• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.514-523
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• 2022

Concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were measured in seawater, sediment, and biota collected from Gunsan coast, Korea to investigate their occurrence, distribution, and risk of exposure to humans through seafood consumption. The total concentrations of PFASs in seawater, sediment, and biota ranged from 5.97 to 74.9 ng/L, 0.01 to 13.3 ng/g dry weight, and 0.02 to 5.73 ng/g wet weight, respectively. Predominant PFAS compounds differed across matrices, indicating that the distribution of PFASs in multiple environmental samples is governed by their carbon-chain length. The concentrations of PFASs in seawater were significantly negatively correlated with salinity (P<0.01), suggesting terrestrial input (including land-used PFASs) as the major source of PFAS contamination in coastal environments. The estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) through seafood consumption were 0.05 and 0.06 ng/kg body weight/day, respectively. The EDIs of PFOA and PFOS measured in this study were lower those the proposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Canada guidelines, indicating limited health risk for Korean population from PFASs through consumption of seafood from Gunsan coastal environment.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2018.06a
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• pp.58-58
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• 2018

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 2016.10a
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• pp.135-135
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• 2016

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.5-18
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• 2023

As a result of the survey on the emission status of fluorine-based chemicals in Korea, 13 kinds of substances, including hydrogen fluoride (91%) and perfluorocarbons (5%), were emitted in workplaces. By regional groups, about 98% was emitted in the Gyeongbuk, Gyeonggi and Chungcheong regions, and about 98% in three sectors of industry related to manufacture of electronic parts, chemicals and non-metallic mineral products. The detection status of PFOS and PFOA in domestic main rivers was continuously detected in the Nakdong River, the Geum River and the Anseong Stream estuary with high fluorine-related chemical emissions, and four sites of PFOS and two sites of PFOA were detected for the first time in 2021. PFOS and PFOA were continuously detected in relatively high concentrations in the rivers where there were many semiconductor and display related sectors of industry.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.323-334
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• 2020

Adsorption by granule activated carbon(GAC) is recognized as an efficient method for the removal of perfluorinated compounds(PFCs) in water, while the poor regeneration and exchange cycles of granule active carbon make it difficult to sustain adsorption capacity for PFCs. In this study, the behavior of PFCs in the effluent of wastewater treatment plant (S), the raw water and the effluents of drinking water treatment plants (M1 and M2) located in Nakdong river waegwan watershed was monitored. Optimal regeneration and exchange cycles was also investigated in drinking water treatment plants and lab-scale adsorption tower for stable PFCs removal. The mean effluent concentration of PFCs was 0.044 0.04 PFHxS g/L, 0.000 0.00 PFOS g/L, 0.037 0.011 PFOA g/L, for S wastewater treatment plant, 0.023 0.073 PFHxS g/L, 0.000 0.00 PFOS g/L, 0.013 0.008 PFOA g/L for M1 drinking water treatment plant and 0.023 0.073 PFHxS g/L, 0.000 0.01 PFOS g/L, 0.011 0.009 PFOA g/L for M2 drinking water treatment plant. The adsorption breakthrough behaviors of PFCs in GAC of drinking water treatment plant and lab-scale adsorption tower indicated that reactivating carbon 3 times per year suggested to achieve and maintain good removal of PFASs. Considering the results of mass balance, the adsorption amount of PFCs was improved by using GAC with high-specific surface area (2,500㎡/g), so that the regeneration cycle might be increased from 4 months to 10 months even if powdered activated carbon(PAC) could be alternatives. This study provides useful insights into the removal of PFCs in drinking water treatment plant.