• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.81-101
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• 2011

This study was conducted to understand the environmental and ecological function of habitat through evaluation of water environment, soil environment, vegetation characteristics, macro-invertebrate characteristics, and visual habits environment evaluation (SVAP) in Hongdong stream located in Hongseong-Gun, Chungnam Province, and hereafter to utilize the results for the habits reconstruction and improvement project. As the results of water quality analysis, BOD, COD, T-P was almost below the standard quality from upper stream to down stream. The construction of small reservoir, wetland and water purification facility, and the management of non-point pollution are proposed to improve these problems. The soil texture was sandy soil, which is unfitted with vegetation development. The construction of shallows and bogs, and induction of soil sedimentation and biotope formation are proposed to improve these problems. In the plant flora, total 90 kinds were observed with 81 species and nine varieties in total 36 families and 85 genera, and the naturalization rate was higher at down area than upper area. As the results of macro-invertebrate fauna survey, total 26 species and 297 individuals in 20 families and 22 genera were collected. Peltodytes sinensis, Chironomidae sp., and Culicidae sp., which are observed at polluted environment, were collected as dominant species. An appropriate vegetation management party idea is necessary, and it is done an idea in consideration of the soil and a physical characteristic. Visual habits environment evaluation (SVAP) result was mostly determined with below normal (Fair) grade. Pollution source interception, purification pond establishment, and various bog establishment are proposed to improve these problems. With the above results, the ecological environment was determined with bad condition, and the improvement of biotope was urgently needed through sustainable monitoring and management of streams habitat in rural area.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.54-64
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• 2006

The traditional Korean diet, which is high in rice and vegetables, is fast being replaced by a Western style diet as the standard of living goes up. In addition to this, cigarette smoking has taken on serious proportions, especially amongst those of the younger generation. Because Seoul (and it's surrounding areas) is the hub of Education and Business, it is densely populated and heavily polluted Consequently health-related issues and diseases are starting to resemble those prevalent in Western communities. Historically, stomach cancer was the #1 killer-disease in Korea, but nowadays lung cancer ranks either 1st or 2nd on the list of killer-disease in Korea. This is presumably due to the lethal combination of heavy smoking and pervasive air pollution. Despite these disquieting facts, almost no study had been made of the nutritional patterns and dietary habits of smoking and non-smoking young adults in the Seoul area. Therefore the purpose of this study is to compare the dietary and nutritional patterns of young smokers with those of young non-smokers in and around Seoul. This is done with regards to their eating habits and lifestyles, as well as the dietary components that contribute towards maintaining good health. The results showed that compared to non-smokers, smokers manifested irregular eating patterns and also tended to overindulge on fast- or junk foods. In contrast to this, non-smokers enjoyed a healthier diet, which was high in brown rice, grains, legumes, fresh fruit and vegetables, and 'kimchi'. Amongst the male subjects of this study, it was found that smokers consumed significantly less vitamin $B_2$, calcium, and phosphorous than non-smokers. It was also established that in general, stress-generated smoking habits were formed during the high school years of the younger generation. In conclusion: Because smokers maintain a less healthy diet and life-style, it is to recommended that a 'Health Education Program' be developed which could guide young smokers into adopting better dietary habits and life styles.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.451-458
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• 2018

The coast of Incheon reaches Incheon itself, Gimpo, Siheung, and Ansan of Gyunggi-do. Because this area has been seriously polluted, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has established the Incheon Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) to preserve sea water quality as a marine environment asset. However, there is concern that actions taken in this area may change the surrounding marine ecology, being effected by farms, via a river that flows from waste lands, abandoned fishing activities and fishing nets, etc. Given this background, this study estimates the value of SAMP sea water quality using a choice experiment (CE). A CE survey of 1,000 households was undertaken, investigating trade-offs involving price and four attributes for selecting a preferred alternative to obtain a marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) estimate for each attribute. The estimation results showed that MWTP for a 1 %p improvement in sea water quality, the diversity of fauna species, the diversity of flora species, and a 1 %p reduction in marine litter as a result of conserving Incheon coastal sea water quality are estimated to be KRW 75, 135, 309 and 72 per household per year, respectively. All estimation results were statistically significant at the 1 % level. These findings can provide policy makers with useful information for evaluating and planning marine environmental management policies.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.131-137
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• 2010

The stormwater runoff from rest areas in highways are known as more polluted compared to highways because of more vehicle activities. This study is performed to find pollutant characteristics in the rest areas in the magnitude of statistical pollutant concentrations during storms. Washoff characteristics of pollutants from rest areas by monitoring of rainfall, runoff rate and runoff samples were evaluated. High concentrations of pollutants in runoff were observed at the beginning of runoff and rapid decrease thereafter, indicating that first-flush effects are clearly occurred. Event Mean Concentrations(EMCs) of TSS, COD, TN, and TP are estimated to be in the range of 31.04-127.11mg/L, 35.5-369.5mg/L, 2.62-9.86 mg/L, and 0.53-1.96mg/L, respectively. Heavy metals in runoff showed relatively high values, possibly due to the abrasion of brake pad or tire while cars are slowly moving for parking. EMCs of total Pb, total Cu, and total Ni are in the range of $1206-16293{\mu}g/L$, $237-7906{\mu}g/L$, and $53-6372{\mu}g/L$, respectively. Pollutant loading per rest area calculated by using EMC, flowrate and target area is also described for each pollutant.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.213-217
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• 2000

In order to select more proper plants for phytoextraction at the heavy metal polluted areas, 11 species of non-edible plants were cultivated at the cadmium(Cd) and Lead(Pb) treated soils and analyzed the content of the absorbed Cd and Pb in each part of plants. Plants include three fibers(Linum usitatissimum, Cannabis sativa, Gossypium spp.), three flowers(Calendula officinalis, Rhododendron lateritium, Portulaca grandiflora), and five trees(Pinus thunbergii, Magnolia kobus, $Populus\;nigra\;{\times}\;P.$ maximowiczii, Euonymus japonica, Fraxinus rhynchophylla). Yield of tree species were higher than that of fiber and flower species. Cd and Pb were highly accumulated in root rather than leaves and stems. The Cd content of plants was in the order Portulaca grandiflora > Calendula officinalis > Gossypium spp. > Linum usitatissimum, Pb was Cannabis sativa > Linum usitatissimum > Fraxinus rhynchophylla. Total absorbed Cd by each plant was in the order $Populus\;nigra\;{\times}\;P.$ maximowiczii > Euonymus japonica > Rhododendron lateritium, but Pb was $Populus\;nigra\;{\times}\;P.$ maximowiczii > Rhododendron lateritium > Euonymus japonica. Total absorbed Cd and Pb contents in plants were negatively correlated with the residual Cd and Pb in the treated soils. It was estimated that $Populus\;nigra\;{\times}\;P.$ maximowiczii, Euonymus japonica, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, and Rhododendron lateritium were the most effective species for phytoextraction in the polluted area considering yield and heavy metal uptake.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.481-488
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• 2011

Various development activities have lead to the destruction of the ecosystem such as natural wetlands. In order to protect these natural wetlands, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) in Korea enacted the Wetland Conservation Act in 1999 and designated protected areas for wetland conservation. The MOE adapted the use of Best Management Practices (BMP) such as retention ponds and constructed wetlands to treat the polluted water before entering the water system. One of these projects was a free-water surface flow (FWS) constructed wetland built as a secondary treatment unit for piggery wastewater effluent coming from a livestock wastewater treatment facility. Water quality monitoring for the constructed wetland was conducted during rainfall events. The results showed that the average removal efficiencies of TSS, BOD, TN, TP were 86, 60, 45, 70%, respectively. It was observed that the removal efficiency of particulate matter and phosphorus was high compared to nitrogen. Therefore, a longer hydraulic retention time was needed in order to improve the treatment efficiency of nitrogen. The results of this study can contribute to the wetland design, operation and maintenance of constructed wetlands.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.1014-1025
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• 2014

We measured the concentrations of various geochemical parameters [grain size, ignition loss (IL), chemical oxygen demand (COD), acid volatile sulfide (AVS), and trace metals (Fe, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, Mn, As, Zn, and Hg)] in the surface sediments of two intertidal oyster Crassostrea gigas farming areas (Iwon and Mongsan tidal flats) on the Taean Peninsula, Korea, to evaluate the pollution level of organic matter and trace metals in sediment. The intertidal sediments in the study region comprise mostly sand with a mean grain size of 2.5-3.5 Ø. The concentrations of IL, COD, AVS, and trace metals in the sediment of two study regions were either similar or lower in oyster farming areas relative to non-farming areas, apparently due to biological uptake or physical and biological sediment reworking. Based on the results for the pollution evaluation of organic matter and trace metals derived from sediment quality guidelines, enrichment factor, and geoaccumulation index, our results suggest that the sediment in these two intertidal oyster farming regions is not polluted by organic matter and trace metals.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.38-50
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• 2010

Expressways are often upgraded by widening the lanes and/or by reshaping the roads to be more linear for faster travel time. However, during the process of improving the route of the expressways, the areas where the old expressways used to be are often unused and abandoned. When these neglected sites are left alone, they often become dump sites causing pollution and impacting the surrounding environment. Therefore, it is important to restore the abandoned expressway sites to its full natural beauty. In this study, the abandoned expressway at the Soksa interchange in Pyungchang county, located in Kangwon province was studied for establishing the model of ecological restoration project. Considering the characteristics of the site, the target flora species was chosen to be Quercus species and the target fauna species as amphibians. After the target species were carefully chosen, each species' habitat requirements were studied in order to figure out the appropriate methods toward habitat restoration specifically for these species. In addition, to determine the most efficient method toward restoration of abandoned expressways, the study utilized the planting hole techniques, the crack techniques, and the colonization techniques. In terms of the spatial organization, public education program is incorporated at the main entrance area and the programs for experimenting, and developing vegetation and habitat restoration techniques are placed in the vicinity. In the master plan-to provide natural ecosystem at the site-ASCON (asphalt concrete) was removed first, then plans for restoration including species' habitat restoration were established. Furthermore, the project included plans for improving water quality polluted through non-point source considering the surrounding nearby road and farm lands. Finally, the study established a planning process that will experimentally apply to the abandoned expressway restoration method. In the future, there will be a continuous monitoring of the methods applied to verify if the restoration methods are effective. Also, new restoration techniques should be available according to a variety of abandoned expressways' characteristics.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.640-645
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• 2014

This study aimed to determine the swimming suitability of sea and to suggest methods to address the problems on sea water color and green plants growing on sediment in the artificial created swimming in the beach of southwestern Korea. Sea water samples were collected from January to December of 2010 and analysis for SS, COD, $NH_4{^+}-N$, TP, MPN, sediment IL, ORP and plants on sediment. The results showed that the sea water under the swimming suitability "level of management" based on the relating high levels of SS and TP, but still suitable for swimming on the basis of MPN. Improving exchange seawater flow, dredging, coating and chemical treatment of polluted sediments in addition to removal of point sources and restriction of non point sources in the study area could improve the sea water quality and swimming suitability of the sea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.567-586
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• 1997

Concentrations of several heavy metals in soils derived from black shale and slate have been reported to be higher than the average concentrations in non-polluted soils. This study describes and characterizes soil minerals, and investigates the distribution of heavy metals in soils, and then examines their relationship. Soils in the study area are mainly consist of guartz and feldspars with minor amount of kaolin, illite, vermiculite, chlorite and illite-vermiculite interstratified minerals. Mineral compositions are similar in mountain-, farmland-, and paddy-soils. The residual soils derived from sandy phyllites contain less illites than those from black shale and black slate. Heavy metals appear to be more concentrated in soils than in rocks. The concentrate ratios in soils to rocks ranges 1.1 times for Cr, 2 for Cu, 1.4 for Ni. The contour maps of Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu contents using 0.43N $HNO_3$-extraction imply that these elements are highly concentrated in the soils near the past uranium exploration region, coal seams, black slate beds and tailings than other parts of the study area. The proportions of the day in most soils are less than 10%. In spite of small proportions of the clay, the concentrations of heavy metals from clay fractions to the total concentrations are high: 1~2.4 times for Co, 1.4~2.5 for Cu, 1.2~2.6 for Ni, 1~5 for Pb, 1~2.7 for Zn and 1.6~1.8 for Cr and V. The contents of organic carbons in clay fractions are also 1.5~3.9 times higher than in silt and sand fractions. Cu, Pb and organic carbons show positive relationship in all size fractions. In the size-fractionated soil profile samples, the contents of heavy metals and organic carbons show analogous trends with depth. For the clay fractions of soil profile samples, the contents of heavy metals with depth have analogous trends to abundances of vermiculites, which have the high CEC in main clay minerals.