• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 2004

In this study, we investigated the concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the ambient air of a small scale municipal waste landfill site. Seasonal sampling was carried out simultaneously at two sites, i.e. one in the center of the landfill area, and the other at a boundary site. Among 38 target VOC, toluene appeared to be the most dominant compound, followed by benzene. and xylenes. The higher levels of BTX imply that paint -containing materials and/or organic solvents are the most significant sources of the VOC in the landfill environment. Seasonal variations for the samples collected at the landfill site indicated that the VOC concentrations tend to be higher in the spring and fall season and lower in the winter season. In addition, night- time concentrations appeared to be generally higher than day-time. Such daily variation might be due to more stabilized atmosphere during the night-time. Similar patterns were also found in samples collected at a boundary site. This study demonstrated that the municipal landfill, although it is small -scaled, could be an important emission source of atmospheric VOC, particularly in the vicinities of the landfill. Thus, an appropriate control strategy is required to prevent any undesirable secondary pollutions from the environmental sanitary facilities such as landfill.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2005

New PVC plasticizer, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol-1-butyrate-3-isobutyrate was synthesized via simple esterification with butyric acid and Texanol(a trademark of Eastman Chemicals), the mixture of 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol-3-isobutyrate and 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol-1-isobutyrate. The analysis of $^1H-1D,\;^{13}C-1D$ NMR and HMBC spectra identified internal-ester-transfer of 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol-1-isobutyrate during the reaction. 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol-1-butyrate-3-isobutyrate gave better properties in PVC than 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate(TXIB, a trademark of Eastman Chemicals) such as lower viscosity, higher tensile strength and better elongation. In particular, remarkably reduced migration compared with TXIB suggested a reduced emission of VOC(volatile organic compound) from PVC.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2017

For the quantitative analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOC), the use of a proper solvent is crucial to reduce the chance of biased results or effect of interference either in direct analysis by a gas chromatograph (GC) or with thermal desorption analysis due to matrix effects, e.g., the existence of a broad solvent peak tailing that overlaps early eluters. In this work, the relative performance of different solvents has been evaluated using standards containing 19 VOCs in three different solvents (methanol, pentane, and hexane). Comparison of the response factor of the detected VOCs confirms their means for methanol and hexane higher than that of pentane by 84% and 27%, respectively. In light of the solvent vapor pressure at the initial GC column temperature ($35^{\circ}C$), the enhanced sensitivity in methanol suggests the potential role of solvent vapor expansion in the hot injector (split ON) which leads to solvent trapping on the column. In contrast, if the recurrent relationships between homologues were evaluated using an effective carbon number (ECN) additivity approach, the comparability assessed in terms of percent difference improved on the order of methanol (26.5%), hexane (6.73%), and pentane (5.24%). As such, the relative performance of GC can be affected considerably in the direct injection-based analysis of VOC due to the selection of solvent.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.580-602
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• 2011

Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in the 2007 CAPSS (Clean Air Protection Supporting System) emissions inventory are chemically speciated for the SAPRC99 (Statewide Air Pollution Research Center 99) mechanism, following the Source Classification Code (SCC) matching method to borrow the U.S.EPA's chemical speciation profiles. CMAQ simulations with High-order Direct Decoupled Method (HDDM) are in turn applied to evaluate uncertainty in the method by comparing the simulated model VOC species to the observations in the Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA) for a 2007 June episode. Simulations under-predicted ALK1 to ALK4 in SAPRC99 by a factor of 2 to 5 and over-predicted ALK5 by a factor of 7.5 while ARO1, ARO2, OLE1, and ethylene (ETH) are comparable to the observations, showing relative difference by 10 to 30%. OLE2 emissions are roughly 4 times overestimated. Emission rates for individual VOC model species are revised referring to the ratio of simulated to observed concentrations. Impact of the VOC emission changes on the overall ozone prediction was insignificant for the days of which 1-hr maximum ozone are lower than 100 ppb. However, simulations showed ozone difference by 5 to 10 ppb when high ozone above 120 ppb was observed in the vicinity of Seoul. This result suggests that evaluations on individual model VOC emissions be necessary to lead ozone control plans to the right direction. Moreover, the simulated ratios of ARO1 and ARO2 to $NO_x$ are roughly 50% lower than the observed ones, which imply that adjustment in $NO_x$ and VOC emission rates may be required to mimic the real VOC/$NO_x$ condition over the area.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.147-160
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• 2002

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are an important public health issue in Korea and many important questions remain to be addressed with respect to assessing exposure to these compounds. Because they are ubiquitous and highly volatile, special techniques must be applied in their analytic determination Valid Personal exposure assessment methods are needed to evaluate exposure frequency, duration and intensity, as well as their relationship to personal exposure characteristics. Biological monitoring is also important since it may contribute significantly in risk assessment by allowing the estimation of effective absorbed doses. This study was on ducted to establish the environmental measurement, personal dosimetry and biological monitoring methods for VOCs. These methods are needed to compare blood, urinary and exhalation breath VOC levels and to provide tools for risk assessment of VOC exposure. Passive monitors (badge type) and a active samplers (trap) for the VOCs collection were used for air sampling. Methods development included determining the minimum detectable amounts of VOCs in each media, as well as evaluating collection methods and developing analytical procedures. Method reliability was assessed by determining breakthrough volumes and comparing results between laboratories and with other methods. A total capacity of trap used in this study was 60ι. Although variable by compound, the average breakthrough was 20％. Also, there was no loss of compounds in trap even if keep for 45 day in -7$0^{\circ}C$. The recovery of active and passive methods was 69％ ~ 126％ and method detection limit was 0.24 $\mu\textrm{g}$/trap and 0.07 $\mu\textrm{g}$/badge. There was no statistical difference (P > 0.05) between active and passive methods.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.153-160
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• 1998

The concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere were measured from the Yochon Industrial Estate and compared with those from Tongkwangyang and Seoul. The first important phenomenon observed in the air of Yochon was high concentrations of alkenes and in particular, ethylene and propene. For most dominant species, their means and standard deviations were high simultaneously. Concentrations of several major aliphatic species exhibited a similar pattern of diurnal variation, however, with different species combination on each day. Concentrations of several hazardous aromatic species also exhibited a similar pattern of diurnal variation on the same day, which was different from that observed in the diurnal variation of major aliphatic species. It was interpreted that some species were intermittently released from relevant processes. It was also understood that high concentrations and variations of VOC species in Yochon were localized and not related to high average concentrations of ozone in Yochon and Tongkwangyang areas.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.169-174
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• 2017

Vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) is a promising treatment method for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study focuses on a VSA process for regenerating activated carbon spent with VOCs, and then investigates its adsorption capacities. Toluene was selected as the test VOC molecule, and the VSA regeneration experiments results were compared to the thermal swing adsorption process. Cyclic adsorption-desorption experiments were performed using a lab-scale apparatus with commercial activated carbon (Samchully Co.). The VSA regeneration was performed in air (0.5 L/min) at 363.15 K and 13,332 Pa. The comparative results depicted that in terms of VSA regeneration, it was found that after the fifth regeneration, about a 90% regeneration ratio was maintained. These experiments thus confirm that the VSA regeneration process has good recovery while operating at low temperatures (363.15 K) and 13,332 Pa.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2017

Large-scale fuel tanks emit massive amount of hardly-combustible VOC mixtures which are light hydrocarbon species in dilution with nitrogen and carbon dioxide. We have developed a lab-scale burner to combust those VOC mixtures by use of a turbulent partially-premixed flame as a pilot flame. For a higher HC treatment ratio, the mixture gases were reformed by a rotating arc plasma device. The results showed that the nitrogen mole fraction and the injecting speed of the VOC mixture influence on the performance of the burner. It was also found that the size of the pilot flame and the power supplied to the plasma device determine the overall HC treatment ratio and the concentrations of CO and NOx in the exhaust gas.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.91-98
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• 2013

In order to study the seasonal patterns and possible origins of air concentrations of volatile organic compounds(VOC), measurements were taken with GC-MS at 3 sampling sites in Jinju for 12 months from Mar. 2010 to Feb. 2011. Atmospheric VOC are sampled on tubes containing solid adsorbents(Tenax TA) with a time resolution of 2hrs. Composition and concentration of VOC are analysed with a GC system equipped with thermal desorption apparatus(ATD). The most abundant compound appeared to be Toluene, Ethylbenzene and m,p-Xylene. The mean concentrations of Benzene were 0.20 ppb at GN site, 0.18 ppb at DA site, and 0.25 ppb at SP site, respectively. VOC concentration showed a strong seasonal variation, with higher concentrations during the spring and lower concentrations during the summer. The results showed that monthly fluctuations in measured VOC concentrations depended on variations in the strength of sources, as well as on photochemical activity and meteorological conditions. In Jinju, the total VOC emissions for 2009 were estimated to be 4,407 ton/year by Clean Air Policy Support System(CAPSS). It is shown that solvent use 57.5%(2,534 ton/yr), waste treatment and disposal 23.3%(1,025 ton/yr), and mobil source-road traffic 12.2%(537 ton/yr) are the most significant anthropogenic source.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.165-179
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• 2012

Indirect $CO_2$ effect due to non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC) emissions from solvent and product use and fugitive NMVOC emissions from fuels in the Republic of Korea and 13 Annex I countries under United Nations Framework on Climate Change were estimated and the proportions of them to total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions ranged from 0.092% to 0.45% in 2006. Indirect greenhouse effect ($CO_2$, $CH_4$, and $O_3$) were estimated at 13 photochemical assessment monitoring sites in the Republic of Korea using concentrations of 8 NMVOCs of which indirect global warming potential (GWP) were available. The contribution of toluene to mixing ratio was highest at 11 sites and however, the contribution of toluene to indirect greenhouse effect was highest at nine sites. In contrast to toluene, the contributions of ethane, butane, and ethylene were enhanced. The indirect greenhouse effects of ethane and propane, of which ozone formation potentials are the lowest and the third lowest respectively among targeted 10 NMVOCs, ranked first and fourth highest respectively. Acetaldehyde has relatively higher maximum incremental reactivity and is classified as probable human carcinogen however, its indirect GWP ranked second lowest.