• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.45-51
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• 2014

In accordance with the view on remediated soil as a resource, this study assessed the applicability of soil washing with the neutral phosphate for remediation of arsenic (As)-contaminated soil. Three soil samples of different land uses (i.e., rice paddy, upland field and forest land) were collected from the study site, and the aqua regia-extractable As concentrations were 59.2, 30.8 and 53.1 mg/kg, respectively. Among the neutral phosphate reagents, ammonium phosphate showed the highest As washing efficiency. The optimized washing condition was 2-hr washing with 0.5M ammonium phosphate solution (pH 6) and soil to liquid ratio of 1 : 5. The extraction efficiencies of As did not guarantee the residual soil As concentrations to satisfy the Korea soil regulatory level (i.e., Worrisome level) in the three soil samples. To enhance washing efficiency, the As-contaminated soil was submerged in washing solution (1 : 1, w/v) for 24 hr and 1-hr washing with 0.5M ammonium phosphate solution was tested. As extraction efficiencies of 36.1 (rice paddy), 21.4 (upland field) and 26.4% (forest land) were attained, which satisfied the Worrisome level for Region 1 (25 mg/kg of As) in rice paddy, but not in upland field and forest land.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.3-14
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• 2019

Copper is one of the first metals utilized by humankind about 11,500 years ago. But copper is not plentiful metallic element in the earth's crust. Copper has a high thermal and electric conductivity and is relatively corrosion resistant. In principle copper is virtually 100 % recyclable as an element without loss of quality. The recycling of copper scrap reduces the energy consumption and environmental burden, comparing to the primary metal production. Currently, approximately 30% of the global copper supply provides by recycling. Copper scrap is smelted in primary and secondary smelter. Type of furnace and process steps depend on the quality and grade of scrap. Depending on copper content of the secondary raw material, refining is required, which is usually done through electrorefining. This work provides an overview of the primary copper production and recycling process.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.3-14
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• 2019

Lead is one of the common non-ferrous metals used in modern industry. The usage of lead continues to increase and has risen from 5 million tonnes per year worldwide in the 1970s to 11 million tonnes in the 2010s. In principle lead is virtually 100 % recyclable as an element without loss of quality. The recycling of lead scrap reduces the energy consumption and environmental burden, comparing to the primary metal production. Therefore production of secondary lead from scrap has been steadily growing and at present it meets approximately 60 % of usage worldwide. Lead scrap (mainly lead-acid battery) is smelted in primary and secondary smelter. Most secondary lead smelting were performed in a shaft-type furnace (blast furnace), rotary furnace and reverberatory furnace. The lead bullion is either cast into ingots and re-melted in refining kettles or refining is performed on the hot lead bullion immediately after production. This work provides an overview of the primary lead production and recycling process.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.370-376
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• 2019

Background: Respirator fit testing is a method to assess if the respirator provides an adequate face seal for the worker. Methods: Workers from four Norwegian smelters were invited to participate in the study, and 701 respirator fit tests were performed on 127 workers. Fourteen respirator models were included: one FFABE1P3 and 11 FFP3 respirator models produced in one size and two silicone half masks with P3 filters available in three sizes. The workers performed a quantitative fit test according to Health and Safety Executive 282/28 with 5-6 different respirator models, and they rated the respirators based on comfort. Predictors of overall fit factors were explored. Results: The pass rate for all fit tests was 62%, 56% for women, and 63% for men. The silicone respirators had the highest percentage of passed tests (92-100%). The pass rate for the FFP3 models varied from 19-89%, whereas the FFABE1P3 respirator had a pass rate of 36%. Five workers did not pass with any respirators, and 14 passed with all the respirators tested. Only 63% passed the test with the respirator they normally used. The mean comfort score on the scale from 1 to 5 was 3.2. The respirator model was the strongest predictor of the overall fit factor. The other predictors (age, sex, and comfort score) did not improve the fit of the model. Conclusion: There were large differences in how well the different respirator models fitted the Norwegian smelter workers. The results can be useful when choosing which respirators to include in respirator fit testing programs in similar populations.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.223-229
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Mining activities, smelter discharges, and sludges are the major sources of heavy metal contamination to soils. The objective of this study was to determine the efficiency of magnetite and bottom ash derived from coal ash in remediating As-contaminated soil. METHODS AND RESULTS: An incubation experiment was conducted for 10 weeks. Magnetite and bottom ash at different rates and ratios were applied to each plastic bottle repacked with 1,000 g of dried As-contaminated soil. After 3-weeks of incubation, the concentrations of available As were measured by using Mehlich-3, SBET, and sequential extraction methods. All of the subjected soil amendments resulted in significant decreases in available As concentration compared to the controls. The addition of magnetite at the highest rate was the best to stabilize As in the soils; however, the values of As concentration varied with the extraction methods. CONCLUSION(S): To ensure the stabilization accuracy of heavy metals in soil, both single and sequential extractions are recommended. The magnetite derived from fly coal ash can also be applicable as a heavy metal stabilizer for the As-contaminated soil.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1996

The contents of heavy metals in soil near the Janghang smelter area were observed to understand present status and relationship between their fraction and the absorption by rice. The soil samples were taken from the eight sites of the paddy fields in 1982 and 1990, and analysis on heavy metals including Cd, Zn, Cu and Pb was performed. The results were as follows: Total contents of heavy metals in the samples of 1990 were higher than those of 1982. The order of increasing ratio was Cu > Zn > Pb > Cd and the variation of Cd content by sequential differente extracting was residual > exchangeable > dilute acid-extractable fractions and its increasing range was from 38 to 71% during nine years. The ratio of immobile heavy metals bound within an oxide or silicate matrix of Fe-Mn oxide bound and residual in surface soil was that Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn were 31.65, 42.22, 76.57 and 79.49%, respectively, and their mobile ratios of exchangeable, dilute acid-extractable and organically bound were more than 20.28%. Those of mobile Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn were 68.35, 55.78, 23.43 and 20.28%, respectively. Correlation between the heavy metal contents in surface soil and those in tissue of rice plant, such as leaf blade, leaf sheath, stem and panicle axis, were significant, but were not significant in subsurface soil. The dilute acid-extractable and organically bound fractions of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in surface soil were more significantly correlated with those in tissues of paddy rice.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.445-449
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• 2012

We investigate the effects of redox reaction on preparation of high purity ${\alpha}$-alumina from selectively ground aluminum dross. Preparation procedure of the ${\alpha}$-alumina from the aluminum dross has four steps: i) selective crushing and grinding, ii) leaching process, iii) redox reaction, and iv) precipitation reaction under controlled pH. Aluminum dross supplied from a smelter was ground to separate metallic aluminum. After the separation, the recovered particles were treated with hydrochloric acid(HCl) to leach aluminum as aluminum chloride solution. Then, the aluminum chloride solution was applied to a redox reaction with hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$). The pH value of the solution was controlled by addition of ammonia to obtain aluminum hydroxide and to remove other impurities. Then, the obtained aluminum hydroxide was dried at $60^{\circ}C$ and heat-treated at $1300^{\circ}C$ to form ${\alpha}$-alumina. Aluminum dross was found to contain a complex mixture of aluminum metal, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, and spinel compounds. Regardless of introduction of the redox reaction, both of the sintered products are composed mainly of ${\alpha}$-alumina. There were fewer impurities in the solution subject to the redox reaction than there were in the solution that was not subject to the redox reaction. The impurities were precipitated by pH control with ammonia solution, and then removed. We can obtain aluminum hydroxide with high purity through control of pH after the redox reaction. Thus, pH control brings a synthesis of ${\alpha}$-alumina with fewer impurities after the redox reaction. Consequently, high purity ${\alpha}$-alumina from aluminum dross can be fabricated through the process by redox reaction.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.95-103
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• 1991

For the purpose of estimating the working environment and the relationship between the airborne lead concentration and the ZPP level in the whole blood of the workers, the airborne lead concentrations and the ZPP level were measured at the 26 plants which deal with lead, from October 5 to November 5 in 1988. Analysis of the airborne lead concentration was performed by NIOSH Method 7082, and the ZPP level was measured by a hematofluorometer. The following results are concluded. 1. The average airborne lead concentration of the lead battery manufactures is 0.025mg/m$^{3}$ and that of the secondary lead smelters is 0.023mg/m$^{3}$. There were no significant differences between industry (p>0.1) 2. At the lead battery manufacture, the process of lead powder production showed the highest concentration of 0.034mg/m$^{3}$ but there were no significant differences among the processes (p>0.1). At the secondary lead smelter, the process of dismantling waste batteries showed the highest concentration 0.141mg/m$^{3}$, and there were very significant differences among the processes (p<0.005). 3. The ZPP level in the whole blood showed significant differences between industry (p<0.10). The average ZPP level of the lead battery manufactures is 133.0 + 106.3 $\mu$g/100ml and that of the secondary lead smelters is 149.6 + 110.9 $\mu$g/100ml. 4. The correlation coefficients between the airborne lead concantration and ZPP level were 0. 426 (p<0.001) for the lead battery manufactures and 0.484 (p<0.001) for the secondary lead smelters. The correlation coefficients between the work duration (in months) and the ZPP level were 0.238 (p<0.001) for the lead battery mannfactures and 0.075 (p>0.10) for the secondary lead smelters. 5. The linear regression equation, with the airborne lead concentration as an independent variable and the ZPP level as a dependent variable, is Y=96.84+1300.34X (r=0.448, p<0.001) for the 26 plants which deal with lead. The linear regression equation, with the work duration(in months) as an independent variable and the ZPP level as a dependent variable, is Y=127.28 +0.49X (r=0.162, p<0.05). 6. The correlation coefficients between the amount of inhaled lead and ZPP level were 0.349 (p < 0.001) for the lead battery manufactures and 0.318(p<0.001) for the secondary lead smeltes. The linear regression equation for the 26 plants surveyed, with the amount of inhaled lead as an independent variable and ZPP level as a dependent variable, is Y=123.63+18.82X (r=0. 335, p<0.001).

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2002

In order to select proper plants for phytoremediation at heavy metal contaminated areas, eight species of non-edible plants were cultivated at the heavy metal contaminated soils near a metal smelter. The content of the absorbed heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and As) at different part of the plants were analyzed. Plants included five tree species (Populus nigra x P. maximowiczii, Euonymus japonica, Acer palmantum, Celtis sinensis, Buxus microphylla), two flower species (Rhododendron lateritium, Calendula officinalis), and lawn (Zoysia japonica). Biomass yield of tree species was higher than those of flower or lawn species. Heavy metals were highly accumulated in roots compared to those In leaves and stems. The concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and As in Buxus microphylla were greater than those in other plant species. Total absorbed Cd and Pb contents, from high to low by each plant in experimental plots were in the order of Populus nigra x P. maximowiczii, Celtis sinensis and Acer palmantum. They were Celtis sinensis, Populus nigra x P. maximowiczii and Buxus microphylla for Cu, and Buxus microphylla, Acer palmantum and Populus nigra x P. maimowiczii for As. It was estimated that among eight plant species used in the experiment Populus nigra x P. maximowiczii, Buxus microphylla, Acer palmantum, and Celtis sinensis were the most effective species for phytoremediation in the heavy metals polluted areas considering biomass yield and heavy metal uptake.