• Title/Summary/Keyword: Harmful environmental factor

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Harmful Environmental Factors Leading to Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (아동기 주의력결핍 과잉행동장애의 유해환경인자)

  • Kwon, Ho Jang;Ha, Mina;Kim, Bung Nyun;Lim, Myung Ho
    • Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.267-277
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    • 2016
  • Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common, childhood-onset, neuropsychiatric disorder with an estimated prevalence of 2-7.6% in Korean children. Although the etiology of ADHD is not well understood, evidence from genetic factor and environmental factor studies suggests that ADHD results from a gene environmental interaction. In the current study, we reviewed the evidence for and clinical implications of the hypothetical roles of organophosphate pesticides, organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, phthalate, bisphenol, polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, manganese, tobacco, alcohol as harmful risk factors in the development of ADHD.

Investigation of Job Satisfaction and Hazardous Factors of Aircraft Cleaning Worker (항공기 청소 노동자의 작업 만족도 및 유해인자 조사)

  • Choi, Yeonhak;Kim, Ki-Youn
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.30 no.2
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    • pp.174-184
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    • 2020
  • Objectives: The purpose of this study was to improve the working environment by identifying the work satisfaction of the cleaning workers of the aircraft and measuring and assessing the harmful factors of the cleaning process. Methods: We asked 23 cleaning companies for questionnaires and got 100 answers from 5 companies. The A-E Airline health manager has been contacted to establish a site survey schedule. The in-flight and lounge were measured using direct reading equipment. The harmful factor to be measured are noise, dust, temperature, volatile organic compound, total airborne bacteria, and total airborne bacteria. Results: Uncomfortable positions when replacing blanket, cleaning the table, and cleaning the floor have been identified as factor that reduce work satisfaction. Noise when replacing newspapers and cleaning toilets has been identified as a factor that lowers work satisfaction. Temperature and humidity were found to reduce work satisfaction during in-flight disinfection. Measurements of aircraft cabin and lounge with direct read equipment have shown that none of the items exceed the exposure criteria. Conclusions: As a result of measuring direct-reading equipment, no items exceeded the exposure criteria for each harmful factor. A clear survey of the working environment is required based on the results, and additional research is needed using personal sample measurement.

Monitoring of Internal Harmful Factors According to Environmental Factors in Pig Farm (양돈장 내의 환경 요인에 따른 내부 유해인자의 변동 모니터링)

  • Lee, Seong-Won;Kim, Hyo-Cher;Seo, Il-Hwan
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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    • v.62 no.1
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    • pp.105-115
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    • 2020
  • With the decrease of the agricultural population in Korea, the workers who is vulnerable to labor are increasing in agricultural industry because of aging, feminization of population. They are exposed in poor working environment with higher temperature and concentrations of dust, gas. Higher concentration of harmful gas and dust can cause chronic and acute disease to workers depending on exposure intensity and frequency. In order to improve the working environment in the livestock facilities, It is important to secure monitoring data of the thermal environment and the concentration of harmful gases and fine dust. Multi-point measurement was performed to analyze the regional environmental conditions in the pig rooms. When analyzing the working environment, video monitoring was conducted to analyze the concentration changes of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and fine dust according to worker movement and work type. Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide monitoring result showed 1.5~2 times higher concentrations than other work when working in the pigs living zone, and 2~4 times higher than other work when working to increase the activity of pigs. In the case of fine dust, the result was 1.3 times higher than the worker's exposure standard in a specific work. The concentrations of gases and dusts from pig farms are not of concern for acute poisoning in normal work, but there is a risk of chronic respiratory disease if they are continuously exposed. Accordingly, there is a need for development of work environment monitoring device tailored to workers and preparation of alternatives.

Geochemical Behavior and Pollution of Soils in Gwangju City (광주광역시 토양의 지화학적 거동 특성과 오염)

  • Shin, Sang-Eun;Kim, Joo-Yong;Oh, Kang-Ho
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.14 no.6
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    • pp.415-425
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    • 2005
  • To examine the geochemical behavior and pollution of soils in Gwangju City, an analysis was carried out for pH, on the contents of metals, and organic carbon. Soil samples were taken from environs areas, industrial areas and downtown areas. The major factor controlling the behavior of metallic elements in the soil was chemical weathering of clay mineral in the environs areas, industrialization, and urbanization. Heavy metals including Cu, Pb and Zn were highly enriched for the samples from central part of downtown area. This indicated that the urbanization and the industrialization affected soil pollution. The results show that soil pollution in a metropolitan city which is caused by harmful heavy metals is severest in the center of the city. In consequence, it is inevitable that practical measures should be taken to prevent soil pollution expansion.

Evaluation of the Relationship between the Exposure Level to Mixed Hazardous Heavy Metals and Health Effects Using Factor Analysis (요인분석을 이용한 유해 중금속 복합 노출수준과 건강영향과의 관련성 평가)

  • Kim, Eunseop;Moon, Sun-In;Yim, Dong-Hyuk;Choi, Byung-Sun;Park, Jung-Duck;Eom, Sang-Yong;Kim, Yong-Dae;Kim, Heon
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.48 no.4
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    • pp.236-243
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    • 2022
  • Background: In the case of multiple exposures to different types of heavy metals, such as the conditions faced by residents living near a smelter, it would be preferable to group hazardous substances with similar characteristics rather than individually related substances and evaluate the effects of each group on the human body. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of factor analysis in the assessment of health effects caused by exposure to two or more hazardous substances with similar characteristics, such as in the case of residents living near a smelter. Methods: Heavy metal concentration data for 572 people living in the vicinity of the Janghang smelter area were grouped based on several subfactors according to their characteristics using factor analysis. Using these factor scores as an independent variable, multiple regression analysis was performed on health effect markers. Results: Through factor analysis, three subfactors were extracted. Factor 1 contained copper and zinc in serum and revealed a common characteristic of the enzyme co-factor in the human body. Factor 2 involved urinary cadmium and arsenic, which are harmful metals related to kidney damage. Factor 3 encompassed blood mercury and lead, which are classified as related to cardiovascular disease. As a result of multiple linear regression analysis, it was found that using the factor index derived through factor analysis as an independent variable is more advantageous in assessing the relevance to health effects than when analyzing the two heavy metals by including them in a single regression model. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that regression analysis linked with factor analysis is a good alternative in that it can simultaneously identify the effects of heavy metals with similar properties while overcoming multicollinearity that may occur in environmental epidemiologic studies on exposure to various types of heavy metals.

Environmental Radiation Protection in Medical Institutions

  • Han, Eun-Ok;Dong, Kyung-Rae
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.35 no.3
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    • pp.91-95
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    • 2010
  • The study aimed to measure the levels of radiation protection for radiologists in medical institutions in three environmental categories (physical, administrative and social) and to establish a data base which can be used to increase awareness of environmental radiation protection in medical institutions within Korea. The study surveyed 10% of radiologists working in radiology departments in medical institutions which are supervised by the National Dose Registry overseen by the Korean Food and Drug Administration(KFDA). This study found that the level of environmental radiation protection was higher in the capital area and in larger hospitals. On the other hand, the study shows environmental radiation protection was lower in the Youngnam area and in clinics. Results from the questionnaires indicate the level of environmental radiation protection was higher when radiologists were given an individual dosimeter but lowest when the radiation protection apron quality test was conducted. Environmental radiation protection is an important factor for radiologists to conduct activities in a safe and protected environment. However, this study shows there are differences in the level of environmental radiation protection in medical institutions and location within Korea. In particular, the level of environmental radiation protection was lower in clinics, appropriate intervention strategies befitting these conditions are needed based on medical institution classification and location in order to improve the level of environmental protection.

Synergistic Effects of Ionizing Radiation and Mercury Chloride on Cell Viability in Fish Hepatoma Cells (이온화 방사선 및 염화수은 처리에 따른 어류 간암세포의 생존능 평가)

  • Han, Min;Hyun, Kyung-Man;Nili, Mohammad;Hwang, In-Young;Kim, Jin-Kyu
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.140-145
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    • 2009
  • All organisms are being exposed to harmful factors present in the environmental. The combined action of various factors is a distinguishing feature of modern life. An interaction between two chemicals is considered as synergistic when the effect produced is greater than the sum of the two single responses. The biological effects due to the combined action of ionizing radiation with the other factor are hard to estimate and predict in advance. In the current study, we investigated the synergistic effects between ionizing and $HgCl_2$ using fish hepatoma cells (PLHC-1 cells). The results showed a dramatic decrease of cell viability after simultaneous treatment of PLHC-1 cells with ionizing radiation and $HgCl_2$. Neiither of the two had any cytotoxic effect when treated alone. The cytotoxicity of ionizing radiation was enhanced in the presence of $HgCl_2$. The synergistic effects were observed after exposure of the PLHC-1 cells to ionizing radiation combined with $HgCl_2$. The synergistic interaction was due to an increase of irreversibly damaged cells after the combined exposure. Analysis of the extent of synergistic interaction enables to make quantitative estimation of irreversibly damaged cells after the combined exposure. The present study suggests that PLHC-1 cells can serve as rapid screening tools for detecting the toxicity of harmful factors.

A Study on the Ship Recycling in Northeast Asia for Sustainable Future (동북아 역내의 지속가능한 선박해체에 관한 연구)

  • Sung-Kuk Kim;Jin-Uk Lee
    • Korea Trade Review
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    • v.46 no.2
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    • pp.121-140
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    • 2021
  • The ship recycling or scrap is a phenomenon in the process of vessels life cycle has ended in the shipping industry. Scrap are greatly affected by freight rates due to ship demands. Not only that, environmental regulation and economic scale vessel demand are processes that must exist in the shipping industry as they obtain management for existing vessels. In the past, shipbreaking yard had tried to work without protection for poverty, without poor working conditions and facilities to prevent the emission of harmful substances. However, the issue of environmental pollution has been raised the Basel and Hong Kong Convention have been adopted, and a new replacement of the ship scrap that induces serious pollution is required. In this study, 165 countries were analyzed to confirm the importance of determining the ship solution. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the Environmental Performance Index, which is a measure of environmental regulation, is the most influential factor of ship scrapped volume. The determinant of whether lower labor cost can be secured is more correlated with population than GDP per capita. The implications of the results of the regression analysis mean that if environmental regulations for ship scrap of the future are strengthened, the status of Bangladesh and Pakistan, which currently account for half of the world's ship recycling, may change.

Analysis of Relationship between Construction Accidents and Particulate Matter using Big Data

  • Lee, Minsu;Jeong, Jaewook;Jeong, Jaemin;Lee, Jaehyun
    • International conference on construction engineering and project management
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    • 2022.06a
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    • pp.128-135
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    • 2022
  • Because construction work is conducted outdoors, construction workers are affected by harmful environmental factor. Especially, Particulate Matter (PM10) is one of the harmful environmental factors with a diameter of 10㎍/m3 or less. When PM10 is inhaled by human, it can cause fatal impact on the human. Contrary to the various analyses of health impact on PM10, the research on the relationship between construction accidents and PM10 are few. Therefore, this study aims to conduct the relative frequency analysis which find out the correlation between construction accidents and PM10, and the modified PM10 grade is suggested to expect accidents probability caused by PM10 in the construction industry. This study is conducted by four steps. i) Establishment of the database; ii) Classification of data; iii) Analysis of the Relative Frequency of accidents in the construction industry by PM10 concentration; iv) Modified PM10 groups to classify the impact of PM10 on accident. In terms of frequency analysis, the most accidents were occurred in the average concentration of PM10 (32㎍/m3). However, we found that the relative frequency of accident was increased as the concentration of PM10 increased. This means the higher PM10 concentration can cause more accidents during construction. In addition, PM10 concentration was divided as 6 groups by the WHO, but the modified PM10 grade by the relative frequency on accident was suggested as 3 groups.

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Analysis of influence on water quality and harmful algal blooms due to weir gate control in the Nakdong River, Geum River, and Yeongsan River (낙동강, 금강 및 영산강 가동보 운영이 수질 및 녹조현상에 미치는 영향 분석)

  • Seo, Dongil;Kim, Jaeyoung;Kim, Jinsoo
    • Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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    • v.53 no.10
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    • pp.877-887
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    • 2020
  • A 3-Dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model was applied to evaluate the effects of weir gate operations on water quality and harmful algal bloom (HAB) occurrences at selected locations in the Nakdong River, Geum River, and Yeongsan River. For the Geum River and Yeongsan River, when the gates are left open, annual and summer Chl-a and HABs were decreased at upstream locations, Sejong Weir and Seungchon Weir, but summer average concentrations of Chl-a and HABs were increased at downstream locations, Baekje Weir and Juksan Weir. For the open scenario, the reduced hydraulic residence time in the upper stream areas of the Geum River and Yeongsan River would allow less available time for nutrient consumption that would result in higher dissolved inorganic phosphorus concentrations followed by higher algal growth in the downstream areas. However, in the case of the Nakdong River, both annual and summer Chl-a and HABs were increased in all locations for the open scenario. This condition seems to be resulted in due to increased light availability by reduced water depths. Changes in Chl-a and HABs occurrences due to the water gate control in the study sites are different due to differences in physical, chemical, and biological conditions in each location.