• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.31
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• pp.6.1-6.10
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• 2016

Objectives This study examined the spatial distribution and the extent of soil contamination by heavy metals resulting from primitive, unconventional informal electronic waste recycling in the Agbogbloshie e-waste processing site (AEPS) in Ghana. Methods A total of 132 samples were collected at 100 m intervals, with a handheld global position system used in taking the location data of the soil sample points. Observing all procedural and quality assurance measures, the samples were analyzed for barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn), using X-ray fluorescence. Using environmental risk indices of contamination factor and degree of contamination ($C_{deg}$), we analyzed the individual contribution of each heavy metal contamination and the overall $C_{deg}$. We further used geostatistical techniques of spatial autocorrelation and variability to examine spatial distribution and extent of heavy metal contamination. Results Results from soil analysis showed that heavy metal concentrations were significantly higher than the Canadian Environmental Protection Agency and Dutch environmental standards. In an increasing order, Pb>Cd>Hg>Cu>Zn>Cr>Co>Ba>Ni contributed significantly to the overall $C_{deg}$. Contamination was highest in the main working areas of burning and dismantling sites, indicating the influence of recycling activities. Geostatistical analysis also revealed that heavy metal contamination spreads beyond the main working areas to residential, recreational, farming, and commercial areas. Conclusions Our results show that the studied heavy metals are ubiquitous within AEPS and the significantly high concentration of these metals reflect the contamination factor and $C_{deg}$, indicating soil contamination in AEPS with the nine heavy metals studied.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.454-465
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• 1998

This study was to investigate the recognition level of food contamination with residual pesticides and hazardous heavy metals from 365 male and female adults in Taejon area using questionnaires. Among the recognizing level of residual pesticides in overall foods, 69.1% were 'serious', 25.6% were 'average' and 5.3% were 'not serious'. Over 94.7% of the subjects recognized residual pesticides pollution infoods. for hazardous heavy metals in food, 47.8% responsed as 'serious', 40.5% as 'average' and 11.8 as ' not serious' . Over 88.3% of the subjects recognized contaminated pesticides seriously in fruits, 72.1% in vegetables and 51.7% in cereals, whereas 55.7% of the subjects recognized hazardous heavy metal contamination seriously in fruits, 53.4% in vegetables, 40.8% in fishes and shellfishes and 35.0% in seaweeds. The subjects recognized residual pesticides contamination more seriously in overall foods, cereal, potatoes and starches, bean, vegetables and fruits, whereas hazardous heavy metal contamination was recognized more seriously in fishes and shellfishes, and seaweeds food groups. Comparisons were shown based on individuial's occupation. Farmer, forester, iner and fisher showed the lowest recognizing level of food contamination in most food groups. The mean score of the dietary effect by mass media's information on food contamination from residual pesticides and hazardous heavy metals were 3.51±0.96 out of 5 points. By Duncan's multiple range test, sex, age, marriage, food cost per month, concerns about health and nutrition knowledge showed significant differences in the mean effect score at p<0.05. According to a pesticides contamination in several food groups were affected by food cost per month, mass media's information on food contamination, health status, and concerns about health, But a recognition level of hazardous heavy metals in food were affected by income and, food cost per month mass media's information on food contamination, health status, concern about health and nutrition knowledge. People who need to take extreme precautions of food contamination were in order of producers, government officials, homemakers, the consumer's association and consumers.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2016

The soil contamination by heavy metals in playgrounds of kindergartens in Vilnius city is analysed in this article. The aim of this research is to investigate and evaluate soil contamination by heavy metals in playgrounds of kindergartens in different territories of Vilnius city. Concentrations of heavy metals were measured using Thermo Fisher Scientific Niton$^{(R)}$ XL2 X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Maximum allowable and background concentrations that are given in Lithuanian hygiene standard and Lithuania geochemical atlas are used to compare and evaluate concentrations of heavy metals. Concentrations of heavy metals and their spatial distribution were analysed in order to exclude the most contaminated areas relating with different functional areas of the city. Geo-statistical analysis and maps of spatial distribution were developed using IDW interpolator in ArcMap software. Detail soil surveys helps to assess the extent of anthropogenic impact in different parts of the city which can be harmful to the soil ecosystem and human health. Such researches can help to change or select different function for city areas in territorial planning process.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Heavy metals discharged from various sources contaminate the soil and water and the residuals can persistently be accumulated. In this study, the concentration of soil heavy metals was assessed over the whole regions of Korea based on the contamination factor and the geoaccumulation index. METHODS AND RESULTS: The data of averaged concentrations of heavy metals and fluorine were collected from the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS) and the research papers published. In order to classify the levels of heavy metal concentration, the contamination index, including the contamination factor and the geoaccumulation index, based on the relative ratio of the actual concentration of heavy metals in the soil to the background concentration was calculated. In addition, the distribution of heavy metals in soils was visualized by using the geographic information system (GIS). As a result, the Cd contamination in the soils was the most concerned. CONCLUSION(S): This study very roughly indicated the outline of heavy metal concentration over the whole regions of Korea. The change in heavy metals' concentration over the time should further be monitored and the larger data of heavy metal contamination are needed for better understanding in the future.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.605-611
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to analyze the local distribution of the heavy metal concentration in Daegu and Ulsan which were divided into the residual areas, the traffic dense areas and the industrial areas. The Inductively Coupled Plasma(ICP) was used to analyze heavy metals, such as As, Cr, Hg, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu and minor metals, such as Fe, Si, Mg, Ca, AI, Na, K. The results of this analysis showed that the content of heavy metals which was classified by districts in Daegu and Ulsan was the highest in the industrial areas followed by the traffic dense areas and the residual areas. Compared to the level of heavy metals of national and local soil survey network in 2003, contamination of heavy metals in Daegu was lower than national average. However, the content of Cd, As, Zn in Ulsan was respectively 13.38 times, 472 times and 2.65 times higher than national average contamination. In addition, compared to the soil pollution level of the environmental protection law, contamination of all areas in Daegu was lower. But the content of As at the industrial areas in Ulsan was 10.71 times higher than standard of soil pollution and 4.28 times higher than standard of measures against soil contamination.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.412-424
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• 2021

Understanding the distribution of heavy metals in sediment is necessary because labile heavy metals can partition into the water column and bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms. Here we investigated six heavy metals (Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in sediment cores using a five-step sequential leaching method to examine the occurrence of heavy metals in the sediment. The results showed that all elements, except Mn, are depleted in the exchangeable and carbonate fractions. However, heavy metal concentrations are much higher in the Fe-Mn oxide and organic matter fractions, especially for Cu, indicating enrichment in the organic matter fraction. Furthermore, contamination parameters (contamination factor and geoaccumulation index) indicate that Mn contamination is high, primarily derived from anthropogenic sources, presenting a potential risk to ecosystems in the Nakdong River.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.329-339
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• 2016

The short-term effects of low-level contamination by heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, and Pb) on the soil health were examined by analyzing soil nematode community in soils planted with tomatoes. For this, the soils were irrigated with five metal concentrations ([1, 1/4, $1/4^2$, $1/4^3$, and 0] ${\times}$ maximum concentrations [MC] detected in irrigation waters near abandoned mine sites) for 18 weeks. Heavy metal concentrations were significantly increased in soils irrigated with MC of heavy metals, among which As and Cu exceeded the maximum heavy metal residue contents of soil approved in Korea. In no heavy metal treatment controls, nematode abundances for all trophic groups (except omnivorous-predatory nematodes [OP]) and colonizer-persister (cp) values (except cp-4-5) were significantly increased, and all maturity indices (except maturity index [MI] of plant-parasitic nematodes) and structure index (SI) were significantly decreased, suggesting the soil environments might have been disturbed during 18 weeks of tomato growth. There were no concentration-dependent significant decreases in richness, abundance, or MI for most heavy metals; however, their significant decreases occurred in abundance and richness of OP and cp-4, MI2-5 (excluding cp-1) and SI, indicating disturbed soil ecosystems, at the higher concentrations (MC and MC/4) of Pb that had the most significant negative correlation coefficients for heavy metal concentrations and nematode community among the heavy metals. Therefore, the short-term effects of low-level heavy metal contamination on soil health can be analyzed by nematode community structures before the appearance of plant damages caused by the abiotic agents, heavy metals.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.63-71
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• 1994

An analytic and comparative study on the level of concentration on heavy metals in silt of Han- River was described. The Paldang lake supplies tap water resources for the 20 million residents in the metropolitan zone. It is composed that three steps for water works by the water volume in all 35,072 thousand tons : the first section is 7,251 thousand tons, the second is 15,980 thousand tons and the third is 11,841 thousand tons. However, recently it has becoming a serious social issue for water contamination on Paldang by heavy metals due to gathering of silt. It has concentrated on analysis and comparison study on the level of heavy metals between contamination- estimated zone and the other zones. After all, Concentration on heavy metals of expected none pollute's zone and expected pollute's zone indicate almost similar results. In the end, heavy metals within silt of Han- River consider not to effect on pollution but quantity of natural condition.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 1992

This study was performed to evaluate contamination degree of heavy metals in sediments of Han River, compared with other nation's evaluation method. The results were as follows 1. The contamination Ratio calculation method by heavy metal concentration in differnt fraction size has a limitation to apply to all of the areas of Han river because of its characteristics of sediment. As a result, this method applied to only 4 areas of Pal Dang, Wang Sook Chon, Uk Chon, and Bul Kwang Chon, and Contmination Ratio of heavy metals in those areas were relatively low of below 3. So it's considered that those areas have less contaminated from anthropogenic contaminants. 2. The Contamination Ratio calculation method by heavy metal concentration in different areasthat of upper area to be background level-has a limitation also to apply to Han river. But it is considered that this method was relatively suitable to apply, so it should be prepared evaluation standand method for them. Contamination ratio from background level as Pal Dang area were most high in An Yang Chon. So it must be prepared purification and control measure at An Yang Chon.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.298-301
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• 2000

Heavy metals are extracted from stream sediments, roadside soils and sediments and soils and tailings from mining area using partial extraction, acid digestion and HF-digestion. Compared to amounts of heavy metals extracted using partial extraction, those extracted using acid digestion are higher by 2.0∼220.9 times in Cu, 2.4∼2806.1 times in Pb, 1.3∼121 times in Cd, 14.1∼1300885 times in Fe, 1.2∼271.5 times in Mn, 1.3∼372.5 times in Zn, 2.2∼1734.5 times in Cr. Although partial extraction, which extracts less amounts of heavy metals from soil compared to acid digestion, is used in domestic standard method for examination of soil, domestic soil standard for heavy metals in non-agricultural and industrial areas is higher than soil standard in foreign countries which use acid digestion, For improvement of the domestic standard method for assessment of soil, it is suggested to lower the domestic soil standard for heavy metals or to change pretreatment method for extracting heavy metals from partial extraction to acid digestion with modifying the soil standard.