• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.380-391
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• 2015

Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess airborne particulate matter pollution and its effect on health of residents living near Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex and its vicinities. Also, this study measured and analyzed the concentration of TSP, $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, and heavy metals which influences on the environmental and respiratory disease in Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex, Daegu, Korea. Methods: In this study, we analyzed various environmental pollutants such as particulate matter and heavy metals from Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex that adversely affected local residents's health. In particular, we verified the concentration distribution and characteristics of exposure for TSP, $PM_{10}$, and $PM_{2.5}$ among particulate matters, and heavy metals(Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Fe, Zn, and Mg). In that regard, the official test method on air pollution in Korea for analysis of particulate matter and heavy metal in atmosphere were conducted. The large capacity air sampling method by the official test method on air pollution in Korea were applied for sampling of heavy metals in atmosphere. In addition, we evaluated the concentration of seasonal environmental pollutants for each point of residence in Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex and surrounding area. The sampling measured periods for air pollutants were from August 11, 2013 to February 21, 2014. Furthermore, we measured and analyzed the seasonal concentrations(summer, autumn and winter). Results: The average concentration for TSP, $PM_{10}$, and $PM_{2.5}$ by direct influence area at Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex were 1.7, 1.4 and 1.9 times higher than reference region. In analysis results of seasonal concentrations for particulate matter in four direct influence and reference area, concentration levels for winter were generally somewhat higher than concentrations for summer and autumn. The average concentrations for Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, Fe, and Zn in direct influence area at Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex were $0.0008{\pm}0.0004{\mu}g/Sm^3$, $0.0141{\pm}0.0163{\mu}g/Sm^3$, $0.0248{\pm}0.0059{\mu}g/Sm^3$, $0.0026{\pm}0.0011{\mu}g/Sm^3$, $0.0272{\pm}0.0084{\mu}g/Sm^3$, $0.4855{\pm}0.1862{\mu}g/Sm^3$, and $0.3068{\pm}0.0631{\mu}g/Sm^3$, respectively. In particularly, the average concentrations for Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, Fe, and Zn in direct influence area at Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex were 1.9, 3.6, 2.1, 1.9, 1.4, 2.6, and 1.2 times higher than reference area, respectively. The continuous monitoring and management were required for some heavy metals such as Cr and Ni. Moreover, the average concentration in winter for particulate matter in direct influence area at Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex were generally higher than concentrations in summer and autumn. Also, average concentrations for TSP, $PM_{10}$, and $PM_{2.5}$ were from 1.5 to 2.0 times, 1.2 to 1.8 times, and 1.1 to 2.3 times higher than reference area, respectively. In results for seasonal atmospheric environment, TSP, $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, and heavy metal concentrations in direct influence area were higher than reference area. Especially, the concentrations in C station were a high level in comparison with other area. Conclusions: In the results, some particulate matters and heavy metals were relatively high concentration, in order to understand the environmental pollution level and health effect in surrounding area at Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex. The concentration of some heavy metals emitted from direct influence area at Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex were relatively higher than reference area. In particular, average concentration for heavy metals in this study were higher than average concentrations in air quality monitoring station for heavy metal for 7 years in Deagu metropolitan region. Especially, the residents near Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex may be exposed to the pollutants(TSP, $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, and heavy metals, etc) emitted from the factories in Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.264-272
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• 2015

Understanding bird status is essential for the systematic and sustainable management of the Nakdong River Estuary, taking into consideration the relationship between ecosystems and the bird species. In this study, bird status in the Nakdong River Estuary Bird Sanctuary prior to the Four Major Rivers Project was analyzed using the bird monitoring data (2003-2011) from surveys conducted by the Busan Development Institute. The high percentage of winter visitors in terms of both species diversity (38.36%) and individual bird numbers (63.14%) suggest that the Nakdong River Estuary is an important wintering site for migratory birds. Cumulative numbers of individual birds were higher in Myungji (208,601), West Nakdong River (202,444), Eulsukdo (153,232), and Baekhap Doyodeung (150,595). The total numbers of migratory species were higher in Eulsukdo (171), Ilungdo (124), Myungji (132), and Samrak (121). Among the 232 species found in the Nakdong River Estuary, Anas platyrhynchos (17.71%) was the most common species, followed by Anas poecilorhyncha (8.85%), Larus crassirostris (6.48%), Anser fabalis (6.09%), Anas penelope (5.16%), and Calidris alpina (4.22%). Most bird taxa, except shelducks, showed annual fluctuations in individual numbers, with increasing frequency during survey periods. Of these, cormorants, swans, and gulls showed higher fluctuations than other taxa. Swans decreased drastically in numbers in 2007-2008 and 2009-2010 compared to previous years. Shore birds, gulls, wagtails, and other forest birds were also less common in 2010-2011. These results suggest that there were some environmental changes that might have affected the birds in the Nakdong River Estuary. Overall, the results suggest that habitat types affect the distribution of dominant species.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.26-37
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• 2015

Halophyte distribution pattern and area in the Suncheon-bay and Beolgyo estuary coastal wetlands were analyzed using KOMPSAT-2 landsat images were taken in 2008 and 2009, and field investigations were fulfilled for confirming the precise boundaries of individual halophyte areas. The salt-marsh vegetation in those areas can be classified mainly into two dominant communities: Suaeda japonica-dominant and Phragmites communis-dominant communities. In order to identify sedimentary characteristics, tidal-flat surface leveling and sedimentary facies analysis had been conducted. The sedimentary facies of marsh area are mostly silty clayey and clay facies with a little seasonal change and its slope is very gentle (0.0007~0.002 in gradient). Phragmites communis and Suaeda japonica communities were distributed in the mud-flat zone between 0.7 m and 1.8 m higher than MSL (mean sea level): zone of 1.1~1.8 m in the former and zone of 0.7~1.3 m in the latter. In the Suncheon-bay estuarine wetland, on the basis of 2009 distribution, Phragmites communis-dominant and Suaeda japonica-dominant communities are about $0.79km^2$ and $0.22km^2$ in distribution area, respectively. On the other hand, Bulgyo estuarine marsh shows that the distribution areas of Phragmites communis-dominant and Suaeda japonica-dominant communities are about $0.31km^2$ and 0.031km2 in distribution area, respectively. Individual 105 and 60 dominant community areas and their distribution patterns can be well defined and indicated in the Suncheon-bay and Bulgyo estuarine marshes, respectively. The distribution pattern and area of hylophyte communities analyzed in this study based on 2008/2009 satellite images would be valuable as a base of future monitoring of salt-marsh related studies in the study area which is the most important salt-marsh research site in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2020

Domestic cats (Felis catus) introduced to insular environments can be invasive predators that often threaten endemic species and cause biodiversity loss or local extinction on the island. This study was conducted from March to July 2018 to understand the population size, home range, and spatial use of cats introduced to Mara Islet (N 33° 07', E 126° 16') in Jeju Special Governing Province, the Republic of Korea. Observation records based on their natural marks revealed that there were 20 adult cats on Mara Islet. A capture-recapture method also estimated 20 adult individuals (95% confidence interval: 20-24 individuals). According to our telemetry study on ten adults deployed with GPS-based telemetry units, the home range size was 12.05±6.99 ha (95% KDE: kernel density estimation), and the core habitat size was 1.60±0.77 ha (50% KDE). There were no significant differences in the home range and core habitat sizes by sex. The home range of domestic cats overlapped with the human residential area, where they might secure easy foods. Five of ten tracked cats were active at potential breeding colonies for the Crested Murrlet (Synthliboramphus wumizusume), and six approached potential breeding areas of the Styan's Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella pleskei), suggesting the predation risk of the two endangered species by cats. This study provides novel information on the population size and home range of introduced cats on Mara Islet which is an important stopover site of migratory birds as well as a breeding habitat of the two endangered avian species. Reducing the potential negative impacts of the introduced cats on migratory birds and the endangered species on Mara Islet requires monitoring of the predation rate of birds by cats, the population trends of cats and endangered breeding birds as well as the effective cat population control and management.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.459-473
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• 2012

This study evaluated the rainfall-runoff characteristics of Non-point Pollution Source (NPS) of the impervious area through on-site monitoring. In this study, trend analysis was performed by various runoff analysis method of non-point pollution source. The characteristics of rainfall at impervious area appeared to be influenced by rainfall strength. It is judged that the measure is required to be prepared against that now that concentration difference of non-point pollution source appeared to be big by precedent number of days of no rainfall. However, it appeared that Rainfall Sustaining Time (RST) has nothing to do with effluent concentration of non-point pollution source, however, the rising tendency that effluent concentration did not appear because the tendency that concentration of non-point pollution source reduces more than 50% within initial 60 min due to first flushing effects and rainfall sustaining time is long. If looking into the outflow tendency of non-point pollution source at the impervious area, it showed the tendency that the concentration lowers gradually as time goes by after initial concentration appeared very high. However, it could be recognized that the concentration of non-point pollution source appeared to be high as the pollutants integrated on the surface of the road during dry season. The Event Mean Concentrations (EMCs) in impervious area were ranged $9.2{\sim}199.3mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ for TSS, $8.1{\sim}24.2mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ for $COD_{Mn}$, $0.070{\sim}1.860mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ for T-N. Based on such runoff characteristics of non-point pollution source, it is judged that it would be desirable to process initial rain efficiently as the measure against initial rain phenomenon at the impervious area.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.444-452
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• 2012

We conducted a comprehensive monitoring for freshwater food web in a wetland system (Jangcheok Lake), from May to October, 2011. Monthly sampling for zooplankton, fish as well as organic matters, was implemented. In order to understand the food web structure and energy flow, we applied stable isotope analysis to the collected samples, based on ${\delta}^{13}C$ and ${\delta}^{15}N$ values of epiphytic particulate organic matter(EPOM) and particulate organic matter (POM), epiphytic and planktonic zooplankton, fish (Lepomis macrochirus). In the study site, epiphytic and planktonic zooplankton was 24 and 30 species, respectively, and coincidence species between epiphytic and planktonic zooplankton were 20 species. Epiphytic zooplankton were more abundant during the spring and early summer (May to July); however, planktonic zooplankton were more abundant during the autumn (September to October) season. Stable isotope analysis revealed that fish and epiphytic zooplankton had seasonal variations on their food sources. EPOM largely contributed epiphytic zooplankton in spring (May), but increasing contribution of POM in autumn (September) was detected. However, planktonic zooplankton depended on only POM in both seasons. Fish utilized both epiphytic and planktonic zooplankton, but small sized (1~3 cm), fish preferred epiphytic zooplankton, where as larger sized (4~7 cm) fish tended to consume planktonic zooplankton, and epiphytic zooplankton had important role in energy transfer. This pattern was clear when results of spring and autumn stable isotope analysis were compared. From the results of this study, we confirmed that wetlands ecosystem supported various epiphytic and planktonic zooplankton species, they depend on other food items, respectively. L. macrochirus also showed a difference of food source according to the body size, they depend on seasonal density change of zooplankton. In particular, epiphytic zooplankton was very important for growth and development of young fish in the spring.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.603-616
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• 2010

Based on recent dramatic increases in foodborne outbreaks in restaurants, self-managed sanitation systems are now recommended to control contributing risk factors. This study aimed to improve sanitation management practices in restaurants and had two objectives. First, we tried to develop a self-managed sanitation check-list, including risk factors contributing to foodborne illness and Korean food hygiene regulation articles. We also tried to evaluate current sanitation management practices in restaurants according to operation and restaurant type. Thirty restaurants were evaluated by on-the-spot inspectors using an auditing tool consisting of four dimensions, seventeen categories, and forty-one items. Total compliance rate categorized by operation type significantly differed between chain restaurants and self-managed restaurants, with values of 85.5% and 51.6%, respectively. Therefore, self-managed restaurants, which showed the lowest compliance rate of below 30.0%, need more strict control to improve current unsanitary management practices, specifically relating to 'sterilization of knives, chopping boards, and wiping cloths', 'sanitation training', 'not allowing access into the kitchen to outsiders', 'handling of food or utensils on shelves at a 15 cm distance away from floor', 'prevention of cross-contamination of cooked foods or vegetables', and 'records of kitchen access or inspection'. Thus, an effective food sanitation system is essential and should be implemented to improve the existing sanitary conditions in restaurants. However, the most important factor to achieving food sanitation management objectives is food handlers' self-motivation.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to analyze the sensitivity of meteorological fields and the variation of concentration of particulate matters (PMs) due to aerosol schemes and dust options within the WRF-Chem model to estimate Asian dusts affected on 29 May 2008 in the Korean peninsula. The anthropogenic emissions within the model were adopted by the $0.5^{\circ}{\pm}0.5^{\circ}$ RETRO of the global emissions, and the photolysis option was by Fast-J photolysis. Also, three scenarios such as the RADM2 chemical mechanism and MADE/SORGAM aerosol, the MOSAIC 8 section aerosol, and the GOCART dust erosion were simulated for calculating Asian dust emissions. As a result, the scenario of the RADM2 chemical mechanism & MADE/SORGAM aerosol depicted higher concentration than the others' in both Asian dusts and the background concentration of PMs. By comparing of the daily mean of PM10 measured at each air quality monitoring site in Seoul with the scenario results, the correlation coefficient was 0.67, and the root mean square error was $44{\mu}gm^{-3}$. In addition, the air temperature, the wind speed, the planetary boundary layer height, and the outgoing long-wave radiation were simulated under conditions of no chemical option with these three scenarios within the WRF or WRF-Chem model. Both the spatial distributions of the PBL height and the wind speed of u component among the meteorological factors were similar to those of the Asia dusts in range of 1,800-3,000 m and $2-16ms^{-1}$, respectively. And, it was shown that both scenarios of the RADM2 chemical mechanism and MADE/SORGAM aerosol and the GOCART dust erosion were interacted on-line between meteorological factors and Asian dusts or aerosols within the model because the outgoing long-wave radiation was changed to lower than the others.

• Atmosphere
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.429-438
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• 2011

The climatology of surface UV radiation for Seoul, presented in Cho et al. (1998; 2001), has been updated using measurement of surface erythemal ultraviolet (EUV) and total ultraviolet (TUV) irradiance (wavelength 286.5~363.0 nm) by a Brewer Spectrophotometer (MK-IV) for the period 2004~2010. The analysis was also carried out together with the broadband total (global) solar irradiance (TR ; 305~2800 nm) and cloud amount to compare with the UV variations, measured by Seoul meteorological station of Korean Meteorological Agency located near the present study site. Under all-sky conditions, the day-to-day variability of EUV exhibits annual mean of 98% in increase and 31% in decrease. It has been also shown that the EUV variability is 17 times as high as the total ozone in positive change, whereas this is 6 times higher in negative change. Thus, the day to day variability is dominantly caused rather by the daily synoptic situations than by the ozone variability. Annual mean value of daily EUV and TUV shows $1.62kJm^{-2}$ and $0.63MJm^{-2}$ respectively, whereas mean value of TR is $12.4MJm^{-2}$ ($143.1Wm^{-2}$). The yearly maximum in noon-time UV Index (UVI) varies between 9 and 11 depending on time of year. The highest UVI shows 11 on 20 July, 2008 during the period 2004~2010, but for the period 1994~2000, the index of 12 was recorded on 13 July, 1994 (Cho et al., 2001). A 40% of daily maximum UVI belongs to "low (UVI < 2)", whereas the UVI less than 5% of the maximum show "very high (8 < UVI < 10)". On average, the maximum UVI exceeded 8 on 9 days per year. The values of Tropospheric Emission Monitoring Internet Service (TEMIS) EUV and UVI under cloud-free conditions are 1.8 times and 1.5 times, respectively, higher than the all-sky measurements by the Brewer. The trend analysis in fractional deviation of monthly UV from the reference value shows a decrease of -0.83% and -0.90% $decade^{-1}$ in the EUV and TUV, respectively, whereas the TR trend is near zero (+0.11% $decade^{-1}$). The trend is statistically significant except for TR trend (p = 0.279). It is possible that the recent UV decrease is mainly associated with increase in total ozone, but the trend in TR can be attributed to the other parameters such as clouds except the ozone. Certainly, the cloud effects suggest that the reason for the differences between UV and TR trends can be explained. In order to estimate cloud effects, the EUV, TUV and TR irradiances have been also evaluated for clear skies (cloud cover < 25%) and cloudy skies (cloud cover ${\geq}$ 75%). Annual mean values show that EUV, TUV and TR are $2.15kJm^{-2}$, $0.83MJm^{-2}$, and $17.9MJm^{-2}$ for clear skies, and $1.24kJm^{-2}$, $0.46MJm^{-2}$, and $7.2MJm^{-2}$ for cloudy skies, respectively. As results, the transmission of radiation through clouds under cloudy-sky conditions is observed to be 58%, 55% and 40% for EUV, TUV and TR, respectively. Consequently, it is clear that the cloud effects on EUV and TUV are 18% and 15%, respectively lower than the effects on TR under cloudy-sky conditions. Clouds under all-sky conditions (average of cloud cover is 5 tenths) reduced the EUV and TUV to about 25% of the clear-sky (cloud cover < 25%) values, whereas for TR, this was 31%. As a result, it is noted that the UV radiation is attenuated less than TR by clouds under all weather conditions.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.183-187
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• 2004

Radioactivity in foodstuffs was surveyed for reference in amending regulation on the maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination of foodstuffs. Most domestic and imported (?) foodstuffs were sampled, some domestic items collected around nuclear power plants to compare site-specific contamination. The collected samples were dried and ashed. Radioactivity in foodstuffs was measured using HPGe gamma spectrometer, Cs-137 activity ranged from 0.025-0.053, 0.045-0.500, 0.062-0.105, 0.025-1.151, 0.021-0.145 and 0.046-0.155 Bq/kg-fresh in cereals, pulses, mot vegetables (potato), ginsengs, meat, and marine products, respectively, with imported dried ginseng showing the highest radioactivity, Results reveal radioactivity in foodstuffs collected in 2002 is far below the maximum permitted levels of 370 Bq/kg. No significant differences were observed in radioactivity among sampling sites and between domestic and imported foodstuffs.