Characteristics and sources of potentially toxic elements in road-deposited sediments at the Port of Busan, South Korea: A key contributor to port sediments pollution.

This study investigated the spatial distribution and chemical characteristics of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in road-deposited sediments (RDS) at the Port of Busan by size fraction. Enrichment factor (EF) values for Zn, Cd, and Sb in fine RDS <250 μm were 52-69, 49-78, and 46-44, respectively, indicating 'extremely high enrichment'. Various statistical analyses, including PCA and PMF models, revealed a strong correlation between pollution levels in RDS <250 μm and vehicle type, identifying non-exhaust emissions (NEE) of vehicles as a primary source of PTEs in RDS from the port.

Applying new regional background concentration criteria to assess heavy metal contamination in deep-sea sediments at an ocean dumping site, Republic of Korea.

It is crucial to establish appropriate background concentrations to discern heavy metal pollution in the marine environment. In this study, we analyzed heavy metals in deep-sea sediment cores to determine regional background concentrations at the East-Sea Byeong Ocean dumping site. The vertical profiles of heavy metals were categorized into three groups based on their contamination characteristics, and regional background levels for 12 metals were determined using pre-1900 averages.

Long-term effects of chromium from red mud (bauxite residue) ocean dumping on the benthic environment in South Korea.

Between 1999 and 2009, 344,000 m of red mud was released into the red mud dumping zone in the East Sea-Byeong ocean dumping site in South Korea. This study aimed to assess the impacts before and after the 2010 red mud dumping ban. We quantified total Cr concentrations by depth from core sediment samples at the red mud dumping station and evaluated benthic communities in 2004, 2009, 2012, 2017, and 2019.

Heavy metal characterization of land-based waste dumped at three ocean dumping sites in the Republic of Korea.

From 1991 to 2021, 16 categories of land-based waste, totaling 131,400,000 m, were dumped at three sites in Korea. The concentration of heavy metals varied by waste type, with organic sludge showing higher levels than liquid waste. While wastewater treatment sludge was the most commonly discarded waste, the quantity and types of waste disposed of varied by site.

Distribution and assessment of heavy metal concentrations in the East Sea-Byeong ocean dumping site, Korea.

Sediment cores were collected from three sites, the Control, Dumping, and Resting sites in the East Sea-Byeong ocean dumping site, Korea, and the enrichment and degree of accumulation of heavy metals were investigated. Further, to assess the level of heavy metal pollution and understand the potential effects of the ocean dumping activities that began in 1993, the results obtained corresponding to the different sampling sites were compared, and various criteria were employed. Indices, including the enrichment factor and the modified contamination degree, demonstrated that the sediments were contaminated with various heavy metals at different contamination levels.

Fractionation and risk assessment of metals in sediments of an ocean dumping site.

Sediments of Yellow Sea dumping sites (YSDS) collected in 2015 were analyzed using the European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction method to assess the contamination and potential risk to the environment. Cr, Ni, Cu, and Zn exhibited the most dominant residual fraction, whereas Cd was mostly in the exchangeable fraction and Pb in the reducible fraction. Cr contains a significant amount of oxidizable fraction in the dumping area due to the dumping of tannery sludge with high concentrations of Cr, mainly in the organic matter-bound form.

Variations in the concentrations of heavy metals through enforcement of a rest-year system and dredged sediment capping at the Yellow Sea-Byung dumping site, Korea.

In 2014, the concentrations of 13 heavy metals in surface sediments from 14 sampling stations were analyzed and compared to samples from previous years to evaluate the remediation effectiveness of the "rest-year" (RY) system and capping with dredged material at the Yellow Sea-Byung dumping site offshore Korea. Since the 2006 introduction of the RY system, annual variations in metal concentrations at stations within the RY zone have gradually decreased over time. Heavy metal concentrations at most stations were lower than sediment quality guidelines, indicating the success of the RY system.

Contribution of the proximal nerve stump in end-to-side nerve repair: in a rat model.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of the proximal nerve stump, in end-to-side nerve repair, to functional recovery, by modifying the classic end-to-side neurorrhaphy and suturing the proximal nerve stump to a donor nerve in a rat model of a severed median nerve.

Methods: Three experimental groups were studied: a modified end-to-side neurorrhaphy with suturing of the proximal nerve stump (double end-to-side neurorrhaphy, Group I), a classic end-to-side neurorrhaphy (Group II) and a control group without neurorrhaphy (Group III). Twenty weeks after surgery, grasping testing, muscle contractility testing, and histological studies were performed.

Intramuscular lipoma in thenar or hypothenar muscles.

We report on six patients of intramuscular lipoma of the hand. Four of them occurred in the thenar muscles and two in the hypothenar muscles. The mean age was 49 years (7-68 years).