• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.122-133
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• 2021

The radon gas from nature mainly considers a cause of radon problems, and it is closely affect human life cycle. Korean yellow residual soil, Hwangtoh, widely used as a building material, is considered to be one of major sources of indoor radon. However, there have, as yet, been no studies about radon from Hwangtoh in mass market brands. Here, we investigated the indoor radon concentrations and exhalation rates in four Hwangtohs from different brand names and regional features. The Closed Chamber Method (CCM) conducted by a Continuous Radon Monitor (CRM) has been used for the rates of radon exhalation. Based on equations of previous references, the indoor radon concentrations were deducted. As a result, the radon surface exhalation rates resulted in the 1.4208 to 3.0293 Bq·㎡·h-1 range. Significant differences were found among Hwangtohs according to production regions. Materials with higher radon concentration required a longer time to reach a quasi-steady state in a given environment, in other words, the number of half-life cycles increased from a set starting point. The experimentally identified Hwangtohs demonstrated its safety for construction purposes. There exists, so far, a possibility to exert influence radon emanation due to unidentified factors. Therefore, it is necessary to corroborate with more research by increasing the number of Hwangtohs, considering the other references reported high radon exhalation rates. In addition, it is highly recommended that the radon exhalation rates should be measured for all building materials for preventing human health before the material usage.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.852-857
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• 2012

Recently, the indoor air pollution by microbes such as fungi and mites have become a concern as important research topic on indoor air quality. Fungal growth is significantly affected by humidity. In this study, we examined the influence of relative humidity on the surface of building materials and the water content of building materials on the fungal growth rate by measuring the mycelium length of fungi in the fungal detector placed on the surface of building materials. As a result, even if the relative humidity on the surface of building materials is identical, the more water content of building materials is, the more fungi grow faster. It was suggested that fungal growth rate depends on not only the relative humidity on the surface of building materials but also the water content of building materials.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.425-431
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• 2021

Background: This study evaluated the radon contribution rate through an evaluation of the exhalation rate of radon from building materials. Objectives: This study compared and evaluated the computation of the radon contribution rate based on each different exhalation rate in a building. Methods: The six demonstration houses that are the subject of this study are wall structures or Rahmen structures, and include demonstration houses similar to general residential environments and non-finishing houses with some walls exposed. Results: The highest exhalation rate was found at 62.98 Bq/m² per day from the non-finishing floor, and the second highest exhalation rate was from stone materials at 58.76 Bq/m² per day. Based on this result, investigating the contribution rate of building materials derived from building materials among indoor radon concentrations, house three was the highest at 81.7%, and house one was confirmed to be 33.96%. Conclusions: It can be judged that the effect of exposed concrete and stone is high, and that it is possible to reduce radon emitted from indoor building structures by controlling the indoor materials.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Educational Facilities
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.52-57
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• 2007

Kindergarten children are engaged in the age of physical immaturity as well as the rapid growth. The indoor air contaminants that are proved to affect even the full grown adults are obvious to have no little influence to immature small children in a growth period. In May 2004, for the multi purpose facilities and newly constructed apartments, the Ministry of Environment announced "Indoor Air Quality Control Law for the Multi Purpose Facility," which made the interests to be focused in the urgent understanding of current condition and preparation of measures about the indoor air pollution. In Dec 2005, the law was revised to obligatorily notify the amount of Formaldehyde and Volatile Organic Compounds in the case of newly constructed apartments with more than 100 houses. However, since the kindergarten takes none of the classifications, even the current condition is not grasped although it is directly connected to the health of growing children. Therefore, the study aims to analyze indoor air pollution of one selected kindergarten in Incheon city.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2019.11a
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• pp.56-57
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• 2019

Recently, the risk of fine dust is emerging in Korea. According to the OECD report, the incidence of hospitalization and mortality from lung disease is increased, and the incidence of lung cancer and mortality from ischemic heart disease with prolonged exposure are increased. In addition, indoor air quality has become an important factor affecting the human body as indoor life has increased due to the Industrial Revolution. Air pollutants that cause indoor air deterioration typically include particulate dusts as described above, formaldehyde and VOCs released in gaseous form from adhesive wood products used in building materials and furniture. May cause breathing problems. In this study, we analyzed the properties of adsorption matrix for improving indoor air quality using cork.

• Yonsei Medical Journal
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• v.59 no.9
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• pp.1123-1130
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• 2018

Purpose: Exposure to indoor radon is associated with lung cancer. This study aimed to estimate the number of lung cancer deaths attributable to indoor radon exposure, its burden of disease, and the effects of radon mitigation in Korea in 2010. Materials and Methods: Lung cancer deaths due to indoor radon exposure were estimated using exposure-response relations reported in previous studies. Years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated to quantify disease burden in relation to premature deaths. Mitigation effects were examined under scenarios in which all homes with indoor radon concentrations above a specified level were remediated below the level. Results: The estimated number of lung cancer deaths attributable to indoor radon exposure ranged from 1946 to 3863, accounting for 12.5-24.7% of 15623 total lung cancer deaths in 2010. YLLs due to premature deaths were estimated at 43140-101855 years (90-212 years per 100000 population). If all homes with radon levels above $148Bq/m^3$ are effectively remediated, 502-732 lung cancer deaths and 10972-18479 YLLs could be prevented. Conclusion: These findings suggest that indoor radon exposure contributes considerably to lung cancer, and that reducing indoor radon concentration would be helpful for decreasing the disease burden from lung cancer deaths.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2012

This study investigated the characteristics of selected volatile organic compounds(VOCs) in newly-finished residential buildings, before the occupants moved in. This investigation was carried out by measuring the indoor and outdoor concentrations of selected VOCs before the occupants moved in and by utilizing an indoor mass balance model. Among 25 target VOCs, five aromatics(benzene, ethyl benzene, toluene, m,p-xylene, and o-xylene) were detected in all samples of both indoor and outdoor air. Toluene was most abundant VOC in the indoor air of new apartments, with a median value of 168 mg $m^{-3}$. Unlike other VOCs, halogenated compounds would not be significantly emitted from building materials. The indoor air concentrations of all selected VOCs, except for 1,3,5-trimethyl benzene, exhibited significant correlations each other, while for outdoor air concentrations, five aromatics only were significantly correlated between them. The emission rate of toluene was higher for the current study(median value, 76.8 mg $m^{-2}\;h^{-1}$) than for a previous study, while the emission rates of limonene, a-pinene and b-pinene(geometric means of 2.4, 13.8 and 9.6 mg $m^{-2}\;h^{-1}$, respectively) were lower and the emission rates of m,p-xylene and 2-butanone(geometric means of 10.9 and 21.3 mg $m^{-2}\;h^{-1}$, respectively) were similar. Although there were a few exceptions, the emission strengths are likely proportional to indoor temperature, and appear to reversely proportional to air exchange rate.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.9-20
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• 2018

This study is empirically intended to look into the effects of HVAC management on condensation cause and prevention in indoor swimming pools. The findings are summarized as follows. First, the experience of condensation in indoor swimming pools showed that 132 out of 142 people in total experienced the condensation in indoor swimming pools, which they had a high experience rate of 92.3%. For the location of condensation, the wall joints were 46.8% and the windows were 34.5%, which a total of 72.3% occurred in the wall joints and windows. Second, the effect of construction design, HVAC management and building construction on the cause of condensation in indoor swimming pools showed that building construction had an effect on the cause and location of condensation depending on the seasonal time, partially adopting hypothesis 1. Third, the effect of condensation-causing factors on condensation-preventing factors in indoor swimming pools showed that condensation had a close relationship with air and temperature conditions depending on the time and location of condensation, adopting hypothesis 2. As for the above-stated findings, the HVAC management in indoor swimming pools is an important concern factor that continues to cause condensation despite the development of advanced construction materials. Especially, building construction is a main factor that has a direct effect on condensation in the HVAC management of facilities. This implies that the window management is important in maintaining the wall joints - which can suppress the selective use and defect occurrence of construction materials - or confined spaces for a long time.

• Journal of odor and indoor environment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.346-354
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• 2018

In this study, the condition of the hazardous materials in the bus was monitored according to the ventilation mode of the air conditioning system during bus service. The bus was surveyed using the indoor air quality measurement method of public transportation vehicles within one year of delivery. We evaluate the $CO_2$ and $PM_{10}$, which are the controlled parameters in buses by the Ministry of Environment, and VOCs and HCHO, the non-controlled parameters. The $PM_{10}$ concentration increased due to outdoor air intake; however the $CO_2$ concentration was found to decrease. In addition, the concentration of VOCs and HCHO was found to decrease due to the forced ventilation system and the outdoor air intake. These results show that the concentration of the other materials except $PM_{10}$ can be changed due to the outside air concentration and forced ventilation system. Therefore, through indoor air quality characteristics of the bus according to air condition system are intended to be used as the basis of an operation manual.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2015

It is important thing that air quality affects human health. And It is more important thing that Indoor Air Quality more affects human health than Outdoor Air Quality. The cause of that is indoor air pollutants are more absorbed than outdoor air pollutants. By the way, in case of Multi-use facility for example office, department store, school etc., it has a feature that there are more people than any other buildings. therethrough, effects of Indoor Air Quality of Multi-use facility affect more people's health than Indoor Air Quality of any other buildings. However, in multi-use facility, specifically retail store, chemical treated materials are used for interior finishing, showcase finishing and product finishing because esthetic element is more added for detention of customer. Consequently, in place where demands brisk sales, possibility that indoor air is polluted by VOCs is high. This study considered retail store's Indoor Air Quality. as result of experiment, figure of department store's air pollution exceed about 5~20 times in guideline of multi-use facility's Indoor Air Quality in any kind of shop of department store (guideline : $500{\mu}g/m^3$).