• 한국산업보건학회지
• /
• 제8권1호
• /
• pp.88-94
• /
• 1998

Korea has been rapidly industrialized during the past 35 years. During this period, Korea has emphasized only production and workers health has been ignored. Workers are most frequently exposed to organic vapors, such as thinners. This study was performed to evaluate worker exposures to organic solvents by size and type of industry. Results are summarized below. Workers were exposed to mixtures of toluene, xylenes, trichloroethylene, n-hexane, acetone, methanol, n-butanol, n-butyl acetate, and MIBK. Considering additive effects of the compounds, exposure indices (EIs) were calculated. It was found that worker exposures to organic solvents were highest in small industries and lowest in large industries. During a day shift, the highest exposure was indicated 3 - 5 p.m. in the afternoon. Workers in small industries had potential exposures exceeding permissible exposure limits for organic solvents. Local exhuast systems were inappropriate and respiratory protective devices were not supplied to the workers in small industries. Neither program for safe use and storage of toxic materials nor program for respirators was found in any of the plants investigated. Based on the results of the study, workers of small scale industries should be considered first in industrial health.

• 실내환경 및 냄새 학회지
• /
• 제17권4호
• /
• pp.396-403
• /
• 2018

In this study, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from printing industries were analyzed, and an inorganic adsorbent, ${\gamma}-alumina$, was selected for the effective control of the VOC emissions. Printing processes commonly require inks, thinners, and cleaners, and they were mixed organic solvents containing aromatic compounds, ketones, and alcohols. Therefore, toluene, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) were selected as model compounds for this study. The adsorptive properties using ${\gamma}-alumina$ were determined for the model compounds. Both batch isotherm and continuous flow column tests demonstrated that the adsorption capacity of MEK and IPA was 3~4 times higher than that of toluene. The column test performed at an inlet toluene concentration of 100 ppm showed that an 80% breakthrough for toluene was observed after 3 hours, but both MEK and IPA were continuously adsorbed during the same time period. A numerical model simulated that the ${\gamma}-alumina$ could remove toluene at a loading rate of 0.4 mg/min only for a 4-hour period, which might be too short of a duration for real applications. Consequently, lifetime enhancement for ${\gamma}-alumina$ must be implemented, and ozone oxidation and regeneration would be feasible options.

• 한국산업보건학회지
• /
• 제21권2호
• /
• pp.82-89
• /
• 2011

Methylcyclohexane is frequently used in industrial sites (2,592tons/year) as rubber adhesives, ink, paint thinners, organic solvents, and so on. However, there are limited data on the toxic evaluation of methylcyclohexane. This study aims to predict the hazards and neurological effects of methylcyclohexane using SD rats in order to prevent health disorders of workers. The OECD Guideline for Testing of Chemicals (OECD, 2001) was used as a reference during the tests. For 13 weeks (once a day, five days per week) 0, 10, 100 and 1,000mg/kg/day of methylcyclohexane was injected to SD rats to observe any changes in the body or organ weight, hematology, histopathology, mobility, blood pressure, and neurotransmitter. As a result, some male and female SD rats injected with 1,000mg/kg/day of methylcyclohexane died. On the other hand, surviving rats showed significant changes such as hematological changes involving the decrease in the number of red blood corpuscles, and the decrease or increase in the weight of the lungs, kidneys, spleens, and livers (p< 0.05, p<0.01). Also histopathological lesions were observed in the hearts and kidneys. In the test for the effect on the nervous system, SD rats injected with 100mg/kg/day of methylcyclohexane had higher blood pressure levels compared to the control group. However, no abnormal effects was observed in the mobility, serotonin, neurotransmitter, and the biopsy of the brain and coronary arteries. The study results revealed that the livers, hearts, and kidneys were affected by methylcyclohexane. The absolute toxic dose of methylcyclohexane is 1,000mg/kg/day, NOAEL is 100 mg/kg/day, and it is not a toxic substance to the nervous system.

• 한국학교보건학회지
• /
• 제3권1호
• /
• pp.101-118
• /
• 1990

학생들 간에 사용되고 있는 각종 약물 남용에 관한 실태와 문제점을 알아보기 위하여 1989년 3월 15일부터 3월 29일 사이에 부산 시내에 위치한 인문계 실업계, 남 녀 고등학교 각각 1개교씩 총 4개교의 학생 2,411명을 대상으로 지난 1년간 약물 남용실태를 설문조사한 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 대상학생들의 24.4%가 흡연경험이 있었고, 현재 피우는 학생은 11.6%였으며, 실업계 학생이 인문계보다 더 많았다. 안정제, 최면제, 각성제를 제외한 모든 약물의 약명 파악률은 90% 이상이었고, 지난 1년간 복용경험자 비율은 진통제, 소화제, 자양강장제가 70~80% 수준이었고 각성제는 15.6%, 안정제는 1.4%, 최면제는 0.5%, 본드 1.4%, 신나 0.5%였다. 약물 사용 경험자중에서 매일 복용 혹은 사용하고 있는 자의 비율은 진통제 7.7%(145명), 소화제 6.2%(118명), 자양강장제 5.2%(96명), 안정제 5.9%(2명), 각성제 5.0%(19명), 마약류 2.8%(1명)였으나 최면제와 본드의 매일 사용자는 없었다. 이로 미루어 볼때 고등학생은 비마약성 약물의 남용이 심각하다고 하겠다. 약물을 치료목적 이외에 사용한 학생은 남 녀 각각 진통제 8.4%, 6.5%, 소화제 20.7%, 14.7%, 자양강장제 65.4%, 55.5%였으며 마약류는 우울할 때나 호기심으로 쓰는 율이 높았다. 특히 각성제는 대부분 공부를 위하여 사용되고 있는 것으로 나타나 입시제도의 심각성이 지적되고 있다. 구입 장소별로는 마약류, 본드, 신나는 구멍가게나 행상, 친구에게서 구입률이 가장 높았고, 그 이외의 약품은 약국과 의료기관에서의 구입률이 높았다. 흡연자가 비흡연자에 비하여 모든 약물을 월등히 많이 사용하고 있었으며, 특히 마약류의 사용은 흡연과 아주 밀접한 연관성이 있었다. 대상 학생들의 약물의 이름을 알고 있는 비율은 높으나, 약물을 타당한 목적(신체적, 정신적 건강향상)에 사용하지 않는 경우가 많았고, 약물의 처음 사용시기가 중학시절(14~15세)이 많았으며 호기심에서 사용한 율이 높아기 때문에 약물남용의 부작용과 의존성에 대한 경각심을 일찍부터 고취시켜 줄 필요가 있다고 판단되어 국민학교 교육과정에서부터 약물 남용예방을 위한 보건교육 및 홍보가 시급하다고 하겠다. 이와 함께 학생들의 금연에 관한 교육 및 홍보가 우선되어야 할 것이다. 또한 약물을 약국, 구멍가게 등에서 쉽게 구입할 수 있었다는 사실로 보아 약물 통제를 위한 규제를 검토 보완해야 하며, 의약 분업의 조속한 실시가 필요한 것으로 생각된다.