• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.32-38
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• 2023

This study investigates the influence of particulate matter concentrations on the incidence of asthma, focusing on the delayed onset of symptoms and subsequent medical consultations. Analysis incorporates a four-day lag from the initiation of fine dust exposure and compares asthma patterns before and after the World Health Organization's (WHO) classification of fine dust as a Group 1 carcinogen in November 2013. Utilizing daily PM10 data and asthma-related medical visit counts in Seoul from 2008 to 2016, the study additionally incorporates Google search frequencies and newspaper article counts on fine dust to assess public awareness. Results reveal a surge in search frequencies and article publications after WHO announcement, indicating heightened public interest. To standardize the long-term asthma occurrence trend, the daily asthma patient numbers are ratio-adjusted based on annual averages. The analysis uncovers an increase in asthma medical visits 2 to 3 days after fine dust events. Additionally, greater public awareness of fine dust hazards correlates with a significant reduction in asthma occurrence after such events, even within 'normal' fine dust concentrations. Notably, behavioral changes, like limiting outdoor activities, contribute to this decrease. This study highlights the importance of analyzing accumulated medical data over an extended period to identify general public behavioral patterns, deviating from conventional survey methods in social sciences. Future research aims to extend data collection beyond 2016, exploring recent trends and considering the potential impact of decreased fine dust awareness amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.38-43
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• 2024

Recently, with the expanding market for electronic devices and electric vehicles, secondary battery usage has been on the rise. Lithium-ion batteries are particularly popular due to their fast charging times and lightweight nature compared to other types of batteries. A secondary battery consists of four components: anode, cathode, electrolyte, and separator. Generally, the positive and negative electrode materials of secondary batteries are composed of an active material, a binder, and a conductive material. Acetylene Black (AB) is utilized to enhance conductivity between active material particles or metal dust collectors, preventing the binder from acting as an insulator. However, when recycling waste batteries that have been subject to high usage, there is a risk of fire and explosion accidents, as accurately identifying the characteristics of Acetylene Black dust proves to be challenging. In this study, the lower explosion limit for Acetylene Black dust with an average particle size of 0.042 ㎛ was determined to be 153.64 mg/L using a Hartmann-type dust explosion device. Notably, the dust did not explode at values below 168 mg, rendering the lower explosion limit calculation unfeasible. Analysis of explosion delay times with varying electrode gaps revealed the shortest delay time at 3 mm, with a noticeable increase in delay times for gaps of 4 mm or greater. The findings offer fundamental data for fire and explosion prevention measures in Acetylene Black waste recycling processes via a predictive model for lower explosion limits and ignition delay time.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.29-29
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• 2000

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1390-1399
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• 2007

Samples of 45 school dust were collected in Daegu in January 2007, were sieved below 100 ${\mu}m$, and 14 elements were analyzed using ICP after an acid extraction. Results obtained from the source assessment of trace elements using enrichment factor showed that dust from playground were influenced by natural sources, while dust from classroom were influenced by urban anthropogenic sources. The measured values were remarkably higher in components from natural sources than in components from urban anthropogenic sources. Dust from classroom are highly concentrated than those from playground. Concentrations of dust in urban area are similar to those of dust in rural area and there was no significant difference in concentrations between classroom with playground soil and classroom with play-ground grass. Compared with other cities in Korea, concentrations of heavy metals in Daegu city were higher in classroom and lower in playground than those of heavy metals in other cities. Dust from classroom contained lower concentrations of trace elements than those from street in Daegu. Results of pollution indices of heavy metals indicated that playground was not contaminated with heavy metals and classroom was considered to be highly contaminated. No appreciable differences in playground were found between urban and rural areas but in case of classroom pollution, heavy metal concentrations were a little bit higher in urban areas than in rural areas. The correlation analysis among trace elements indicated that components in playground were significantly correlated, while components in classroom were less correlated. Trace element components of classroom dust were not significantly affected by those of playground dust.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.136-148
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• 2006

A foundry makes various machinery parts made by iron. For manufacturing machinery parts, they usually uses wooden mold with molding sand and pour the molten iron into wooden mold through inlet. A foundry have many processes including Furan process, In Furan process workers prepares a wooden mold in the molding sand. So they fixes wooden mold in sand housing and then they fill the molding sand in the sand housing. Molding sand should be sticky enough to sustain the shape of wooden mold, so several materials are needed to prepare the suitable molding sand. The first step of Furan process is making the molding sand with molding sand and Voltaic Organic Compounds (VOC) and the second step of Furan process is pour the molding sand into the wooden molding housing. This two step of process generated noxious VOC and various size of dust. So the process is very dirty and dangerous one. Because of these, Workers frequently shrink out of the plant. The company related with foundry usually faced on the difficult situation for engagement and always have shortage of hiring problem. Through this study, we developed a system which removes toxic VOC and dust simultaneously. We design and construct real system and install it at real plant. Before setting up this system, the working surroundings VOC (for formaldehyde) 15 ppm and Dust(for $PM_{10}$) $8,000{\mu}g/m^3$. After setting up this system, working surroundings is improved by VOC (for formaldehyde) 0 ppm, Dust(for $PM_{10}$) $4{\mu}g/m^3$, and the work evasion factor is removed. So we contribute to solve hiring problem of this company and increasing the productivity also.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.463-469
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• 2009

We performed the experimental study on the control of suspended dust in a cement packaging process for various ventilation systems. To effectively remove the dust generated in the cement packaging process, three different kinds of ventilation system, such as local exhaust ventilation, electrostatic scrubber, and local air supply system, were adopted. Dust concentrations in the packaging process were measured with the variation of the airflow rate of the ventilation systems and then their ventilation performance were evaluated. From the results, we knew that the ventilation performance was the best when the local exhaust ventilation and the electrostatic scrubber were simultaneously operated in the packaging process. In the electrostatic scrubber system, the effect of the airflow rate on the indoor dust removal efficiency was negligible so hat he system ust be operated at $2,700m^3/h$ for saving power consumption.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.663-672
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• 2006

Background: $PM_{10}$(Particulate matter with a diameter ($<10{\mu}m$), which is characterized by different environmental conditions, is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds. The Asian dust event caused by meteorological phenomena can also produce unique particulate matter in affected areas. This study investigated the cytokine produced by A549 epithelial cells exposed to particles collected during both the Asian dust pfenomenon and ambient air particles in a non-dusty period. Method: Air samples were collected using a high volume air sampler(Sibata Model HV500F) with an air flow at $500{\ell}/min$ for at least 6 hours. The cytokine messenger RNA(mRNA) was measured using a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). The A549 cells were exposed to 10 to $500{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ of a suspension containing $PM_{10}$ for 24 hours. Each was compared with those in the non-exposed control cells. Result: The mRNA levels of interleukin(IL)-$1{\alpha}$, $IL-I{\beta}$, IL-8, and the granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor(GM-CSF) increased after veing exposed to $PM_{10}$ in the ambient air particles, compared with those in the non-exposed control cells. The increase in $IL-1{\alpha}$ and IL-8 were dose dependent at a $PM_{10}$ concentration between $100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ and $500{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. The mRNA level of IL-8 in the A549 epithelial cells was higher during the in the Asian dust period($500{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) than during the non dust period. Conclusion: A549 cells exposed to the $PM_{10}$ collected during the Asian dust period produce more proinflammatory cytokine than during non-dusty period. This cytokine enhances the local inflammatory response in the airways and can also contribute to the systemic component of this inflammatory process.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.215-221
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• 2023

Background: There is little information about the airborne hazardous agents released during the heat treatment when manufacturing a welding material. This study aimed to evaluate the airborne hazardous agents generated at welding material manufacturing sites through area sampling. Methods: concentration of airborne particles was measured using a scanning mobility particle sizer and optical particle sizer. Total suspended particles (TSP) and respirable dust samples were collected on polyvinyl chloride filters and weighed to measure the mass concentrations. Volatile organic compounds and heavy metals were analyzed using a gas chromatography mass spectrometer and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, respectively. Results: The average mass concentration of TSP was 683.1±677.4 ㎍/m³, with respirable dust accounting for 38.6% of the TSP. The average concentration of the airborne particles less than 10 ㎛ in diameter was 11.2-22.8×10⁴ particles/cm³, and the average number of the particles with a diameter of 10-100 nm was approximately 78-86% of the total measured particles (<10 ㎛). In the case of volatile organic compounds, the heat treatment process concentration was significantly higher (p < 0.05) during combustion than during cooling. The airborne heavy metal concentrations differed depending on the materials used for heat treatment. The content of heavy metals in the airborne particles was approximately 32.6%. Conclusions: Nanoparticle exposure increased as the number of particles in the air around the heat treatment process increases, and the ratio of heavy metals in dust generated after the heat treatment process is high, which may adversely affect workers' health.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.478-483
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• 2014

Objectives: The main objective of this study is to assess the levels of hazardous substances in floor dust in primary schools located in the city of Busan in Korea. Materials and Methods: An on-site investigation of three primary schools was performed between April and May 2013. The hazardous substances measured in this study were 14 heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Ni, Zn, Cr, Cd, As, Al, Sn, Co, Mo and Si) and the biological agents were bacteria, fungi and endotoxin). Results: Among the heavy metals, Cd, Co, Pb and Cr were not detected in the floor dust from the three primary schools. The mean levels of other heavy metals were as follows: $20({\pm}10)ng/cm^2$ for As, $30({\pm}20)ng/cm^2$ for Al, $5({\pm}4)ng/cm^2$ for Sn, $20({\pm}20)ng/cm^2$ for Mo, $1,340({\pm}620)ng/cm^2$ for Si, $110({\pm}100)ng/cm^2$ for Cu, $240({\pm}50)ng/cm^2$ for Fe, $30({\pm}30)ng/cm^2$ for Mn, $10({\pm}10)ng/cm^2$ for Ni, and $50({\pm}30)ng/cm^2$ for Zn. It was found that mean concentrations of bacteria, fungi and endotoxin in the floor dust of primary schools were $4.7{\time}10^7({\pm}2.2{\time}10^7)cfu/cm^2$, $6.3{\time}10^6({\pm}6.4{\time}10^6)cfu/cm^2$, and $8,140({\pm}5,801)EU/cm^2$, respectively. The predominant species identified in the floor dust of the primary schools were Pseudomonas spp. for bacteria and Penicillium spp.,Cladosporidium spp.,and Aspergillus spp. for fungi, which would be somewhat similar to the microbial distribution pattern of other general environments. Conclusions: Based on the results obtained from this study, the levels of heavy metals, microbes and endotoxin distributed in the floor dust of primary school were higher than those reported for other general facilities. Thus, preventive measures should be prepared for the health care of children.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.111-128
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• 2020

This study presents a possibility of intensification of fine dust mass concentration due to the complex urban structure using data mining technique and clustering analysis. The data mining technique showed no significant correlation between fine dust concentration and regional-use public urban data over Seoul. However, clustering analysis based on nationwide-use public data showed that building heights (floors) have a strong correlation particularly with PM₁₀. The modeling analyses using the single canopy model and the micro-atmospheric modeling program (ENVI-Met. 4) conducted that the controlled atmospheric convection in urban area leaded to the congested flow pattern depending on the building along the distribution and height. The complex structure of urban building controls convective activity resulted in stagnation condition and fine dust increase near the surface. Consequently, the residual effect through the changes in the thermal environment caused by the shape and structure of the urban buildings must be considered in the fine dust distribution. It is notable that the atmospheric congestion may be misidentified as an important implications for providing information about the residual probability of fine dust mass concentration in the complex urban area.