• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.2
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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.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.293-304
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• 2013

Because the present groundwater law broadly regulates a simple and impractical guideline ignoring aquifer characters and geology, general purpose facilities for protection of groundwater contamination is still considered unsatisfactory to ensure groundwater resources. In recent, there have been growing attempts in the packer development as crucial techniques and devices for groundwater protection. This study investigated the application of packer grouting techniques to contaminated groundwaters of two well sites in the Andong and Yeongi areas, both of which revealed a satisfactory effect with improved water quality: 94% decrease in turbidity at the Andong area and 60% decrease in $NO_3$-N, respectively. Based on aquifer characters including geology, weathering depth, fracture pattern, hydraulic gradient, and the flow path of contaminants, the integrated properties of groundwater contamination should be evaluated and treated with the help of accurate analyses such as bore hole imaging and monitoring data. Packer grouting and casing on well to ensure the useful aquifer free of contaminant are expected to play important role in inhibiting the inflow of contaminants when adequately applied. Therefore it is concluded that these can serve as reliable tools in remediation and protection of contaminated groundwater as well as efficient utilization of groundwater.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.58-69
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• 2003

Soil contamination in the United States is managed using a risk-based decision making process. In other words, we don't ask, 'how much soil contamination can be cleaned up\ulcorner' Instead we ask, 'how much contamination can be safely left in place\ulcorner' The determination of 'safe' levels of contamination is based upon the potential for exposure and the toxicity of the contaminants of concern in soil. Potential for exposure is determined by evaluating potential exposure pathways from source to receptor given current or reasonably anticipated land use. Soil cleanup goals are then calculated for any complete exposure pathways based upon toxicity and the route of exposure. In some cases, institutional or engineering controls are also used to limit the potential for exposure. In order to prevent a continuous degradation of environmental quality, risk-based cleanup approaches must be combined with strong contamination prevention programs. In addition, alternative risk management approaches should be incorporated into an overall risk reduction strategy.erall risk reduction strategy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.25-39
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• 2003

Risk and exposure assessment for subsurface environment is very important for both aspects of health and environmental protection as well as making decision of remedial goal for engineering activities. Exposure due to hazardous chemicals in the subsurface environment is essential to assess risk lev121 to individual person, especially from soil and groundwater environmental media. In this paper, the status of soil and groundwater contamination is presented to discuss on the problem for environmental risk assessment. The methodologies of fate and exposure models are also discussed by conducting the case studies of exposure assessment for heavy metals, organic compounds, and dioxin compounds. In addition, the structure of exposure models and available data for model calculation are examined to make clear more realistic exposure scenarios and the application to the practical environmental issues. Three kinds of advanced remediation techniques for soil and groundwater contamination are described in this paper, The most practical method for VOCs is the bio-remediation technique in which biological process due to consortium of microorganisms can be applied. For more effective remediation of soil contaminated by heavy metals we have adopted the soil flushing technique and clean-up system using electro-kinetic method. We have also developed the advanced techniques of geo-melting method for soil contaminated by DXNs and PCB compounds. These techniques are planed to introduce and to apply for a lot of contaminated sites in Japan.

• Korean Journal of Hydrosciences
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• v.10
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• pp.47-58
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• 1999

Protection of groundwater resources from contamination has been of increasing concern throughout the past decades. In practice, however, groundwater monitoring is performed based on the experience and intuition of experts or on the convenience. In dealing with groundwater contamination, we need to know what contaminants have the potential to threat the water quality and the distribution and concentration of the plumes. Monitoring of the subsurface environment through remote geophysical techniques or direct sampling from wells can provide such information. Once known, the plume can be properly menaged. Evaluation of existing methodologies for groundwater monitoring network design revealed that one should select an appropriate design method based on the purpose of the network and the avaliability of field information. Integer programming approach, one of the general purpose network design tools, and a cost-to-go function evaluation approach for special purpose network design were tested for field applicability. For the same contaminated aquifer, two approaches resulted in different well locations. The amount of information, however, was about the same.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.504-515
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• 2012

Groundwater is widely used as drinking water supplies around the world. However, microbial contamination of groundwater is a serious environmental problem that degrades drinking water quality and poses a great threat to human health. Among the pathogenic microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, viruses are not readily removed during transport through soils, having high mobility in groundwater environment due to their smaller size compared to bacteria and protozoa. Studies regarding the fate and transport of viruses in soils and aquifers are necessary to determine the vulnerability of groundwater to microbial contamination and to secure safe drinking water sources. Also, these studies provide important information to establish the regulations and policies related to public health. This review paper presented the field and laboratory studies conducted for the fate and transport of viruses in subsurface environments. Also, the paper provided the factors affecting the fate and transport of viruses, the characteristics of bacteriophages used for virus studies, and virus transport model/colloid filtration theory. Based on this review work, future researches should be performed actively to set up the viral protection zone for the protection of groundwater from viral contamination sources. Especially, the researches should be focused on the development of mathematical models to calculate the setback distance and travel time for the viral protection zone along with the accumulation of information related to the model parameters.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.25 no.2_spc
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• pp.1-15
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• 2020

Monitoring and assessing terminal electron accepting processes (TEAPs) are one of the most important steps to remediate contaminated sites via various in-situ techniques. TEAPs are a part of the microbial respiration reactions. Microorganisms gain energy from these reactions and reduces pollutants. Monitoring TEAPs enables us to predict degradability of contaminants and degradation rates. In many countries, TEAPs have been used for characterization of field sites and management of groundwater wells. For instance, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided strategies for groundwater quality and well management by applying TEAPs monitoring. Denmark has also constructed TEAPs map of local unit area to develop effective groundwater managing system, particularly to predict and assess nitrogen contamination. In case of Korea, although detailed soil survey and groundwater contamination assessment have been employed, site investigation guidelines using TEAPs have not been established yet. To better define TEAPs in subsurface environments, multiple indicators including ion concentrations, isotope compositions and contaminant degradation byproducts must be assessed. Furthermore, dissolved hydrogen concentrations are regarded as significant evidence of TEAPs occurring in subsurface environment. This review study introduces optimal sampling techniques of groundwater and dissolved hydrogen, and further discuss how to assess TEAPs in contaminated subsurface environments according to several contamination scenarios.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.124-131
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• 2013

Utilities have tried to ensure that radiological hazards to the environment and residents are kept as low as reasonably achievable by monitoring and controlling planned releases. However, since groundwater contamination was reported to occur due to unplanned releases mostly in the United States nuclear power plants, the interest of the stakeholders has increased to a point where it is now one of the most important issues in the United States nuclear power industry. This paper aims to help to implement an effective on-site groundwater monitoring program at domestic nuclear power plants by briefing the experiences of the United States nuclear power plants on groundwater contaminations and groundwater monitoring, and responses of the United States nuclear industry and regulator body for them.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.291-295
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• 2002

We measured the concentrations of heavy metals and VOCs in groundwaters (N=38) in Seoul. The comparison of our data with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Maximum Contaminant Levels for Drinking Water and with the Korean Drinking Water Standards shows that most of the metals except for Fe and Mn do not exceed the levels. However, the concentrations of most heavy metals (esp., Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni) tend to increase in residential and industrialized areas. The examination of the metal speciation using Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV) and TOC analyzer Indicates that large amounts of Zn occur as labile metal fraction, whereas Cu occurs as non- labile forms at many sites, possibly due to its tendency to be adsorbed onto inorganic colloidal particles to form electroinactive species in groundwater. The most frequently existed VOCs in Seoul groundwaters are trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene, especially in agricultural, industrial, and high traffic areas.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.105-117
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• 2015

The groundwater is a very important part of the environment and must be protected for the benefit of the present and future generation. The contamination of soil and groundwater by chemicals has become an increasing concern in the recent past. These chemicals enter the groundwater system by a wide variety of mechanisms, including accidental spills, land disposal of domestic and industrial wastes and application of agricultural fertilizers. Once introduced into an aquifer, these contaminants will be transported by flowing groundwater and may degrade water quality at nearby wells and streams. For improving the management and protection of groundwater resources, it is important to first understand the various processes that control the transport of contaminants in groundwater. Predictions of the fate of groundwater contaminants can be made to assess the effect of these chemicals on local water resources and to evaluate the effectiveness of remedial actions. In this study, an attempt has been made to investigate the behaviour of solute transport through porous media using laboratory experiments. Sodium chloride was used as a conservative chemical in the experiment. During the experiment, pulse boundary condition and continuous boundary conditions were used. Experimental results have been presented for conservative solute transport in the sand. The pattern of the break through curve remains almost same in all the cases of varying flow rate and initial concentration of conservative chemical.