• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.675-684
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• 2011

In nature, the overall effect of heavy metals on the biota can be influenced by a number of environmental factors like soil characteristics and air pollution by elevated $CO_2$. Pillbugs (Isopoda, Armadillium vulgare) take up heavy metals with their food and store them mainly in the vesicles of hepatopancreas. They accumulate certain metals, occur in relatively large numbers, are easily collected and identified, and provide sufficient material for analysis. The species are decomposing litter well and soil impurities into N and P. Therefore, it has been suggested that total body concentration of metals in pillbugs could be positively correlated to the levels of environmental exposure and that pillbugs could be used as biological indicators of metal pollution and global change by $CO_2$. The aim of the study is to determine effects of heavy metal concentrations in soil and elevated $CO_2$ on pillbugs' body accumulation of heavy metal and growth rate. In this study, the concentrations of six metals (Fe, Mg Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd) have been determined. Pillbugs (N=287) were collected at five sites during Jul-Aug, 2006. Cu and Zn concentrations in the body were much higher than in the soils(1.39-41.70 times). This indicated that bioaccumulation of some of the heavy metals were increasing in the food-chain. The high bioconcentration of lead in Sangam may be partly associated with reclaimed land uses.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.68-77
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• 2023

The effect of soil damage on the physicochemical characteristics and activity of the soil microbial community is not well known. This study investigates this relationship by analyzing 11 soil samples collected from various points of soil damage across Gyeonggi-do. Soil damage resulted from forest fires, landslides, and development areas, with their impacts most severe on the topsoil layer (0-30 cm). Dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase activities were notably higher at locations damaged by forest fires compared to other sites. While enzyme activities in soils influenced by landslides and development areas were relatively low, sites with a pollution history exhibited elevated dehydrogenase activity, likely due to past microbial response to the pollution. Additionally, an assessment of carbon substrate usability by soil microorganisms indicated higher substrate availability in areas impacted by forest fires, contrasting with lower availability in landslide and development sites. Statistical analysis revealed a positive correlation between organic content of sand and clay and microbial activity. These findings provide valuable insights into soil damage and associated restoration research, as well as management strategies.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.33-43
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• 2022

South Korea's agricultural nitrogen balance and phosphorus balance rank first and second, respectively, among OECD countries, and proper nutrient management is required to preserve the water quality of rivers and lakes. This study evaluates the effects of furrow mulching on the reduction of non-point source pollution (NPS) load from a sloped upland. The study site was Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do, and the survey period was from 2018 to 2019. The slope of the testbed was 13%, and the soil type was sandy loam. The cropping system consisted of maize-autumn Chinese cabbage rotation. The testbed was composed of bare soil (bare), control (Cont.), furrow vegetation mulching (FVM), and furrow nonwoven fabric mulching (FFM) plots. Runoff was collected for each rainfall event with a 1/100 sampler, and the NPS load was calculated by measuring the concentrations of SS, T-N, and T-P. The NPS load was then analyzed for the entire monitoring and crop cultivation periods. During the monitoring period, the effect of reducing the NPS load was 1.5%~44.5% for FVM and 13.1%~55.2% for FFM. During the crop cultivation period, it was 1.2%~80.5% for FVM and 27.0%~65.1% for FFM, indicating that FFM was more effective than FVM. As the NPS load was fairly high during the crop conversion period, an appropriate management method needs to be implemented during this period.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

As a result of climate change, non-point source pollution (NPS) from farmland with the steep slope during the rainy season is expected to have a significant impact on the water system. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of furrow mulching using alfalfa and PAM (Polyacrylamide) materials for each rainfall event, while considering the load characteristics of NPS. The study was conducted in Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do, in 2022, with a testbed that had a slope of 13%, sandy loam soil, and maize crops. The testbed was composed of four plots: bare soil (Bare), No mulching (Cont.), Vegetation mulching (VM), and PAM mulching (PM). Runoff was collected from each rainfall event using a 1/40 sampler and the NPS load was calculated by measuring the concentrations of SS, T-N, T-P, and TOC. During farming season, the reduction efficiency of NPS load was 37.1~59.5% for VM and 38.2~75.7% for PM. The analysis found that VM had a linear regression correlation (R²=0.28~0.86, P-value=0.01~0.1) with elapsed time of application, while PM had a quadratic regression correlation (R²=0.35~0.80, P-value=0.1). These results suggest that the selection of furrow mulch materials and the appropriate application method play a crucial role in reducing non-point pollution in farmland. Therefore, further studies on the time-series reduction effect based on the application method are recommended to develop more effective preemptive reduction technologies.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.17 no.E2
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• pp.43-51
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• 2001

A report by the national research council in the United States suggested that many lung cancer deaths each year be associated with breathing radon in indoor air. Most of the indoor radon comes directly from soil beneath the basement of foundations. Recently, radon released from groundwater is found to contribute to the total inhalation risk from indoor air. This study presents the quantitative assessment of human exposures to radon released from the groundwater into indoor air. At first, a three-compartment model is developed to describe the transfer and distribution of radon released from groundwater in a house through showering, washing clothes, and flushing toilets. Then, to estimate a daily human exposure through inhalation of such radon for an adult. a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic(PBPK) model is developed. The use of a PBPK model for the inhaled radon could provide useful information regarding the distribution of radon among the organs of the human body. Indoor exposure patterns as input to the PBPK model are a more realistic situation associated with indoor radon pollution generated from a three-compartment model describing volatilization of radon from domestic water into household air. Combining the two models for inhaled radon in indoor air can be used to estimate a quantitative human exposure through the inhalation of indoor radon for adults based on two sets of exposure scenarios. The results obtained from the present study would help increase the quantitative understanding of risk assessment issues associated with the indoor radon released from groundwater.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.347-355
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• 2002

As concerns on the effects of soil contamination on human health have grown, more efforts have been made to quantify the effects. One of such efforts is the development of risk assessment methodology. The fundamental objectives of this approach is to investigate the alternative options that reduce the risk of hazardous chemicals results from environmental pollution, which will eventually lead to an accomplishment of removement of identified toxicants in polluted environment. The U.S. EPA Risk Assessment guidance for the superfund (RAGS) provides a methods for assessing the health risk of contaminated soils and determining the preliminary remediation goals (PRGs). Using this approach, we assessed the health risk and preliminary remediation goals of petroleum contaminated site in Kyounggi province.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.626-634
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• 2005

The objectives of this study was to assess pollution level and contamination status on tailings and soil in the vicinity of four disused metal mines in Kangwon province. As the result of total metal concentrations analysis, the pollution degree of tailings and soil decreased in the order of Wondong > Second Yeonhwa > Sinyemi ${\fallingdotseq}$ Sangdong mines. Total metal concentrations of mine tailings in this study were $1.2{\sim}78.2$ and $1.1{\sim}80.6$ times higher than those in the background soil and the tolerable levels suggested by Kloke, respectively. From these results, we found that tailings served as contamination source of nearby soil. According to sequential extraction of metals, large proportion of heavy metals in all mine tailings existed in the form of a residual fraction, and heavy metals in non-residual form was mainly associated with Fe-Mn oxide fraction and sulfidic-organic fraction. Fe-Mn oxide fraction and sulfidic-organic fraction of heavy metals may be released into and contaminated the nearby environment under the oxidation or reduction condition in long-term. In particular, the proportions of the exchangeable and carbonate fraction of Cd in mine tailings from Second Yeonhwa mine were relatively high. This suggests that Cd may be easily released into and contaminated the nearby environment in the near time. Concentrations of heavy metals in mine tailings and the nearby soil exceeded the standard (agricultural area) of Soil Environment Conservation Law. So it was thought that remediation for mine tailings and the nearby soil is needed. The pollution indices of the samples in this study were for higher than 1.0 and the pollution degree was very serious. Priority remediation site for these mines was Wondong. As Results of danger indices, it was showed that exchangeable form in Wondong and Fe-Mn oxide form in the rest mines should be removed preferentially.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2007

Soil risk assessment models were used to determine the goals of soil remediation and to establish the soil quality standards in developed countries. Recently, Korean Ministry of Environment prepared the guideline for soil risk assessment. Soil risk assessment model applicable to Korean situation will be needed in the near future. In this study, three models for soil risk assessment were extensively compared to suggest the fundamental components that required for the soil risk assessment in Korea. The models considered in this study were CalTOX in the United States, CLEA (Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment) in the United Kingdom, and CSOIL in the Netherlands. The major exposure routes and the intake estimation equations suitable for Korean situation were suggested. The exposure routes suggested were intake of the crops, underground water, indoor outdoor soil ingestion, dust inhalation and a volatile matter inhalation. The equations for intake estimation used in CalTOX and CSOIL seem to be applicable for the calculation of the human intake in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.907-915
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• 2018

With the increase of metal usage in various industries, metal pollution and ecological toxicity in the environmental system have become a significant concern. A geo-statistical index has been widely used to determine contamination level with normalization through a background value. In this study, geo-statistical indexes such as an enrichment factor, accumulation index, and potential ecological risk index were used to assess metal pollution in soil at locations associated with shipbuilding manufacturing industries. Metal contamination, especially of Cu and Pb, was observed in some samples located closer to manufacturing sites. Enrichment factor and accumulation (IGEO) values were indicative of concerning levels of soil contamination in specific samples, and the soil contamination could be induced by anthropogenic sources. In further study, after more detailed sampling for soil and potential pollution sources, high interpretation techniques such as Pb isotope analysis and X-ray analysis will be needed to investigate source identification.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.64-72
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• 2007

Humans are exposed by a range of pollutants in soil via exposure routes such as ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Risk assessment is a process of evaluating the adverse health effects of chemicals as a result of exposure to stressors, and it is a very useful tool to establish the cleanup goals in contaminated lands. In the exposure assessment that is one of main process in risk assessment, exposure factor plays a significant role to quantify the intake of soil pollutants. However there is a very limited study about the exposure factor applicable to Korea. In this study, we compared the exposure factors applied by the developed countries including the United States and representative European countries, and suggested the exposure factor that might be suitable in our situation. The exposure factors considered in this study include average lifetime, body weight, (exposed) skin surface area, life time, skin absorption, soil-skin adherence factor, and soil ingestion rate. This information is needed to quantitatively estimate the intake of soil pollutants in contaminated lands.