• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.269-277
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• 2024

Scientific forensic techniques are used to verify environmental impact of groundwater pollution, surface water pollution, air pollution, noise, and vibration according to residents' complaints in connection with construction and civil engineering works. In this study, we investigated the contamination of groundwater and the lowering of the groundwater level in an area surrounding a tunnel excavation site for the Andong-Yeongdeok national road, using a forensic hydrogeological technique. We reviewed the groundwater level and water quality of well GW1 in the area surrounding the tunnel excavation site as well as tunnel construction information and then we analyzed the correlations among the obtained data. Before tunnel excavation, the water level of well GW1 was lower than the tunnel elevation. Considering the relationship between the precipitation, tunnel discharge, tunnel depth, and groundwater level of well GW1, the groundwater flowed from the tunnel to well GW1. Moreover, the tunnel discharge and groundwater levels were not related to each other. The pH of well GW1 was 8.4 before tunnel excavation. During excavation, the pH declined to 8.1-8.2 at the beginning, and increased to 8.8 at the end of the excavation. The fluorine concentration in well GW1 was 2.49 mg/L, 1.91-3.22 mg/L, and 1.7-2.67 mg/L, respectively, before, during, and after the excavation. The sulfate ion concentration was very high, over 2,000 mg/L, before and during the excavation; after the excavation, it was between 200 and 323 mg/L. Turbidity was 1.47, 10.5, and 4.51 NTU before, during, and after tunnel excavation, respectively. Therefore, the excavation of this tunnel is not related to the groundwater quality of well GW1.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.356-365
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• 2021

Background: Concerns have been raised regarding the criteria of groundwater, in particular in Gwangwon-do Province where many residents drink groundwater due to the poor supply of tap water and a high nonconformity rate with water quality criteria nationwide. Objectives: Water quality monitoring and risk assessment were conducted for groundwater in Hoengseong, Gangwon-do Province. Methods: A total of 46 items required for meeting drinking water criteria were analyzed from 258 samples collected from March 2017 through August 2018 (152 sites in 2017 and 106 sites in 2018). Risk assessment was conducted for two non-carcinogens (F^- and NO₃-N), and one carcinogen (i.e., arsenic) based on their high nonconformity to water quality criteria. Results: Water quality analysis revealed that the total proportion of nonconformities was determined to be 27.9%. The nonconformity rate for each content item is as follows: total colony counts (1.6%), total coliform (6.2%), Escherichia coli (1.2%), F^- (8.1%), arsenic (4.7%), NO₃-N (8.1%), pH (1.2%), manganese (0.4%), and turbidity (5.8%). Risk assessment indicated that fluoride induced a hazard quotient greater than 1 with the 95% UCL (Upper Confidence Limit) concentration of the total 258 sites and average, median, and 95% UCL concentrations of nonconformity sites. For NO₃-N, there was no human health risk. For arsenic, the excess cancer risk exceeded the acceptable cancer risk of 1×10^-6 with the average and 95% UCL concentrations of total 258 sites and average, median, and 95% UCL concentrations of nonconformity sites. Conclusions: This study suggests that it is necessary to expand water quality monitoring of groundwater and conduct a more detailed risk assessment in order to establish a health care plan for the residents of Hoengseong, Gangwon-do Province.

• Clean Technology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.39-54
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• 2020

This study analyzed the groundwater quality according to the depth and geological features in Gyeongsangnam-do area using groundwater quality monitoring network data to grasp the groundwater quality characteristics and to provide basic data for policy making on efficient groundwater management. Five hundred and three data sets were acquired from background water quality exclusive monitoring network in soil groundwater information system for five years (2013 ~ 2017). Except for the total coliforms and tracer items such as mercury, phenol, and others, the parameters of water quality were significant or very significant, depending on depth and geological features. As the depth got deeper, the average value of pH and electrical conductivity increased; water temperature, dissolved oxygen, oxide reduction potential, arsenic, total coliforms, and turbidity decreased; and total unfit rate for drinking water standards was lower. It was found that the sum of the positive and negative ions was the highest in the clastic sedimentary rock and the lowest in metamorphic rock. The total unfit rate for drinking water standards was the highest for metamorphic rocks, followed by clastic sedimentary rock and unconsolidated sediments and, finally, intrusive igneous rock with the lowest penetration. The Na-Cl water type, which indicated the possibility of contamination by external pollutants, appeared only at some points in shallow depths and in clastic sedimentary rocks.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1-7
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• 2013

Groundwater development and use have been increasing in Korea causing frequent occurrences of related hazards such as groundwater level decline, land subsidence, and groundwater contamination. To tackle these groundwater problems, central and local governments have set-up and maintained many groundwater monitoring programs such as the National Groundwater Monitoring Network and the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Network, which collect very valuable data on the overall status of domestic groundwater to aid proper groundwater management. However, several problems mainly related to the remediation of contaminated groundwater remain unresolved. Recently, there have been some incidents related to the contamination of groundwater, and these have drawn the concern of the Korean people. Although groundwater contamination has been investigated in detail, actual groundwater remediation work has not yet been implemented. The remediation of the contaminated groundwater must begin immediately in order to sustain the eco-system service of clean groundwater and enhance the welfare of the Korean people.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.303-312
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• 2022

The natural hydrology and geological conditions of Xintian County was investigated, the development law of regional karst fissures was studied, the groundwater was collected and tested through a large-scale collection of groundwater to obtain the change law of chemical characteristics and water quality characteristics of groundwater, and the water quality evaluation was carried out for the regional karst groundwater in this paper. The results show that, the whole area is dominated by carbonate rock distribution areas, and the distribution of water systems is relatively developed. The strata are distributed from the Lower Paleozoic Cambrian to the Cenozoic Quaternary, and contain multiple first-order folds. The regional karst dynamic action is strong, and many tunnels or caves of different scales were shown, which are conducive to the enrichment of groundwater. Karst groundwater is neutral and alkaline water, the water is clear and transparent with good taste, and meets the national drinking water hygiene standards. The content of toxic trace elements and fluoride in the water source is generally lower than the limit value specified by the national standard and the accumulated toxic heavy metals is never found. The overall water quality is of good quality and suitable for the development and utilization of various purposes.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.51-58
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• 2023

In this study, an empirical experiment was conducted to assess the feasibility of replacing groundwater with rainwater in melon cultivation using a smart rainwater harvesting system. The rainwater harvesting efficiency was calculated under three different melon cultivation scenarios. After cultivation, the quality of the fruits grown with rainwater and groundwater was compared by examining the weight, degree of sweetness, and flesh hardness of the products. The results revealed that the water quality of the smart rainwater harvesting device was suitable for melon cultivation to provide better hardness and chloride levels than groundwater. It was also estimated that about 40% of the total water demand for full growth of the melon could be supplied by rainwater. The fruit weight and sweetness were equivalent or slightly better for the melons cultivated with rainwater than those cultivated with groundwater. In particular, the flesh hardness was significantly improved by rainwater cultivation. These results collectively suggest that rainwater can be used as a substitute for groundwater to preserve groundwater resources without compromizing the produced fruit quality.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.221-224
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• 1998

Environmental pollution is continuously increasing with the economic growth and industrial development. With this trend, soil and groundwater pollution problem has been surfaced as important social issues. Recently, Korean government promulgated the Soil Environment Conservation Act. But there are many problems to control sound soil quality management. Anthropogenic source of pollution such as waste landfill, pesticides, fertilizer, underground storage oil tanks is important as well as natural source such as acid rain and forest fire. The regulation should be expanded to include groundwater preservation as well as soil quality, because soil pollution is closely related to groundwater pollution. Therefore, legal regulations must be expanded to these facilities and take into account technical feasibility and finance.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 2004

20 groundwater samples in Sahagu Busan were analyzed to understand the characteristics of groundwater quality of the area. Using the data, physical and chemical property, mineral contents, water-rock reaction of the groundwater carried out. The water type in the area is Ca2+-HCO3- and Ca2+-(Cl-+SO42-). Average EC value of the groundwater is 540μS/cm, but in the case of several samples influenced by eawater, the value is up to 4,140μS/cm. Some samples are exceeding the drinking water tandard in NO3-N and NH4-N. On the other hand, contamination by heavy metal is not found.

• Spatial Information Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.317-328
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• 2000

It is a well-known fact that groundwater is difficult to be recovered, once it is polluted. Since its damage may continue for a long time, its management is very much necessary. For groundwater pollution managemet, current groundwater quality should be analyzed and its diffusion should be estimated. Such analysis and estimation are greatly enhanced by a GIS. In order to build the GIS, groundwater information management system, various database related to groundwater should be constructed. The system can be utilized to analyze groundwater quality and to help administrative processes of groundwater management. In this study, we analyze No3N diffusion in the groundwater under the study area, a part of Jung-Gu area, by using groundwater analysis subsystem and create the 1/5,000 scale map for the diffusion prediction of groundwater pollution. Although Seoul Metropolitan Government has constructed the 1/25,000 scale hydrogeology map of Seoul area through basic groundwater survey in 1996, the survey data are not sufficient for local groundwater pollution management. The large scaled map constructed in this study is expected to be utilized for the management. The GIS softwares, Arc/Info and Arc/View, are used. MODFLOW and MT3D programs are extensively used to analyze groundwater pollution.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.245-246
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• 2005