Korea University · Environmental Science
Professor Yongseok Hong's research lab specializes in environmental chemistry and biogeochemistry, focusing on the fate, transformation, and toxicity of mercury and other contaminants in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The lab investigates mercury methylation, speciation, and biomagnification in food webs, particularly in coastal and estuarine environments such as Sarasota Bay and the Mekong Delta. Key research directions include the role of microbial communities in mercury cycling, the impact of geochemical conditions on metal speciation, and the development of advanced monitoring techniques for trace metals and plasticizers in sediments and water. The lab also explores innovative solutions for mercury control in industrial wastewater and air emissions, emphasizing the formation and re-emission of volatile mercury species.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
This study investigated the leaching of phthalate and non-phthalate plasticizers from polyvinyl chloride microplastics (MPs) into sediment and their degradation over a 30-d period via abiotic and biotic processes. The results showed that 3579% of plasticizers were released into the sediment from the MPs and > 99.9% degradation was achieved. Although a significantly higher degradation was found in plasticizer-added microcosms under biotic processes (overall, 94%), there was a noticeable abiotic l
The bioaccumulation and biomagnification of Hg and Se were investigated in Sarasota Bay, Florida, USA, to characterize the Hg exposure risks to wild bottlenose dolphins in the bay. Concentrations of total mercury (THg), monomethylmercury (MMHg), and total selenium (TSe) were monitored in the bay, the latter of which might reduce Hg toxicity. The food web structure and dolphins' trophic level-specific consumption rates were evaluated using stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ(13) C) and nitrogen (δ
The vertical profiles of PO4(3-), Mn, Fe, S(2-), Hg, and CH3Hg(+) in sediment pore water were investigated using DGT and DET probes in the Tien River, the northern branch of Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Although some of the DGT measurements could be lower than the actual pore water concentrations due to the depletion of the species, the measurements provided information for understanding redox zonation and Hg methylation. The gradual increases in the measured species concentrations with the sediment
Closed hydroponics is an environmentally friendly and economical method for growing crops by circulating a nutrient solution while measuring and supplementing various ions contained in the solution. However, conventional monitoring systems in hydroponics do not measure individual ions in the nutrient solution; instead, they predict the total ion content from the pH and electrical conductivity (EC). This method cannot be used to supplement individual ions and adjusts the concentration of the circ
Metal contamination and other geochemical alterations affect microbial composition and functional activities, disturbing natural biogeochemical cycles. Therefore, it is essential to understand the influences of multi-metal and geochemical interactions on microbial communities. This work investigated the distributions of total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg), and trace metals in the anthropogenically affected sediment. The microbial communities and functional genes profiles were further deter
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