• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.291-304
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• 2023

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have become an increasing concern in terms of human health risks as well as aesthetic impairment due to their toxicity. The reduction of water pollutants, especially nutrients from non-point sources in a reservoir watershed, is fundamental for HABs prevention. We investigated the pollutant removal efficiencies of a constructed wetland to evaluate its feasibility as a method for controlling non-point sources located in the Annaecheon stream within the Daecheong Reservoir watershed. The overall removal efficiencies of pollutants were as follows: BOD 14.3%, COD 17.9%, SS 50.0%, T-N 19.0%, and T-P 35.4%. These results indicate that constructed wetlands are effective in controlling pollutants from non-point sources. The seasonal variation in removal efficiency depended on the specific pollutants. The removal efficiencies of BOD, COD, and T-N were stable throughout the year, except during winter, which might have been influenced by lower microorganism activity. In contrast, T-P showed a consistent removal efficiency even during the winter season, suggesting that the wetland can reduce external phosphorus loading to the reservoir. Regarding the effects of pollutant loadings on removal efficiency, the effluent concentrations of all pollutants were significantly decreased compared to those in the influent in case of middle and high loadings. This demonstrates that constructed wetlands can handle high pollutant loads, including the initial runoff during rainfall, to prevent reservoir eutrophication. Despite the various strengths of wetland water purification, there are limitations as passive treatment. Therefore, more case studies should be conducted to suggest optimum operational conditions for constructed wetlands, taking into consideration reservoir-specific characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.311-322
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• 2008

The objectives of the study were to analyze chemical water quality and physical habitat characteristics in the urban streams (Miho and Gap streams) along with evaluations of fish community structures and ecosystem health, throughout fish composition and guild analyses during 2006$\sim$2007. Concentrations of BOD and COD averaged 3.5 and 5.7 mg L$^{-1}$, in the urban streams, while TN and TP averaged 5.1 mg L$^{-1}$ and 274 ${\mu}g$ L$^{-1}$, indicating an eutrophic state. Especially, organic pollution and eutrophication were most intense in the downstream reach of both streams. Total number of fish was 34 species in the both streams, and the most abundant species was Zacco platypus (32$\sim$42% of the total). In both streams, the relative abundance of sensitive species was low (23%) and tolerant and omnivores were high (45%, 52%), indicating an typical tolerance and trophic guilds of urban streams in Korea. According to multi-metric models of Stream Ecosystem Health Assessments (SEHA), model values were 19 and 24 in Miho Stream and Gap Stream, respectively. Habitat analysis showed that QHEI (Qulatitative Habitat Evaluation Index) values were 123 and 135 in the two streams, respectively. The minimum values in the SEHA and QHEI were observed in the both downstreams, and this was mainly attributed to chemical pollutions, as shown in the water quality parameters. The model values of SEHA were strongly correlated with conductivity (r=-0.530, p=0.016), BOD (r=-0.578, p< 0.01), COD (r=-0.603, p< 0.01), and nutrients (TN, TP: r>0.40, p<0.05). This model applied in this study seems to be a useful tool, which could reflect the chemical water quality in the urban streams. Overall, this study suggests that consistent ecological monitoring is required in the urban streams for the conservations along with ecological restorations in the degradated downstrems.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.57-69
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• 2001

The chemical, elemental and biochemical components of the suspended particulate matter (SPM) were investigated in order to quantify particulate organic matter (POM) and assess diet quality for suspension feeders in the southern coastal bay systems of Korea where the marine farming of the suspension feeders are most active, The intense field observation program was carried out seasonally in the three coastal bay systems of Chinhae, Gosung and Kangjin bays, The SPM was characterized as collective properties of organic carbon (POC), nitrogen (PON), phosphorus (PP) and more refined collective properties of protein (PPr), carbohydrate (PCHO) and chlorophyll a (Chl a) compound. Although the three coastal bays are regarded as phytoplankton based ecosystem, the SPM is not composed entirely with phytoplankton cells. Due to the shallow water depth, resuspension of bottom sediment contributes significantly to some of the regions. Therefore, concentration of SPM in the surface water did not co-vary with Chl a or PPr, PCHO. In general, temporal variation of POC, PON and Chl a contents in seawater were closely associated with phytoplankton biomass in the three coastal bays, However, PPr and PCHO contents in seawater were higher in Chinhae bay than in Gosung and Kangjin bays and Chl a PPr-N ratio was higher in Chinhae bay than in Kosung and Kangjin bays, since Chinhae bay is more eutrophicated than other bays. Average C : N ratios from regressions of POC and PON of SPM were 6.6, 6.6 and 5.0 in Chinhae, Gosung and Kangjin bays, respectively. SPM in Chinhae and Gosung bays appears to be made of largely phytoplankton cells and SPM in Kangjin bay appears to be contributed from the bacterial biomass due to the shallow water depth. N : P ratios from regressions of PON and PP of SPM were 10.8 and 14.7 in spring, and 18.2 and 24.6 in Chinhae and Gosung bays, respectively. With respect to the hypothetical Redfield molecule, phytoplankton appears to be limited by the lack of N and f in spring and summer, respectively, in the two bays, In Kangjin bay, N : P ratios from regressions of PON and PP of SPM were varied from 6.3 to 12.8 throughout the year. The low N : P ratio with resepct to the hypothetical Redfield molecule, phytoplankton growth appears to be limited by the lack of N-nutrients.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.315-321
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• 2010

Greenhouse soil cultivated with excessive compost and chemical fertilizer has been an issue to deteriorate soil and water quality in the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutrient outflow by desalting method, flooding soil surface, after vegetable cropping in greenhouse soils. Field experiment from July to September 2008, was conducted to quantify greenhouse locations, i.e. alluvial plain and local valley. The changes of desalinization in both locations were higher as the amounts of irrigated and drained water were increased. Particularly, the ratio of desalinization in alluvial plain was much higher (66.7%) than the one in local valley (45.6%). However, $NH_4$-N contents of local valley soil during the flooding were higher than in those of alluvial plain. This was caused by high total nitrogen and organic matter in local valley soil than those in alluvial plain soil. With comparing to the input and output loads of T-N and T-P in greenhouses with local valley and alluvial plain soils, the output loads of nutrients were larger than the input loads of nutrients. This result showed that the flooding soil surface can be a good treatment to desalinize greenhouse soils. However, this conclusion remained that the flooding water containing high N and P concentrations might cause the secondary effect on the quality of streams and groundwater since excessive nutrient concentrations can be the main cause of eutrophication problem in aquatic environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.213-223
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• 2011

The status and changes of water quality of national fishing harbors and designated ports in East Coast of Korea were analyzed to support establishment effective water environmental management. COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) concentration was satisfied to designated water quality criteria in most areas, but TN (Total Nitrogen) and TP (Total Phosphorus) exceeded the criteria frequently. Also, peak concentration was summer in COD and SS (Suspended Solid), but winter in TP. Eutrophication index of Ganggu and Pohang (old) area were the highest. Pollution index by function of COD, TN, and TP of Ganggu, Pohang, Jumunjin, and Guryongpo was high with gradual increasing recently, on the contrary, that of Samcheok, Imwon, and Chuksan was decreased. Pollution index involving multi-indictors relation to organics and inorganics was necessary for water quality assessment. Designated water quality criteria needed to be improved because the criteria of Jukbyun and Chuksan was applied more strictly compared to the other regions although without difference of environmental characteristics. Furthermore, the criteria notified lately needed to be related to management pollutants from land-based sources. The continuous diagnosis and monitoring on sediment quality within the study area were necessary for prevention of water pollution and eco-friendly disposal of dredged sediment. Especially, monitoring of Designated Ports was implemented partially, however monitoring ratio of National Fishing Har-bors was 7% to whole part. Therefore, systematic and integrated environmental monitoring for ports and harbors with charge of national management was reestablished by strengthening and securing a legal basis.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.81-94
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• 2006

The water quality impacts of forest fragmentation at the Doam-dam watershed were evaluated in this study. For this ends, the watershed scale model, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was utilized. To exclude the effects of different magnitude and patterns in weather, the same weather data of 1985 was used because of significant differences in precipitation in year 1985 and 2000. The water quality impacts of forest fragmentation were analyzed temporarily and spatially because of its nature. The flow rates for Winter and Spring has increased with forest fragmentations by $8,366m^3/month$ and $72,763m^3/month$ in the S1 subwatershed, experiencing the most forest fragmentation within the Doam-dam watershed. For Summer and Fall, the flow rate has increased by $149,901m^3/month$ and $107,109m^3/month$, respectively. It is believed that increased flow rates contributed significant amounts of soil erosion and diffused nonpoint source pollutants into the receiving water bodies. With the forest fragmentation in the S1 watershed, the average sediment concentration values for Winter and Spring increased by 5.448mg/L and 13.354mg/L, respectively. It is believed that the agricultural area, which were forest before the forest fragmentation, are responsible for increased soil erosion and sediment yield during the spring thaw and snow melts. For Spring and Fall, the sediment concentration values increased by 20.680mg/L and 24.680mg/L, respectively. Compared with Winter and Spring, the increased precipitation during Summer and Fall contributed more soil erosion and increased sediment concentration value in the stream. Based on the results obtained from the analysis performed in this study, the stream flow and sediment concentration values has increased with forest fragmentation within the S1 subwatershed. These increased flow and soil erosion could contribute the eutrophication in the receiving water bodies. This results show that natural functionalities of the forest, such as flood control, soil erosion protection, and water quality improvement, can be easily lost with on-going forest fragmentation within the watershed. Thus, the minimize the negative impacts of forest fragmentation, comprehensive land use planning at watershed scale needs to be developed and implemented based on the results obtained in this research.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.216-237
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• 2017

Thermal effluent of the hot spring has long been a field of interest in the relationship between temperature gradient and freshwater algae in geology, limnology and aquatic ecology throughout the world. On the other hand, many artificial hot springs have been developed in Korea, but the research on them has not been still active. This study was performed every month from December 2015 to September 2016, to elucidate the spatiotemporal effects of thermal wastewater effluent (TWE) on the ecosystem of benthic algal assemblage in four stations(BSU (upstream), HSW (hot spring wastewater outlet), BSD1~2 (downstream)) of the upstream reach of the Buso Stream, a tributary located in the Hantan River basin. During the survey, the influencing distance of temperature on TWE was <1.0 km, and it was the main source of N P nutrients at the same time. The effects of TWE were dominant at low temperature and dry season (December~March), but it was weak at high temperature and wet season (July~September), reflecting some seasonal characteristics. Under these circumstances, the attached algal communities were identified to 59 genera and 143 species. Of these, the major phylum included 21 genera 83 species of diatoms(58.0%), 9 genera 21 species of blue-green algae (14.7%) and 25 genera 32 species of green algae (22.4%), respectively. The spatiotemporal distribution of them was closely related to water temperature ($5^{\circ}C$ and $15^{\circ}C$) and current ($0.2m\;s^{-1}$ and $0.8m\;s^{-1}$). In the basic environment maintaining a high water temperature throughout the year round, the flora favoring high affinity to $PO_4$ in the water body or preferring stream habitat of abundant $NO_3-PO_4$ was dominant. As a result, when compared with the outcomes of previous algal ecology studies conducted in Korea, the Buso Stream was evaluated as a serious polluted state due to persistent excess nutrient supply and high thermal pollution throughout the year round by TWE. It can be regarded as a dynamic ecosystem in which homogeneity (Summer~Autumn) and heterogeneity (Winter~Spring) are repeated between upstream and downstream.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.194-200
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• 2000

The amount of swine wastewater reaches about $197,000m^3$ per day at live-stock houses in the whole country. A half of the swine wastewater resources are too small to be restricted legally. This untreated wastewater causes the eutrophication in the water bodies. In case of swine wastewater treatment, the solid-liquid separation must be performed because feces(solid phase) and urine(liquid phase) have large differences in nitrogen and phosphorus concentration. It is necessary to assess exactly the concentration of the pollutants in swine wastewater for planning the wastewater treatment facilities. A full-scale operation was carried out in K city and the plant is consists of conventional plant, the supplementary flocculation basin of chemical treatment process and $anaerobic{\cdot}aerobic$ basin for nitrogen removal. The improved full-scale swine wastewater treatment plant removed the $1,500{\sim}3,000mg/l$ of total-nitrogen(T-N) to 120mg/l of T-N and $131{\sim}156mg/l$ of total-phosphorus(T-P) to $0.15{\sim}1.00mg/l$ of T-N. Accordingly, as a results of operational improvement, the removal efficiencies of T-N and T-P were over $92{\sim}96%$, 99%, respectively. The continuous supply of organic carbon sources and the state of pH played important roles for the harmonious metabolism in anaerobic basin and the pH value of anaerobic basin maintained at about 9.0 for the period of the study.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: Eutrophication occurs occasionally in reservoirs around lake in summer and early autumn. Lakeside macrophyte which is one of internal pollutants effects on water quality when it is submerged during rainy season. To improve water quality of water supply source in Boknae reservoir around Juam lake, characteristics of nutrient(N, P) uptake and release by submerged plants were investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: In order to establish the management plan of submerged plants in Boknae reservoir around Juam lake, water level, rainfall, flooding and non-flooding areas, biomass of dominant plants, contents of nitrogen and phosphorus were investigated during 7 months(August, 2010 through February, 2011). Dominant plants were Miscanthus sacchariflorus(MISSA) and Carex dimorpholepis(CRXDM) in Boknae reservoir. Total plant area of Boknae reservoir in August, 2010 was 987,872 $m^2$. In Boknae reservoir, flooding occurred from August until February caused by rainfall during rainy season. The total amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus uptakes by MISSA were 247 and 22 kg/total reservoir area, respectively. By CRXDM, the total amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus uptakes were 11,340 and 1,231 kg/total reservoir area, respectively. The total amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus residues by MISSA were 34 and 11 kg/total reservoir area, respectively. By CRXDM, the total amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus residues were 491 and 68 kg/total reservoir area, respectively. CONCLUSION(S): Total amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus releases in Boknae reservoir were 12,212 and 1,324 kg/total reservoir area, respectively. The results demonstrate that total nitrogen and total phosphorus in water were strongly influenced by submerged plants. Therefore, management plan for submerged plants during rainy season will be needed to improve water quality of water supply source in Boknae reservoir around Juam lake.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.177-183
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• 2004

The discharge of waste nutrient solution from greenhouse to natural ecosystem leads to the accumulation of excess nutrients that results in contamination or eutrophication. There is a need to recycle the waste nutrient solution in order to prevent the environmental hazards. The amount and kind of nutrients in waste nutrient solution might be enough to grow photosynthetic microorganisms. Hence in the present study, we examined the growth and mass cultivation of cyanobacteria in the waste nutrient solution with an objective of removing N and P and concomitantly, its mass cultivation. Four photosynthetic filamentous cyanobacteria (Anabaena HA101, HA701 and Nostoc HN601, HN701) isolated from composts and soils of the Chungnam province were used as culture strains. Among the isolates, Nostoc HN601 performed faster growth rate and higher N and P uptake in the BG-II ($NO_3{^-}$) medium when compared to those of other cyanobacterial strains. Finally, the selected isolate was tested under optimum conditions (airflow at the rate of $1L\;min^{-1}$. in 15 L reactor, initial pH 8) in waste nutrient solution from tomato hydroponic in green house condition. Results showed to remove 100% phosphate from the waste nutrient solution in the tomato hydroponics recorded over a period of 7 days. The growth rate of Nostoc HN601 was $16mg\;Chl-a\;L^{-1}$ in the waste nutrient solution from tomato hydroponics with optimum condition, whereas growth rate of Nostoc HN601 was only $9.8mg\;Chl-a\;L^{-1}$ in BG-11 media. Nitrogen fixing capacity of Nostoc HN601 was $20.9nmol\;C_2H_4\;mg^{-1}\;Chl-a\;h^{-1}$ in N-free BG-11. The total nitrogen and total phosphate concentration of Nostoc HN601 were 63.3 mg N gram dry weight $(GDW)^{-1}$ and $19.1mg\;P\;GDW^{-1}$ respectively. Collectively, cyanobacterial mass production using waste nutrient solution under green house condition might be suitable for recycling and cleaning of waste nutrient solution from hydroponic culture system. Biomass of cyanobacteria, cultivated in waste nutrient solution, could be used as biofertilizer.