• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.247-257
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• 2021

The study area has been contaminated with explosive materials and heavy metals for several decades. For the design of the pump and treat remediation method, groundwater flow before and during groundwater pumping in a contaminated aquifer system was simulated, calibrated, and predicted using a generalized multidimensional hydrological numerical model. A three-dimensional geologic formation model representing the geology, hydrogeology, and topography of the aquifer system was established. A steady-state numerical simulation with model calibration was performed to obtain initial steady-state spatial distributions of groundwater flow and groundwater table in the aquifer system before groundwater pumping, and its results were illustrated and analyzed. A series of transient-state numerical simulations were then performed during groundwater pumping with the four different pumping rates at a potential location of the pumping well. Its results are illustrated and analyzed to provide primary reference data for the pump and treat remediation method. The results of both steady-state and transient-state numerical simulations show that the spatial distribution and properties of the geologic media and the topography have significant effects on the groundwater flow and thus depression zone.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.101-113
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• 2016

To properly manage and remediate groundwater contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene (TCE), it is necessary to assess natural attenuation processes of contaminants in the aquifer along with investigation of contamination history and aquifer characterization. This study evaluated natural attenuation processes of TCE at an industrial site in Korea by delineating hydrogeochemical characteristics along the flow path of contaminated groundwater, by calculating reaction rate constants for TCE and its degradation products, and by using geochemical and reactive transport modeling. The monitoring data showed that TCE tended to be transformed to cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-1,2-DCE) and further to vinyl chloride (VC) via microbial reductive dechlorination, although the degree was not too significant. According to our modeling results, the temporal and spatial distribution of the TCE plume suggested the dominant role of biodegradation in attenuation processes. This study can provide a useful method for assessing natural attenuation processes in the aquifer contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons and can be applied to other sites with similar hydrological, microbiological, and geochemical settings.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.565-571
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• 2010

An innovative application of surfactant-enhanced air sparging(SEAS) technique was developed in this study. Using a laboratory-scale physical model packed with water-saturated sand, air sparging was implemented to remove water-dissolved toluene that was introduced into a specific depth of the system with finite vertical width prior to sparging. An anionic surfactant(Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate) was introduced into the contaminated layer as in dissolved form in the toluene-contaminated solution for SEAS, whereas no surfactant was applied in the control experiment. Due to the suppressed surface tension of water in the surfactant(and toluene)-containing region, the toluene removal rate increased significantly compared to those without surfactant. More than 70% of the dissolved toluene was removed from the contaminated layer for SEAS application while less than 20% of toluene was removed for the experiment without surfactant. Air intrusion into the contaminated layer during sparging was found to be more effective than that without surfactant, enhancing air contact with toluene-contaminated water, which resulted in improved volatilization of contaminant. This new method is expected to open a new option for remediation of VOC(volatile organic compound)-contaminated aquifer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.326-329
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• 2003

When an electrokinetic process is applied to a HOC-contaminated soil, hybrid types combined with soil flushing, chemical oxidation, and bioremediation are generally used. Especially when the electrokinetic process is combined with bioremediation, the hybrid technology can solve several limits of bioremediation such as low microbial mobility, low soil temperature, and shortage of nutrients in subsurface circumstance. Because microbial surface is charged negatively, the microorganism moves from cathode to anode under electrical field. In this study, mixed culture mainly-consisted by Pseudomonas sp. was applied to remediate pentadecane-contaminated kaolinite with particle size less than 300${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. This remediation system was named ‘electrokinetic bioaugmentation’ and consisted of model aquifer, electrode reservoirs, bioreactor, power supply, and pump. The mixed culture above 0.5 of optical density in bioreactor was supplied to two reservoirs and penetrated soil when the electric current was applied. To enhance the removal efficiency, the optimal medium composition, electric current, and voltage were investigated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.77-82
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• 2004

Quantifying rates of microbial processes under subsurface conditions is difficult, and is most commonly approximated by laboratory studies using aquifer materials. In this study a single-well, 'push-pull' test method is adapted for the in situ determination of denitrification rates in groundwater aquifers. The rates of stepwise reduction of nitrate to nitrite, nitrous oxide, and molecular nitrogen were determined by performing a series of push-pull tests at an experimental well field of Korea University. A single Transport Test, one Biostimulation Test, and four Activity Tests were conducted for this study. Transport tests are conducted to evaluate the mobility of solutes used in subsequent tests. These included bromide (a conservative tracer), fumarate (a carbon and/or source), and nitrate (an electron acceptor). At this site, extraction phase breakthrough curves for all solutes were similar, indicating apparent conservative transport of the solutes prior to biostimulation. Biostimulation tests were conducted to stimulate the activity of indigenous heterotrophic denitrifyinc microorganisms. Biostimulation was detected by the simultaneous production of carbon dioxide and nitrite after each injection. Activity tests were conducted to quantify rates of nitrate, nitrite, and nitrous oxide reduction. Estimated zero-order degradation rates decreased in the order nitrate '||'&'||'gt; nitrite '||'&'||'gt; nitrous oxide. The series of push-pull tests developed and field tested in this study should prove useful for conducting rapid, low-cost feasibi1ity assessments for in situ denitrification in nitrate-contaminated aquifers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.511-514
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• 2003

Nowadays, wells tapping the deep aquifers become general because water quality of the shallow groundwater has been gradually degraded over the last 30 years as a result of rapid industrialization and intensive agricultural activities. However, many of the deep wells also suffer problems of water-quality degradation in several years after the well installation, nevertheless those were properly completed and managed. It is believed that the heavy pumping from deep wells causes the doward movement of the contaminated, shallow groundwaters and introduces them into the deep aquifers. In this study, we introduces a shallow capture well system, which could effectively prevent the shallow groundwaters of poor water duality from moving into the deep aquifers by pumping of deep production wells. Even though additional costs are required to apply this system, we believe that this method could be appropriate for the deep wells that are important for the public health.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.18-27
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• 2006

Air Sparging (IAS, AS) is a ground-water remediation technique, in which organic contaminants are volatilized into air as they rise from saturated to vadose soil zone. This study was conducted to investigate the variation characteristics of TPH, VOCs and $CO_2$ for air sparging of diesel contaminated saturated soil. Initial TPH concentration was 10,000 mg/kg for saturated soil phase and 1,001 mg/L for soil aquifer phase. After 36 days of air sparging, the equilibrium temperature of 2-Dimension experiment system was $24.9{\pm}1.5^{\circ}C$. The saturated soil TPH concentration (in the C10 port close to air diffuser) was reduced to 66.0% of the initial value. The mass amount of $CO_2$ was 3,800 mg and 3,200 mg in air space (C70 port) and in unsaturated soil zone (C50 port), respectively. The VOCs production kinetic parameter was 0.164/day in the air space (C70 port) and 0.182/day in the unsaturated soils (C50 port).

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.10-17
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• 2006

Laboratory-scale two-dimensional aquifer physical model studies were conducted to assess the effect of air injection rate and air injection pattern on the removal of disel contaminated soil and groundwater by air/bio-sparging. The experimental results were represented that the optimal conditions in this experiment were as air injection rate of 1,000 ml/min and pulsed air injection pattern(15 min on/off). The results of the TPH reduction, DO consumption and $CO_2$ production indicate the effective biodegradation evidence of diesel. Based on our results, The minimal $O_2$ supply and pulsed air injection pattern could effectively enhance the diesel removal and the pulsing air injection had effect on oxygenation in this system. Thus, the cost of operating air/bio-sparging system will be reduced if optimal air injection rate and pulsed air injection pattern are applied to remediate contaminants.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.27-35
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• 2013

In this study, three dimensional and two dimensional laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of water table rising on DNAPL migration, contaminants mass discharge ($M_d$), and residual NAPL distribution. The accumulation of TCE in unsaturated zone was observed in both two and three dimensional experiments. This implies DNAPL sources could exist in unsaturated zone at contaminated sites. It has been investigated that the TCE concentration is proportional to the areal ratio of residual TCE. This means the residual TCE obviously could affect the TCE concentration in aquifer system. The results of the two-dimensional experiment indicated that the contaminant sources in unsaturated zone could lead the $M_d$ increasing with water table rising and the source zone heterogeneity could also highly affect the $M_d$.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.27-41
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• 2017

This study dealt with the characteristics and the interrelations of hydrogeological parameters such as hydraulic conductivity, dispersivity and effective porosity of unconsolidated sediments for providing the basic data necessary for the planning of the management and preservation of groundwater quality in the Nakdong River Delta of Busan City, Korea. Groundwater quality in this area has been deteriorated due to seawater intrusion, agricultural fertilizer and pesticide, industrial wastewater, and contaminated river water. The physical properties (grain size distribution, sediment type, sorting) and aquifer parameters (hydraulic conductivity, effective porosity, longitudinal dispersivity) were determined from grain size analysis, laboratory permeability test and column tracer test. Among 36 samples, there were 18 Sand (S), 7 Gravelly Sand (gS), 5 Silty Sand (zS), 5 Muddy Sand (mS), and 1 Sandy Silt (sZ). Hydraulic conductivity was determined through a falling head test, and ranged from $9.2{\times}10^{-5}$ to $2.9{\times}10^{-2}cm/sec$ (0.08 to 25.6 m/day). From breakthrough curves, dispersivity was calculated to be 0.35~3.92 cm. Also, effective porosity and average linear velocity were obtained through the column tracer test, and their values were 0.04~0.46 and 1.06E-04~6.49E-02 cm/sec, respectively. Statistical methods were used to understand the interrelations among aquifer parameters of hydraulic conductivity, effective porosity and dispersivity. The relation between dispersivity and hydraulic conductivity or effective porosity considered the sample length, because dispersivity was affected by experimental scale. The relations between dispersivity and hydraulic conductivity or effective porosity were all in inverse proportion for all long and short samples. The reason was because dispersivity was in inverse proportion to the groundwater velocity in case of steady hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient, and groundwater velocity was in proportion to the hydraulic conductivity or effective porosity. This study also elucidated that longitudinal dispersivity was dependent on the scale of column tracer test, and all hydrogeological parameters were low to high values due to the sand quantity of sediments. It is expected that the hydrogeological parameter data of sediments will be very useful for the planning of groundwater management and preservation in the Nakdong River Delta of Busan City, Korea.