• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.72-82
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• 2008

Benzene is a very harmful and toxic compound known as human carcinogen by all routes of exposure. Owing to the risky feature of benzene, several countries such as Japan, UK and EU have established the ambient air quality standard and protect from that risk of it. Korea also has designated it as one of the criteria air pollutants and established the concentration limit ($5\;{\mu}g/m^3$) in the air and is going to apply the standard from 2010. Benzene is emitted from various sources such as combustion plants, production processes, waste treatment facilities and also automobiles. Mobile source is known as one of the major emission sources of benzene. In this study, we estimated the domestic emissions of benzene from mobile source and compared the results with those of advanced countries. Mobile source was divided into 2 categories, Le., on-road source and non-road source. The total emissions of benzene from mobile source were estimated as 3,106 tons/yr and 1,612 tons/yr was emitted from on-road source and 1,494 tons/yr was from non-road source. Emission ratio of benzene from on-road source showed that 80.0% was from passenger cars, 10.1% was from taxis, 7.2% was from light-duty vehicles, 2.5% was from heavy-duty vehicles and 0.2% was from buses. In the case of non-road source, the distribution showed that 66.3% was from construction machineries, 14.5% was from locomotives, 11.7% was from ships, 7.1% was from agriculture equipments and 0.5% was from aircrafts. The cold-start emissions were estimated as 942 tons/yr and this value was almost 1.5 times greater than that for hot engine emissions (608 tons/yr). In addition, the fuel-based distribution was 65.9%, 31.1% and 2.8% from gasoline, LPG and diesel vehicles, respectively. The emission ratio from mobile source occupied 65% and 30% of total benzene emissions in USA and UK, respectively. In case of Korea, the emission ratio of benzene from mobile source occupied 29% (15% from on-road source, 14% from non-road source) which showed similar value with UK.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.96-102
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• 2003

Benzene is an environmental pollutant that is present in mineral oil, natural gas, coal tar, gasoline, motor vehicle emissions, and tobacco smoke. The importance of benzene resides in the fact that it can induce hematotoxicity and leukemia in human and mice. However, the underlying mechanism of benzene hematotoxicity and leukemogenicity is still not fully understood.(omitted)

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.160-168
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• 2018

Objectives: The purposes of the study were to investigate hazardous pollutant emissions changes among group 1 carcinogens. The emissions characteristics were compared with national cancer registration statistics. Methods: A survey of group 1 carcinogen hazardous pollutant emissions (trichloroethylene, benzene, vinyl chloride, formaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene, ethylene oxide, chromium and its compounds, 3,3'-dichloro-4,4-diaminodiphenylmethane, chloromethyl methyl ether, arsenic and its compounds, cadmium and its compounds, o-toluidine) was conducted through a homepage for 2001-2015. The emission of hazardous chemicals and the cancer trend analysis for 2001-2015 were performed using the Korean statistical information service through its homepage as a reference. Results: Emissions of more than 95% of the substances listed as group 1 carcinogens over the last five years were made up of trichloroethylene, benzene, vinyl chloride, formaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene, and ethylene oxide. As a result of the comparison of emission results and cancer incidence rates, carcinogen pollutant emissions showed a tendency to decrease continuously. In addition, the incidence of cancer tended to increase, but showed a tendency to decrease from 2012. Conclusion: The results indicate hazardous pollutant emissions have continued to increase. However, no association between emissions and health effects was shown and more research is needed.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.137-148
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• 2009

This study quantitatively investigated the emissions of indoor air pollutants associated with the utilization of air fresheners indoors, and evaluated individual exposure to five specified indoor air pollutants, which were chosen on the basis of selection criteria. An electrically-polished stainless steel chamber (50L) was employed to achieve this purpose. Test air fresheners were selected through three steps: first, on the basis of market sales; second, on the basis on a preliminary head-space study; and lastly, on the basis of emissions of toxic compounds (benzene, ethyl benzene, limonene, toluene, and xylene). The empirical mathematical model fitted well with the time-series concentrations in the environmental chamber (in most cases, determination coefficient, $R^2{\gtrsim}$0.9), thereby suggesting that the empirical model was suitable for testing emissions. The concentration equilibrium appeared 180 min after the introduction of sample air fresheners into the chamber. Both the chamber concentrations of emission rates or factors varied greatly according to air freshener type. It is noteworthy that although benzene, ethyl benzene, toluene, and xylene were emitted from all test air fresheners, their exposure levels were not significant enough to result in any significant health risk. However, certain type of air fresheners were observed to emit significant amount of limonene, which is potentially reactive with ozone to generate secondary pollutants with oxidants such as ozone, hydroxyl radicals, and nitrogen oxides. The exposure levels to limonene associated with the utilization of three air fresheners were estimated to be 13 to 175 times higher than that of other air fresheners. This information can help consumers to select low-pollutant-emitting air fresheners.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.527-537
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• 2012

The increasing consumption of pseudo-petroleum products (PPP) has been disturbing the national petroleum market. The use of PPP lead to tax evasion, disturbance of sound trading principles, component corrosion of cars, and explosion accident. Also, PPP have emitted hazardous air pollutants (HAP) including the carcinogenic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs and aldehydes more than regular-petroleum products. It thus has potentials to cause many environmental and health care problems. In this study, benzene, toluene and xylene emissions from road transport vehicles due to the use of pseudo-gasoline are estimated for the year 2008. The results of our study provide emission estimates of benzene, toluene and xylene for the year as 405, 1,711, 717 tonne/yr, respectively for regular-gasoline. BTX emissions are calculated as 452~515, 1,882~2,264 and 732~752 tonne/yr when the amount of pseudo-gasoline is estimated to account for 6~13% for regular-gasoline consumption. BTX emissions increased as much as 12~27, 10~32, 2~5% by using pseudo-gasoline. It is found that the pseudo-gasoline should be the key component to produce HAP in urban area.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.37-43
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• 2014

Exhaust emissions were studied as a function of gasoline olefin composition in two vehicles-MPI and GDi engine equipped vehicles. Three different gasolines were tested which varied in olefin contents-12, 16 and 20 vol%. Exhaust emissions in two vehicles were affected by changes in gasoline olefin composition. Responses to changes in olefins were similar in both vehicles : reducing olefins lowered emissions of NOx and CO. Measured exhaust emissions included total hydrocarbons (THC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon monooxide(CO), carbon dioxide($CO_2$), formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene, 1,3-butadiene and acetylene.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.259-268
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• 2005

In this study, we investigated the seasonal variations in the composition and emission patterns of VOC ventilated as landfill gas (LFG) from an urban municipal landfill site during the winter (2002) and summer (2003) period. The results of our study, when examined using the major aromatic VOC components as BTEX, indicated the existence of diverse characteristics in the LFG emissions of VOC. It was found that the relative extent of benzene emission showed most significant increase in the summer season, while most species underwent notable reductions. Despite the presence of certain patterns in the seasonal emissions of BTEX, the gross picture of their emission between summer and winter was not different distinctively so that the wintertime emissions exceed their summer counterparts by about three times. The observations of moderate enhancement in wintertime LFG emissions of BTEX appeared to reflect such environmental changes in the winter season as favorable conditions for LFG ventilation with reduced surface emissions due to frozen soil layers.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.479-494
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• 2020

This study analyses the characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from the painting and printing facilities, as well as ambient VOCs at industrial complexes in Gwangju. The major components of VOCs emissions from painting facilities were toluene, acetone, 2-butanone, ethyl acetate, ethyl benzene, o-xylene and m,p-xylene. The printing facilities mostly emitted ethyl acetate, 2-butanone, acetone and toluene. Aromatics (49.9%) and oxygenated VOCs (43.6%) were dominant in painting facilities, while oxygenated VOCs (92.7%) were the largest group in printing facilities. The total hydrocarbon concentration (THC) in printing facilities was approximately six times higher than in the painting facilities. The painting and printing facilities use many solvents. Their THC concentrations differed considerably depending on the type of prevention facilities. To reduce THC, it is necessary to improve the prevention facilities and operating conditions. The dominant species of ambient VOCs in industrial complexes were investigated with toluene, ethyl acetate, 2-butanone, ethyl benzene, m,p-xylene, butyl acetate, o-xylene, hexane and acetone. Factor analysis of ambient VOCs showed that the main sources of the VOCs were organic solvents used in painting, coating, and printing, as well as automobile emissions.

• Proceedings of the Korea Air Pollution Research Association Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.226-227
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• 2007

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.159-169
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate changes among the nine kinds of reduction chemical substances in Korea over the period of 2008-2017. We will define basic data for improving the management methods for reducing chemical substances. Methods: A survey of hazardous pollutant emissions for 2008-2017 was conducted through the pollutant Release and Transfer Register homepage. Nine kinds of designated reduction chemical substances (Benzene, Vinyl chloride, Trichloro ethylene, 1,3-butadiene, Dichloro methane, Tetrachloro ethylene, N,N-dimethylformamide, Acrylo nitrile, and Chloroform) provided the study subjects. The emission of hazardous chemicals and health effects used the National Health Statistics and Integrated Chemicals Information System (ICIS) as a reference. Results: Hazardous pollutant emissions increased by 1.2 times over the past decade, and nine types of reduction chemical substances increased by 1.6 times. By region, the emissions of reduction chemical substances over the last 10 years were in the order of Chungbuk, Gyeonggi, and Gyeongbuk. Emissions of Dichloro methane was the highest in Chungbuk and Gyeongbuk. N,N-dimethylformamide was the highest in Gyeonggi. Carcinogen pollutant emissions showed a tendency to increase continuously. In addition, group 1 carcinogen emissions showed a tendency to decrease. Conclusion: In the last decade, the amount of hazardous chemical emissions has been continuously increasing. Hazardous chemical emissions require facility improvement for continuous emissions reduction. More research on reduction of emissions is needed.