• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.42 no.6
• /
• pp.575-589
• /
• 2009

Groundwater has been extracted for irrigation in Sacheon-Hadong area, which is close to the South Sea. We analyzed chemical components of groundwater to examine the effects of seawater intrusion and agricultural activities in the study area. Most groundwater samples displayed the Na/Cl concentration ratios similar to that of seawater (0.55) with an increasing tendency of electrical conductivity ($227-7,910\;{\mu}S/cm$) towards the coast. In addition, statistical interpretation of the cumulative frequency curves of Cl and $HCO_3$ showed that 30.1% of the groundwater samples were highly affected by seawater intrusion. Groundwaters in the study area mostly belonged to the Ca-Cl and Na-Cl type, demonstrating that they were highly influenced by seawater intrusion and cation exchange. The result of oxygen-hydrogen isotope analysis demonstrated slightly higher $\delta^{18}O$ ((-8.53)-(-6.13)‰) and ${\delta}D$ ((-58.7)-(-43.7)‰) comparing to mean oxygen-hydrogen isotope ratios in Korea. As a result of nitrogen isotope analysis, the $\delta^{15}N-NO_3$ values ((-0.5)-(19.1)‰) indicate two major sources of nitrate pollution (organic nitrogen in soil and animal and human wastes) and mixed source of the two. However, denitrification may partly contribute as a source of nitrogen. According to factor analysis, four factors were identified among which factor 1 with an eigenvalue of 6.21 reflected the influence of seawater intrusion. Cluster analysis indicated the classification of groundwater into fresh, saline, and mixed ones.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.62-73
• /
• 2020

PAHs commonly found in industrial sites such as manufactured gas plants (MGP) are potentially toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic, and thus require immediate remediation. In-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) is known as a highly efficient technology for soil and groundwater remediation. Among the several types of oxidants utilized in ISCO, persulfate has gained significant attention in recent years. Peroxydisulfate ion (S₂O₈^2-) is a strong oxidant with very high redox potential (E⁰ = 2.01 V). When mixed with Fe²⁺, it is capable of forming the sulfate radical (SO₄^-·) that has an even higher redox potential (E⁰ = 2.6 V). In this study, the influence of various iron activators on the persulfate oxidation of PAHs in contaminated soils was investigated. Several iron sources such as ferrous sulfate (FeSO₄), ferrous sulfide (FeS) and zero-valent iron (Fe(0)) were tested as a persulfate activator. Acenaphthene (ANE), dibenzofuran (DBF) and fluorene (FLE) were selected as model compounds because they were the dominant PAHs found in the field-contaminated soil collected from a MGP site. Oxidation kinetics of these PAHs in an artificially contaminated soil and the PAH-contaminated field soil were investigated. For all soils, Fe(0) was the most effective iron activator. The maximum PAHs removal rate in Fe(0)-mediated reactions was 92.7% for ANE, 83.0% for FLE, and 59.3% for DBF in the artificially contaminated soil, while the removal rate of total PAHs was 72.7% in the field-contaminated soil. To promote the iron activator effect, the effects of hydroxylamine as a reducing agent on reduction of Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺, and EDTA and pyrophosphate as chelating agents on iron stabilization in persulfate oxidation were also investigated. As hydroxylamine and chelating agents (EDTA, pyrophosphate) dosage increased, the individual PAH removal rate in the artificially contaminated soil and the total PAHs removal rate in the field-contaminated soil increased.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.39 no.6 s.181
• /
• pp.689-697
• /
• 2006

Distribution and speciation of arsenic in water resources was investigated in the Ulsan mine area. In 62% of uoundwater samples from the mine area, total As concentrations exceeded 0.05 mg/l, the Korean Drinking Water Standard. As(V) was the major type in groundwater with minor As(III). Arsenic species appeared to be in transition stages following redox changes after exposure to the air through the monitoring wells. In areas around the mine, the mine and Cheongog spring appeared to be the sources of arsenic contamination of water resources. The spring showed 0.345 mg/1-As, as much as seven times of the Korean standard. Groundwater and stream samples showed As-concentrations greater than 0.05 mg/l in 30% and 33% samples, respectively, and 60 and 67% of samples exceeded 0.01 mg/l of WHO guideline, respectively. Again, As(V) was a dominant species, however, several samples had As(III) in appreciable levels. In one stream sample, organic species including DMA and AsB were detected in low levels, probably resulted from transformation or related biogeochemical processes.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.40 no.1 s.182
• /
• pp.129-140
• /
• 2007

CFC(CFC-12, CFC-11 and CFC-113) analytical system for air and water was constructed using a customized purge and trap extraction device and a gas chromatograph with an electron capture detector. Sampling methods of air and water for CFCs were also established. The analytical system was experimentally optimized to result in reproducibilities of triplicates less than 2% for current air samples and less than 5% for groundwater samples with CFC-12 concentration of 160 to 180 pg/kg, and verified with respect to the CFC system in USGS, which showed analytical results were in agreement within 10%. CFCs in air were monitored at three sites over 19-month period in the central part of South Korea, and the result indicates no significant local sources of CFCs in those areas. For groundwater in Jeju Island, CFCs were measured over a year with a two-month interval. The time-series data showed seasonal fluctuations which could be interpreted by the effect of recharge pulse derived from large amount of rainfall during monsoon period with a few month delay, which indicates high permeability of basaltic rocks in Jeju Island.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.58-64
• /
• 2015

This study aimed to investigate the concentration distributions and formation characteristics of trihalomethanes (THMs) in drinking water supplies to rural communities. Water samples were collected twice from 40 rural households located on the outskirts of Chuncheon city of Gangwon Province in the summers of 2010 and 2011, and urban drinking water samples were collected from 20 faucets during the same period in 2011 for comparison purpose. Water temperature, pH, and residual chlorine (total and free) concentrations were measured in the field, and samples were analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and THM concentrations in the laboratory. The average DOC concentrations in rural water samples were not greatly different between groundwater (n = 20) and surface water (n = 20) which were used as sources for drinking water (1.81 vs. 1.91 mg/L). However, the average concentrations of total THMs (TTHMs) in groundwater ($9.77{\mu}g/L$) were much higher than those in surface water ($2.85{\mu}g/L$) and similar to those in urban drinking water samples ($10.8{\mu}g/L$). Unlike urban water supply, rural water (particularly groundwater) contained more brominated THM species such as dibromochloromethane (DBCM), suggesting its relatively high content of bromide ion (Br-). This study showed that rural water supplies have different THM formation characteristics from urban water supplies, probably due to their differences in source water quality properties.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.120-129
• /
• 2016

An industrial complex in Wonju, contaminated with trichloroethene (TCE), was one of the most problematic sites in Korea. Despite repeated remedial trials for decades, chlorinated ethenes remained as sources of down-gradient groundwater contamination. Recent efforts were being made to remove the contaminants of the area, but knowledge of the indigenous microbial communities and their dechlorination abilities were unknown. Thus, the objectives of the present study were (i) to evaluate the dechlorination abilities of indigenous microbes at the contaminated site, (ii) to characterize which microbes and reductive dehalogenase genes were responsible for the dechlorination reactions, and (iii) to develop a PCE-to-ethene dechlorinating microbial consortium. An enrichment culture that dechlorinates PCE to ethene was obtained from Wonju stream, nearby a trichloroethene (TCE)-contaminated industrial complex. The community profiling revealed that known organohalide-respiring microbes, such as Geobacter, Desulfuromonas, and Dehalococcoides grew during the incubation with chlorinated ethenes. Although Chloroflexi populations (i.e., Longilinea and Bellilinea) were the most enriched in the sediment microcosms, those were not found in the transfer cultures. Based upon the results from pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons and qPCR using TaqMan chemistry, close relatives of Dehalococcoides mccartyi strains FL2 and GT seemed to be dominant and responsible for the complete detoxification of chlorinated ethenes in the transfer cultures. This study also demonstrated that the contaminated site harbors indigenous microbes that can convert PCE to ethene, and the developed consortium can be an important resource for future bioremediation efforts.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.167-172
• /
• 2020

The effectiveness of in situ sediment capping as a technique for heavy metal risk mitigation in Hyeongsan River estuary, South Korea was studied. Sites in the estuary were found previously to show moderate to high levels of contamination of mercury, methylmercury and other heavy metals. A 400 m x 50 m section of the river was selected for a thin layer capping demonstration, where the total area was divided into 4 sections capped with different combinations of capping materials (zeolite, AC/zeolite, AC/sand, zeolite/sand). Pore water concentrations in the different sites were studied using diffusive gradient in thin film (DGT) probes. All capping amendments showed reduction in the pore water concentration of the different heavy metals with top 5 cm showing %reduction greater than 90% for some heavy metals. The relative maxima for the different metals were found to be translated to lower depths with addition of the caps. For two-layered cap with AC, order of placement should be considered since AC can easily be displaced due to its relatively low density. Investigation of methylmercury (MeHg) in the site showed that MeHg and %MeHg in pore water corresponds well with maxima for sulfide, Fe and Mn suggesting mercury methylation as probably coupled with sulfate, Fe and Mn reduction in sediments. Our results showed that thin-layer capping of active sorbents AC and zeolite, in combination with passive sand caps, are potential remediation strategy for sediments contaminated with heavy metals.

• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.211-218
• /
• 2016

Cheonggye-cheon is a partly restored urban stream located in central Seoul. We monitored fecal contamination using three different fecal indicators, total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC) and E. coli, to assess differences in each indicator on days of varying weather conditions. Presumptive TC, FC and E. coli colonies were identified by their 16S rRNA sequences. The results showed that enumeration of E. coli provided a better reflection of fecal contamination of the stream than TC and FC. The main sources of contamination were the inflow of fecal-polluted groundwater from the vicinity of a subway line and two inflowing streams. The fecal contamination was worsened on days with heavy rain because untreated sewage from a collecting facility flowed into the stream. Moreover, growth potential of fecal indicator (E. coli) in situ induced by algal exudates was measured. Our results suggest that an appropriate standard based on E. coli rather than TC and FC should be established for improving water quality management strategies of Cheonggye-cheon in the future.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.113-121
• /
• 1992

An the livestock production in Japan is industrialized, a tremendous amount of animal wastes is being produced annually, resulting in serious environmental pollution problems. Animal wastes could be pollutants, but they are also important sources of fertilizer nutrients and organic matter. Composting is an effective way of promoting the increased utilization of animal wastes. The characterization of maturing process during composting is important in order to improve the composting technology and to develop and efficient method to estimate the degree of maturity. The rise and fall in temperature, and changes in the constituents of the compost, reflect the maturing process and may serve as indicators for maturation. In addition, the detection of nitrate by diphenylamine, the determination of cation-exchange capacity (CEC), and the germination test, are also recommended as the methods of estimating the degree of maturity. The heavy applications of animal manure and compost may cause an adverse effect on soils and crops. When excess manure is applied, the nitrogen will be accumulated in soil, resulting in accumulation of nitrate in crops and pollution of the groundwater. Guidelines for application rates are recommended, to maintain soil productivity and quality of crops, and to prevent the environmental pollution.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.17 no.12
• /
• pp.1363-1372
• /
• 2008

In this study, long term semi distributed hydrologic model SWAT-K(Korea) is applied to the Seolma-Cheon watershed to analyze the hydrological components. Seolma-Cheon watershed has been operated as the test watershed of Korea Institute of Construction Technology for 13 years. Therefore it has an enough hydrologic data to analyze the hydrologic characteristics of small watershed. Especially, for the proper runoff analysis of steep watershed, calibration is performed reflecting the regression equation of slope and slope length. The simulated discharge shows good agreement with the observed one and the simulated evapotranspiration and groundwater discharge also show satisfactory results. Finally we presents the ratio of major hydrologic components for 3 years with those obsrved ones. This study is the basic research for future analyses such as relationship between hydrologic components and vegetation, watershed sediment nonpoint sources discharge etc.