• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.149-158
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• 2012

In this paper, we measured the variations of radon concentrations in groundwater using low-level Liquid Scintillation Counter (LSC), an instrument for analyzing the alpha and beta radionuclides at its 10 sites around the Kumjung-Gu, north-western of Busan. Optimization of Pulse Shape Analyzer (PSA) to determinate the highest value of figure of merit (FM) was decided using Quantulus 1200 LSC with radium-226 source, the optimal PSA level was shown in the range of 100 to 110. The results show that the Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA) of radon concentrations is 0.61 $Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$ for 20 minutes in PSA level. We find that the average radon concentration in groundwater is high in granitic rock area and low in volcanic rock area. (Biotite granite : 191.39 $Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$, Micro graphic granite : 141.88 $Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$, Adamellite : 92.94 $Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$, Andesite (volcanic) : 35.35 $Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$). No significant seasonal variation pattern is observed from the long-term variation analysis from 10 selected sites. We have not seen the significant correlation of radon concentration to groundwater temperature, atmospheric temperature, atmospheric pressure and rainfall. The concentration variation is probably caused by more complex factors and processes.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.1B
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• pp.55-64
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• 2008

The evidence of changes in the climate system is obvious in the world. Nevertheless, at the current techniques for flood frequency analysis, the flood distribution can not reflect climate change or long-term climate cycles. Using a linear regression and a Mann-Kendall test, trends in annual maximum precipitation and flood data for several major gauging sites were evaluated. Moreover, this research considered incorporating flood trends by climate change effects in flood frequency analyses. For five rainfall gauging sites (Seoul, Incheon, Ulleungdo, Jeonju, and Gangneung), upward trends were observed in all gauged annual maximum precipitation records but they were not statistically significant. For three streamflow gauging sites (Andong Dam, Soyanggang Dam, and Daecheong Dam), upward trends were also observed in all gauged annual maximum flood records, but only the flood at Andong Dam was statistically significant. A log-normal trend model was introduced to reflect the observed linear trends in annual maximum flood series and applied to estimate flood frequency and risk for Andong Dam and Soyanggang Dam. As results, when the target year was 2005, 50-year floods of the log-normal trend model were 41% and 21% larger then those of a log-normal model for Andong Dam and Soyanggang Dam, respectively. Moreover, the estimated floods of the log-normal trend model increases as the target year increases.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.111-125
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• 2024

The study has examined alterations in groundwater quality by investigating the influence of rainfall on electrical conductivity (EC) and nitrate concentration in the groundwater of the Geum River Basin in South Korea. Mann Kendall and Sen's Slope estimator were employed to analyze the trends and estimate the trend's magnitude. The administrative map of the study area was utilized to assess the trends of these parameters within each administrative region. Seventeen years (from 2005 to 2021) of data on EC, groundwater levels (GWL), precipitation, and six years (from 2015 to 2020) of nitrate concentration data were utilized for this analysis. The results indicate that, in most administrative regions, there has been an increase in nitrate concentration, and EC, whereas precipitation has seen a slight decrease in a downstream and an increasing trend in upstream. The correlation coefficients calculated between these parameters reveal that there is no direct impact of precipitation on nitrate and EC, but a negative correlation was observed between GWL and EC. The most significant increasing trend in nitrate concentration was observed in two districts (Iksan and Gunsan ), which correspond to regions with significant agricultural activity; about 50% of these districts area are used for agricultural activities.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.46 no.12
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• pp.1193-1207
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• 2013

Increase of impervious area caused by overdevelopment has led to increase of runoff and then the problem of flooding and NPS were brought up. In addition, as decrease of base flow made groundwater level to decline, a stream that dries up is issued. low impact development (LID) method which is possible to mimic hydrological water cycle, minimize the effect of development, and improve water cycle structure is proposed as an alternative. As introduction of LID in domestic increases, the study on small watershed is in process mainly. Also, analysis of property of hydrological runoff and load on midsize watershed, like sewage treatment district, is required, the study on it is still insufficient. So, area applying LID practices from watershed of Dongrae stream is pinpointed and made the ratio and then expand it to watershed of Oncheon stream. Among low impact development practices, Green Roof, Porous Pavement, and Bio- retention are selected for the application considering domestic situations and simulated with SWMM-LID model of each watershed and improvement of water cycle and reduction of non-point pollution loads was analysed. Improvement of water cycle and reduction of non-point pollution loads were analyzed including the property of rainfall and soil over long term simulation. The model was executed according to scenario based on combination of LID as changing conductivity in accordance with soil type of the watershed. Also, this study evaluated area of LID application that meets the efficiency of conventional management as a criteria for area of LID practices applying to sewer treatment district by comparing the efficiency of LID application with that of conventional method.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Environmental Technology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.503-513
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• 2018

In order to continuous watershed management and improve water quality at Yeong-san river system, we analyzed and evaluated data on the monitoring of small stream in city and county boundaries within the watershed. In-period monitoring is estimated to be more frequent in the second quarter than the first quarter, so it should be considered when evaluating the target water quality by setting the target water quality. A small stream in the Yeong-san river system has higher concentration in the downstream area than the upstream area. As a result of calculating the load of the measuring point, Y.b B3(Pungyeongjeongcheon) and Y.b E1(Sampocheon) were high. The result of correlation analysis by monitoring point in order to evaluate the correlation between BOD and T-P items, BOD was highly correlated with COD and TOC, and was affected by emission of pollutants related to organic matter. T-P was highly correlated with SS and COD, and was affected by rainfall. This study will provide basic data and direction for designing efficient and scientific method for water quality management by analyzing accumulated water quality data by conducting long-term monitoring.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.1 s.115
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• pp.73-84
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to analyze long-term temporal trends of water chemistry and spatial heterogeneity for 10 sampling sites of the Yeongsan River watershed using water quality dataset during 1995 to 2004 (obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea). The water quality, based on multi-parameters of biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), conductivity, dissolved oxygen (Do), total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN) and total suspended solids (TSS), largely varied depending on the sampling sites, seasons and years. Largest seasonal variabilities in most parameters occurred during the two months of July to August and these were closely associated with large spate of summmer monsoon rain. Conductivity, used as a key indicator for a ionic dilution during rainy season, and nutrients of TN and TP had an inverse function of precipitation (absolute r values> 0.32, P< 0.01, n= 119), whereas BOD and COD had no significant relations(P> 0.05, n= 119) with rainfall. Minimum values in conductivity, TN, and TP were observed during the summer monsoon, indicating an ionic and nutrient dilution of river water by the rainwater. In contrast, major inputs of total suspended solids (TSS) occurred during the period of summer monsoon. BOD values varied with seasons and the values was closely associated (r=0.592: P< 0.01) with COD, while variations of TN were had high correlations (r=0.529 : P< 0.01) with TP. Seasonal fluctuations of DO showed that maximum values were in the cold winter season and minimum values were in the summer seasons, indicating an inverse relation with water temperature. The spatial trend analyses of TP, TN, BOD, COD and TSS, except for conductivity, showed that the values were greater in the mid-river reach than in the headwater and down-river reaches. Conductivity was greater in the down-river sites than any other sites. Overall data of BOD, COD, and nutrients (TN, TP) showed that water quality was worst in the Site 4, compared to those of others sites. This was due to continuous effluents from the wastewater treatment plants within the urban area of Gwangju city. Based on the overall dataset, efficient water quality management is required in the urban area for better water quality.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.382-393
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• 2009

The objectives of this study were to characterize long-term annual and seasonal trophic state of Topjeong Reservoir using conventional variables of Trophic State Index (TSI) and to determine the empirical relations between the trophic parameters. For the analysis, we used water quality dataset of 1995$\sim$2007, which is obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea and the number of parameters was 9. Annual ambient mean values of TN and TP were 1.78 mg $L^{-1}$ and 0.03 mg $L^{-1}$, respectively and TN : TP ratios averaged 76, indicating that this system was nitrogen-rich hypertrophic, and was probably phosphorus-limitation for algal growth. Therefore, nitrogen varied little with seasons and years, and total phosphorus (TP) varied depending on season and year. Monsoon dilutions of TP occurred in August and monthly fluctuations of suspended solid (SS) was similar to those of chlorophyll-$\alpha$ (CHL). Annual mean values of BOD and $COD_{Mn}$ were 1.61 mg $L^{-1}$ and 4.23 mg $L^{-1}$, respectively and the interannual values were directly influenced by the intensity of annual rainfall. There were no significant differences in the trophic variables between the two sampling sites. Mean values of Trophic State Index (TSI, Carlson, 1977), based on TN, TP, CHL, and SD (Secchi depth), turned out as eutrophic state, except for the TN (hypertrophic). Regression analyses of log-transformed seasonal CHL against TP and TN showed that variation of the CHL was explained 37% by the variation of TP ($R^2$=0.37, p<0.001, r=0.616), but not by TN ($R^2$=0.03, p>0.05). Regression coefficient of $Log_{10}$CHL vs $Log_{10}SD$ was 0.330 (p<0.003, r=0.580), indicating that transparency is regulated by the organic matter in the system. Results, data suggest that one of the ways controlling the eutrophication would be a reduction of phosphorus from the watershed.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.103-134
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• 1977

The physiological and biochemical role of potassium for upland crops according to recent research reports and the nutritional status of potassium in Korea were reviewed. Since physical and chemical characteristics of potassium ion are different from those of sodium, potassium can not completely be replaced by sodium and replacement must be limited to minimum possible functional area. Specific roles of potassium seem to keep fine structure of biological membranes such as thylacoid membrane of chloroplast in the most efficient form and to be allosteric effector and conformation controller of various enzymes principally in carbohydrate and protein metabolism. Potassium is essential to improve the efficiency of phoro- and oxidative- phosphorylation and involve deeply in all energy required metabolisms especially synthesis of organic matter and their translocation. Potassium has many important, physiological functions such as maintenance of osmotic pressure and optimum hydration of cell colloids, consequently uptake and translocation of water resulting in higher water use efficiency and of better subcellular environment for various physiological and biochemical activities. Potassium affects uptake and translocation of mineral nutrients and quality of products. potassium itself in products may become a quality criteria due to potassium essentiality for human beings. Potassium uptake is greatly decreased by low temperature and controlled by unknown feed back mechanism of potassium in plants. Thus the luxury absorption should be reconsidered. Total potassium content of upland soil in Korea is about 3% but the exchangeable one is about 0.3 me/100g soil. All upland crops require much potassium probably due to freezing and cold weather and also due to wet damage and drought caused by uneven rainfall pattern. In barley, potassium should be high at just before freezing and just after thawing and move into grain from heading for higher yield. Use efficiency of potassium was 27% for barley and 58% in old uplands, 46% in newly opened hilly lands for soybean. Soybean plant showed potassium deficiency symptom in various fields especially in newly opened hilly lands. Potassium criteria for normal growth appear 2% $K_2O$ and 1.0 K/(Ca+Mg) (content ratio) at flower bud initiation stage for soybean. Potassium requirement in plant was high in carrot, egg plant, chinese cabbage, red pepper, raddish and tomato. Potassium content in leaves was significantly correlated with yield in chinese cabbage. Sweet potato. greatly absorbed potassium subsequently affected potassium nutrition of the following crop. In the case of potassium deficiency, root showed the greatest difference in potassium content from that of normal indicating that deficiency damages root first. Potatoes and corn showed much higher potassium content in comparison with calcium and magnesium. Forage crops from ranges showed relatively high potassium content which was significantly and positively correlated with nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium content. Percentage of orchards (apple, pear, peach, grape, and orange) insufficient in potassium ranged from 16 to 25. The leaves and soils from the good apple and pear orchards showed higher potassium content than those from the poor ones. Critical ratio of $K_2O/(CaO+MgO)$ in mulberry leaves to escape from winter death of branch tip was 0.95. In the multiple croping system, exchangeable potassium in soils after one crop was affected by the previous crops and potassium uptake seemed to be related with soil organic matter providing soil moisture and aeration. Thus, the long term and quantitative investigation of various forms of potassium including total one are needed in relation to soil, weather and croping system. Potassium uptake and efficiency may be increased by topdressing, deep placement, slow-releasing or granular fertilizer application with the consideration of rainfall pattern. In all researches for nutritional explanation including potassium of crop yield reasonable and practicable nutritional indices will most easily be obtained through multifactor analysis.