• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2016

This study evaluated the fertilizing value of struvite deposit recovered from swine wastewater in cultivating lettuce. Struvite deposit was compared to complex fertilizer, organic fertilizer and compost to evaluate the fertilizing effect of struvite deposit. Laboratory pot test showed that the struvite deposit better enhanced lettuce growth in comparison to commercial fertilizers. It was revealed that the growth rate of lettuce was simultaneously controlled by phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg). Moreover, nutrients such as nitrogen (N), P, K, calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) were abundantly observed in the vegetable tissue of struvite pot. Meanwhile, struvite application led to the lower accumulation of mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), chromium ($Cr^{6+}$) and nickel (Ni). In addition, no detection of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and nickel (Ni) in the lettuce tissue was observed in struvite application pots. The experimental results proved that the optimum struvite dosage for lettuce cultivation was 0.5 g struvite/kg soil. The column experiments clearly showed that ammonia nitrogen was more slowly released from struvite deposit than from complex fertilizer. Consequently, it was concluded that the struvite deposits recovered from swine wastewater were effective as a multi-nutrient fertilizer for lettuce cultivation.

• Mycobiology
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.343-353
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• 2023

Lichens play crucial roles in the ecosystems, contributing to soil formation and nutrient cycling, and being used in biomonitoring efforts to assess the sustainability of ecosystems including air quality. Previous studies on heavy metal accumulation in lichens have mostly relied on manipulated environments, such as transplanted lichens, leaving us with a dearth of research on how lichens physiologically respond to heavy metal exposure in their natural habitats. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated lichens from two of South Korea's geographically distant regions, Gangwon Province and Jeju Island, and examined whether difference in ambient heavy metal concentrations could be detected through physiological variables, including chlorophyll damage, lipid oxidation, and protein content. The physiological variables of lichens in response to heavy metals differed according to the collection area: Arsenic exerted a significant impact on chlorophyll degradation and protein content. The degree of fatty acid oxidation in lichens was associated with increased Cu concentrations. Our research highlights the value of lichens as a bioindicator, as we found that even small variations in ambient heavy metal concentrations can be detected in natural lichens. Furthermore, our study sheds light on which physiology variables that can be used as indicators of specific heavy metals, underscoring the potential of lichens for future ecology studies.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2009

Heavy metal residues in soil, rice straw, unhulled rice, rice hull, polished rice, and rice barn on the rice paddy in the "Top rice production complex which is non-contaminated area were evaluated. It was observed that the average concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Hg in the paddy soils were 1.235, 0.094, 4.412, 4.728 and 0.0279 mg/kg, respectively. There were no cultivation areas exceeded of the threshold for soil contamination designated by "The Soil Environment Conservation Law" in Korea. For the polished rice, there were no samples exceeded of a permissible level of heavy metal residues such as 0.051 mg/kg of As, 0.040 mg/kg of Cd, 0.345 mg/kg of Cu, 0.065 mg/kg of Pb and 0.0015 mg/kg of Hg. For the uptake and translocation of heavy metals to rice plant, a main part of heavy metal accumulation was rice straw, and then rice bran. Furthermore, it shown that accumulation of heavy metals in unhulled rice, rice hulls, brown rice, and polished rice was approximately similar as low. The slopes of translocation of heavy metals from soil to polished rice were following order as Cd, 0.4321 > Cu, 0.054 ${\fallingdotseq}$ Hg, 0.052 > As, 0.021 > Pb, 0.008. It was observed that potential ability of Cd uptake in rice plant and then its translocation into polished rice was very high. Concentrations of copper and mercury absorbed in the rice plant were moderate for translocating into the polished rice, while the arsenic and lead in the plant were scarcely translocated into the polished rice. The distribution of heavy metals absorbed and translocated into aboveground parts of rice plant was appeared that there were remained at 63.3-93.4% in rice straw, 6.6-36.9% in unhulled rice, 0.6-5.7% in rice hulls, 3.2-31.3% in brown rice, 0.8-4.6% in rice bran and 1.1-26.7% in polished rice. The accumulation ratio of Cd in the aboveground parts of rice plant was remained at 26.7-31.3% in brown and polished rice.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.160-166
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• 2017

This study was performed to develop the efficient phytoremediation model in the paddy soil contaminated with heavy metals by cultivating Pteris multifida and Artemisia princeps with different mixing ratios (1:0, 8:1, 6:1, 4:1). As a result of investigating the heavy metal accumulation of each plant per dried material (1 kg), content of arsenic and cadmium was the highest in aerial part of P. multifida (169.82, $1.70mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}DW$, each) among the treated group. Lead content was the highest ($12.58mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}DW$) in the aerial part of P. multifida cultivated with 8:1 mixed planting. But the content of copper and zinc was the highest (33.94, $61.78mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}DW$, each) in the aerial part of A. princeps with 8:1 treatment. Regardless of heavy metals, plant uptake from the $1m^2$ soil was the highest in 4:1 mixed planting group, which showed the best yield of A. princeps.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.212-221
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• 2020

Background: Rapid industrialization has caused various impacts on nature, including heavy metal pollution. However, the impacts of industrialization vary depending on the types of industrializing activity and surrounding environment. South Korea is a proper region because the rapid socio-economical changes have been occurred since the late nineteenth century. Therefore, in this study, we estimate the anthropogenic impacts on an ecosystem from a sediment core of Yonghwasil-mot, an irrigation reservoir on the western coast of Korea, in terms of heavy metal concentrations, nutrient influx, and pollen composition. Results: The sediment accumulation rate (SAR) determined by 210Pb geochronology showed two abrupt peaks in the 1930s and 1950s, presumably because of smelting activity and the Korean War, respectively. The following gradual increase in SAR may reflect the urbanization of recent decades. The average concentrations of arsenic (As), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb) during the twentieth century were > 48% compared to those before the nineteenth century, supporting the influence of smelting activity. However, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, the As, Cu, and Pb concentrations decreased by 19% compared to levels in the twentieth century, which is coincident with the closure of the smelter in 1989 and government policy banning leaded gasoline since 1993. The pollen assemblage and nutrient input records exhibit changes in vegetation cover and water level of the reservoir corresponding to anthropogenic deforestation and reforestation, as well as to land-use alteration. Conclusions: Our results show that the rapid socio-economic development since the twentieth century clearly affected the vegetation cover, land use, and metal pollutions.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 2021

BACKGROUND: The concern over heavy metal(loid)s in arable land and agricultural products increases for public health in recent years. This study aims to identify transition characteristics of heavy metal(loid)s and to assess dietary risk in barley grown at the major producing districts in Korea. METHODS AND RESULTS: The soil and barley samples were collected from 38 locations around the major producing districts at Jeollabuk-do in Korea for the propose of examining the concentrations of heavy metal(loid)s. The 34 barley samples were separately purchased on the market for the same survey. The average concentration and range of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in barley grown at the major producing districts in Korea were 0.037 (0.016-0.094), 0.028 (0.004-0.083) and 0.137 (0.107-0.212) mg kg-1, respectively. Currently, the maximum allowable level for barley Pb is set at 0.2 mg kg-1 in Korea, and the monitoring results suggested that some samples exceeded the maximum allowable level and required appropriate farming management. Bio-concentration factor values by heavy metal(loid)s in barley were high at Cd, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), similar to other crops, while As and Pb were low, indicating low transferability. CONCLUSION: Human exposure to As, Cd and Pb through dietary intake of barley might not cause adverse health effects due to relatively low concentrations, although the Pb in some barley was detected higher than the maximum allowable level. Further study on uptake and accumulation mechanism of Pb by barley might be required to assess the human health risk associated with soil contamination.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.217-223
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: Increase of heavy metals in agricultural ecosystem has become a social issue nationwide as it is related to public health. This study was performed to find out the status and long-term trends with consecutive application with the commercial liquid pig manure in the agricultural fields. METHODS AND RESULTS: Heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc were analyzed in the 41 samples of paddy fields and 54 samples of upland fields consecutively applied with commercial liquid pig manure for 0 to 16 years. Heavy metal accumulation were not increased statistically at the both paddy and upland fields as the consecutive application year of commercial liquid pig manure were increased. However, some of surveyed upland soils exceeded the criteria of cadmium, copper, and zinc designated by the Soil Environmental Conservation Act in Korea. CONCLUSION: Therefore, analysis of heavy metals, specially copper and zinc, in agricultural fields is absolutely necessary before liquid pig manure application to the fields. In addition, heavy metal accumulation in agricultural fields following to the long-term application of liquid pig manure will be monitored periodically considering with bioavailability of copper and zinc to the crops as an essential nutrients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.505-513
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• 2012

To determine the concentration of trace metals in the tissues of whale from the coastal ocean of Korea, we measured the concentration of trace metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, As, Zn and Hg) in the organs (liver, intestine, muscle, epidermis and blubber) of minke whale entangled from the eastern coast of Korea in 2009. The highest and lowest concentrations of Cu, Cd, Zn, and Hg were found in the liver and blubber, respectively. In contrast, the highest and lowest concentration of As was found in the blubber and muscle, respectively. The accumulation trend of trace metals in the organs of minke whales was in the order Zn > Cu > As > Pb > Hg > Cd. The concentrations of Cu, As and Zn in liver and epidermic were higher in male than in female, whereas the concentrations of Cu and Pb in intestine and muscle were higher in female than in male. The mature individuals of minke whale were much higher Cd in liver, Cd and Hg in muscle, As and Hg in epidermic and blubber, Cd, As and Hg in intestine than immature individuals of minke whale.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.589-597
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• 2016

There are a number of industrial complexes which could be a source of heavy metal (loid)s contamination of arable soil in Gyeongnam province of South Korea. Heavy metal (loid)s accumulation of plant is more related to the concentration of plant available heavy metal (loid)s in arable soil than that of total heavy metal (loid)s. The objectives of this study were 1) to examine heavy metal concentrations in soils located near industrial complexes in Gyeongnam province and 2) to determine the relationship between concentration of plant available heavy metal (loid)s and chemical properties of soil. Soil samples were collected from 85 sites of arable lands nearby 7 industrial complexes in Gyeongnam province. Total heavy metal (loid)s concentration, available heavy metal (loid)s concentration, and chemical properties of collected soils were measured. The mean concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in the soils were $5.8mg\;kg^{-1}$, $1.3mg\;kg^{-1}$, $0.03mg\;kg^{-1}$, $51.5mg\;kg^{-1}$, and $68.7mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. Total concentration of Cd and Zn in arable soil located near ${\nabla}{\nabla}$ industrial complex exceeded the warning criteria ($4mg\;kg^{-1}$ and $300mg\;kg^{-1}$ for Cd and Zn, respectively) as described by in the soil environmental conservation Act of Korea. The concentration of plant available heavy metal (loid)s was negatively related to the soil pH and available Pb and Zn concentrations had relatively high correlation coefficient when compared with other heavy metal (loid)s. The concentration of plant available Pb and Zn was negatively related to that of organic matter (OM). Based on the above results, it might be a good soil management to control pH and OM concentration with soil amendments such as lime and compost to reduce phytoavailability of heavy metal (loid)s in arable soil located near industrial complex.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.515-521
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• 2015

There is an increasing concern over heavy metal(loid) contamination of soil in agricultural areas including paddy soils. This study was conducted to monitor the background levels of heavy metal(loid)s, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in major rice growing soils and its accumulation in brown rice in Korea. The samples were collected from 82 sites nationwide in the year 2012. The mean and range values of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in paddy soils were 4.41 (0.16-18.9), 0.25 (0.04-0.82), 13.24 (3.46-27.8), 0.047 (0.01-0.20), 13.60 (3.78-35.0), 21.31 (8.47-36.7), and 54.10 $(19.19-103.0)mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. This result indicated that the heavy metal(loid) levels in all sampled paddy soils are within the permissible limits of the Korean Soil Environment Conservation Act. The mean and range values of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in brown rice were 0.146 (0.04-0.38), 0.024 (0.003-0.141), 4.27 (1.26-16.98), 0.0024 (0.001-0.008), 0.345 (0.04-2.77), 0.113 (0.04-0.197), and 22.64 $(14.1-35.1)mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. The mean and range BCF (bioconcentration factor) values of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in brown rice were 0.101 (0.01-0.91), 0.121 (0.01-0.70), 0.399 (0.05-2.60), 0.061 (0.016-0.180), 0.033 (0.004-0.44), 0.005 (0.003-0.013), and 0.473 (0.19-1.07), respectively, with Zn showing the highest. The results show that the levels of all metal(loid)s in all sampled brown rice are generally within the acceptable limit for human consumption.