusions, the accumulation in soybean of heavy metals by sludge treatment is not a problem, but the decreased yields needs to be considered. In addition, the most appropriate level of sludge treatment was 11.25 Mg/ha.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.71-81
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• 2013

Trace metal concentration in sediment cores from the outer sea of Lake Shihwa were determined to study the vertical profiles of metal concentrations and to evaluate the levels of metal contamination. Sediment pollution assessment was carried out using enrichment factor (EF) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). The mean concentration of metals were 58.8 mg/kg for Cr, 10.3 mg/kg for Co, 22.8 mg/kg for Ni, 18.1 mg/kg for Cu, 74.0 mg/kg for Zn, 6.75 mg/kg for As, 0.14 mg/kg for Cd, 27.4 mg/kg for Pb and 0.026 mg/kg for Hg, respectively. The mean EF values for Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Hg were greater than 1.5 in sediment cores, indicating that these metals in sediments are slightly enriched by anthropogenic activities. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) suggested unpolluted status for metals of sediments collected from outer see of Lake Shihwa. Igeo values for Cu and Hg nearby LNG station (site C, D, E) ranged from 1 to 2, indicating moderately to unpolluted pollution status for those metals. Even if the higher concentrations of trace metals nearby LNG station were observed, there is significantly positive relationship between Al and trace metals. Thus, the sediment grain size plays an important roles in influencing the distribution of trace metals in sediment cores from the outer sea of Lake Shihwa. Based on the comparison with sediment quality guidelines such as threshold effect level and probable effect level in Korea, the concentration of metals in sediments from outer sea of Lake Shihwa are likely to result in no harmful effects on sediment-dwelling organisms.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.56-72
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• 1999

Airborne concentrations of welding fumes in which 13 different metals such as Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Si, Sn, Ti, and Zn were analyzed were measured at 18 factories including automobile assembly and manufactures, steel heavy industries and shipyards. Air samples were collected by personal sampler at each worker's worksite(n=339). Blood levels of Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn were also measured from samples taken from 447 welders by atomic absorption spectrometry and compared with control values obtained from 127 non-exposed workers. The results were as follows ; 1. Among various welding types, $CO_2$ welding 70.2 % were widely used, shielded metal arc welding(SMAW) 22.1 % came next, and rest of them were metal inert gas(MIG) welding, submerged arc welding(SAW), spot welding(SPOT) and tungsten inert gas(TIG) welding. 2. Welding fume concentration was $0.92mg/m^3$($0.02{\sim}15.33mg/m^3$) at automobile assembly and manufactures, $4.10mg/m^3$($0.02{\sim}70.75mg/m^3$) at steel heavy industries and $5.59mg/m^3$($0.30{\sim}91.16mg/m^3$) at shipyards, respectively, showing significant difference among industry types. Workers exposed to high concentration of welding fumes above Korean Permissible Exposure Limit(KPEL) amounted to 7.9 % and 12.5 %, in $CO_2$ welding and in SMAW at automobile assembly and manufactures and 62.7 % in $CO_2$ welding, and 12.5 % in SMAW at shipyards, and 66.2 % in $CO_2$ welding and 70.6 % in SMAW at steel heavy industries. 3. Geometric mean of airborne concentration of each metal released from welding fumes was below one 10th of KPEL in all welding types. Percentage of workers, however, exposed to airborne concentration of metals above KPEL amounted to 16.8 % in Mn and 7.6 % in Fe in $CO_2$ welding; 37.5 % in Cu in SAW, 30 % in Cu in TIG; and 25 % in Pb in SPOT welding. As a whole, 76 Workers(22.4%) were exposed to high concentration of any of the metals above KPEL. 4. There were differences in airborne concentration of metals such as Al, Cd, Cr, Cu. Fe. Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Si, Sn, Ti and Zn by industry types. These concentrations were higher in shipyards and steel heavy industries than in automobile assembly and manufactures. Workers exposed to higher concentration of Pb above KPEI amounted to 7.4 % of workers(7/94) in automobile assembly and manufactures. In shipyards, 19.2 % of workers(19/99) were over-exposed to Mn and 7.1 % (7/99) to Fe above KPEL. In steel heavy industries, 14.4 %(21/146), 7.5 %(11/146) and 13 %(19/146) were over-exposed to Mn, Fe and Cu, respectively. As a whole, 76 out of 339 workers(22.4%) were exposed to any of the metals above KPEL. 5. Blood levels of Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn in welders were $0.11{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$, $0.84{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $424.4{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $1.26{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$, $5.01{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$ and $5.68{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively, in contrast to $0.09{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$, $0.70{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $477.2{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $0.73{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$, $3.14{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$ and $6.15{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ in non-exposed control groups, showing significantly higher values in welders but Fe and Zn.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.229-240
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• 2009

In Gosung, the symptoms similar to itai-itai disease from neighboring residents of the Samsanjeil mine have been social issues. Therefore, various researches on the behavior of heavy metals of the tailings impoundment of 280,000 ton in the Samsanjeil mine are required. In this paper, mineralogical and geochemical studies on the tailings at different depths in the Samsanjeil mine were investigated and the factors on the behavior of heavy metals were also studied. At two sampling sites (NN and SN), samples were collected at different depths down to 1 m. At NN sites, pH values decreased with depth, while those at SN sites did not show significant changes. XRD analysis showed that the main minerals in the tailings were quartz, microcline, muscovite, and chlorite with minor amount of gypsum. There were no noticeable changes in the mineral composition with depth. At NN sites, the amount of calcite was negligible, and jarosite, which usually occurs at acid soil or acid mine drainage at pH lower than 4, was identified. However, the samples at SN site contained relatively high contents of calcite with pyrite. Therefore, calcite seemed to buffer the acid and control pH at SN site. The contents of heavy metals in tailings were in the order of Cu > As > Zn > Pb > Co > Cr > Ni > Cd. The heavy metal concentrations in the tailings were closely related with pH changes. The concentrations of Cd and Co were much lower at NN site at which pH values are low than those at SN sites. Contrary to that, Cr and As which exist as oxyanions showed higher concentrations at SN sites. This result showed that the behaviors of heavy metals in our study area were controlled by pH which is influenced by the contents of calcite.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.245-262
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• 2013

We analyzed 29 surface sediment samples in five submarine volcanoes (TA12, TA19, TA22, TA25, and TA26) located in the southern part of the Tonga arc for trace elements and rare earth elements to investigate characteristics of the hydrothermal alteration of surface sediments. Based on analytical results of trace element and rare earth element (REE), surface sediments of TA12, TA19, and TA22 submarine volcanoes, which are located in the northern part of the study area, were very little or not influenced by hydrothermal fluids. In contrast, some stations of TA25 and TA26 submarine volcanoes were strongly affected by hydrothermal fluids. However, these two submarine volcanoes showed different features in element concentration in the sediments. Some stations of TA25 submarine volcano showed enrichment of Ni, Cu, Sn, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cd, Sb, W, Ba, Ta, Rb, Sr, and As, however, those of TA26 submarine volcano showed enrichment of Sn, Zn, Pb, Cd, Sb, Ba, Rb, and Sr. Stations which enriched trace elements were observed, enriched REEs were also observed. Average upper continental crust (UCC)-normalized REE patterns of the surface sediments generally showed low light REE (LREE) abundances and increased heavy REE (HREE) abundances. Eu enrichment was identified at several stations of TA25 and TA26 submarine volcanoes. In addition, enrichment of Ce was found at some stations of TA26 submarine volcano and these enrichment patterns were similar with hydrothermal fluid of near stations. Furthermore, TA25 and TA26 submarine volcanoes showed different enrichment characteristics of trace elements and REE. Trace elements were concentrated at TA25 submarine volcano. TA26 submarine volcano, on the other hand, observed highly enrichment of REE especially, Eu and Ce. As a result of the investigation, the characteristics and concentrations of REEs and trace elements in the surface sediments of each submarine volcano can be applied to identify hydrothermal alteration of sediments during exploration for hydrothermal deposits.