• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2013

This paper describes the radiation doses to human and non-human biota in the Republic of Korea, as a result of the Fukushima nuclear accident. By using the measured airborne activity and ground deposition, the effective and thyroid doses of five human age groups (infant, 5 years, 10 years, 15 years and adult) were estimated by the ECOSYS code, and the whole body absorbed dose rate of the eight Korean reference animals and plants (RAPs) was estimated by the K-BIOTA (the Korean computer code to assess the risk of radioactivity to wildlife). The first-year effective and thyroid human doses ranged from 5.7E-5 mSv in the infant group to 2.0E-4 mSv in the 5 years group, and from 5.0E-4 mSv in the infant group to 3.4E-3 mSv in the 5 years group, respectively. The life-time (70 years) effective and thyroid human doses ranged from 1.5E-4 mSv in the infant group to 3.0E-4 mSv in the 5 years group, and from 6.0E-4 mSv in the infant group to 3.5E-3 mSv in the 5 years group, respectively. The estimated maximum whole body absorbed dose rate to the Korean RAPs was 6.7E-7 mGy/d for a snake living in soil (terrestrial biota), and 2.0E-5 mGy/d for freshwater fish (aquatic biota), both of which were far less than the generic dose criteria to protect biota from ionizing radiation. Also, the screening level assessment for ERICA's (Environmental Risks from Ionizing Contaminants: Assessments and management) limiting organisms showed that the risk quotient (RQ) for the estimated maximum soil and water activity was significantly less than unity for both the terrestrial and freshwater organisms. Conclusively, the radiological risk of the radioactivity released into the environment by the Fukushima nuclear accident to the public and the non-human biota in the republic of Korea is considered negligible.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2015

The use of cover crops has a beneficial effect on sustainable soil management in pear orchards. We aimed to compare changes in soil chemical properties and biota with the use of different cover crops. We tested the effects of five cover plants, including hairy vetch, orchard grass, rattail fescue, rye, and perennial ryegrass. Use of different cover crops had a minimal impact on soil chemical properties through three year experiments. The aboveground biomass was greatest with the use of rye. The potential amounts of returnable N and P were highest when leguminous hairy vetch was used as a cover plant. Changes in the composition of the microbial community were investigated by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. Microbial PLFAs were highest with the use of rattail fescue and lowest with the use of hairy vetch. Minimal changes in the abundances of nematodes and microarthropods suggested that there was no bottom-up control in the soil ecosystem. The results also show that increases in aboveground biomass and nutrient content with the use of cover crops may not promote the abundance of soil organisms.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.16-25
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• 2019

Anthropogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed by the incomplete combustion of fuels and industrial waste. PAHs can be widely exposed to the environment (water, soil and groundwater). PAHs are potentially toxic, mutagenic and/or carcinogenic. Fundamental studies such as biota uptake (e.g., earthworm and plant) of PAHs are highly needed. It is necessary to develop alternative ways to evaluate bioavailability of PAHs instead of using living organisms because it is time-consuming, difficult to apply in the field, and also exaction method is tedious and time-consuming. In this study, sorption behaviors of phenanthrene were evaluated to predict the fate of PAHs in soils. Moreover, bioaccumulation of PAHs in an artificially contaminated soil was evaluated using pea plant (Pisum sativum) as a bioindicator. A novel passive sampler, organic-diffusive gradient in thin-film (o-DGT) for PAHs was newly synthesized, tested as a biomimic surrogate and compared with plant accumulation. Sorption partitioning coefficient (K_P) and sorption capacity (K_F) were in the order of natural soil > loess corresponding to the increase in organic carbon content (f_oc). Biota-to-soil accumulation factor (BSAF) and DGT-to-soil accumulation factor (DSAF) were evaluated. o-DGT uptake was linearly correlated with pea plant uptake of phenanthrene in contaminated soil (R²=0.863). The Tenax TA based o-DGT as a biomimic surrogate can be used for the prediction of pea plant uptake of phenanthrene in contaminated soil.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.19 no.spc
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• pp.25-29
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• 2011

This study was performed to analyze the improvement of soil physical property and soil biota characteristics through cultivation of green manure crops for a one-year period before creation of a tea plantation as follows. The study revealed that the contents of available phosphate tended to decrease after sod-culture by green manure cultivation and open-pollination, when compared to the level before cultivation. The ratio soil porosity increased by approximately 30% when Crotalaria juncea and Sorghum bicolar L. Moench were cultivated, while the soil bacteria and fungi also increased. In a research on microfauna using a pit fall trap, the population number of the microfauna was 174 of 27 species in the plot of open-pollinated sod-culture and no organic matter application, and 268 of 26 species in the plot of Sorghum bicolar L. Moench. Consequently, the culturing tool of Crotalaria juncea recorded the highest level of species diversity at 2.5, the evenness index at 3.7 and richness at 4.6, with the lowest level of a dominance index. The ecological quotient of microfauna was 0.76 in the plot of Sorghum bicolar L. Moench, and 0.63 in the plot of Crotalaria juncea.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.235-243
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• 2019

Radioactive materials are released into the air and deposited on the surface soil after a nuclear accident. Radionuclides deposited in soil are transported by precipitation to nearby environments and contaminate the surface water system. Basic data on surface watershed and soil erosion models have been collected and analyzed to evaluate the behavior of radionuclides deposited on surface soil after a nuclear accident. Data acquisition and analysis in aquatic environment were performed to investigate the physical characteristics and variation of biota in rivers and lakes of the Nakdong river area near the Wolsong nuclear power plant. For these purposes, a digital map, and hydrological, water quality and biota data were gathered and a systematic database (DB) was constructed in connection with them. Constructed aquatic DB will be supplied and used in surface watershed and soil erosion models for investigation of long-term movement of radionuclides in adsorptive form in surface soil. Finally, basic data and established models will be utilized for general radiological impact assessment in aquatic environment.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 1996

The mathematical expression in the forest and grassland soils to express the general concepts involved in such terms "a soil erosion and soil renewal. " The net addition rate in the forest and grassland soils are represented by an equation of $(S_{rb}-S_{ra})-(S_{eb}-S_{ea})={\int}_a^bR(m, cl, re, b, t )dt-{\int}E(w, r, cl, re, ch, b, t)dt{\gtreqqless}0$ where $S_r$, is renewal soil, $S_e$ is soil erosion, and variable factors are m =parent material of soil, cl=climate, re=relief or topography, ch=soil characteristics, r=rain or water, w=wind, b=biota, and t = time.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 1996

The mechanical expresion provides for the use of Soil property reserves and permanent protec-tion or improvement of soil resources in accordance with measurable standards. If the functions I (initial soil property), E (soil erosion), R (soil renewal), and M. (minimum allowable value) are assumed to be integrable in region A, erosion tolerance over a region is leaded to ${\int}_A{\int}I(m, cl, re, ch, b)dA-{\int}_A{\int}{\{\int}_{to}^{\infty}[E(w, re, c, re, ch, b, t)-R(m, ch, re, b, t)]dt}\dA{\geqq}{\int}_A{\int}M_i(m, cl, re, ch, b)dA$ were variable factors are m=parent material of soil, cl=climate, re=relief or topography, ch=soil characteristics, r=rain or water, w=wind, b=biota, and t=time.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.16-25
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• 2020

Background: To investigate radiological effects on biota, it is necessary to assess radiation dose for flora and fauna living in a terrestrial ecosystem. This paper presents a dynamic model to assess radioactivity concentration and radiation dose of terrestrial flora and fauna after a nuclear accident. Materials and Methods: Litter, organic soil, mineral soil, trees, wild crops, herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores are considered the major components of a terrestrial ecosystem. The model considers the physicochemical and biological processes of interception, weathering, decomposition of litter, percolation, root uptake, leaching, radioactive decay, and biological loss of animals. The predictive capability of the model was investigated by comparison of its predictions with field data for biota measured in the Fukushima forest area after the Fukushima nuclear accident. Results and Discussion: The predicted radioactive cesium inventories for trees agreed well with those for evergreens and deciduous trees sampled in the Fukushima area. The predicted temporal radioactivity concentrations for animals were within the range of the measured radioactivity concentrations of deer, wild boars, and black bears. The radiation dose for the animals were, for the whole simulation time, estimated to be much smaller than the lower limit (0.1 mGy·d^-1) of the derived consideration reference level given by the International Commission on Radiological Protection for terrestrial flora and fauna. This suggested that the radiation effect of the accident on the biota in the Fukushima forest would be insignificant. Conclusion: The present dynamic model can be used effectively to investigate the radiological risk to terrestrial ecosystems following a nuclear accident.

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.09a
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• pp.366-367
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• 2011

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.249-262
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• 2010

Regulatory test method for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPHs) in the marine sediment and biota has not still been established even though TPHs are one of the major pollutants in marine environment. Based on the Korean Soil Standard Method (SSM) for TPHs, we considered a new treatment method for determining TPHs in marine environmental samples by using a Gas chromatography coupled with Mass spectrometric detector. We suggested an improved recovery test for quality control procedures and introduced analytical procedures of removing sulfur, polar organic materials, water and saponification for removing neutral lipids in marine bottom sediments and biota.