• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.228-235
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• 2015

In order to clarify the thermal and hygroscopic properties of indoor particulate matter (PM) in a semiclosed subway space, which is critically important for understanding of the distinctive particle formation processes as well as the assessment of their health effects, the size-resolved PMs (i.e., $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10-2.5}$) were intensively collected on the platform of Miasageori station on the Seoul Subway Line-4. The elemental concentrations in soluble and insoluble fractions were determined by PIXE from the bulkily pretreated $PM_{2.5}$. The thermal and hygroscopic characteristics of individual particles were investigated via a combination of the unique pretreatment techniques (i.e., the high-temperature rapid thermal process and the water dialysis) and SEM-EDX analysis. Iron and calcium were unequaled in insoluble and soluble $PM_{2.5}$ fractions, respectively, with overwhelming concentration. The SEM-EDX's elemental net-counts for the pre- and post-pyrolyzed PMs newly suggest that magnesium and several elements (i.e., silica, aluminum, and calcium) may be readily involved in the newly generated subway fine PM by a high-temperature thermal processing when trains are breaking and starting. Through the water dialysis technique, it turned out that calcium has meaningful amount of water soluble fraction. Furthermore, the concentrations of the counter-ions associated with the calcium in subway $PM_{10-2.5}$ were theoretically estimated.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.265-270
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• 2018

This study was to measure the exposure of diesel vehicle drivers to elemental carbon (EC) as an indicator of diesel particulate matter (DPM) emitted from diesel vehicles in an underground coal mine over 3 years as per NIOSH Method 5040. Our study results (range $10{\mu}g/m^3-377{\mu}g/m^3$ for the loader drivers, $19{\mu}g/m^3-162{\mu}g/m^3$ for the SMV drivers) were similar or less than previous study results (range $5{\mu}g/m^3-2,200{\mu}g/m^3$) for normal mine operations. From this study results, it appeared that the exposures decreased in the second and the third year. It is thought that the reasons for the decreased personal DPM (EC) exposures over the 3 years were related to the following recommendations; more frequent monitoring and maintenance of the diesel vehicles and their DPM filtration systems, more consistent monitoring of the mine's ventilation system and changes of work practices such as minimizing the opening of diesel vehicle windows. An educational program on adverse health effects of exposure to DPM and use of respiratory protection (P2 respirators) also assisted in minimizing driver exposure to DPM.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.105-112
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• 2011

In order to investigate the effects of local and synoptic meteorological conditions on urban scale particulate air pollutants observed over the Busan coastal area, power spectrum analysis was applied to observed particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter $\leq10\;{\mu}m$ ($PM_{10}$) for the period from 1 October, 1993 to 31 December, 2004. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analysis was used to obtain the hourly mean observed $PM_{10}$ concentrations to identify different periodicity scales of $PM_{10}$ concentrations. The results showed that, aside from the typical and well-known periodicities such as diurnal and annual variations caused by anthropogenic influences, three other significant power spectral density peaks were identified: 7-day, 21-day and 2.25-year periodicities. Cospectrum analysis indicated that the seven-day variations were closely related to the synoptic meteorological conditions such as weak wind speed, which are relevant to the stagnant high pressure system slowly passing through the Korean Peninsula. The intra-seasonal 21-day variation was negatively correlated with wind speed but was consistently positively correlated with relative humidity, which is related to aerosol formation that can be achieved as a result of the hygroscopic characteristics of aerosols. However, the quasibiennial 2.25-year variation was correlated with the frequency of Asian dust occurrence, the periodicities of which have been recorded inter-annually over the Korean Peninsula.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제64권1호
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• pp.1-4
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• 2021

Ambient air pollution, in particular, particulate matter (PM) pollution imposes serious health concerns such as hospitalization and premature deaths, worldwide. While commercial breathing masks are in use for protection against this hazardous issue, yet their efficiency in filtering PM was not up to the par, besides several other discomforts such as poor breathability due to reduced air flow, sweat production etc. In this study, commercial face mask coated with β-glucan, a high molecular weight polymer is tested for its efficacy in filtering PM. Quantification of PM before and after filtration and microscopic observation (using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)) of the fabric used in filtering the dust pollutants (generated from wood chips and cigarette) showed that β-glucan coated fabric were significantly efficient in capturing PM (size of 10 and 2.5 ㎛ in diameter) than that of the untreated control fabric, wherein the former had filtration efficacy with fold increase of 11.6 and 2.6 towards capturing PM2.5 and PM10 respectively than the latter. Thus, β-glucan coated fabric was found to be effective in filtering PM.

• 대한원격탐사학회지
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.421-434
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• 2022

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been the biggest environmental problem in Korea since the 2010s. The present study considers the value of urban forests and green infrastructure as an ecosystem service (ES) concept for PM2.5 reduction based on satellite and spatial data, with a focus on Seoul, Korea A method for the spatial ES assessment that considers social demand variables such as population and land price is suggested. First, an ES assessment based on natural environment information confirms that, while the vitality of vegetation is relatively low, the ES is high in the city center and residential areas, where the concentration of PM2.5 is high. Then, the ES assessment considering social demand (i.e., the ESS) confirms the existence of higher PM2.5 values in residential areas with high population density, and in main downtown areas. This is because the ESS of urban green infrastructure is high in areas with high land prices, high population density, and above-average PM2.5 concentrations. Further, when a future green infrastructure improvement scenario that considers the urban forest management plan is applied, the area of very high ESS is increased by 74% when the vegetation greenness of the green infrastructure in the residential area is increased by only 20%. This result suggests that green infrastructure and urban forests in the residential area should be continuously expanded and managed in order to maximize the PM2.5 reduction ES.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.453-467
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• 2000

The aim of this research is to collect and characterize fine particles (FPM:$\leq$2.5${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) and coarse particles (CPM: 2.5~10${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) using a low volume air sampler provided by the IAEA, at urban (Taejon) and rural area(Wonju) for a period of about two years(April 1996 to May 1998) and to promote a use of nuclear analytical techniques for air pollution studies. For the collection of airborne particulate matter (PM(sub)10), the Gent stacked filter unit sampler and polycarbonate membrane filters were employed. The concentration of trace elements in collected APM samples were determined byu instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. For validation of the analytical data, internal quality control were implemented by using both the comparison of the analytical results of standard reference materials(NIST SRM 1648) and interlaboratory comparison for proficiency test (NAT-3). The standard uncertainty was less than 15% and Z-score of two samples were within $\pm$1. The monitoring of (PM(sub)10) mass concentration and elemental concentrations were carried out weekly. The average mass concentration of (PM(sub)10) in urban and rural areas were 59.2$\pm$36.5$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ and 41.4$\pm$23.7$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥, respectively. To investigate the emission source, the enrichment factors were calculated for the fine and coarse particle fractions at two sites, respectively and these values were classified for anthropogenic and soil origin elements.

• 한국산림과학회지
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• 제112권1호
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

Urbanization and industrialization associated with rapid economic development have resulted in air pollution in urban areas, which adversely affects human health and the environment around the world. Growing awareness of the health effects of airborne particulate matter (PM) has led to the emergence of urban greening as a promising eco-friendly, nature-based solution to reduce the concentration of PM (especially PM_2.5) to which individuals are exposed, thereby promoting public health. In this review, we highlight fundamental insights about PM and recent research on the ability of urban greening to capture PM. Reports from the scientific literature on PM published from 1992 to 2021 were retrieved from Google Scholar. Here, we explore some of the main complex relationships between leaf traits and the ability to retain PM for research or management to optimize greenspaces.

• 한국환경독성학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경독성학회 2003년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.99-104
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• 2003

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.325-330
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• 2006

Objectives: The aims of this study were to examine the level of airborne fungi and environmental factors in Seoul metropolitan subway stations and to provide fundamental data to protect the health of subway workers and passengers. Methods: The field survey was performed from November in 2004 to February in 2005. A total 22 subway stations located at Seoul subway lines 1-4 were randomly selected. The measurement points were subway workers' activity areas (station office, bedroom, ticket office and driver's seat) and the passengers' activity areas (station precincts, inside train and platform). Air sampling for collecting airborne fungi was carried out using a one-stage cascade impactor. The PM and CO2 were measured using an electronic direct recorder and detecting tube, respectively. Results: In the activity areas of the subway workers and passengers, the mean concentrations of airborne fungi were relatively higher in the workers' bedroom and station precinct whereas the concentration of particulate matter, $PM_{10}\;and\;PM_{2.5}$, were relatively higher in the platform, inside the train and driver's seat than in the other activity areas. There was no significant difference in the concentration of airborne fungi between the underground and ground activity areas of the subway. The mean $PM_{10}\;and\;PM_{2.5}$ concentration in the platform located at underground was significantly higher than that of the ground (p<0.05). Conclusions: The levels of airborne fungi in the Seoul subway line 1-4 were not serious enough to cause respiratory disease in subway workers and passengers. This indicates that there is little correlation between airborne fungi and particulate matter.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.78-85
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• 2015

In the past several decades, biofuels have emerged as candidates to help mitigate the issues of global warming, fossil fuel depletion and, in some cases, atmospheric pollution. To date, the only biofuels that have achieved any significant penetration in the global transportation sector are ethanol and biodiesel. The global consumption of biodiesel was rapidly increased from 2005. The goal of this study was to examine the chemical composition on particulate pollutant emissions from a diesel engine operating on several different biodiesels. Tests were performed on non-road diesel engine. Experiments were performed on 5 different fuel blends at 2 different engine loading conditions (50% and 75%). 5 different fuel blends were ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD, 100%), soy biodiesel (Blend 20% and Blend 100%) and canola biodiesel (Blend 20% and Blend 100%). The chemical properties of particulate pollutants were characterized using an Aerodyne High Resolution Time of Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). Organic matter and nitrate were generally the most abundant aerosol components and exhibited maximum concentration of $1207{\mu}g/m^3$ and $30{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. On average, the oxidized fragment families ($C_xH_yO_1{^+}$, and $C_xH_yO_z{^+}$) account for ~13% of the three family sum, while ~87% comes from the $C_xH_y{^+}$ family. The two peaks of $C_2H_3O_2$ (m/z 59.01) and $C_3H_7O$ (m/z 59.04) located at approximately m/z 59 could be used to identify atmospheric particulate matter directly to biodiesel exhaust, as distinguished from that created by petroleum diesel in the AMS data.