Researchers:

Yongseok Hong

 

Contact Info:

      E-mail: ys-hong@mail.utexas.edu

      Phone: 512-786-2747

Biography

Hello, my name is Yongseok Hong and I come from South Korea. I came to UT Austin in 2005 for seeking a Ph.D and joined Dr. Reible’s research group in 2006 as a research associate. I usually spend most of my time in the lab for working, but I enjoy golfing for taking a rest. A single digit score is my goal whenever I make a tee shot at the first hole, but unfortunately my score is uncountable whenever I make a last putt at the 18^th hole. But life still goes on, there is always next game and I keep learning from my previous game. Someday I can get a single digit and achieve my goal in my life. I love everything here, my boss, my buddies, my research, Austin and UT. I appreciate for everything which is given to me. I graduated in Dec 2009 with a Ph.D degree.

 

Research

Polluted sediments are periodically subjected to resuspension processes during either storm events or due to dredging. The main part of the resuspended material is initially in an anoxic state and will be reoxidized more or less quickly in the oxic water column. In this event, the remobilization of heavy metals from natural sediments is often triggered by acidification, decrease in the metal concentration, complexation by soluble chelating agents such as EDTA and redox condition changes in sediments. Beside these physicochemical mechanisms, intensified microbial activities would be expected with the adequate supply of oxygen, but the effect of bacteria on metal release has not been well established. Thus my research areas are to investigate the influence of reoxidation of anoxic sediment on the release of heavy metals and in particular under stable pH conditions and to study the effect of microbial processes have on this release.