• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
• /
• v.9 no.2 s.19
• /
• pp.13-17
• /
• 2003

A purpose of this study is to develop practical indexes for improving a village environment in Kyongbuk, Korea. From a questionnaire survey of the public employees (71 persons) who take charge of the environment in Kyongbuk province, the indexes were produced and the contents of questionnaire consisted of preferential and supplementary indexes to apply. The preferential indexes which apply to an agricultural village and a stock raising village are environmental sanitation facilities, a hygienic check of livestock and a purge of livestock shed's surroundings. In case of mountainous village, and natural-ecological village the preferential indexes are habitat reservation for wildlife, poaching prohibition (monitoring for it), and food supplement for livestock. To the traditional-cultural village, prevention of noise pollution, environmental sanitation facilities, and a monitoring or water quality change are the prior indexes in order. For the village near city and the industrial village the preferential indexes are patrol removing of garbage, pollution index planting and monitoring for noise pollution. For a fishing village and a village fronting waterside excess uses of agricultural chemicals, monitoring for a water quality change, and realignment of green house with vinyl and warehouse. In conclusion the research presents the practical and preferential index for residents to improve their environment in accordance with village settings and suggests guidelines for further research.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.6-19
• /
• 2009

We investigated the macrozoobenthos at major two harbors of Korea in July and August 2007 in order to check the changes in the species composition due to the invasive species and to make a species inventory at each harbor system. At the Incheon Harbor, a total of 88 species was sampled with abundance of 3,212 ind. m$^{-2}$ and biomass of 239 g m$^{-2}$. The most dominant species was Tharyx sp. belong to polychaete taxa, followed by Chaetozone setosa in the harbor area. The dominant species of outer area were Musculus senhousia and Sternaspis scutata. The diversity index ranged between 0.9$\sim$2.4, and evenness index between 0.3$\sim$0.9, and richness index between 1.8$\sim$3.9. Benthic pollution index ranged between 16$\sim$74. The highest benthic pollution index was at station 4. On the other hand the lowest value was at station 6, where a large amount of M. senhousia belong to mollusca occurred. At the Busan Harbor, a total of 89 species was sampled with density of 1,845 ind. m$^{-2}$ and biomass of 133.6 g m$^{-2}$ in August 2007. The most dominant species was Tharyx sp., followed by M. japonica and Cirratulus cirrata within harbor area. M. japonica was dominant species in the outer area. The diversity index ranged between 0.7$\sim$2.2, evenness index between 0.3$\sim$1.0, and richness index between 1.1$\sim$4.1. Benthic pollution index ranged between 31$\sim$90. The lowest benthic pollution index was found at site 2 within harbor area.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.71-91
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the environmental performance of 29 Chinese provinces by adopting the advanced measurements, integrated pollution intensity index, IPI, which can be computed using Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA) techniques. This index has the advantage of accounting for multiple resources used, good outputs produced and pollutants emitted simultaneously. The result obtained using the methodology shows the obvious evidence that provinces located around eastern area of China take relatively low levels and these phenomenons have been clearly observed throughout the sample period 1998~2007. The estimated index can be interpreted that the environmental burden in China has been steadily decreased as economic growth. This paper also tries to figure out the relationship among IPI, income levels, economic structures, the level of environmental regulations and FDI inflow. The estimated relationship between IPI and income per capita predicts improving environmental performance with increasing income levels. This explains the improvement in IPI which is simultaneously observed with income increases. According to the 'pollution haven hypothesis', many researches have been concerned the possibility that a large amount of foreign capital has been invested in China to avoid the strict environmental standards in advanced countries. However, the estimated coefficients in all model specifications take negative sign with IPI and highly statistical significant. This is a indication that there are positive impacts of foreign investments on IPI by adopting clean and high technologies from advanced countries.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.514-536
• /
• 2018

GPI (Group Pollution Index) using 29 indicator groups of Korean benthic macroinvertebrates was proposed in 1992, a higher category taxa-level index developed for rapid field assessment of organic water pollution. This study was performed to revise the assessment scheme of GPI based on taxonomic performance and ecological information accumulated since 1992. The original GPI was renamed SBMI (Simple Benthic Macroinvertebrates Index), and SBMI was based on saprobic valency of 26 indicator groups composed of higher category taxa (mainly family ~ phylum) excluding some genus or species-level taxa. SBMI revealed highly significant correlation with concentration of 5-day biochemical oxygen demand ($BOD_5$) (correlation coefficient r = 0.78, n = 569 sites), total suspended solids (r = 0.69), and total phosphorus (r = 0.77). Also, SBMI revealed strong correlation with Shannon-Weaver's species diversity (r = -0.85), Margalef's species richness (r = -0.85), and McNaughton's dominance (r = 0.83). Determination coefficient of SBMI to concentration of water quality items and values of community indices such as species diversity was 3 ~ 8 % and approximately 11 ~ 14 % higher than that of GPI, respectively. Correlation between SBMI and water quality factors or community indices such as species diversity did not reveal much difference compared to that of species-level indices, such as BMI (Benthic Macroinvertebrates Index) and ESB (Ecological Score of Benthic Macroinvertebrates). SMBI is a simple-qualitative index with higher category taxa easily identified, and is applicable for rapid field assessment of water environment impairment.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.48-59
• /
• 2018

Beryllium (Be), cobalt (Co), thallium (Tl) and vanadium (V) are candidates of 21 priority soil pollutants in Korea. The distribution of their concentration in soils from three contamination sources including industrial, roadside and mining areas was investigated. Concentrations of the metals were evaluated quantitatively using pollution indices and the fractionation of metals was conducted using modified SM&T (Standards Measurements and Testing programme) sequential extraction. Concentrations of the metals for all samples from industrial and roadside soils were within the range of natural background levels, while some of Be in soils from abandoned mines exceeded that the range. Enrichment Factor (EF) and Nemerow Integrated Pollution Index (NIPI) for Be, Co, Tl and V showed that there are effects or possibilities of anthropogenic activities. Pollution Load Index (PLI) analyses indicated all investigated sites needed further monitoring. The results of sequential extractions indicated mobile fractions (F1+F2) of Be, Tl and V were below 30% except some of Co in soil, which implies their low mobility to neighboring environment media. Variable tools like sequential extraction, comparison with background/actual concentration and pollution indices, as well as aqua regia extraction should be considered when evaluating Be, Co, Tl, V in soil.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.249-262
• /
• 2021

This study investigated the pollution characteristics of the main pollution zone in the Hwangguji watershed and the influence of the tributary on the main stream. The characteristics of the main pollution zone, including, the water quality index (WQI), stream rating, load duration curve (LDC), delivery load density (DLD), and contribution of the tributary to the mainstream, were evaluated by time-series visual heatmap. The WQI of the mainstream of Hwangguji was lowered to the poor (IV) level from the inflow point of Suwon stream (SW) and the LDC excess rate in the T-P was higher than that of BOD₅, especially for the wet season, suggesting that management of non-point source with T-P is preferred. The contribution (%) of the tributaries in the upstream section of Hwangguji watershed were BOD₅ 14.54%, TOC 15.67%, T-N 5.43%, and T-P 6.97%. In particular, the Suwon sewage treatment plant located in the mainstream showed a high contribution of BOD₅ (64.40%) and T-P (53.54%), respectively, due to the high discharge rate (6.019 m³/sec). Meanwhile, Sammi and Gal stream have a large impact on the mainstream with high DLD and poor WQI. Thus, both streams were considered as pollution hot spots. These results provide useful basic data for preparing more effective water quality improvement and management plans in the watershed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.491-501
• /
• 2022

This study evaluated the contamination levels of inland pollution sources flowing into Taeanhaean National Park. The nutritional status of influents was assessed by analyzing water quality and trophic status index (TRIX) at 52 stations, and the contamination levels of sediments were evaluated by analyzing eutrophication cleanup index (CIET) and heavy metals at 36 stations. The results of the TRIX analysis showed that 26 of the 52 stations had influents with a TRIX value of 6-10 (poor water quality/very high trophic level), indicating atrocious water quality and high eutrophication levels. The results of the CIET analysis showed that 4 out of the 36 stations were highly contaminated with organic matter. Analysis of heavy metals showed that the copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) levels exceeded the threshold effects level (TEL) and probable effects levels (PEL) at several stations. In addition, the arsenic (As) level exceeded the threshold effects level at one station, and the levels of the other heavy metals (Cd, Cr⁶⁺, Ni, Pb, and Hg) were lower. Most inland pollution sources have been identified as small-scale, but long-term and continuous exposure can negatively affect the marine ecosystem; therefore, it necessary to prepare inland pollution source management standards and measures suitable for the characteristics of the coastal area.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.771-781
• /
• 1997

In order to select an effective and appropriate evaluation method for the marine environmental protection and management, it is necessary to evaluate the present status of environmental conditions and to monitor and regulate the harzadous waste continuously. Among the evaluation methods that use benthic fauna, some graphical methods and biological index methods such as species abundance-biomass (SAB), Rank-frequency diagram (RFD), Abundance-Biomass comparison (ABC), log-normal distribution (LND), and Benthic Pollution Index (BPI) modified by Infaunal Trophic Index were used for the assessments of marine environment in the Inchon coastal area. Even though the graphic methods are convenient for easy glimpse of general trend of environmental condition but because they require sufficient ecological data, those methods do not fit for analysis or comparison of regional and detailed environmental condition. On the other hand, when BPI was applied, it was able to compare the spatial benthic conditions. Through considering the functional aspects of benthic fauna which can not be obtained in the cluster analysis, BPI was made it possible to measure or trace down the source of pollution. In the case of the environmental assessment result analyzed in Inchon coastal area, the north eastern part of Yongjongdo was more influenced by the pollution than the outer area of Inchon. The research indicates that especially Inchon harbor has been greatly affected.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.607-611
• /
• 2015

Background: Chronic respiratory disease is an important factor for development of lung cancer. To explore the influence of hazy weather on respiratory diseases and its variation the present study was conducted. Materials and Methods: Data from air pollution surveillance from January to October 2014 and case records of visiting patients in the $263^{th}$ Hospital of Chinese PLA in the corresponding period were collected to analyze the relevance between different degrees of air pollution (hazy weather) and the number of visiting patients in Department of Respiratory Disease. Results: Air quality index (AQI) of hazy weather had significantly positive association with particulate matter 2.5 ($PM_{2.5}$) and the number of patients with 5 kinds of respiratory diseases i and different pollutants had distinct influences on various respiratory diseases. Conclusions: The degree of air pollution in Beijing City is in close association with the number of patients with respiratory diseases, in which $PM_{2.5}$ and $SO_2$ are in more significant influences on all respiratory diseases. This could have essential implications for lung cancer development in China.

• Asian Journal of Business Environment
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.15-19
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This research aims to explore the level of air pollution in Jakarta, the epicenter of COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia and its surrounding provinces during the first month of the Pandemic. Research design, data and methodology: This study uses data, which have been obtained real time from API (Application Programming Interfaces) of air quality website. The measurements of Air Quality Index (AQI), temperature, humidity, and other factors from several cities and regencies in Indonesia were obtained eight times a day. The data collected have been analyzed using descriptive statistics and mapped using QGIS. Results: The finding of this study indicates that The Greater Jakarta Area experienced a decrease in pollutant levels, especially in the Bogor area. Nevertheless, some areas, such as the north Jakarta, have exhibited slow reduction. Furthermore, the regions with high COVID-19 confirmed cases have experienced a decline in AQI. Conclusions: The study concludes that the air quality of three provinces, Jakarta, Banten, and West Java, especially in cities located in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area during COVID-19 pandemic and large-scale social restrictions, is getting better. However, in some regions, the reduction of pollutant concentrations requires a longer time, as it was very high before the pandemic.