• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.247-257
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• 2019

Objectives: The Korea Ministry of Environment regulates concentrations of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) through Atmosphere Environmental Standards to protect public health from HAPs. However, simply determining the exceedance of HAP concentrations has several limitations and more comprehensive assessment is required. In addition, integrated risk assessment is needed considering exposure in all microenvironments, including outdoor as well as indoor environments. The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in risk by sub-population groups according to time-activity patterns and reported concentrations, as well as the lifetime risk for Koreans. Methods: In this study, we calculated time-weighted average exposure concentrations for benzene and $PM_{10}$ among preschool-age children, students, housewifes, workers, and the elderly using residential time and concentrations for indoor (house, school or workplace, other), outdoor, and transport by the meta-analysis method. The risk assessments were conducted by excess cancer risk and disease death risk using 1,000,000 Monte-Carlo simulations for probabilistic analysis. Results: Preschool-age children, students, housewifes, workers, and the elderly spent 91.9, 86.0, 79.8, 82.2, and 77.3% of their day in their house, workplace, or school, respectively. The more than 99% excess cancer risk for benzene exceed 1.0E-06 in all sub-populations and lifetime. The acute disease death risk for $PM_{10}$ for housewifes and workers for lifetime were 3.35E-04 and 3.18E-04, and chronic disease death risks were 2.84E-03 and 2.70E-03, respectively. Conclusions: The risk of benzene and $PM_{10}$ by sub-population group and for the lifetime of housewifes and workers were assessed. Benzene showed risky results for this study. All disease death risks of $PM_{10}$ were higher than 1.0E-04 and showed different risks by sub-population. This study can be used as a basis for lifetime exposure and risk assessment to benzene and $PM_{10}$.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.146-156
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• 2024

Background: Children who use playground facilities are exposed to potential risks due to the high concentration of heavy metals contained in the finishing materials of facilities in children's playgrounds. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the concentration of heavy metals in the finishing materials of outdoor children's playgrounds where harmful heavy metals exist in Gwangju and to conduct human risk assessment for children and adults by age to find the risks and limitations. Methods: The bottom and top layers of double-painted paint were peeled off and collected together from the finishing materials of children's play facilities such as slides, swings, and seesaws in 147 children's parks in Gwangju. Heavy metals were analyzed using ICP-OES, etc., and human risk assessment was performed using the concentrations of heavy metals. Results: Based on 1.0E-04, which requires legal regulation, CTE was found to pose a carcinogenic risk for preschool children and no carcinogenic risk for the rest of the age groups. However, RME showed that both men and women of all ages had a carcinogenic risk. For reference, when the carcinogenic risk was based on 1.0E-06, CTE was found to pose a carcinogenic risk from infants to elementary school students, and RME was found to have a carcinogenic risk in all age groups. It was judged that there is a non-carcinogenic risk if the non-carcinogenic risk exceeds 1 based on the hazard index (HI) 1. In CTE, there was no non-carcinogenic risk, and RME for preschooler males (1.49E+00) and females (1.56E+00) were found to have non-carcinogenic risk. Conclusions: This study was meaningful in that it examines the differences in the current management of heavy metals concentration standards and potential carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks to the human body and discusses the relationship between heavy metals and human health effects.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.467-474
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• 2014

The aim of this paper is to describe a relatively recent international agreement on the widely debated concepts of: (i) attributing effects to low dose radiation exposure situations that have occurred in the past and, (ii) inferring radiation risk to situations that are planned to occur in the future. An important global consensus has been recently achieved on these fundamental issues at the level of the highest international intergovernmental body: the General Assembly of the United Nations. The General Assembly has welcomed with appreciation a scientific report on attributing health effects to radiation exposure and inferring risks that had been prepared the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) following a formal request by the General Assembly.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1552-1562
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• 2023

Soybean (Glycine max) is an important ingredient of cuisines worldwide. While there is a wealth of evidence that soybean could be a good source of macronutrients and phytochemicals with healthpromoting effects, concerns regarding adverse effects have been raised. In this work, we reviewed the current clinical evidence focusing on the benefits and risks of soybean ingredients. In breast, prostate, colorectal, ovarian, and lung cancer, epidemiological studies showed an inverse association between soybean food intake and cancer risks. Soybean intake was inversely correlated with risks of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and soy isoflavones ameliorated osteoporosis and hot flashes. Notably, soybean was one of the dietary protein sources that may reduce the risk of breast cancer and T2DM. However, soybean had adverse effects on certain types of drug treatment and caused allergies. In sum, this work provides useful considerations for planning clinical soybean research and selecting dietary protein sources for human health.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1994.02a
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• pp.23-56
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• 1994

Recent criticisms of the conduct and use of risk assessment by regulatory agencies have led to a wide range of proposed remedies, including changes in regulatory statutes and the development of new methods for assessing risk. The mandate to this Committee was more limited. Our objective was to examine whether alterations in institutional arrangements or procedures, particularly the organizational separation of risk assessment from regulatory decision-making and the use of uniform guidelines for inferring risk from available scientific information, can improve federal risk assessment activities. Before undertaking to determine whether organizational and procedural reforms could improve the performance and use of risk assessment in the federal government, the Committee examined the state of risk assessment and the regulatory environment in which it is performed. In this chapter, we define risk assessment and differentiate it from other elements in the regulatory process, analyze the types of judgments made in risk assessment, and examine its current government context. Because one chronic health hazard, cancer, was highlighted in the Committee's congressional mandate and has dominated public concern about public health risks in recent years, most of our report focuses on it. Furthermore, because activities in four agencies--the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)--have given rise to many of the proposals for changes in risk assessment practices, our review focuses on these four agencies. The conclusions of this report, although directed primarily at risk assessment of potential carcinogens as performed by these four agencies, may be applicable to other federal programs to reduce health risks.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 2016

Background: Management and workers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often find it hard to comprehend the requirements related to controlling risks due to exposure to substances. An intervention study was set up in order to support 45 SMEs in improving the management of the risks of occupational exposure to chemicals, and in using the control banding tool and exposure model Stoffenmanager in this process. Methods: A 2-year intervention study was carried out, in which a mix of individual and collective training and support was offered, and baseline and effect measurements were carried out by means of structured interviews, in order to measure progress made. A seven-phase implementation evolutionary ladder was used for this purpose. Success and failure factors were identified by means of company visits and structured interviews. Results: Most companies clearly moved upwards on the implementation evolutionary ladder; 76% of the companies by at least one phase, and 62% by at least two phases. Success and failure factors were described. Conclusion: Active training and coaching helped the participating companies to improve their chemical risk management, and to avoid making mistakes when using and applying Stoffenmanager. The use of validated tools embedded in a community platform appears to support companies to organize and structure their chemical risk management in a business-wise manner, but much depends upon motivated occupational health and safety (OHS) professionals, management support, and willingness to invest time and means.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1069-1078
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• 2012

This study was performed to evaluate the asbestos exposure levels and to calculate excess lifetime cacer risks(ELCRs) in asbestos-containing buildings for maintenance and management. The range of airborne asbestos concentration of 33 buildings was 0.0018 ~ 0.0126 f/cc and one site exceeded indoor air-quality recommended limit 0.01 f/cc. And ELCRs based on US EPA IRIS(Integrated risk information system) model are 1.5E-06 ~ 3.9E-05 levels, and there was no site showed 1.0E-04 (one person per million) level or more, and 11 sites showed 1.0E-05 (one person per 100,000 people) level or more. To prevent the release of asbestos fibers, it needs operation and maintenance of asbestos-containing building materials, and there are some methods such as removal, repairment, enclosure and encapsulation. In conclusion, a risk-based air action level for asbestos in air is an appropriate metric for asbestos-containing building management.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2004

It is important to select a risk based priority area for environmental policy formation and decision-making. We estimated the health risks and associated damage costs from exposure to fine particles and assigned priority areas for twenty -five districts in Seoul. In order to estimate the theoretical mortality incidence of the health risk, baseline risks were estimated from mortality rates in two low level areas of fine particles, Seocho Gu and Cheju city To estimate the damage cost from the risk estimates, we investigated and estimated the willingness to pay (WTP) for specific risk reduction. We assumed two different locations as the reference area, Cheju city as Scenario I and Seocho gu as Scenario II. From the results, the five districts, Kwangjin, Chungnang, Kangbuk, Nowon, and Kangnam, ranked high in the categories of both health risk and economic risk. Damage costs were over twenty billion won in each of these districts. As there are uncertainties in these results, the parameter values such as PM$_{2.5}$ level, dose -response slope factor, baseline risk, exposure population and WTP should be continuously validated and refined.d.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.83-93
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• 2016

Objectives: This study aimed (1) to share findings from the U.S. on customer use of social media for information seeking and sharing about food recall risks, and (2) to discuss the implications of the findings for the context of food safety and risk communication in Korea. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1,026 social media users aged 18 years or older in the U.S., recruited from the Knowledge Network's nationally representative panel. Results: About 26 percent of respondents used social media either to seek or share food recall information in the past year, with social networking sites being the most popular tool. With respect to social media use for information seeking, being married, perceived risk of getting foodborne diseases, and trust in Internet were significant, positive predictors; being Whites and trust in health professionals were negative predictors. Social media use for information sharing was positively associated with education, being married, foodborne disease history, and perceived risk of foodborne diseases; Whites, income, and trust in health professionals were negative predictors. Conclusions: The study gives theoretical, methodological, and practical implications for the context of food safety and risks in Korea.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.385-396
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• 2020

Teachers are facing various job demands with psychosocial aspects being fundamental due to the nature of the occupation. Although teachers' work is associated with different psychosocial health risks, little is known on how to identify and tackle those. Thus, a systematic literature search as per the PRISMA statement was conducted via MEDLINE (PubMed), PSYNDEX (PubPsych), and ScienceDirect. Two reviewers independently screened 2261 titles and abstracts and 169 full-texts. According to the inclusion criteria established a priori, articles from peer-reviewed journals (English or German) on psychosocial risk management in teachers were incorporated. Despite a comprehensive and sensitive search, only four publications could be identified, outlining a process to implement risk management and different assessment tools. Taken together, data presented in the articles were scarce. Recommendations for process steps and the assessment of psychosocial risks can be derived from the findings. To implement effective psychosocial risk management in the teaching profession, further research is needed, though. Effective and practicable approaches, which are accepted by the target group, should be further developed and investigated. Relevant causes of occupational strain in the teaching profession must be identified and assessed reliably. Low-threshold interventions should be implemented, and the outcome must be evaluated afterward.