• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.293-296
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• 2011

This survey was conducted to promote the environment-friendly use and recycling of livestock feces by obtaining information about the current state of livestock feces composts manufactured in Gyeonggi Province. Therefore, some aspects of quality and manufacturing techniques of livestock feces composts (LFCs) were examined especially in relation to the LFCs quality standard (LQS). By surveying the 70 composting plants in Gyeonggi Province, the total commercial production of LFCs in 2008 was estimated to be about $480,000Mg\;year^{-1}$ and they were manufactured mainly by using both mechanical mixer and bottom air blower. LFCs were composed mainly of chicken feces 29.2%, pig+chicken feces 23.1%, pig feces 20.0%, livestock feces+oil cake 12.3%, pig+chicken+cattle feces 10.8% and pig+cattle feces 4.6%. On the basis of the current official standard which was revised on March 2010, 11 composts out of surveyed 76 ones did not meet the LQS due to inadequate content of water (5), OM/N (1), NaCl (2) and Zn (3). The satisfaction rate to LQS by manufacturers was 100% in the composts produced by farmer's cooperative societies, 80.7% by civil factories, and 44.4% by farming guilds, respectively. The OM/N declined by adding chicken feces and oil cake, while Ca content was increased by the addition of chicken feces and NaCl was increased by adding cattle feces.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.93-111
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• 2005

Defining soil quality in scopes and applications is one of the prerequisite for the sustainable management of soil environment to orient researches, strategies and policies. However, definition of soil quality is controversial depending upon a viewpoint of soil science or soil environment. Soil quality can be, irrespective of the disciplines, defined as the capacity of a soil to function within ecosystem boundaries to sustain biological productivity, maintain environmental quality and promote plant and animal health. Common to all of the soil quality concepts can be summarized as the capacity of soil to function effectively at present and in the future. The OECD includes soil quality as one of the agri-environment indicators. This article intends to i) summarize the current soil quality research, and ii) provide information on protocol of soil quality assessment. A framework for soil quality was divided into three steps: indicator selection as minimum data set (MDS), scoring of the selected indicators, and integration of scores into soil quality index. Korean government suggested possible physical and chemical indicators such as bulk density and organic matter for paddy and upland soils to OECD. The framework of soil quality assessment is not yet implemented in Korea. Countries such as USA, Canada and New Zealand have constructed the framework on soil quality assessment and developed a user-friendly version of soil quality assessment tools to evaluate the integrated effects of various soil management practices. The protocol provided in this review might help policymakers, scientists, and administrators improve awareness about soil quality and understand the way of soil environment management.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.187-191
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• 2009

'Campbell Early', a major grape cultivar, occupies more than 70% of cultivated vineyard areas, however, recommendable standard management system of soil environmental conditions has not been developed yet in Korea. The consideration for the correlation between fruit quality and soil condition in the vineyard is required in the efficient management system of soil. This study was carried out to investigate the optimum soil environmental conditions for 'Campbell Early' grape production with high quality. The results from analyses of correlation between them were used to develop soil management guideline for promoting efficiency in grape production. Soil properties were analyzed from 120 vineyards in Hawsung, Sangju, Yeongdong, Gimcheon, Yeongju, and Yeongwol, major grape production regions. Because there is neither coloring disorder nor delayed coloration in grape production of 'Campbell Early', relative contribution of soil hardness and solid phase to fruit quality and fruit weight was analyzed. Among the soil properties, while cation and soil hardness affected sugar content at the level of 39.3% and 36.8%, respectively, saturated hydraulic conductivity, solid phase, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) showed relatively low contribution to sugar content in the vineyard. The sugar content in grapes was influenced more critically by the chemical properties than the physical ones in the soil of vineyards. While soil hardness and solid phase affected grape weight at the level of 27.8% and 26.0%, respectively, phosphate content, organic matter content, and cation showed low contribution to grape weight. Grape guality such as sugar content and grape weight was affected highly by cation and organic matters. Therefore, cation and organic matter content of soil contributed to fruit quality at the level of 33.8% and 15.5%, respectively, in the vineyard.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2003

Soil and water quality was monitored in the Nakdong River basin to assess the impact of different agricultural practices. From five catchments, soil samples were collected at three times during 1996 to 1998, and water samples were collected at twelve times on July during 1995 to 1999. The major agricultural practices were paddy and upland farming in three areas surveyed: Youngju, Goryung, and Milyang. Apple orchards were located along in the Imgo-Cheon catchment. Intensive vegetable farming in plastic fIlm house was practiced in the Habin-Cheon catchment. Total N contents, 0.04-0.32%, of paddy soils were low in comparison with those of upland, orchard, and plastic film house soils. Available phosphate($P_2O_5$) contents, $2-421mg\;kg^{-1}$, in plastic film house soils were higher than those in paddy soils. In plastic film house and upland soils, CEC of soils were high. The N concentrations in most of the streams were higher than $1.0mg^{-1}$, the standard of agricultural irrigation water. The P concentrations were above $1.0mg^{-1}$, the standard of agricultural irrigation water and were higher than the minimum level for eutrophication, $0.01-0.05mg\;L^{-1}$ in most of the streams. In conclusion, nutrients by agricultural activity could affect water quality of streams near the agricultural fields. Good water quality in streams can be maintained by proper management of agricultural fields and by decreasing application amount of fertilizers in agricultural fields.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.722-726
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• 2011

The management standard on soil conditions in 'Fuji' apple to produce high quality fruit were not yet made. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the optimum soil environmental conditions of ten contents on production of high quality fruit in 'Fuji' apple. The soil and fruit characteristics were analyzed at total 60 orchards in major apple producing areas such as Chungju, Moonkyeung, yeongju, andong, yeosan and yeongcheon (10 orchards an area). The soil environmental factors affected fruit weight was highest relative contribution in saturated hydraulic conductivity of 36.5%. The bulk density and soil pH were low as relative contribution. The fruit weight was influenced by soil physical properties more than soil chemical properties. The soil environmental factors affected sugar content were hydraulic conductivity of 28.3% and organic matter content of 18.2%. The cultivation layer depth and soil pH were low as relative contribution. The fruit coloring was highest relative contribution in saturated hydraulic conductivity 55.9%. while soil pH, cation and soil texture were low. Fruit coloring was high influenced over 70% by soil physical properties. Finally, relative contribution on fruit quality related with sugar content, fruit weight, and coloring were high influenced by saturated hydraulic conductivity of 21.% and organic matter content of 18.7% but bulk density and cultivation layer depth were low relative contribution. The fruit growth and saturated hydraulic conductivity in 'Fuji' apple were very closely related. Therefore, orchard soil management to produce high quality fruit was very importance drainage management and organic matter application. We concluded that scientific soil management is possible by qualifiable of soil management factors.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.37-45
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• 2010

Manure recycling as fertilizer is one of solutions for the environmental problem related with livestock manure treatment as well as the ocean dumping ban act prohibiting manure disposal to the ocean. For the manure disposal, forest area can be a candidate place because the area has a wide range of applicable sites. However, the manure application to the forest has a possibility of causing environmental impacts including water quality problems due to nutrient loading. Therefore it is necessary to investigate water quality impact from manure disposal to the forestry plantation. In this study, ground and soil water quality had been monitored in the bio-circulation experimental forest where low concentration liquid manure (LCLM) was applied. Soil and groundwater samples were collected and analyzed weekly from April to October in 2008 and 2009. The mean and variation of NO3-N concentration in soil water of LCLM treatment places showed higher concentration than the reference places declining during growing season. In the case of groundwater from monitoring well in the downstream of disposal site, the $NO_3$-N concentration was 3.59 mg/L in 2008 and 3.26 mg/L in 2009 in average showing higher concentration than the reference well although the concentration was not exceed the national drinking water standard. To investigate the source of nitrate, $\delta^{15}N$ isotope analysis was also implemented. Its result showed that the LCLM application could be the nitrate source requiring further long-term monitoring soil and water quality.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.24-29
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• 2014

To data, there was no systematic basis for establishing the content and allowed levels of general contamination substances in the Korean groundwater quality standards for non-drinking water. Recently, use of specific procedures for deriving valid groundwater quality standards have become mandatory. This study first investigated the methodology for deriving groundwater quality standards in the European Commission (EC), considering background groundwater quality and domestic and international standards related to water quality. Furthermore, this study investigated the existing specified procedure of standards related to water quality (e.g. surface water, drinking water, and wastewater). Our findings showed that EC and Member States presented the methods for deriving groundwater threshold values for general chemicals. Finally, we have proposed the following procedures of deriving Korean groundwater quality: (1) Selection of groundwater pollutant population, (2) selection and monitoring of priority substances, (3) monitoring, (4) selection of groundwater quality standard candidates, (5) selection of new substances and values for groundwater quality standards.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.186-195
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• 2021

In Korea, groundwater quality is monitored through National Groundwater Quality Monitoring Network (NGQMN) administered by Ministry of Environment. For a given contaminant, compliance to groundwater quality standards is assessed on a annual basis by monitoring the number of incidents that concentration exceeds the regulatory limit. However, this approach provides only a fractional information about groundwater quality degradation, and more crucial information such as location and severity of the contamination cannot be obtained. For better groundwater quality management on a watershed, a more spatially informative and intuitive method is required. This study presents two statistical methods to convert point-wise monitoring data into information on groundwater quality status of a watershed by using a proposed grading scale. The proposed grading system is based on readily available reference standards that classify the water quality into 4 grades. The methods were evaluated with NO₃^-, Cl^-, and total coliform data in Geum River basin. The analyses revealed that groundwater in most watersheds of Geum River basin is good for domestic or/and drinking with no treatment. But, there was notable quality degradation in Bunam seawall and So-oak downstream standard watersheds contaminated by NO₃^- and Cl^-, respectively.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.16-25
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• 2013

The Korean groundwater law regulates 20 groundwater contamination parameters, including 14 specific harmful substances. Expanding the number of groundwater quality standards are needed to cope with recent groundwater quality deterioration due to the use of various chemicals. Chemical ranking and scoring system (CRS) is a scientific tool to sort priority chemicals by considering exposure and toxicity potentials. In this study, we developed a CRS for scoring and ranking of possible groundwater pollutants and screened priority substances to be later considered in the Korean standard expansion. Chemical Ranking Of groundWater pollutaNts (CROWN) incorporates important parameters consisting of exposure potential, human and water ecotoxicity, interests, and certainty. Furthermore, CROWN additionally evaluated existence of other media standards to consider impacts by contamination of other media. The 197 substances that were common to 9 countries were selected first. CROWN evaluated and ranked each chemical, and finally suggested priority substances. Suggested priority substances were classified into two groups according to the groundwater use purposes: drinking and non-drinking. The priority substances were further classified into $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ group priorities. The $1^{st}$ group consists of 75 substances, including the all the Korean groundwater standard parameters. CROWN will be used in selecting groundwater pollutants for possible inclusion in the Korean standard expansion.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.77-83
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• 2010

In this study, we tried to determine any detrimental effects on water quality when bottom ash obtained from a coal-fired power plant intended to be used as a fill material in construction sites. Physical-chemical properties of bottom ash were determined using proximate analysis, elemental analysis, XRD, and XRF. Classification of bottom ash as a waste material and soil contamination due to the use of bottom ash were performed by Korea waste standard leaching test and soil toxicity test, respectively. Results of leaching tests were compared to the regulations for water quality and groundwater quality and no harmful effects on water quality were found. Most of heavy metals in leachate were below detection limits but trace amount of $Cr^{6+}$ was found. However, concentration of $Cr^{6+}$ was below the regulation criteria. Column leaching tests indicated that concentrations of Pb and Zn were slightly higher than regulations but below regulations within 1 PVE, but concentrations of sulfate were 10 times higher than regulation and thus, the required time to reach regulation was almost 8 PVE.