• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2015

Objectives: The major objectives of this study are to review the U.S. Standard which affected Korean worker's Right-to-Know Standard and to propose the way of improving the reliability of MSDS and labels. Methods: To review the U.S. Standard historically, we used the Federal Register, other criteria documentation and peer-reviewed literatures. Then we analysed major issues in the historical debatement on the worker's Right-to-Know Standard. Results: Korean MSDS Standard benchmarked the U.S. Hazard Communication Standard which finally established by President Reagan in 1983. Reagan's Hazard Communication Standard was aimed to preempt States Right-to-Know Acts for chemical industry and not to improve the awareness of workers on chemical hazards. Too much protection on trade secrets and low reliability of hazard information were key problems of the U.S. Standard. Conclusions: We recommend some ways to improve Korean MSDS and Label Standard. First, A new analysis frame is needed to understand the U.S Standard. Second, hazard identification is the key element of reliable information and chemical name and CAS number should be on the label of the container. Third, trade secrets should be limited to low hazardous substances and be permitted by government before the chemical product is on the market.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.481-498
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• 2013

In this paper we evaluate the performance of voluntary environmental agreements in South Korea, called as the 30/50 program. We constructed establishment- and chemical substance-level panel data from 2004 to 2010 by using the Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR) Information System. Although firms voluntarily participate in the program and the agreement is not binding, we find that the chemical materials released by the participating firms is substantially reduced by 1.2 to 2.7 tons. Although the abatement effect is more salient for those listed chemical substances in the agreements, the reductions in other substances are also significant. This implies that participating firms adopted new technologies that could reduce environmental hazards.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.84-93
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• 1987

The water solubilities and vapor pressures of chlorothalonil and Command were measured following the guidelines of the U.S. EPA and OECD. Water solubility of the two compounds is consistent with respective values in the literature. However, the vapor pressures of Chlorothalonil and Command were 5,000 times$(2{\times}10^{-7}\;torr\;at\;25^{\circ}C)$ and 100 times$(<1{\times}10^{-6}\;torr\;at\;45^{\circ}C)$ lower than the literature values, respectively. Courteous use of the vapor pressure values in the handbooks is suggested. With this study, experimental difficulties involved were recognized. Based on the low vapor pressure of Command, the cause of the accidental bleach of non-target plants in the United States might not be attributed to the volatilization of Command, but to the drift during the application of the herbicide. These approaches will be utilized to predict the environmental fate of new chemicals under development, to screen the potential environmental pollutants among chemicals already in use, and to assess measures to minimize the hazards.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.9-17
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• 2013

Butanethiol is known as a typical odorant with hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, methyl sulfide, but on the physical and chemical properties and biological hazard assessment, including inhalation toxicity data are very scarce. Butanethiol as a colorless transparent liquid, and has physic-chemical characteristics with flash point as $-23^{\circ}C$ and strong fire risk, boiling point $84-85^{\circ}C$, vapor pressure 80.71 mmHg ($25^{\circ}C$), freezing point $-140.14^{\circ}C$. From whole body exposure with SD rats, the $LC_{50}$ is above 2,500 ppm (9.22mg/L), and then it is classified as the acute toxic chemical (inhalation) category 4 according to the governmental notification No. 2012-14.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.102-112
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• 2009

The greatest concern of vapor/gas respirators is when to exchange chemical cartridges, but it is very difficult to estimate the breakthrough time of them in the workplace spot due to so many factors influencing on breakthrough. There needs to study on estimating cartridge exchange period available practically in the spot, even if it is not precise. In the previous study, authors suggested the method on estimating service-life of chemical cartridges using cartridges discarded after use. This followed study was to estimate exchange period for chemical cartridges using comparison of concentrations between Korean Occupational Exposure Limits (KOELs) and odor thresholds of chemicals. Chemicals were divided into four groups, I, II, III and IV groups. Group I chemicals are relatively safe if cartridges are just or slightly delayed exchanged when smelling since odor thresholds were less than 0.5 times KOELs. Odor threshold of Group II chemicals are 0.5~2.0 times KOELs and potentially hazardous if cartridges are exchanged when smelling. Those chemicals should be conducted program on estimating service-life of cartridges, which was just previously published (J Kor Soc Occup Environ Hyg 2008;18(3) 204-215). Group III chemicals (odor thresholds are more than 2.0 times KOELs) and Group IV chemicals (odorless or no data for smelling) must be performed the above mentioned program before cartridges. Even if this method on cartridge exchange using odor threshold is practically widely used in the workplace spot in the present, program on estimating service-life of cartridges is recommended for all chemicals to reduce potentially hazards.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.111-118
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• 2019

Accidents occurring due to natural disasters in chemical process facilities where technologies are concentrated can cause secondary damage. The concept of the relationship between natural disasters and highly intensive technologies has evolved into the Natech (Natural Hazards Triggered Technological Disaster) research. Currently, the number of earthquakes is increasing all over the Korean peninsula. To assess the risk of Natech when an earthquake has occurred in South Korea, the Rapid Natech Risk Assessment Tool (RAPID-N) developed by the European Commission's Joint Research Center (EC JRC) was used in the present study. The RAPID-N can be used for Natech risk assessment based on mapping and can be utilized for sufficient preparation for reduction of the effects of Natech accidents. A total of 261 chemical facilities actually existing in Pohang were initially analyzed to select eight facilities and the Pohang earthquake that occurred in 2017 was implemented in the RAPID-N utilizing the shake map. High risk areas were selected through Natech risk assessments for the selected eight work places and countermeasures for the areas were suggested. High risk areas exist depending on the location, since the damage influence ranges could be overlapped and each chemical facility has an independent probability of Natech. Therefore, studies on Natech emergency plans and emergency evacuation routes should be actively conducted considering such high risk areas. The present study was conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of Natech risk assessment in South Korea through the RAPID-N. These findings can be used as a reference material to lay a foundation for Natech risk assessment and related policies in South Korea.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.157-163
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• 1997

This paper analyses a number of important areas relating to methane production in ruminants, consequent hazards and different methods of reducing this gas. Clearly methane not only affects on the environment but also on the economy of animal production. Several factors including feed, species, microbes, rumen environment, etc. are responsible for methane production in animals. Although methane production can be reduced by chemical manipulation, defaunation and strategic feeding, the latter was found to be effective because the method is easier to follow than the others. Furthermore, feeding technology could play an important role in reducing methane production particularly in developing countries because of its relative cost effectiveness. however, it needs to compare to what extent it could reduce methane production as well as cost of animal production. Therefore, research program needs to be concentrated on the appropriate feeding system to reduce methane production, consequently pollution and cost of production particularly in developing countries.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2008

Levels of arsenic in stream and reservoir waters affected by an abandoned gold mine were examined. The abandoned mine has been left without proper civil and remedial works preventing potential environmental hazards. Field and laboratory chemical analyses revealed that the stream waters downgradient from the mine area were severely contaminated with arsenic and furthermore the reservoir water, 2-3 km away from the mine, also contained substantial levels of As, far exceeding the Korean stream water standard. Relatively higher pH values (6.5-9.4) enhanced mobility of As and mainly sustained substantial As concentration in waters. Chemistries of the stream water, groundwater and reservoir water were dominated by two main factors including effects of mine effluent and anthropogenic agricultural activities. Considering that there has been a substantial As input to the reservoir and the reservoir water has been used for agricultural and domestic uses, immediate remedial works are essentially required.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.334-338
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• 2006

Poly silicon TFT requires high quality dielectric film; conventional method of growing silicon dioxide needs highly hazardous chemicals such as silane. We have grown high quality dielectric film of silicon dioxide using non-hazardous chemical such as TFOS and ozone as reaction gases by APCVD. The films grown were characterized through C-V curves of MOS structures. Conventional APCVD requires high temperature processing where as in the process of current study, we developed a low temperature process. Interface trap density was substantially decreased in the silicon surface coated with the silicon dioxide film after annealing in nitrogen ambient. The interface with such low trap density could be used for poly silicon TFT fabrication with cheaper cost and potentially less hazards.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.155-160
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• 2017

Biomedical laboratory is full of risks. Risk could be biological, chemical, radioactive, mechanical, physical, fire and electrical. All possible risks need to be identified, evaluated and controlled. A risk management system must be in place to prevent accident or loss of lives and to improve overall workplace safety and productivity. Safety in laboratory is a combination of appropriate risk management system, engineering controls and technical facilities, administrative controls and safety procedures and practices. Laboratory safety culture must be developed so that exposure to hazards for laboratory personnel, community and environment will be minimized or eliminated. In this review, importance of safety in a biomedical laboratory and risk management will be discussed.