• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2019

The accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) resulted in the deposition of large quantities of radionuclides over parts of eastern Japan. Radioactive contaminants have been observed over a large area including forests, cities, rivers and lakes. Due to the strong adsorption of radioactive cesium by soil particles, radioactive cesium migrates with the eroded soil, follows the surface flow paths, and is delivered downstream of population-rich regions and eventually to coastal areas. In this study, we developed a model to simulate the transport of contaminated sediment in a watershed hydrological system and this model was compared with observation data from eroded soil observation instruments located at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. Two methods were applied to analyze the soil particle size distribution of the collected soil samples, including standardized sieve analysis and image analysis methods. Numerical models were developed to simulate the movement of soil along with actual rainfall considering initial saturation, rainfall infiltration, multilayer and rain splash. In the 2019 study, a numerical model will be used to add rainfall shield effect by trees, evaporation effect and shield effects of surface water. An eroded soil observation instrument has been installed near the Wolsong nuclear power plant since 2018 and observation data are being continuously collected. Based on these observations data, we will develop the numerical model to analyze long-term behavior of radionuclides on land as they move from land to rivers, lakes and coastal areas.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.743-752
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• 2009

One of the major problems associated with operation of domestic sewer lines involves hydraulic problems such as insufficient conveyance capacity, exceeding maximum velocity, and deficiency of minimum velocity. It has also been pointed out that influent concentration lower than design concentration of pollutants, which is mainly caused by unidentified inflow and infiltration, degrades the operational efficiency of many sewage treatment plants (STPs). A computer-added analysis method supporting a coupled simulation of sewage quality and quantity is essentially required to evaluate the status of existing STPs and to improve their efficiency by a proper sewer rehabilitation work. In this study, dynamic water quality simulations were conducted using MOUSE TRAP to investigate the principal parameters that governs the changes of BOD, ${NH_4}^+$, and ${PO_4}^{3-}$3- concentrations within the sewer networks based on data acquired through on-site and laboratory measurements. The BOD, ${NH_4}^+$ and ${PO_4}^{3-}$3- concentrations estimated by MOUSE TRAP was lower than theoretical pollution loads because of sedimentation and decomposition in the sewer. The results revealed that sedimentation is a most important factor than other biological reactions in decreasing pollutant load in the sewers of C-city. The sensitivity analysis of parameters pertaining to water quality changes indicated that the effect of the BOD decay rate, the initial DO concentration, the half-saturation coefficient of dissolved BOD, and the initial sediment depth is marginal. However, the influence of settling rate and temperature is relatively high because sedimentation and precipitation, rather than biological degradation, are dominant processes that affect water quality in the study sewer systems.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.469-477
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• 1994

Many researchers have investigated most representative sequential extraction method using various reagents for determining the chemical forms of metals in soils and sediments. In this paper, a newly modified method for sequential extraction scheme based on Tessier's method by Environmental Geochemistry Research, Centre for Environmental Technology, Imperial College, was introduced and examined. In comparison with Tessier's method, originally designed for sediment analysis by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS), the sequential extraction scheme has been developed for the multi-element analysis by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). The partitioning of particulate trace elements was classified into five fractions: (i) exchangeable, (ii) bound to carbonates or specially adsorbed, (iii) bound to Fe and Mn oxides, (iv) bound to organic matter and sulphides and (v) residuals. The experimental results of the pilot study for in-house reference material (HRM2) and certified international standard reference material (SRM2711) using the modified method showed not only reasonable precision and accuracy but also acceptable overall recovery rates. In addition, mine dump soils sampled in the Dalsung Cu-W mine, Korea were prepared and sequentially extracted using the method. Most of Cu was bound to organic matter/sulphides and residual fractions. The dominant fraction of soil Pb and Zn in the study area was found in the residuals. The fraction of Cd showed a wide variation between samples and could be found bound to the carbonates or specially adsorbed, oxides, organic fraction and residuals. The recovery rates of Cd, however, were poor due to relatively low Cd concentrations in soils. The heavy metals in these mine dumps appear to be in the more inert forms and should not be readily bioavailable. The soils, however, had very low pH values (average 4.1) and had sandy textures; consequently, rapid infiltration of rainfall may increase leaching of Zn and Cd which were found to be around 5 to 10% of the exchangeable fraction. As a result of the investigation of this study, it has been strongly recommended that these mine waste materials should still be considered a significant contaminant source and will need environmental remediation to prevent pollutants from being released into the environment.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2003

Understanding the penetration behavior of the spilled oil is very important to remove itself and to minimize its impact on intertidal biological communities by earlier treatment of the oil. The purpose of this study is to clarify the effects of wave and tidal actions on the penetration of spilled oil and to evaluate main factors of oil penetration using a sandy-beach model. Infiltration processes into the sediments showed significant difference between seawater and crude oil. Seawater was infiltrated by both wave action and tidal fluctuation into the sediments in sandy beach. However, spilled crude oil penetrated into the sediments only by falling tides and not by wave action, and the first tide is most important for the penetration of stranded oil. Over 70% of bulk fraction in penetrated crude oil was concentrated to the top 2 cm sediment-layer when spilled oil volume was 1 L/$\textrm{m}^2$. Moreover, the penetration of stranded oil into the sandy beach sediments was strongly correlated with the oil viscosity affected by temperature.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.467-475
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• 2015

The Deokjin Pond is one of the places representing Jeonju City's history but has the poor water quality. The pond has a storage of $88,741m^3$ and a drainage area of $3.77km^2$. It has been maintained only by the groundwater pumped from the upstream wells and the direct rainfalls on the water surface since the old streams replenishing the pond were turned into a part of the sewer system due to indiscreet urbanization. The lack of replenishing water as well as the organic-rich bottom sediment were suggested as two main causes deteriorating the water-ecosystem. In this study, possible measures obtaining waters for restoration of Deokjin Pond ecosystem are discussed. It is estimated that the present pond can be replenished about 32 times a year by the runoff when the drainage system in the watershed is recovered to a state before urbanization. To support this, the drainage system is compared with that of nearby Osong Pond, which shows relatively better water-ecosystem. Even though Osong Pond has a drainage area one-seventh of that of Deokjin Pond, its storage is more than the half of it. It is because its watershed has a near natural drainage system where the rain mostly infiltrates into soil and slowly discharges into the pond. Therefore, it is believed that the low impact development (LID), which is known as a technique restoring the water circulating system to a condition before development, would be helpful in obtaining waters required for Deokjin Pond ecosystem management.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.35-42
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• 2015

This is conducted to observe underground temperature and to analyze its change affected by climate condition and soil infiltration in the mountainous area, Yesan region, Chungcheong-namdo province. Additionally, underground temperature change is also simulated using air temperature and soil thermal properties with a numerical model. Soil temperature monitoring data acquired from each depth, 20 cm, 50 cm, and 100 cm, indicates that the data within 50 cm in depth shows peak-shaped big fluctuation directly affected by air temperature and it at 100 cm has open-shaped small fluctuation. Underground temperature variation, a difference between high and low values, during monitoring period is weakly proportional to hydraulic conductivity of the sediment and it is assumed that water plays a part in delivering air temperature in soil. The underground temperature estimated by a numerical model is very similar to the observed data with an average value of 0.99 cross-correlation coefficient. From the result of this study, the aquifer unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil and the groundwater recharge is likely to be able to estimate with underground temperature profile calculated using a numerical model.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2003

If contaminated river water is sprayed over a floodplain, the microbial processes can simultaneously remove organic matter and nitrogen during the infiltration through the sediment profile. The effect of rhizosphere on the removal of organic matter and nitrogen from contaminated river water was investigated using floodplain lysimeters. River water was sprayed at a rate of $68.0L\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$ on the top of the lysimeters with or without weed vegetation on the surface, Concentrations of $NO_3$, $NH_4$ and dissolved oxygen (DO), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) and Eh in water were measured as functions of depth for 4 weeks after the system reached a steady state water flow and biological reactions. A significant reductive-condition for denitrification developed in the 30-cm surface profile of lysimeters with weeds. At a depth of 30 cm, COD and $NO_3$-N concentration decreased to 5.2 and $0.9mg\;L^{-1}$ from the respective influent concentrations of 18.2 and $9.8mg\;L^{-1}$. The removal of $NO_3$ in lysimeters with weeds was significantly higher than in those without weeds. Vegetation on the top was assumed to remove $NO_3$ directly by absorption and to create more favorable conditions for denitrification by supply of organic matter and rapid $O_2$ consumption, In the lysimeters without weeds, further removal of $NO_3$ was limited by the lack of an electron donor, i.e. organic matter. These results suggest that the filtration through native floodplains, which include rhizospheres of vegetation on the surface, can be effective for the treatment of contaminated river water.