• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.415-423
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• 2007

This study assessed the characteristic of BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylene) concentration ratios of industrial emission sources and the neighborhoods of industrial area, fuel such as gasoline, light oil, LPG, and similar gasoline, and ambient air in Daegu. The BTEX in aromatic compounds was the most abundant VOC in Daegu. The BTEX ratios were (0.2:2.6:1.0:1.8) for the neighborhoods of industrial area, (2.6:11.3:1.0:1.2) for residential area, (2.2:11.0:1.0:1.6) for commercial area, (1.0:14.9:1.0:1.3) for industrial area, and (0.2:2.6:1.0:1.8) for the neighborhoods of industrial area. Average BTEX ratios in Daegu were B/T ratio (0.1), B/EB ratio (1.5), B/X ratio (1.1), T/EB ratio (12.6), T/X ratio (10), EB/X ratio (0.7), Expecially, B/T ratio in Daegu was similar as the other cities, Bangkok, Manila, and Hongkong. Comparing other cities with B/T ratio, the main sources of VOC were vehicular exhaust and emission of industrial facilities. Furthermore, BTEX correlation were evaluated at the emission sources and regional areas. Results showed that correlation coefficient values of emission sources, fuels and neighborhood of industry were significant magnitude above 0.65(p<0.01). Also, there showed highly significant correlations among BTEX. Calculated correlation coefficients of ambient air sampling sites were $0.61{\sim}0.954$ for commercial /residential area and $0.613{\sim}0.998$ for industrial area. However, they showed different correlation between commercial/residental area and industrial area. It implied that the emission sources were different from each area.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.351-358
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• 2005

The research in this paper was carried out to examine the BTEX(Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylene) concentrations in Seongseo Industrial Complex. These compounds are the major constituents, more than $60\%$ in composition of total VOCs, mainly charging in ambient air. BTEX samples were collected from the 38 sites, 10 for the source points and 18 for the boundary sites, and were analyzed by canister-GC/MS. The mean concentrations of BTEX were 33 ppbv for benzene, 214 ppbv for toluene, 89 ppbv for ethyl benzene, 77 ppbv for xylene. Among the BTEX, toluene had the highest concentration in the source points and boundary sites. In the source points, BTEX concentration of incineration facility for hazardous wastewater appeared highly in the range of 220­350 ppbv. BTEX concentrations in source boundary sites appeared in the order of toluene>ethylbenzene>xylene>benzene. As a result of the correlation analysis, the concentration of the source points was related to those of the boundary sites. Correlation of ethylbenzene and xylene was presented to 0.7991(P<0.0 1),\;0.6329(P<0.05) as the correlation coefficient, respectively.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.127-138
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• 2018

This study measured indoor and outdoor levels of hydrocarbon volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene isomers (collectively referred to as BTEX), as well as 13 carbonyl compounds, at 20 homes in Seoul, South Korea. Along with the sampling of BTEX and carbonyls, indoor concentrations of the air pollutants nitrogen oxide (NO) and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) were also measured at each home. These measurements were used to understand the characteristics of BTEX and carbonyls by calculating the various ratios and correlation coefficients between measured contaminant levels. We found that carbonyls were mostly originated from indoor sources, while BTEX were originated from both indoor and outdoor sources. A high correlation between indoor levels of NO and BTEX indicated that traffic emissions were also an important sources of BTEX.

• Journal of ILASS-Korea
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.185-191
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• 2018

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) were well known as ozone precursors from photochemical reactions and contribute to the formation of photochemical smog which pose health hazards. Also, some of these compounds directly affect the human health due to their toxicity such as benzene. In this study, BTEX ratios and correlation of $C_2$-benzenes (xylenes, ethylbenzene) in vehicle exhaust from recreational vehicle (RV) and multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) were characterized using a chassis dynamometer. VOCs were collected by tedlar bag and a GC/MS system was used for their quantification. Among all of the BTEX, toluene has the highest concentration(more than 30% in composition of BTEX). The average ratio of toluene to benzene emissions (T/B ratio=2.2) was found in vehicle exhaust. The average m,p-xylene/ethylbenzene and m,p-xylene/o-xylene ratios were 1.0 and 3.0 respectively. As a result, it showed a good correlation between the $C_2$-benzenes ($R^2=0.98{\sim}0.99$). In the future, it can be used as a marker for effect evaluation to atmospheric environment by vehicle exhaust.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.414-418
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX), which are volatile aromatic hydrocarbons and main constituents of gasoline, are neuro-carcinogenic organic pollutants in soil and groundwater. Korea Ministry of Environment has established the maximum permissible level of BTEX in arable soil to 1, 20, 50 and 15 mg/kg, respectively. METHODS AND RESULTS: To understand an arable soil contamination by BTEX, we collected 92 samples from the arable lands around oil reservoir, and analyzed the BTEX residue using a GC-MS with head-space sampler. A linear correlation between BTEX concentration and peak areas was detected with coefficient correlations in the range of 0.9807-0.9995. The method LOQ of BTEX was 0.002, 0.014, 0.084, and 0.038 mg/kg, respectively. Recoveries of 0.5 mg/kg BTEX were found to be 73.7-96.9%. The precision was reliable since RSD percentage (0.7-7.5%) was below 30, which was the normal percent value. Also, BTEX in all samples were detected under the LOQ. CONCLUSION: These results showed that the investigated arable soils around airport and oil reservoir in Korea were not contaminated by oils.

• Journal of ILASS-Korea
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 2015

Recently, some researchers have been carried out risk assessment of vehicles exhaust on human health. Especially, some of VOCs which is non-controlled, was classified to hazardous pollutant, such as 1,3-Butadiene and BTEX(Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene). Therefore, the profile on non-controlled pollutant may be needed in the future, because it would be critical data or information to control them. Additionally, with increasing amount of motorcycle, the source profiling is essential for estimating emission factor and amount on motorcycle exhaust. For these, in this study, imported motorcycles (8 vehicles) were selected as a test model while considering the increasing ratio on sales volume between 2013 and 2014; it was also compared with domestic motorcycles on those. The experiment was conducted by driving mode, UDC and ECE+EUDC that made from EURO III. In addition, it was performed at cold start driving mode without effect by displacement, for evaluating only correlation of BTEX with HC. In order to apply the ratio (m,p-Xylene/o-Xylene) as a marker, the ratio was compared with those of tunnel, road side and residential area. As a result, it showed best correlation ($R^2=0.98$) among those. In the future, it has to be considered as a marker for effect evaluation to atmospheric environment by exhaust emission.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated the concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Shiwha area and compared the characteristics of both industrial area and residential area. The passive samplers were set 6 times each for a month in 21 locations at industrial and residential area to obtain 6 VOCs including benzene, trichlorobenzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylene and stylene. Above all, toluene was the most abundant VOCs in the ambient air both in industrial and residential area. Average TVOC concentration of industrial area was 1.86 times higher than that of residential area, and it was greatly reduced in winter compared with summer. Furthermore, the average BTEX concentrations showed that all concentrations of industrial area were 1.94~5.39 times higher than those of residential area except benzene which were similar to each other. In winter, the concentration of ethyl benzene and xylene were significantly decreased by comparing with summer: but benzene concentrations were increased. Also, BTEX relative ratio was as follows: toluene>benzene>ethylbenzene>xylene. Correlation coefficients among VOCs were confirmed that VOCs in ambient air of industrial area were generally more related to each other than that of residential area. On the whole, the concentrations of VOCs in industrial area were higher, and it seems to be potential that industrial area affects the distribution of VOCs to residential area.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.53-59
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• 2007

Optimal quenching curves have been studied for the accurate analysis of $^{14}C$ in groundwater polluted by reducing efficiency of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in liquid scintillation counter (LSC). The quenching parameters (SQP(E)) were measured for ten VOCs such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-(m-,p-)xylene, trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene(PCE), carbon tetrachloride and chloroform. The quenching curves were plotted using $^{14}C$ standard solution and chloroform as a quenching agent. Optimal plotting conditions were determined for standard solution, LSC measuring time and the concentration of chloroform. The quenching effects of chlorinated organic compounds such as TCE, PCE, carbon tetrachloride and chloroform were greater than those of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene). Optimum measuring time was 100 minutes far 7,000 dpm/mL standard solution. A few mL of chloroform should be added for good quenching curves. These quenching curves have good correlation coefficients (> 0.99) and the curves could be applied to accurate analysis of $^{14}C$ in groundwater and tap water.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.73-77
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• 1998

In this study, a total of 10 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including BTEX were determined in the inside and outside of a highway thnnel in order to evaluate the emission profile of automobile exhaust with respect to the concentrations, relative ratio and correlation coefficient of target analytes. In addition to VOCs, CO $CO_2 and NO_2$ were measured simultaneously. The results of this study indicated that the most abundant compound was toluene followed by benzene and m+p-xylenes, and the correlation coefficients between VOCs except styrene were higher than 0.96. The concentration ratio of toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes with respect to benzene measured in the inside of tunnel was 1.5, 0.13, 0.74, respectively. Such ratios were found to be very similar to those measured in tunnels in the USA.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.543-553
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• 2005

In recent days, photochemical smog due to the rapid industry development and vehicle increasement has become a critical pollutant in the metropolitan area and the number of ozone alarm signal has increased every year. This research was performed to evaluate VOCs emission source characteristics and concentration of VOCs in Daegu. The site average concentration was observed in the following order: industrial area > commercial area > residential area. Most of the VOCs species except toluene showed variations with higher concentration during nighttime, and lower concentration during the daytime. The major VOCs of stationary emission source were BTEX(benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene. xylene) and methylene chloride, trichloroethene and styrene. Also, those of automobile exhaust were toluene and benzene. Also, the major VOCs concentration emited by the vehicle fuel was observed in the following order: gasoline > light oil > liquefied petroleum gas (L.P.G). Correlation coefficients values were estimated between major VOCs such as toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p-xylene, o-xylene. Results showed that correlation coefficient values were significant magnitude above 0.76. Also, there showed highly significant correlations among ethyl benzene, m,p-xylene, and o-xylene concentration(Pearson correlation coefficients, r=0.868-0.982). Calculated correlation coefficients among commercial area,industrial area and residential area were 0.934-0.981, they showed high correlation. There showed highly correlation between stationary emission source and industrial area, compared with commercial area and residential area. Also, calculated correlation coefficients among commercial area, industrial area, residential area and automobile exhaust were 0.732, 0.725, 0.777, respectively.