• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.186-191
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• 2006

Metal contamination of medicinal herbs is of growing concern because of their potential adverse health effects. In this study, metal exposures were estimated and their potential health risks were preliminarily evaluated using available data including metal contamination levels and consumption estimates of herbal medicine in Korea. Consumption and contamination data of 34 medicinal herbs abundantly used in Oriental medicine in Korea were used in this study. Lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, and chrome were identified as contaminants of potential health concerns. Even based on a conservative exposure scenario, i.e., consuming 5 times more herbal medicine with 95th percentile contamination levels, health risks associated with herbal medicine consumption were estimated to be minuscule. Herbal consumption was 0.3% of the provisional tolerable daily intake levels recommended by Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) of WHO/FAO. However, it should be noted that there are several important assumptions and uncertainties associated with this evaluation: This study was conducted for only 34 types of medicinal herbs of which consumption and metal contamination data were available. In addition, there are no reliable herbal medicine consumption data among Korean population. The pattern and amount of herbal (medicine) consumption in Korea need to be investigated in order to conduct more refined risk assessment associated with metal contamination in medicinal herbs.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제27권11호
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• pp.947-956
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• 2018

Trains have been a major means of transport in Korea during these past decades. However, train facilities such as stations and repair shops are contaminated with organic and inorganic substances. There is a high probability of train facility contamination with polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This study evaluated the PAH and heavy metal contamination of soil near railroads in the Kyungpook area. A total of 18 soil samples were collected from the railroads and analyzed for 16 PAHs and 6 heavy metal species. The contamination level of the top soil was found to be slightly higher than that of the subsoil for contamination with PAHs. The ratio of carcinogenic PAH concentration to the total PAH concentration was relatively high, with a maximum of 0.9. The toxicity equivalent (TEQ) of the PAHs were 500.6 ng/kg in the topsoil and 355.5 ng/kg in the subsoil. The ratio of low molecular PAHs (LPAHs) to high molecular PAHs (LPAHs) ranged from 6.7 to 29.5; this shows that contamination is primarily due to combustion of fuel rather than due to petroleum. The ratio of phenanthrene to anthracene and the ratio of fluoranthene to pyrene also show that contamination occurred due to combustion for transportation. The heavy metal contamination level was lower than the Korean standard, but higher than the background concentration; this indicates that the soil was affected by the operation of the railways.

• 환경영향평가
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.17-23
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• 1995

To assess preliminarily the contamination potential of water resources including groundwater owing to the hydrogeological characteristics of landfill site and the potential impact to humans and animals through contamination of water resources by leachate, "Landfill Site Preliminary Assessment Model(LASPAS)" was contrived. LASPAS could help them proritization of remediation of landfil sites by the convenient and relatively simple evaluation method of landfill site features. LASPAS was designd to aliot numerical ratings to landfill site related factors undermentioned; 1) hydrogeological factors such as hydraulic conductivity of aquifer, thickness of confining layer over aquifer, topographical slope, net recharge, and subsurface containment 2) water resources contamination factors of impacts on receptors such as proximity to drinking water supply, substitutability of drinking water supply, type of use of water resources, known impact on drinking water supply, and flood potential.

• 한국초전도ㆍ저온공학회논문지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.31-35
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• 2019

Andong-dam was built up in 1967 and it is one of the biggest dams in Korea. Previous studies showed that the sediments are highly contaminated with heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead. Many research projects are going on to find out the source of the contamination, to evaluate the toxicities to ecosystem, to estimate the volume of sediment to be treated and to find out a good remediation method. Reports show that the sediment is highly contaminated and the main contamination source is supposed to be abandoned mines and a zinc refinery located upper stream of the river. A magnetic separation has been tested as a treatment method for the dredged sediment. Lab scale test showed that the magnetically captured portion is about 10% in weight but the contamination of heavy metal is much higher than the contamination of the passed portion. This indicates that a magnetic separation could be applied for the purpose of reduction of sediment to be treated and for increasing the volume of low toxic sediments which can be dumped as general waste. A magnetic separation using a HGMS has been tested for the sediment with variable magnetic field and the results showed the higher magnetic field increase the captured portion but the concentrating effect of heavy metal was weakened. Further study is needed to establish a useful technology and optimization between decontamination and reduction of sediment volume.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.495-511
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• 1996

The quantitative study of the groundwater contamination in a porous media is a difficult task. For complex problems, numerical solutions are the most effective means to study the movement of contaminants in the groundwater, The solute transport model used in this study has proved to be an efficient tool to model contaminant transport for complex problems. The model demonstrates its effectiveness in reproducing the coniamination by ihlorides of the groundwater at the landfill site due to leachath from the wastes. It describes the two dimentional solute transport and alteration of the water quality and forecasts the contamination for different management alternatives of the landfill. The model also indicates how the groundwater contamination can be contained within the lower site if a barrier is constructed downstream of the disposed wastes.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.47-57
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• 1992

This study was performed to evaluate contamination degree of heavy metals in sediments of Han River, compared with other nation's evaluation method. The results were as follows 1. The contamination Ratio calculation method by heavy metal concentration in differnt fraction size has a limitation to apply to all of the areas of Han river because of its characteristics of sediment. As a result, this method applied to only 4 areas of Pal Dang, Wang Sook Chon, Uk Chon, and Bul Kwang Chon, and Contmination Ratio of heavy metals in those areas were relatively low of below 3. So it's considered that those areas have less contaminated from anthropogenic contaminants. 2. The Contamination Ratio calculation method by heavy metal concentration in different areasthat of upper area to be background level-has a limitation also to apply to Han river. But it is considered that this method was relatively suitable to apply, so it should be prepared evaluation standand method for them. Contamination ratio from background level as Pal Dang area were most high in An Yang Chon. So it must be prepared purification and control measure at An Yang Chon.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.73-78
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• 2008

For a given soil-contaminated site, a level of soil contamination is characterized and decisions on risk may be made from the risk assessment. The study evaluated critical design factors for the determination of sample size in the sampling design plan and the assessment of soil contaminant- leaching to groundwater. Two variables, the minimum relative detectable difference (T) and coefficient of variation (CV) were evaluated for the sample size determination. The minimum number of samples can be appropriately determined by CV under a T value greater than or equal to 0.2. Soil-contaminant leaching to groundwater was evaluated by using the Soil Screening Level equation of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Risk Based Screening Level equation of American Society for Testing and Materials, with the same input parameters. The groundwater concentrations estimated from soil contaminant concentrations were significantly affected by the Darcy velocity of groundwater and the organic content of soil.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.227-235
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• 2022

Background: Abandoned metal mines are classified as vulnerable areas with the highest level of soil contamination among risk regions. People living near abandoned metal mines are at increased risk of exposure to toxic metals. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between soil contamination levels in areas around abandoned metal mine and the blood lead levels of local residents. Moreover, we assess the possibility of using soil contamination levels as a predictive indicator for human exposure level. Methods: Data from the Survey of Residents around Abandoned Metal Mines (2013~2017, n=4,421) and Investigation of Soil Pollution in Abandoned Metal Mines (2000~2011) were used. A random coefficient model was conducted for estimation of the lower level (micro data) of the local resident unit and the upper level (macro data) of the abandoned metal mine unit. Through a fitted model, the variation of blood lead levels among abandoned metal mines was confirmed and the effect of the operationally defined soil contamination level was estimated. Results: Among the total variation in blood lead levels, the variation between abandoned mines was 18.6%, and the variation determined by the upper-level factors such as soil contamination and water contamination was 8.1%, which was statistically significant respectively. There was also a statistically significant difference in the least square mean of blood lead concentration according to the level of soil contamination (p=0.047, low: 2.32 ㎍/dL, middle: 2.38 ㎍/dL, high: 2.59 ㎍/dL). Conclusions: The blood lead concentration of residents living near abandoned metal mines was significantly correlated with the level of soil contamination. Therefore, in biomonitoring for vulnerable areas, operationally defined soil contamination can be used as a predictor for human exposure level to hazardous substances and discrimination of high-risk abandoned metal mines.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.51-57
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• 1981

This Study was carried out to investigate yeast and mold contamination in fermented milk products produced by 9 different domestic manufacturers from October 20. to December 5. 1980 The results obtained in the study were as follows 1) pH values of the products were ranged from pH 3.14 to pH 4.20 and average of sour milk drinks was pH $3.66\pm 0.19$ and fermented milks pH $3.74\pm 0.11$. Therefore the difference of pH average among sour milk drinks and fermented milks was statistically significant. (p<0.01) 2) In case of yeast contamination, yeast was found on all the four producted at the same date. From this result, it seemed that yeast contamination occured during the manufacturing progress. 3) Degree of contamination by the indicator organisms was E. coli positive, 3.7%: over 1,000 yeasts/ml, 14.8% over 10 molds/ml, 0.9%. 4) In the range of over 1,000 yeasts/ml, degree of contamination by yeast was 8.4% in fermented milk and 16.7% in sour milk drink. 5) Yeasts in product C increased to the spoilage number within 5 days and in H increased within 10 days at 5C. At 15$\circ$C, yeast increased to the spoilage number within 15 days in product A.D. 6) It seems that the yeast number of initial contamination should be important than the increase rate as criteria on the fermented Milk products.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2010

This study investigated the change of metal contamination levels according to amendment of enforcement regulation of the Soil Environmental Conservation Act in Korea. As an analytical result of 87 samples in abandoned metallic mine area, the extracted amount of As, Pb and Cu with aqua regia was 4.3~29.6 times higher than that with hydrochloric acid extraction and the number of samples, which contamination levels were found to exceed soil contamination standards, was also increased. On the other hand, in case of Cd, Zn, and Ni, the number of samples, which contamination levels were found to exceed soil contamination standards, was decreased or similar. These results can be used as a preliminary material in comparison between the soil pollution data accumulated previously and the data obtained by the revised standard method for the examination of soil pollution.