• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2020

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are widely used to solve water quality problems caused by diffuse pollution from agricultural areas; however, phytoplankton blooms in CW systems can occur due to long hydraulic retention time (HRT), high nutrient loading, and exposure to sunlight. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of a CW designed to treat agricultural diffuse pollution and develop a design concept to improve the nature-based capabilities of the system. Monitoring was conducted to assess contribution of individual wetland components (i.e. water, sediments, and plants) in the treatment performance of the system. During dry days, the turbidity and particulates concentration in the CW increased by 80 to 197% and 10 to 87%, respectively, due to the excessive growth of phytoplankton. On storm events, the concentration of particulates, organics, and nutrients were reduced by 43% to 70%, 22% to 49%, and 15% to 69% due to adequate water circulation and constant flushing of pollutants in the system. Based on the results, adequate water circulation is necessary to improve the performance of the CW. Free water surface CWs are usually designed to have a constant water level; however, the climate in South Korea is characterized by distinct dry and rainy seasons, which may not be suitable for this conventional design. This study presented a concept of multifunctional design in order to solve current CW design problems and improve the flood control, water quality management, and environmental functions of the facility.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.209-218
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• 2003

Ecosystems in the Keweenaw Peninsula region of Lake Superior, USA, were disturbed by over 500 million tons of copper-rich mine tailings during the period 1850-1968. Metals leaching from these mine residues have had dramatic effects on the ecosystems. Vast acreages of exposed tailings that are over 100 years old remain unvegetated because of the combination of metal toxicity, absence of nutrients, and temperature and water stress. Therefore, it is important to characterize and fractionate solid copper phases for assessing labile forms of copper in soils and sediments contaminated by the mining wastes. X-ray diffraction analyses indicate that calcite, quartz, hematite, orthoclase, and sanidine minerals are present as major minerals, whereas cuprite,tenorite, malachite, and chalcopyrite might be present as copper minerals in the mining wastes. Sequential extraction technique revealed that carbonate and oxide fractions were the largest pools of copper (ca. 50-80%) in lakeshore and wetland stamp sands whereas the organic matter fraction was the largest reservoir (ca. 32%) in the lake sediments. The concentrations of iron and copper were inversely correlated in the oxide fraction suggesting that copper may occur as a surface coating on iron oxides. As particle size and water contents decrease, the percent of the copper bound to the labile carbonate fraction increases.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.553-563
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• 2011

This study investigated the effects of elevated $CO_2$ and nitrogen addition on the anaerobic decomposition mediated by microorganisms to determine the microbial metabolic pathways in the degradation of organic matters of the sediments. There were statistically significant differences(P < 0.05) in the rates between denitrification and methanogenesis upon increased $CO_2$ concentration, nitrogen addition, in the presence of plants. Based on the assumption that anaerobic degradation of organic matter mainly occurs through denitrification, iron reduction, and methanogenesis, methanogenesis is the dominant pathways in the decomposition of organic matter under the condition of elevated $CO_2$ and nitrogen addition. In addition, the altered environment increased anaerobic carbon decomposition. Therefore, it can be concluded that freshwater wetland sediments have positive effects on the global warming by the increased methanogenesiss as well as increased anaerobic carbon decomposition.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.454-466
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• 2013

To evaluate the organic matter and trace metal pollution in intertidal sediment of the coastal zone, various geochemical parameters (grain size, ignition loss [IL], chemical oxygen demand [COD], acid volatile sulfide [AVS], and metals [Al, Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Mn, Hg, and As]) were measured for the intertidal surface sediment of the mainland and islands between Mokpo and Haenam in the southwestern coast of Korea. The surface sediments consist mainly of finer sediments, such as mud and silt. The concentrations of IL, COD, and trace metals in intertidal sediment were relatively high in the shoreline of the mainland than in that of islands and those in some stations exceeded the sediment quality guidelines (SQGs). Moreover, the concentrations of IL, COD, and trace metals (except As) in sediment showed relatively good positive correlations with mean grain size, indicating that the concentrations of organic matter and trace metals in intertidal sediment of the study region are dependent on grain size of sediment. Pollution evaluation for trace metals using geochemical assessment techniques, such as enrichment factor, geoaccumulation index, and SQGs, suggested that the intertidal sediments in the study region show light pollution with Cr and moderate pollution with As. More extensive interdisciplinary studies are required to determine the potential causes of As pollution in intertidal sediment.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.389-398
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• 2006

To examine sediment characteristics and find anthropogenic effects on riverine wetland ecosystems, paleoecological study was carried out at Bam islands in Seoul. Three hundred cm deep sediment cores were retrieved and dated with the lamination analysis method until 36 cm depth (1986). Sediments were divided into three zones based on the depth profiles of physico-chemical variables: below 160 cm depth (before 1968), between 160 and 40cm depths and above 40cm depth (after 1986). Physico-chemical characteristics were very variable between 160 and 40cm depths and this indicates unstable sedimentation environment. Even though heavy metal concentrations were relatively low, Cd and As contents have increased continuously. Dry mass accumulation rates during $1968{\sim}1986\;and\;1987{\sim}2003$ were 140 and $21\;kg\;m^{-2}\;yr^{-1}$, respectively. This was related to flooding intensity and duration. Bulk density, water content, loss on ignition, N, C, C/N ratio were very similar to other river delta but Ca, Na and K contents were 2 to 4 times higher than others. Heavy metal contents except Pb were lower or similar to those in other studied marshes in Korea. Heavy metal and Mg contents were correlated with each other and this suggests that the source of heavy metals be parent rock. From $^{13}C$ dating dates of organic materials in sediment, it is suggested that organic matter originated from the watershed and flooding intensity in the watershed might be responsible for the source of sediments. This study provides reference data for the comparison of sediment characteristics at islands in river and for the management of Bam islands.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.43-55
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• 2018

This study aimed to identify different sedimentary environments of Gochang coast according to geomorphic conditions of each bore hole. To achieve the aim, this study utilized the classification of sedimentary environmental conditions of surface sediment, which was based on grain size distribution characteristics.In other words, three sedimentary environmental conditions ofsandy flat + sand beach, coastal sand dune and weathered bedrock soil, which were distinguished based on grain size distribution characteristics of mean-sorting for surface sediments, were applied to the sediments of bore holes. Four sedimentary environments could be identified in Gochang coast. First, the lake sedimentary environment originated from terrestrial sediments seems to have been dominated by weathered bedrock soil that the surface flow has deposited in a coastal wetland or a boundary, which is affected by the sea. Second, the lake sedimentary environment that is little affected by coastal sand dunes is located at the center of a valley, which is connected to the land, and the dune slack of Saban-ri. The surface flow of weather bedrock soil is the main source of deposits. However, there seems to have been a temporary influence of the sea. Third, the lake sedimentary environment that is strongly affected by coastal sand dunes is located at the dune slack of Yeongjeong-ri. This environment shows traces of a change from a coastal sand dune into the dune slack. Finally, the coastalsand dune sedimentary environment, which wasinvestigated by boring the current coastal sand dune, shows a temporary influence of the land but seems to have maintained the overall stability. Consequently, this study demonstrated that the grain size distribution characteristics of the present surface sediments could be effectively applied to identify the sedimentary environments of the paleo bore hole sediments. In addition, the paleo change of sedimentary environment could also be identified in many places of Gochang coast. If the results of this study are combined with the age dating and geochemical analysis in future works, the paleo environmental change in Gochang coast will be restored more precisely.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.165-168
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• 2008

Measurements of phosphatase activity in peatlands are made difficult by the low levels of activity and the characteristically high concentrations of dissolved organic matter within the sediments. These materials may cause high background absorbances in colorimetric assays, and quenching interference in fluorimetric assays. This review describes the development of a new approach which allows such problems to be overcome by using HPLC to separate the interferences from the products of enzymic hydrolysis. This approach is applicable to various environmental samples such as peat, wetland sediment, and sludge which may contain a large amount of interfering organic matters.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.477-494
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• 2008

Stable isotope analyses on lake or wetland sediments are useful to reconstruct paleoclimate. Organic and inorganic carbonates obtained from lake sediment are isotopically analyzed to get oxygen and carbon isotopic ratios. Oxygen isotope ratios can be used to quantitatively and qualitatively reconstruct paleo-temperature or humidity while carbon isotope ratios be used to reveal environmental changes around the lake or human impacts on the area. Peat mosses in peat bogs are nice samples for the carbon isotope analysis, which derives paleo-temperature and paleo-atmospheric $CO_2$ changes. In coastal area, the reconstruction of past sea-level is possible because terrestrial originated organic matter is carbon isotopically different from marine originated organic matter. Also, scientists can do research on Asian Monsoon based on the fact that $\delta^{13}C$ of C3 plants and C4 plants are consistently different each other and that they are distributed differently with respect to salinity. In Korea, paleoenvironmental studies using stable isotopes are not popular yet because of low academic interests on the methodology and difficulties of obtaining proper sediment samples. Interesting results can be produced to answer paleoenvironmental questions of Korea if scientists isotopically analyze sediment cores from a paleo-lake such as Hanon in Jeju island, peat bogs such as Mujechi-Neup and Yong-Neup, and coastal wetlands.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.575-581
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• 2007

Suaeda japonica is the one of halophyte species which is widely spread in the Ganghwado tidal flat. Halophyte affects to the vertical development of wetland by enhancing the adhesion force of sediments. If demineralization of tidal flat proceeds, the colony of halophyte moves to the seaside where has relatively high salinity content. The change of halophyte zonation can be an environmental indicator to understand the landization of tidal flat. To interpret the spectral characteristics of halophyte, we measured the reflectance of suaeda japonica, reed and sediment around Donggumdo tidal flat in Ganghwado. First and second-derivation analysis was applied to these transformed spectra in order to identify which spectral ranges were distinguished with different coastal wetland vegetation and artificial structures. From the result, red reflectance peak of suaeda japonica were appeared at 600-650nm and greed reflectance peak of reed were appeared at 500-570nm. Spectra of sediments were continuously increased from 350-550nm without any absorption by chlorophyll. These reflectance were easily identified among the spectra of halophyte.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.181-190
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• 2019

Recently, Low impact development techniques, a form of nature-based solutions (NBS), were seen cost-efficient alternatives that can be utilized as alternatives for conventional stormwater management practices. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an infiltration trench (IT) and a small constructed wetland (SCW) in treating urban stormwater runoff. Long-term monitoring data were observed to assess the seasonal performance and cite the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing the facilities. Analyses revealed that the IT has reduced performance during the summer season due to higher runoff volumes that exceeded the facility's storage volume capacity and caused the facility to overflow. On the other hand, the pollutant removal efficiency of the SCW was impacted by the winter season as a result of dormant biological activities. Sediment data also indicated that fine and medium sand particles mostly constituted the trapped sediments in the pretreatment and media zones. Sediments in SCW exhibited a lower COD and TN load due to the phytoremediation and microbiological degradation capabilities of the system. This study presented brief comparison LID facilities equipped with pre-treatment zones. The identified factors that can potentially affect the performance of the systems were also beneficial in establishing metrics on the utilization of similar types of nature-based stormwater management practices.