• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.397-407
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate human health risk assessment of indoor air pollutants at small-sized public-use facilities (e.g., daycare centers, hospital and elderly care facilities) that the susceptible population is mainly used. Methods: To assess indoor air quality (IAQ), the concentrations of indoor air contaminants such as HCHO, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, styrene, PM-10, CO, $NO_2$ and $O_3$ in air samples were measured according to the Indoor Air Quality Standard Method. By conducting the questionnaire survey, the major factors influencing IAQ were identified. Human health risk assessment was carried out in the consideration of type of use (user and worker) at 75 daycare centers, 34 hospitals and 40 elderly care facilities. Results: As a result of measurement of indoor air contaminants, the average concentration of HCHO and TVOCs in hospitals was higher than daycare centers and elderly care facilities, about 8.8 and 23.5% of hospitals were exceeded by IAQ standard. In human health risk assessment, for the user of daycare centers and elderly care facilities, the mean carcinogenic risk of HCHO inhalation was higher than acceptable value. Except for HCHO, other values were determined under acceptable risk. Similarly, for the worker of hospitals, the mean carcinogenic risk of HCHO inhalation was higher than acceptable value and other values were evaluated under acceptable risk. In contrast, the risk levels of other contaminants measured in elderly care facilities were acceptable. In the determination of factors influencing IAQ, the construction year, building type, ventilation time, and the use of air cleaner were identified. Conclusions: This study provides the information for establishing the plans of public health management of IAQ at small-sized public-use facilities that have not yet been placed under the regulation. The findings suggest the consideration of human health risk assessment results for the IAQ standards.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2003

Although clay can sorb significant amounts of inorganic contaminants from soils and wastewater, the hydration of exchangeable cations in clay minerals makes it hydrophilic at the clay mineral surfaces and interlayers. Thus, natural clays are often ineffective in complexing and stabilizing toxic organic contaminants in soils and groundwater environment. But, substituting these hydrated cations with cationic surfactant such as QAC(Quaternary ammonium Compound) can change the natural clay from hydrophilic to hydropobic. Furthermore functionalized organoclay can act as a powerful dual function sorbent for both toxic metals and organic compounds. It also can be used as landfill clay liners, slurry walls, nano-composite materials, petroleum tank farms, waste treatment, and filter systems. To use this modified clay minerals effectively, it is required to understand the fundamental chemistry of organoclay, synthetic procedures, its engineering application, bioavailability of sorbed ion-clay complex, and potential risk of organoclay. In this review, we investigate the use, application and historical background of the organoclay in remediation technology. The state-of-the-art of organoclay research is also discussed. Finally, we suggest some future implications of organoclay in environmental research.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.1079-1087
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• 1995

The quality of human life is directly related to the quality of the environment. To assess environmental quality we must first determine the MCLG(Maximum Contaminant Level Goal), MCL(Maximum Contaminant Level), environmental impact and so on. The MCLG is the concentration at which no known adverse health effects occur. The MCLG is determined by risk assessment identifying which process is hazardous assessing, dose-response, human exposure, and characteristics of risk. With consideration of analytical methods, treatment technology, cost and regulatory impact, the MCL is set as close to the MCLG as possible. In this way, determination of the concentration and national distribution of contaminants is important for assessment of environmental quality The analytical sciences pose potential problems in assessing environmental quality. Continuing improvement in the performance of analytical instruments and operating technique has been lowering the limits of detectability. Contaminant concentration below the detection limit has usually been reported as ND(Not-Detected) and this has often been misunderstood as equivalent to zero. Because of this, more the contaminant concentration in the past was below the detection limit, whereas contaminants can be quantified now even though the contaminant concentration might remain the same or may even have decreased. In addition, environmental sampling has various components due to heterogeneous matrices. These samples are used to overestimate the concentration of the contaminant due to large variability, resulting in excess readings for MCL. In this paper, the significance of the analytical sciences is emphasized in both a conceptual and a technical approach to environmental assessment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1228-1237
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• 2005

In order to predict the long-term effects of pollutants in sediment on the water quality and the improvement of water quality according to dredging operation, models applied to decide the location and the propriety of dredging were developed. At first, the area was divided into several segments and the developed model was applied to simulate the behaviors of contaminants in an aquatic environment by using estimated parameters. And then through the sensitivity analysis between parameters, the optimum values were determined. The long-term modelling in the area A forecasted that PCBs concentration in the hot spot was decreased from $3.1\;{\mu}g/L$ to $2.4\;{\mu}g/L$ in 30 years. Contaminants in sediment as a source of water pollution did not reduce remarkably in the long run. Therefore it is difficult to expect the improvement of water qualities without the fundamental isolation of contaminants from sediment. It is considered that the selective dredging in the spot improves the water quality consequently.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.59-67
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• 2014

The amount of the contaminants that can be adsorbed on the drain was evaluated for the effective remediation of the contaminated soil, and the contaminants adsorptivity of the drain was evaluated by comparing the isothermal adsorption model after carrying out the contaminants adsorption test of the reactants coated on the surface of the drain. The reactant used in the experiment is a natural zeolite, and the contaminants are copper, lead and cadmium. The results that Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherm model are compared to the adsorption amount according to the change of the initial concentration by the contaminants. As a result of the component analysis, because Si, Al and O are contained approximately 28%, 11% and 48%, respectively, it is identified that the material coated on the surface of the drain is the component of the zeolite which is the reactant for the adsorption of the heavy-metal (Cu, Pb, Cd) contaminants. The heavy-metal adsorption kinetic of the zeolite which is the reactant was decreased in order of lead, copper and cadmium. The important factor of the performance evaluation of the adsorbent is the reaction rate, and if zeolite is used as the reactant in the relationship between the maximum amount of adsorption and reaction rate, it can be utilized as the design factor that determine the removal order of the complex heavy-metal. In other words, because the maximum adsorption quantity of lead is smaller compared to copper but the reaction rate is relatively fast, it can be primarily removed, and copper can be removed after removing the lead. It was analyzed that Cadmium can be finally removed after that other heavy-metal is removed.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.7-12
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• 1999

Bioremediation is the technology to harness nature's biodegradative capabilities to remove or detoxify pollutions that threaten public health as environmental contaminants. Composting may become one of major bioremediation technologies for treating soils contaminated with petroleum if the fate of contaminants during composting is better understood Most composting research of petroleum was primarily focused on removing contaminant by optimizing composting conditions. Accordingly, laboratory feasibility studies may be useful to establish a realistic basis in co-composting complex substrate such as petroleum hydrocarbons. The purpose of this study was to assess the optimal conditions of kerosene biodegradation following supplementation with nutrient amendments under simulated composting conditions. Although it increased the growth of bacterial consortium, addition of co-substrates 0.5%(w/v) such as acetic acid, citric acid, glucose, and malic acid was not beneficial. Combination of nitrogen and phosphorous source enhanced kerosene biodegradation and reduced VOC evolution. These results showed that kerosene was able to utilize in bioremediation technology.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2002

Carbon cast iron and Zinc coated steel were the most widely used portable water of supply and distribution Pipeline system. The leaching of red water in portable water could produce sericus environmental sanitary problems. Due to the red water was the most alternative to inner scale of metal pipeline. So this study was conducted the impact of red water on scale products, and was evaluated by the corrosive metal contaminants of 20 fears over. Surface tests, metal surface composition measurements of samples XRF, XRD, and SEM(EDS), analysis were used to investigate the corrosion characteristies of carbon cast iron and Zinc coated steel. As the contaminants of Fe increased the red water of carbon castiron pipe increased due to the scale products amount of $Fe_2O_3$ (Hemite).

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.13-19
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• 2014

Permeable reactive barrier has been recognized as the one of representative methods for remediation of contaminated groundwater. Reactive barrier system containing two and more reactive materials can remove multiple contaminants such as nutritive salts and heavy metals. In this study, removal efficiency of multiple contaminants was evaluated when both zeolite and basic oxygen furnace slag were used as reactive materials. Sequential batch test which consists of two materials was performed to evaluate removal efficiency comparing the reaction order of them against nutritive slats including ammonium and phosphate and heavy metal including cadmium. As a result, zeolite-basic oxygen furnace slag sequence batch test showed the best efficiency for removal of multiple contaminants including nutritive salts and heavy metal.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.561-569
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• 2016

In this paper a concept of the paradigm shift in the operations of Water and Wastewater systems regarding the production and usage of water was introduced. Based on this concept the interrelationships between the water quality in the upper basin of NakDong River relative to Busan and the degree of satisfaction of the customers on the water supply service in Busan were modeled using the System Dynamics modeling methodology. SamRangJin basin area was determined as the upper basin of Busan after analyzing the relationships between the water quality of MoolGeum water intake point and water quality data of various mid- and upper water intake points along NakDong River. The amount of contaminants generated in SamRangJin basin was modeled using the Gross Regional Domestic Product in the area and the treated amount was calculated using the efficiency of wastewater treatment and the degree of improvement of environmental condition per investment. The water quality at MoolGeum water intake point was modeled to take the effects of the remaining amount of contaminants after treatment and the non-point source contaminants in SamRangJin basin. Using the developed System Dynamics model the effects of the investment for the improvement of environmental condition in SamRangJin basin were compared to the case of alternate water source development for Busan in terms of the degree of satisfaction of the customers on the water supply service in Busan.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.83-88
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• 2001

There is considerable interest in how microbiological processes can affect the behaviour of metal contaminants in natural and engineered environments and their potential for bioremediation. The extent to which microorganisms can affect metal contaminants is dependent on the identity and chemical form of the metal and the physical and chemical nature of the contaminated site or substance. In general terms, microbial processes which solubilize metals increase their bioavailability and potential toxicity, whereas those that immobilize them reduce bioavailability. The balance between mobilization and immobilization varies depending on the metal, the organisms, their environment and physico-chemical conditions.