Possibility of groundwater contamination of copper grounding materials by soil corrosion and influx of various aqueous solutions in Jeju island

The extent of copper leaching in soil columns packed with black volcanic soils, very dark brown volcanic soils, and dark brown non-volcanic soils and in soil beakers containing copper grounding materials (copper clad steel, copper pipe, and copper plate) were examined using deionized distilled water, HNO₃ (pH 3.5) and 3.5% NaCl solution as a leaching solution. Among the leaching solutions, 3.5% NaCl solution highly affected the leaching of copper in soils containing copper grounding materials, except for black volcanic soil and copper clad steel. The effect of HNO₃ (pH 3.5) soil on the leaching of copper was not so high because of buffering capacity of soils. The copper in soils and copper grounding materials were not easily leached by a deionized distilled water.