• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.81-91
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• 2000

Residents who live near petrochemical industrial areas are exposed to a variety of petrochemicals, including benzene or benzene-containing liquids. It is a serious concern because some VOCs are carcinogens naturally present in petroleum and gasoline. The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to VOCs, measured by personal/indoor/outdoor air sampling, and to estimate the relationship between the air samples and biological monitoring data. Through biological monitoring, we investigated VOCs in blood and s-phenylmercapturic acid (s-PMA) , minor urinary metabolites of benzene. The external benzene exposure of subjects was measured using passive dosimeters and urinary s-PMA and blood-benzene were determined by GC/MS. More than 80% of subjects were detected for m-xylene, ethylbenzene, and toluene in blood samples and not detected at all for chloroform, 1 , 1 , 1 -trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene. The mean concentration of benzene in the breathing zone of residents was 6.3 $\mu\textrm{g}$/m$^3$, personal, indoor and outdoor concentrations were strongly correlated to each other. s-PMA detected in all subject samples was affected by personal exposure (p< 0.05) and the level was different by age (p< 0.01). Blood benzene was not affected by external benzene during these periods .

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2022.04a
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• pp.176-177
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• 2022

In this study, surface performance evaluation was conducted according to the fiber and surface finishing technique of the exterior material using Ultra High Performance Concrete(UHPC), whitch is spotlighted as a highly durable exterior material. As a result of outdoor exposure, the initial performance of the UHPC Panel using organic fibers was maintained without being affected by the surface finishing technique. In the specimen using steel fiber, the surface performance was maintained when the water repellent treatment was performed in the plain specimen, but fiber corrosion occurred in the specimen to which the surface finishing technique was applied.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.437-444
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• 2019

Background: Headache/eyestrain symptoms are common health problems that people experience in daily life. Various studies have examined risk factors contributing to headache/eyestrains, and physicochemical exposure was found to be a leading risk factor in causing such symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of headache/eyestrain symptoms with physicochemical exposure among Korean construction workers depended on worksite. Methods: This study used data from the 4th Korean Workers Conditions Survey and selected 1,945 Korean construction workers as participants. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship. Results: Exposure to vibrations among all construction workers affected the moderate exposure group [odds ratio (OR) 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-2.32], the high exposure group (OR 1.77 95%CI 1.17-2.67), and the indoor high exposure group (OR 1.61, 95%CI 1.02-2.55) and among outdoor construction workers, the moderate group (OR 6.61, 95%CI 15.4-28.48) and the high group (OR 6.61, 95%CI 1.56-27.98). When exposed to mist, dust, and fumes, the indoor high exposure group was significantly affected (OR 1.63, 95%CI 1.07-2.47). All construction workers exposed to organic solvents were affected, high exposure group (OR 1.69, 95%CI 1.15-2.49) and indoor high exposure group (OR 1.77, 95%CI 1.08-2.89). The high exposure group in all construction worker (OR 1.70, 95%CI 1.20-2.42) and the indoor high exposure group (OR 1.83, 95%CI 1.17-2.89) also were affected by secondhand smoking exposure. Conclusion: Many physicochemical exposure factors affect headache/eyestrain symptoms among construction workers, especially indoor construction workers, suggesting a deficiency in occupational hygiene and health environments at indoor construction worksites.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.199-204
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• 2011

Hot dip metallic coated steels like as galvanized (GI), zinc-aluminium (GL) and aluminium coated steels are mostly used where corrosion resistance is needed. There are two kinds (type 1 and type 2) of aluminium coated steel being commercially used among them. Type 1 aluminium coated steel is coated with an Al-5~11 wt%Si alloy and Type 2 aluminium coated steel consists of commercially pure aluminium. Type 1 Al coated steel is generally used in automotive components and electrical appliances while type 2 aluminium coated steel is mainly used in construction applications such as building cladding panels, air conditioning and ventilation system. In this study, Type 1 aluminium coated steels have tested by accelerated conditions (salt spray or corrosive gas) and outdoor exposure condition in order to understand their corrosion behaviour. Due to the distinct corrosion mechanism of Al which exposes to the severe chloric condition, Salt Spray Test cannot predict the ordinary atmospheric corrosion of Al based coated materials. In addition, the test results and their corrosion feature of Al coated steel sheets will be discussed comparing with other metallic coated steel sheets of GI and GL.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.184-199
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• 2022

Steel was exposed in an atmospheric environment, and atmospheric environmental factors that include chloride, humidity, SO₂, NO₂ etc. induced the corrosion of steel. Corrosivity categories classified by SO₂ and chloride deposition rate were low, but those classified by TOW were high in the Korean Peninsula, and on these environmental categories, the corrosivity of atmospheres classified by corrosion rate in carbon steel was low medium, C2-C3, and medium, C3 for zinc, copper, and aluminum. This work performed the outdoor exposure test for 10 years at 14 areas in Korea and calculated the atmospheric corrosion rate of carbon steel. The atmospheric corrosion behavior of carbon steel is discussed based on the various corrosion factors. When the corrosion product forms on carbon steel by atmospheric corrosion, cracks may also be formed, and through these cracks, the environmental factors can penetrate into the interior of the product, detach some of the corrosion products and finally corrode locally. Thus, the maximum corrosion rate was about 7.3 times greater than the average corrosion rate. The color difference and glossiness of carbon steel by the 10 year-outdoor exposure tests are discussed based on the corrosion rate and the environmental factors.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.397-406
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• 2014

Objectives: Perchloroethylene (PCE) is a volatile chemical widely used as a solvent in the dry-cleaning and textile processing industries. It was evaluated as Group 2 "probably carcinogenic to humans" by the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) of the United State Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) in 2012. In order to provide a scientific basis for establishing risk management measures for chemicals on the national priority substances list, aggregate risk assessment was conducted for PCE, included in the top-10 substances. Methods: We conducted the investigation and monitoring of PCE exposure (e.g., exposure scenario, detection levels, and exposure factors, etc.) and assessed its multi-media (e.g., outdoor air, indoor air, and ground water) exposure risk with a deterministic and probabilistic approach. Results: In human risk assessment (HRA), the level of human exposure was higher in the younger age group. The exposure level through inhalation at home was the highest among the exposure routes. Outdoor air or uptake of drinking water represented less than 1% of total contributions to PCE exposure. These findings suggested that the level of risk was negligible since the Hazard Index (HI) induced by HRA was below one among all age groups, with a maximum HI value of 0.17 when reasonable maximum exposure was applied. Conclusion: In conclusion, it was suggested that despite low exposure risk, further studies are needed considering main sources, including occupational exposure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1999.05a
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• pp.214-217
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• 1999

Polymeric composite insulators have been in use for outdoor insulation. However, our knowledge about their long-term performance in a outdoor environment is still very limited. Especially, these insulator are subjected to the environmental stress such as ultraviolet radiation. Hence, in this paper. the influence of UV radiation on the aging of the shed materials was evaluated. For the aging evaluation, these insulators studied by experiment methods such as contact angle measurement. oxidation induced time. SEM/EDX, FTRI-ATR, tracking test for the different insulator samples. With the increased UV exposure time, samples are shown to exhibit degradation comparable to those of new ones

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2010

Only limited information is available on the measured exposure levels of residents according to the construction age of apartments. As such, present study was conducted to measure and to compare the bedroom, living-room, and outdoor air levels of MTBE and benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and m,p-xylene(BTEX) in both newer and older apartments. For both newer and older apartments, all the compounds except for MTBE showed significantly higher levels in bedrooms or living-rooms as compared to the outdoor concentrations. The ratio of bedroom or living-room median concentration to outdoor concentration was close to 1 for MTBE, whereas it was larger than 1 for other target compounds. It was also found that the bedroom and living-room appeared to have similar indoor sources and sinks for BTEX, but not for MTBE. The median concentration ratios of the newer apartments to the older apartments ranged from 1.63 to 1.81, depending upon the compounds. In contrast, the MTBE concentrations did not differ significantly between the newer and older apartments, thereby suggesting that although newer buildings could emit more VOCs, this is not applicable to all VOCs. Conclusively, the findings of present study should be considered, when designing exposure studies associated with VOC emissions in buildings and/or managing indoor air quality according to construction age of buildings.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.195-200
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• 2001

The personal exposures of nitrogen dioxide(NO$_2$), microenvironmental levels and daily time activity patterns on Seoul subway station workers were measured from February 10 to March 12, 1999. Personal NO$_2$exposure for 24 hours were 29.40$\pm$9.75 ppb. NO$_2$level of occupational environment were 27.87$\pm$7.15 ppb in office, 33.60$\pm$8.64 ppb in platform and 50.13$\pm$13.04 ppb in outdoor. Personal exposure time of subway station workers was constituted as survey results with $7.94\pm$3.00 hours in office, $2.82\pm$1.63 hours in platform and 1 hours in outdoor. With above results, personal $NO_2$exposure distributions on subway station workers in Seoul were estimated with Monte Carlo simulation which uses statistical probabilistic theory on various exposure scenario testing. Some of distributions which did not have any formal patterns were assumed as custom distribution type. Estimated personal occupational $NO_2$exposure using time weighted average (TWA) model was 31.$29\pm$5.57 ppb, which were under Annual Ambient Standard (50ppb) of Korea. Though arithmetic means of measured personal $NO_2$exposure was lower than that of occupational $NO_2$exposure estimated by TWA model, considering probability distribution type simulated, probability distribution of measured personal $NO_2$exposures for 24 hours was over ambient standard with 3.23%, which was higher than those of occupational exposure(0.02%). Further research is needed for reducing these 24 hour $NO_2$personal excess exposures besides occupational exposure on subway station workers in Seoul.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.175-182
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• 1996

This paper deals with the properties of water permeability and porosity of cement mortar substrate coated with siliceous slurry coating under the exposure environment. Conditions of exposure enviornment are four kinds of in constant temperature water and humidity box, in indoor and outdoor exposure. Coated mortar substrate was expected continually increase in water and humidity condition, but was not in dry condition. Watertightness effect of siliceous coating was better in the condition of humidity then the dry condition, and the pore volume was decreased in that condition.