• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.305-313
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• 1996

In order to investigate the extent and degree of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn contamination affected by mining activities of the Dalsung Cu~W mine, sampling of stream sediments and waters has been undertaken up to 1.5 km downstream from the mine at 50~150 meter intervals. Analysis of the samples was carried out using ICP-AES for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn. Physical and chemical properties of sediments (pH, organic matter contents, cation exchange capacity) and waters (pH, Eh and temperature) were also measured. The properties of the sediment samples were characterized by low pH (3.0~5.5), low organic matter contents (2~5%) and a moderate degree of cation exchange capacity (7~15 meq/100 g) with a high proportion of sand fraction. The pH values of water samples ranged from 3.0 to 5.0 and the Eh levels were in the range of 350~530 mV. Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in the sediments averaged 3.2 mg/kg, 1,390 mg/kg, 451 mg/kg and 262 mg/kg with the range of 0.6~11.4 mg/kg, 15~3,800 mg/kg, 14~1,330 mg/kg and 63~1,060 mg/kg, respectively. Significant levels of the heavy metals were also found in the water samples with the range of $10{\sim}170{\mu}gCd/l$, $300{\sim}41,600{\mu}gCu/l$, $10{\sim}80{\mu}gPb/l$ and $700{\sim}15,400{\mu}gZn/l$. These elevated concentrations in the sediments and waters may be caused by the weathering of mine waste materials and their high solubilities under acidic and/or oxidizing conditions. Although metal concentrations in the samples decrease with the distance from the mine, heavy metal contamination of sediments and waters were also found at the 1.5 km downstream due to the mobile conditions of the heavy metals, with particular reference to Cd and Zn in stream waters.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.1-6
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• 2020

Recently, ex-situ remediation technologies has been emerging to clean up contaminated soils mainly because the in-situ techniques have limited applicability and technical difficulties in relatively small contaminated sites. Accordingly, implementation of off-site treatment and disposal have been continuously increased in soil remediation and restoration projects in Korea. However, in many cases, reclaimed soil is still not properly recycled or reused. Therefore, there is an urgent need to document the current status of soil management practices in soil remediation projects in the nation. This study presents a survey of soil contamination status and remedial approaches in Korea based on soil cleanup projects completed in 2015 - 2019, and proposes the possible options of the recycling or reusing the reclaimed soils under compliance with related regulations. The results of the soil survey showed soil contamination was most severe in gas stations, industrial facilities, and military areas. The major types of pollution were related to the petroleum-contaminated site (TPH and BTEX) with 77.0% occurrence in all the contaminated sites. The reclaimed soils were mostly reused as a ground filling-up soils in industrial facilities (60.0%) and warehouses (37.0%).

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.27 no.spc
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• pp.34-50
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• 2022

Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted using hydrochemical data in four testbeds (A to D) built for the development of site characterization technologies to assess the hydrochemical processes controlling the hydrochemistry in each site. The PCA results indicated the nitrogen loading to deep bedrock aquifers through permeable fractures in Testbed A, the chemical weathering enhanced with the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in Testbed B, the reductive dechlorination in Testbed C, and the different hydrochemistry depending on the depth to bedrock in Testbed D, consistent with the characteristics of each site. In Testbeds B and D, outliers seemed to affect the PCA result probably due to the small number of samples, whereas the PCA result was still consistent with site characteristics. This study result indicates that the PCA is widely applicable to hydrochemical data for the assessment of major hydrochemical processes in contamination sites, which is useful for site characterization when combined with other site characterization technologies, e.g., geological survey, geophysical investigation, borehole logging. It is suggested that PCA is applied in contaminated sites to interpret hydrochemical data not only for the distribution of contamination levels but also for the assessment of major hydrochemical processes and contamination sources.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.40-47
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• 2002

The practices of the construction and management of the petroleum and hazardous chemical compound storage facilities in Korea were investigated extensively, and the problems were identified. The advanced technologies in the U.S.A were comparatively studied. Considering the effectiveness of leak prevention and applicability, the following measures were suggested. To prevent corrosion of a tank, a clad tank, an interior lining tank, or a double-wall tank were thought to be the most cost effective. For piping. use of non-metalic materials was suggested. A catchment basin seemed to be effective for preventing spills. For monitoring of leaks, constructions of more than one of detection systems, such as an automatic leak detection device. a vapor detection system, a groundwater monitoring system, or a double-wall monitoring system, were recommended.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.28-34
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• 2005

The aim of this article is to assess the application characteristics of the site by remediating oil-contaminated area using DSB (Deep-site Biopile) system. In the contaminated area, the soil was composed of penetrable sand and the leaked oil was spread widely (total 7,201 cubic meters) through 2.5 meter deep underground water flow. DSB system was operated for 30 minutes intervals for 24 hours in a day (30 minutes opεration and 30 minutes stop). To check contamination level change in the contaminated area after DSB system was operated, samples were taken. The result from the site shows that BTEX/TPH contamination level was dropped 50% after 30-day operation of DSB system, and that contamination level was dropped below contamination level check standard after 165 days and the remediation was completed. Unlike traditional biological remediation methods DSB system could efficiently process soil and water which were contaminated by high levels of oil compounds.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.59-71
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• 2014

We investigated soil contamination depending on the land use by examining the contamination levels and distribution characteristics of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the national soil. Total PAHs (the sum of 16 PAH concentrations) and carcinogenic PAHs (the sum of seven carcinogenic PAH concentrations) were $8.50{\sim}3,437.16{\mu}g/kg$ and $2.94{\sim}2,136.96{\mu}g/kg$, respectively. The concentration of benzo(a)pyrene, one of the contaminants regulated by the soil quality standard in the nation, was $ND{\sim}924.73{\mu}g/kg$. Its maximum value of $924.73{\mu}g/kg$ was detected in railroad (Region 3) and is approximately 13% of the standard value for Region 3 (i.e., 7 mg/kg). We also investigated the characteristics of contamination sources of PAHs in soil of the upland, forests, roads, and railroads, examining the fraction distribution of PAHs concentration by the number of benzene rings against the total PAHs concentration. The results demonstrate that the mean fraction of 4~6-ring PAHs against total PAHs concentration in soil was in the range of 51.8~80.7% with relative abundance of high-molecular PAHs, showing that the origin of contamination is under the category of combustion sources. When the molecular indices (Flu/(Flu/Pyr), Ant/(Ant+Phe), InP/(InP+BP), and BaA/(BaA+Chr)) were applied, they were also categorized as petroleum-based combustion sources. The individual PAH concentrations in soil by the land use were grouped into Regions 1, 2, and 3, which are statistically treated and are the parts of the national category system of soil quality standard. As a result, the concentration level of 16 PAHs was $0.02{\sim}2.63{\mu}g/kg$ in Region 1, $0.05{\sim}4.26{\mu}g/kg$ in Region 2, and $2.36{\sim}178.27{\mu}g/kg$ in Region 3. The concentration level of 6 carcinogenic PAHs was 14.2~320.4% against that of benzo(a)pyrene in Region 3 and sites of recycling waste sleepers. Considering that there were similarities among PAHs in terms of structures and toxicities, it would be recommended to review other types of carcinogenic PAHs together with benzo(a)pyrene when developing the soil quality standards in the nation.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.237-244
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• 2013

The engine oil is used for lubrication of various internal combustion engines. Recently, the vehicle and engine oil manufacture usually guarantee for oil change over 15000~20000 km mileage, but the most of driver usually change engine oil every 5000 km driving in korea. It can cause to raise environmental contamination by used engine oil and increase the cost of driving by frequently oil change. In this study, we investigate the various physical properties such as flash point, pour point, kinematic viscosity, cold cranking simulator characteristics, total acid number, four-ball test and concentration of metal component for fresh engine oil and used engine oil after real vehicle driving (5000 km, 10000 km). The result showed that the total acid number, wear scar diameter by four-ball test, Fe and Cu had increased than fresh engine oil, but 2 kind of used oil (5000 km and 10000km) had similar physical values and concentration of metal component.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.274-278
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• 2013

Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) is used as an automatic transmission in the vehicle or as a characterized fluid for automatic transmission. Recently, vehicle manufacturers usually guarantee for changing fluids over 80000~100000 km mileage or no exchange. However, most drivers usually change ATF below every 50000 km driving distance when driving in Republic of Korea according to a survey from the Korea Institute of Petroleum Management which can cause both a serious environmental contamination by the used ATF and an increase in the cost of driving. In this study, various physical properties such as flash point, pour point, kinematic viscosity, dynamic viscosity at low temperature, total acid number and four-ball test were investigated for both fresh ATF and used ATF after the actual vehicle driving distance of 50000 km and 100000 km. It was shown that most physical properties were suitable for the specification of ATF, but the foam characteristics of the used oil after running 100000 km was unsuitable for the specification of fresh ATF. Therefore, the exchange cycle of ATF every 80000~100000 km driving distance is recommended considering great positive contributions to preventing environmental pollution and reducing driving cost.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.169-173
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• 1998

The practice of the construction and management of the underground petroleum storage facilities in Korea was investigated extensively, and the problems were identified. The advanced technologies in the U.S.A was comparatively studied. Considering the effectiveness of leak prevention and technology applicability, the following measures were suggested. To prevent corrosion of the tank, a clad tank, an interior-lining tank, or a double-wall tank was appropriate and appeared to be most cost effective. For piping, non-metalic material was suggested. To prevent spill, a catchment basin can be effective. For monitoring of leak, construction of more than one of one or combination of an automatic leak-detection device, a vapor-detection system, a ground water-monitoring system, and a double-wall detection system was recommended.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.467-470
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• 2003

Leaking underground storage tanks are a major source of groundwater contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons. Aerobic bioremediation has been highly effective in the remediation of many fuel releases. However, Bioremediation of aromatic hydrocarbons in groundwater and sediments is ofen limited by the inability to provide sufficient oxygen to the contaminated zones due to the low water solubility of oxygen. Nitrate can also serve as an electron acceptor and results in anaerobic biodegradation of organic compounds via the processes of nitrate reduction and denitrification. Because nitrate is less expensive and more soluble than oxygen. it may be more economical to restore fuel-contaminated aquifers using nitrate rather than oxygen. And denitrifying bacteria are commonly found in the subsurface and in association with contaminated aquifer materials. These studies have shown that BTEX and MTBE can be degraded by the nitrate-amended microcosms under aerobic and anaerobic conditons. Biodegradation of the toluene and ethylbenzne compounds occurred very quickly under denitrifying conditions. MTBE, benzene and p-xylene were recalcitrant under denitrifying conditions in this study, But finally Biodegradaton was observed for all of the test compounds.