• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.221-227
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• 2013

A risk assessment of environmental media was performed for the inhabitants in the area of the abandoned Nokdong metal mine. Soil, groundwater, and crop samples were collected from September to October 2008 around the mine. After pretreatment of these samples, metal concentrations were measured, and a risk assessment was performed using the Korean soil-contamination risk assessment guidelines. Lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) intake rates were the highest for inhalation of soil dust. The cancer risks from ingestion of As-contaminated groundwater, inhalation of As-, Cd-, and Pb-contaminated soils, and contact of As-contaminated soils exceeded the acceptable risk. The sum of all carcinogenic risks was $9.29{\times}10^{-3}$. The non-carcinogenic risk was highest for ingestion of As-contaminated water (11.0), followed, in descending order, by inhalation of Hg-contaminated soil and ingestion of Pb-contaminated water. Most of the risks were associated with As, Cd, Pb, and Hg contamination, and therefore, these metals were considered to be potential toxic carcinogens and non-carcinogens for humans in this area. In this study, the non-carcinogenic risks of ingestion of contaminated water or crops, as well as those associated with the inhalation of soil dust were observed.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.78-86
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• 2009

Applicability of CaO and steel slag as stabilizers in the treatment of field and paddy soils near Pungjeong mine contaminated with arsenic and cationic heavy metals was investigated from batch and column experiments. Immobilization of heavy metals was evaluated by TCLP dissolution test. Immobility of heavy metal ions was less than 15% when steel slag alone was used. This result suggests that $Fe_2O_3$ and $SiO_2$, known as the major component of steel slag, have little effect for the immobilization of heavy metal ions due to acidity of TCLP solution. Immobilization of cationic heavy metals was little affected by the ratio of CaO and steel slag while arsenic removal was increased as the ratio of steel slag to CaO increased. In the column test, concentrations of both arsenic and cationic heavy metals in effluents were below the water discharge guideline over the entire reaction period. This result can be explained by the immobilization of cationic heavy metals from the increased pH in soil solution as well as by the formation of insoluble $Ca_3(AsO_4)_2$. From this work, it is possible to suggest that arsenic and cationic heavy metals can be concurrently stabilized by application of both CaO and steel slag.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 1998

This study investigates the contamination mechanism of soil by drainages including acid rains around mining waste sites, and suggests the quantitative methods of prevention against soil contaminations and its alternatives. For these purposes, the dissolution of arsenic in soils, which is one of toxic heavy metals, has been examined experimentally using the artificial acidic solution. Also, in order to prevent dissolution of arsenic by acid rain, the effects of limestone for the neutrality method on the soil were investigated. The arsenic in soil specimen was dissolved by strong acidic solution below pH1.0. The maximum amount of dissolved arsenic increased with decreasing pH value. Furthermore, it was found very effective to use limestones for the neutrality method. The neutralization of limestones in acidic solution was found to follow the equation of chemical reaction-controlling formulation in unreacted-core models.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.95-105
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• 2020

In this study, iron nanoparticles impregnated hydrochar (FeNPs@HC) was synthesized using lignocellulosic waste and simple one-pot synthetic method. During hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process, the mixture of lignocellulosic waste and ferric nitrate (0.1~0.5 M) as a precursor of iron nanoparticles was added and heated to 220℃ for 3 h in a teflon sealed autoclave, followed by calcination at 600℃ in N₂ atmosphere for 1 h. For the characterization of the as-prepared materials, X-ray diffraction (XRD), cation exchange capacity (CEC), fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) were used. The change of Fe(III) concentration in the feedstock influenced characteristics of produced FeNPs@HC and removal efficiency towards As(V) and Pb(II). According to the Langmuir isotherm test, maximum As(V) and Pb(II) adsorption capacity of Fe_0.25NPs@HC were found to be 11.81 and 116.28 mg/g respectively. The results of this study suggest that FeNPs@HC can be potentially used as an adsorbent or soil amendment for remediation of groundwater or soil contaminated with arsenic and cation heavy metals.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.536-539
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• 2003

The Dongjung Au-Ag-Cu mine area was seriously contaminated with As and heavy metals-Cd, Cu, Hg, Mn, Pb and Zn etc. Those elements were highly accumulated in plants grown at farmland as well as farmland soil. Stream waters and groundwater which has been used as drinking water around the mine site contain high levels of heavy metals, especially As. As a result of human health risk assessment using EHS(Extraction of Heavy metals in Stomach and Small intestine) test for bioaccessible contents of heavy metals, there is a potential of cancer and adverse effects on human health for the residents of the mine area.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.80-81
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• 2003

The Swan Coastal Plain, on which the City of Perth (pop. 1.32 million) is situated, is formed of aeolian sands of Pleistocene-Recent age. The mainly unconsolidated sediments build a series of dune lines paralleling the coastline. The near-surface water-table sees expression in numerous shallow freshwater lakes and marshes in the interdunal depressions. The sands are highly permeable, and 〉 70% of the city’s total water supply is derived from this local aquifer. (omitted)

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.551-556
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• 2019

Recently, due to the fact that the mineral content in the wash water of the GAP-certified melon exceeds the GAP wash water standards, there are cases where the certification cannot be maintained. Therefore, agricultural industry demand requesting relaxation of the inorganic elements standard for water quality has been increasing, taking into account the consumption characteristics of Korean melon, which is eaten after removing the peel. This study was conducted to evaluate the human risks of four inorganic materials (fluorine, arsenic, iron and manganese) based on the water quality data of 142 samples of groundwater that was used for washing GAP-certified Korean melon in Seongju area from 2017 to 2019. As a result, the HQ of four minerals in Koreans who consumed groundwater used for washing GAP-certified Korean melons in the Seongju area was below 0.10 on average. In particular, in the case of iron and manganese which are esthetic influence substances, the average HQ was 0.00. The overexposure group showed 0.01, which was lower than the HQ (average 0.01, overexposure group 0.03) of the group that consumed Korean melon. Based on all the results, even if the groundwater of the Seongju area is used to wash GAP-certified Korean melon, the impact from these four inorganic materials, including iron and manganese, for Korean population consuming Korean melon will be minimal.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.37-49
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• 2021

There is domestic Soil Contamination Warning Standard (SCWS) as remediation standard concentration of contaminated soils. No risk should be observed at soil concentration less than SCWS. Therefore, SCWS was evaluated to confirm the risk assessment. Background Concentration of Soil (BGC) and target remediation concentration were also assessed. The results show that Excess Cancer Risk (ECR) of SCWS was the highest in the groundwater intake pathway (Adult: 6.27E-04, Child: 2.81E-04). Total Cancer Risk (TCR) was 7.76E-04 and 4.30E-04 for adult and child, exceeding reference value (10^-6). Hazard Quotient (Non-Carcinogenic Risk, HQ) was the highest in the indoor air inhalation pathway (Adult: 3.64E+03, Child: 8.74E+02). Hazard Index (Total Non-Carcinogenic Risk, HI) exceeded reference value 1. ECR of the BGC was the highest in the groundwater intake pathway (Adult: 1.71E-04, Child: 7.67E-05). TCR was 2.12E-04 for adults and 1.17E-04 for children, exceeding the reference value (10^-6). HQ was the highest in groundwater intake pathway (Adult: 4.10E-01, Child: 1.84E-01). HI was lower than reference value 1 (Adult: 4.78E-01, Child: 2.50E-01). The heavy metal affecting ECR was Arsenic (As). The remediation-concentration of As was 7.14 mg/kg which is higher than BGC (6.83 mg/kg). TCR of As should be less than reference value (10^-6), but it was higher for all of SCWS, BGC and target remediation concentration. Therefore, it is suggested that risk assessment factors should be re-evaluated to fit domestic environmental settings and SCWS should be induced to satisfy the risk assessment.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.78-85
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• 2007

This study provides an attempt to evaluate sanding wastes, generated from a chemical company as a reused adsorbent. Organic impurities in the raw sanding wastes were removed by calcination at $550^{\circ}C$. Aluminum was a major inorganic composition in the raw sanding wastes and increased from 29.09% to 52.73% after calcination. Dissolved concentrations of heavy metals from the calcined sample were below 0.3 mg/L in a stability test at pH 2. From the pH-edge adsorption experiments with the calcined sanding wastes, As (V) was found to follow an anionic-type adsorption. Adsorption isotherm obtained with variation of the dosage of the calcined sanding wastes was better described by Freundlich equation than Langmuir one. Freundlich constants of K and 1/n were 4.244 and 0.316, respectively. The As (V) adsorption capacity of calcined sanding wastes estimated from Langmuir isotherm was 13.25 mg/g. From this study, the calcined sample was identified as a good reusable adsorbent in the view point of stability and adsorption capacity on As (V).

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.309-323
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• 2015

This study was initiated to propose the method for human risk assessment suitable to metal mine area. Using a variety of exposure parameters extracted from the investigation of abandoned metal mines, the proposed method was applied to assess the risk of As and heavy metal contamination for inhabitants (male and female adults and child) within an abandoned mine area. Based on the results of risk assessment, in addition, target remediation concentrations of each media (soil, groundwater, and surface water) were estimated. The results indicate that total carcinogenic risk (TCR) and hazard index (HI) representing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks, respectively, were calculated to exceed the tolerable levels (1.00E-6 and 1) with regard to two exposure pathways (groundwater and crop intakes) and As. Thus, the human risk of study area was evaluated to be significant. Based on the target risk (TR) for carcinogens, the remediation concentrations of soil were computed to be 6.83~6.85 mg/kg and 18.41~18.46 mg/kg for As and Pb, respectively. In terms of target hazard index (THI) for non-carcinogens, the remediation concentrations of soil were calculated to be 17.38 mg/kg for Cu and 9.13 mg/kg for As.