• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.22-31
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• 2009

Recently use of renewable energies such as geothermal energy for space heating and cooling is increasing in Korea due to energy crisis and global warming. Ground source heat pump (GSHP) is known as one of the most environment-friendly HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) systems in the world. However, some potential effects caused installation and operation of the GSHP systems on soil and groundwater environment are reported. The potential effects are closely related with inappropriate installation, operation and closure of the GSHP systems. In this paper, possible effects of the GSHPs on soil and groundwater environments are reviewed.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.118-126
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• 2012

To investigate the effect of aircraft traffic emissions on soil pollution, metal levels were analyzed for 8 metals (Fe, Cr, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn and Cd) from the vicinity of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport in Delhi, India. The texture of the airport soil was observed to be sandy. Among the metals, Cd showed minimum concentration ($2.07{\mu}g\;g^{-1}$), while Fe showed maximum concentration ($4379{\mu}g\;g^{-1}$). The highest metal accumulation was observed at the landing site. Significant correlations were observed between metals and different textures (sand, silt, and clay) as well as with organic carbon (OC). The results indicate that grain size play a major role in OC retention in soil and subsequently helps in adsorption of metals in soil. M$\ddot{u}$ller's geoaccumulation index (I-geo) showed that airport soil was contaminated due to Cd and Pb with the pollution class 2 and 1, respectively. Pollution load index of the airport site was 1.34-3 times higher than the background site. The results of factor analysis suggested that source of the soil metal is mainly from natural weathering of soil, aircraft exhaust, and automobile exhaust from near by area. With respect to Dutch target values, the airport soils showed ~3 times higher Cd concentration. The study highlighted the future risk of enhanced metal pollution with respect to Cd and Pb due to aircraft trafficking.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1-8
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• 2014

The metals contamination of farmland soil nearby abandoned metal mine was serious problem in Korea. Stabilization of contaminated soil was reported using various stabilizers. Application of limestone and steel refining slag was reported as effective stabilizers in the stabilization of metals. The batch studies confirmed that the mixture of limestone and steel refining slag was suitable for stabilization of metals in contaminated soil. The limestone and steel refining slag mixture (2 : 1 and 3 : 2) were used in column studies and it was confirmed that the stabilizers effectively stabilized heavy metals in contaminated soil. The pH of the soil was increased with the addition of stabilizers. Total leached concentration of metals from the column study was reduced 44, 17, and 93% in comparison to the control at arsenic, cadmium and copper, respectively. The sequential extraction studies showed that the exchangeable fraction was changed into carbonate bound fraction (Cd and Cu) and Fe-Mn oxide bound fraction (As). Based on the results we confirmed that 2:1 ratio of limestone and steel refining slag effectively stabilizes the heavy metals. The mixed treatment of lime stone with steel refining slag would be an effective and feasible method for controlling metals leaching in contaminated soil.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.641-649
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• 2011

This study was to analyze the soil environmental characteristics and vegetation status of green roof in Daejeon Metropolitan City. The investigated floras of vascular plants are 17 families, 26 genera, 28 species in Seo-Gu Daejeon District Office Building (SG), 25 families, 49 genera, 56 species in Galma Public Library (GP), and 34 families, 57 genera, 60 species in Daejeon City Hall (DC) respectively. Although the larger area shows the more numbers of species in introduced plants and naturalized plant, the naturalized plant ratios were similar with each other. They were 10.71%, 10.71%, and 11.67% at SG, GP, and DC respectively. As a result of analysis on soil physical property, soil depths including vegetation soil and drainage soil of 3 green roofs were 30cm. The depths of vegetation soil at SG, GP, and DC were 0~8cm, 0~10cm, 0~10cm respectively. As a results of soil chemical properties of our study, soil pH of vegetation soil and drainage soil were a range of 6.42 and 7.43, and a range of 6.55 and 7.43 on the average respectively. Available-P contents of vegetation soil and drainage soil were a range of 153.33 and 366.33mg/kg, and a range of 136.67 and 242.67 mg/kg which is very high, respectively. Carbon contents in soil at vegetation soil and drainage soil were a range of 3.16 and 6.38%, and a range of 1.63 and 2.47% respectively. Carbon storage per square meter within 30 cm were 2.76 kg, 2.99 kg, and 3.66 kg at SG, GP, and DC respectively.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.370-376
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• 2012

Disease is the major problem in ginseng cultivation from seed stratification, soil preparation prior to planting, right through to drying of the roots. There are many soil-borne disease pathogen in rhizosphere soil environment, furthermore occurrence of diseases by a diverse group of fungi and related organisms are closely related to various soil condition. Observable symptoms for soil-borne diseases include wilting, leaf death and leaf fall, death of branches and limbs and in severe cases death of the whole plant. The fungus Cylindrocarpon destructans is the cause of root rot characterized by a decay of the true root system in many ginseng production areas in Korea. Some pathogens are generally confined to the juvenile roots whilst others are capable of attacking older parts of the root system. However, the relation between the soil environmental characteristics and ginseng root rot by soil-borne disease pathogen is not clearly identified in ginseng field. In this paper, we reviewed soil-borne plant pathogen causing root rot disease of ginseng with respect to soil environment.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.7-18
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• 2015

The characteristics of As and heavy metals depend on the oxidation/reduction condition of the soil environment. The most heavy metals are immobilized by the reduction condition whereas As, Fe and Mn become more soluble. Therefore this study estimated the stabilization efficiency of the agricultural paddy soil in the vicinity of the abandoned mine using a flooded column test including analysis of the soil solution, contaminants fractionation and rice grain. Limestone and steelmaking slag were used as amendments for stabilization of the contaminated soil. In an analysis of the soil solution, the mobile characteristics of Fe and Mn, which were used as electron acceptors of the microorganisms, were controlled by increasing the pH by adding alkali amendments. This means that the contaminants combined with Fe and Mn can be stable under flooded reduction condition. However, the concentrations of cationic heavy metals (Cd, Pb, and Zn) were also decreased without amendments because the carbonates produced from microbial respiration increased the pH of the soil solution. In the amended soil, the specific sorbed fraction of As and carbonates fraction of heavy metals were increased when compared to the control soil at the end of the column test. Especially in heavy metals, the increase of carbonates fraction seems to be influenced by alkali amendments rather than microbial respiration. Because of the stabilization effect in the flooded paddy soil, the contents of As and Zn in rice grain from amended soil were lower than that of the control soil. But additional research is needed because of the relatively higher Pb content identified in the rice grain from the amended.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.48-62
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• 2017

Korea and other countries have made various efforts to preserve soil. During the past several decades, Korea has implemented various policies on soil conservation practices; however, those policies have often lacked consideration of human and ecosystem risk management. while other countries have practiced various policies closely related to risk-based management for contaminated sites. Therefore, there is a great need for a paradigm shift of policy to better manage contaminated sites in risk-based strategies, while applying different management plans for soil and groundwater. In addition, the new policies should be administered with provision to improve soil health and related functions in ecosystem. This study has reviewed the trend in relevant policies in Korea and foreign countries to suggest the future policy directions for contaminated site management in Korea. For better management of contaminated sites, coherent policy that could complement the law, system, and relevant technology is required.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.197-204
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• 2019

BACKGROUND: Living modified microorganisms (LMMs) have been focused in two very different aspects of positive and negative effects on ecology and human health. As a model experiment, wild type and a foreign origin gene-harboring modified E. coli strains were subjected to comparison of their metabolomes and potential effects on soil microbiota in the laboratory sets. This study assumes the unintentional release of LMMs and tries to suggest potential effects on the soil microbiota even at minimal settings. METHODS AND RESULTS: Metabolomes from the wild type and LM E. coli were analyzed by NMR and the profiles were compared. In the laboratory soil experiments, the two types of E. coli were added to the soils and monitored for the bacterial community compositions. Those metabolomic profiles did not show significant differences. The microbial community structures from the time series soil DNAs for both the sets using wild type and LMO also did not indicate significant changes, but minor by the addition of foreign organisms regardless of wild or LMO. CONCLUSION: Even if the recombinant microorganism (LMO) is released into the soil environment, the survival of microorganisms in the environment would be one of the major factors for the transfers of foreign genes to other organisms and diffusion into the soil environment.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.205-214
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• 2023

Soil salinity is becoming one of the most devastating environmental hazards over the years. Soil investigation involves fast, low cost and non disturbing methods to measure soil characteristics for both construction projects as well as for agricultural use. The electrical resistivity of saline soils is greatly governed by salt concentration and the presence of moisture in soil matrix. Experimental results of this investigation highlight that there is a significant relationship between the electrical resistivity of soil samples mixed with chloride solutions (NaCl, KCl, and MgCl₂) at various concentrations, and soil physical properties. Correlations represented by quadratic functions were obtained between electrical resistivity and soil characteristics, namely, water content, degree of saturation and salt concentration. This research reveals that the obtained correlations between electrical resistivity, salt concentration, water content and degree of saturation are effective for predicting the characteristics of salt affected soils in practice, which constitute a governing element in the assessment of saline lands sustaining infrastructure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.252-254
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• 2004

In the past several years phytoremediation, defined as the use of plants for removing contaminants from media such as soils or water, has attracted a great deal of interest as a potentially useful remediation technology. In this study, we have attempted to asses the effectiveness of phytoremeidation of disel contaminate soils using hybrid poplar species. 3 poplar species had removed disel from soil effectively and toxic effect was also observed over 2500mg/kg disel contaminated soil, which indicating reducing disel removal.