• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 1996

This study was designed to survey exposure levels of formaldehyde among workplaces in some plywood industries and to compare three sampling methods including the impinger method(IM, NIOSH method No. 3500), the solid sorbent tube method(SS, NIOSH method No. 2541), and the passive bubbler monitor method(PB, SKC). The survey was conducted in seven particle board manufacturing factories, two resin manufacturing factories and two plywood manufacturing factories in Incheon area during the period from March 6 to April 20, 1995. The workplaces included were the hot/cold press, the roller/spreader, the soaking/drying, and the reaction/mixing areas. The results were as follows; 1. The average(GM, GSD) concentrations of formaldehyde by sampling methods were 0.11(4.43) ppm by IM, 0.27(2.03) ppm by SS, and 0.29(2.04) ppm by PB, respectively. The concentrations by 1M method were statistically very significantly lower than those of SS and PB methods, particularly at low air borne concentrations of formaldehyde (p<0.001). 2. The area average concentrations of formaldehyde by workplaces measured with PB bubblers were 0.23(2.08) ppm from the press, 0.23(1.77) ppm from the spreader, 0.24(1.51) ppm from the soaking, and 0.46(1.96) ppm from the reaction areas, respectively. The personal average concentrations of formaldehyde by workplaces measured with PB bubblers were 0.30(1.77) ppm from the press, 0.33(1.54) ppm from the spreader, 0.36(1.46) ppm from the soaking, and 0.84(1.19) ppm from the reaction areas, respectively. 3. No statistically significant differences of formaldehyde concentrations among workplaces except the reaction area(p<0.001) were found. 4. Formaldehyde concentrations from personal samples were higher than those of from area sam pies in all workplaces studied. But no statistically significant differences of formaldehyde concentrations both area and personal samples were found. In conclusion, this study found that although formaldehyde concentrations in some plywood industries in Incheon area were below the regulatory limit of 1 ppm, they were over the limits recommended by NIOSH and ACGIH. This study also suggests that the impinger method may underestimate true formaldehyde concentrations. It implies that there will be more workplaces not meeting current regulatory limit if either the solid sorbent or passive bubbler methods were used instead of the impinger method. It is suggested that passive monitors will be a reasonable alternative for area and personal sampling of formaldehyde if the accuracy and validity of passive monitors be verified before use.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.651-658
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• 2018

Particulate matter (PM) emitted from fossil fuel-combustion facilities can be classified as either filterable or condensable PM. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defined condensable PM as material that is in the phase of vapor at the stack temperature of the sampling location which condenses, reacts upon cooling and dilution in the ambient air to form solid or liquid in a few second after the discharge from the stack. Condensable PM passed through the filter media and it is typically ignored. But condensable PM was defined as a component of primary PM. This study investigates the change of condensable PM according to the variation in the sulfur dioxide of combustion gas. Domestic oil boilers were used as the source of emission ($SO_2$) and the level of $SO_2$ concentration (0, 50, 80, and 120 ppm) was adjusted by diluting general light oil and marine gas oil (MGO) that contains sulfur less than 0.5%. Condensable PM was measured as 2.72, 6.10, 8.38, and $13.34mg/m^3$ when $SO_2$ concentration in combustion gas were 0, 50, 80, and 120 ppm respectively. The condensable PM tended to increase as the concentration of $SO_2$ increased. Some of the gaseous air pollutants emitted from the stack should be considered precursors of condensable PM. The gas phase pollutants which converted into condensable PM should reduced for condensable PM control.