• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.333-336
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• 2005

32 Volatile organic compounds(VOCs) were measured by thermal desorption/gas chrornatography/mass spectrometry in normal houses, new and sick houses. The sum concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons in living room of new and sick houses showed 606 ${\mu}g/m^3$ and 645 ${\mu}g/m^3$, respectively, These figures were about 40 times higher than the values 14 ${\mu}g/m^3$ in normal houses. Among the chlorinated hydrocarbons trichloroethylene in the new and sick houses were at least 50-100 times higher than the mean concentrations in normal houses. But no significant differences could be shown for the concentration of VOCs in indoor air between new houses and sick houses (p<0.05).

• Korean Membrane Journal
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 1999

The removal of trace chlorinated and aromatic hydrocarbons from water by a pervaporation technique has been carried out through poly (dimethylsiloxane) membrane which had been fabricated by the addition crosslinking reaction. This study dealt with the swelling and permeation behaviors of the PDMS membranes with dichloroethane trichloroethane and toluene aqueous solutions. The swelling ratio in the toluene aqueous solution was much higher than those in the chloroethane solutions at all of the operating temperatures and concentrations. The solubility parameter theory was introduced to interpret the affinity between permeates and a membrane material and in all cases this approach seemed to be proper. It was suggested that the existence of water clusters in the membrane due to the hydrophobic characteristics of the membrane made the size of the permeating water larger resulting in suppressing water permeation and increasing enrichment of the organic components. The permeation behaviors at different membrane thicknesses were indirectly interpreted in terms of the effect of concentration polarization.

• 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 of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.577-583
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• 2007

To overcome certain disadvantages of past typical control techniques for toxic contaminants emitted from various industrial processes, the current study was conducted to establish a thermal catalytic system using mesh-type transition-metal platinum(Pt)/stainless steel(SS) catalyst and to evaluate catalytic thermal destruction of five chlorinated hydrocarbons[chlorobenzene(CHB), chloroform(CHF), perchloroethylene (PCE), 1,1,1-trichloroethane(TCEthane), trichloroethylene(TCE)]. In addition, this study evaluated the catalyst poison effect on the catalytic thermal destruction. Three operating parameters tested for the thermal catalyst system included the inlet concentrations, the incineration temperature, and the residence time in the catalyst system. The thermal decomposition efficiency decreased from the highest value of 100% to the lowest value of almost 0%(CHB) as the input concentration increased, depending upon the type of chlorinated compounds. The destruction efficiencies of the four target compounds, except for TCEthane, increased upto almost 100% as the reaction temperature increased, whereas the destruction efficiency for TCEthane did not significantly vary. For the target compounds except for TCEthane, the catalytic destruction efficiencies increased up to 30% to 97% as the residence time increased from 10 sec to 60 sec, but the increase of destruction efficiency for TCEthane stopped at the residence time of 30 sec, suggesting that long residence times are not always proper for thermal destruction of VOCs, when considering the destruction efficiency and operation costs of thermal catalytic system together. Conclusively, the current findings suggest that when applying the transition-metal catalyst for the better destruction of chlorinated hydrocarbons, VOC type should be considered, along with their inlet concentrations, and reaction temperature and residence time in catalytic system. Meanwhile, the addition of high methyl sulfide(1.8 ppm) caused a drop of 0 to 50% in the removal efficiencies of the target compounds, whereas the addition of low methyl sulfide (0.1 ppm), which is lower than the concentrations of sulfur compounds measured in typical industrial emissions, did not cause.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1161-1169
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• 2008

The removals of TCE and PCE vapor with or without a supply of toluene as a primary substrate were compared in a biofiltration process, and the variations of microbial communities associated with the removal were also investigated. As a result of investigations on the removals of TCE/PCE in a biofilter B within which TCE/PCE-acclimated sludge was attached on the surface of media without a supply of primary substrate, and those in another biofilter A where toluene-acclimated sludge was attached with a supply of toluene as a primary substrate, followings were found: (i) parts of microbes responsible to the decomposition of toluene vapor participate in the removal of chlorinated VOCs such as TCE and PCE, and (ii) effective biological removals of TCE and PCE vapor do not necessarily need cometabolism. Sequencing of 16S rDNA obtained from the band profile of DGGE (Denaturating Gradient Gel Electrophoresis), it was confirmed that: (i) uncultured alpha proteobacterium, uncultured Desulfitobacterium, uncultured Rhodobacteraceae bacterium, Cupriavidus necator, and Pseudomonas putida were found to be toluene-decomposing microbes, (ii) alpha proteobacterium HTCC396 is a TCE-removing microbe, (iii) Desulfitobacterium sp. is a PCE-decomposing microbe, and (iv) particularly, uncultured Desulfitobacterium sp. is probably a microbe decomposable not only toluene but also various chlorinated VOC vapor including TCE and PCE.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.245-250
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• 2007

Adsorption characteristics of 1,2-dichlorobenzene on the surface of heat treated silica gel were determined by the moment analysis. The heat treatment of the silica gel was performed at temperatures of 150, 500, and $800^{\circ}C$ and pulse-response of 1,2-dichlorobenzene was measured in a gas chromatograph equipped with thermal conductivity detector (TCD) using the packed column. Equilibrium adsorption constants and isosteric heat of adsorption were recorded the highest value at $500^{\circ}C$. This might be due to the increase of interaction between silica surface and 1,2-dichlorobenzene as the decrease of OH concentration and moisture by increase of heating temperature. Axial dispersion coefficient calculated by the moment method was about $0.046{\times}10^{-4}{\sim}1.033{\times}10^{-4}m^2/sec$ and pore diffusivity of heat treated silica gel at $500^{\circ}C$ measured the lowest value. Because heat treating at $800^{\circ}C$ caused the specific surface area to reduce, equilibrium adsorption constants and isosteric heat of adsorption were decreased.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.20 no.2 s.49
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• pp.167-178
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• 2005

This study was carried out to evaluate the temporal, spatial, and seasonal variations of VOC, and to characterize the VOC concentrations in two large industrial complexes located in Pohang and Gumi cities. Twenty -four hours continuous sampling of selected VOC was made with STS 25 sequential tube samplers and double-bed adsorbent tubes. Air samples were collected every three hour interval for 7 consecutive days in each site during summer and winter. VOC were determined by thermal desorption coupled with GC/MS. A total of 27 VOCs of environmental concern were determined, including aliphatic, aromatic and halides. Generally. concentrations of toxic VOC were higher in Gumi than Pohang, and VOC levels in industrial areas were typically several-fold higher than those in residential areas. The most abundant VOC appeared to be toluene for both cities. However, chlorinated VOC were higher in Gumi than Pohang, while aromatic VOC were more abundant in Pohang than in Gumi. Two cities showed relatively different variations of VOC concentrations within a day. It is likely that traffic related sources are major factors affecting the VOC in Pohang, and industrial solvents usages are important sources in Gumi. These results imply that the occurrence and levels of atmospheric VOC are strongly dependent on the type of industries in each city. Therefore, in order to develop any control strategies or to establish the priority rankings for VOC in large industrial complexes, the type of industries and the occurrence of VOC in the atmosphere should be taken into consideration.