• Toxicological Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.293-300
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• 2010

tert-Butyl acetate (TBAc) is an organic solvent, which is commonly used in architectural coatings and industrial solvents. It has recently been exempted from the definition of a volatile organic compound (VOC) by the Air Resources Board (ARB). Since the use of TBAc as a substitute for other VOCs has increased, thus its potential risk in humans has also increased. However, its inhalation toxicity data in the literature are very limited. Hence, inhalation exposure to TBAc was carried out to investigate its toxic effects in this study. Adult male rats were exposed to TBAc for 4 h for 1 day by using a nose-only inhalation exposure chamber (low dose, $2370\;mg/m^3$ (500 ppm); high dose, $9482\;mg/m^3$ (2000 ppm)). Shamtreated control rats were exposed to clean air in the inhalation chamber for the same period. The animals were killed at 2, 7, and 15 days after exposure. At each time point, body weight measurement, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) analysis, histopathological examination, and biochemical assay were performed. No treatment-related abnormal effects were observed in any group according to time course. Based on those findings, the median lethal concentration ($LC_{50}$) of TBAc was over $9482\;mg/m^3$ in this study. According to the MSDS, the 4 h $LC_{50}$ for TBAc for rats is over $2230\;mg/m^3$. We suggested that this value is changed and these findings may be applied in the risk assessment of TBAc which could be beneficial in a sub-acute study.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.95-104
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• 2020

In this paper, we propose the real time indoor air quality monitoring and controlling platform on cloud using IoT sensor data such as PM10, PM2.5, CO2, VOCs, temperature, and humidity which has direct or indirect impact to indoor air quality. The system is connected to air ventilator to manage and optimize the indoor air quality. The proposed system has three main parts; First, IoT data collection service to measure, and collect indoor air quality in real time from IoT sensor network, Second, Big data processing pipeline to process and store the collected data on cloud platform and Finally, Big data analysis and visualization service to give real time insight of indoor air quality on mobile and web application. For the implication of the proposed system, IoT sensor kits are installed on three different public day care center where the indoor pollution can cause serious impact to the health and education of growing kids. Analyzed results are visualized on mobile and web application. The impact of ventilation system to indoor air quality is tested statistically and the result shows the proper optimization of indoor air quality.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.436-445
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• 2014

Objectives: Time-activity studies have become an integral part of comprehensive exposure assessment and personal exposure modeling. The aims of this study were to estimate exposure levels to nitrogen dioxide($NO_2$) and volatile organic compounds(VOCs), and to compare estimated exposures by using time-activity patterns and indoor air concentrations. Methods: The major microenvironments for office workers were selected using the Time-Use Survey conducted by the National Statistical Office in Korea in 2009. A total of 9,194 and 6,130 workers were recruited for weekdays and weekends, respectively, from the Time-Use Survey. It appears that workers were spending about 50% of their time in the house and about 30% of their time in other indoor areas during the weekdays. In addition, we analyzed the time-activity patterns of 20 office workers and indoor air concentrations in Daegu using a questionnaire and time-activity diary. Estimated exposures were compared with measured concentrations using the time-weighted average analysis of air pollutants. Conclusions: According to the time-activity pattern for the office workers, time spent in the residence indoors during the summer and winter have been shown as $11.12{\pm}2.20$ hours and $12.48{\pm}1.77$ hours, respectively, which indicates higher hours in the winter. Time spent in the office in the summer has been shown to be 1.5 hours higher than in the winter. The target pollutants demonstrate a positive correlation ($R^2=0.076{\sim}0.553$)in the personal exposure results derived from direct measurement and estimated personal exposure concentrations by applying the time activity pattern, as well as measured concentration of the partial environment to the TWA model. However, these correlations were not statistically significant. This may be explained by the difference being caused by other indoor environments, such as a bar, cafe, or diner.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.353-359
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• 2011

This study was designed to identify a subjective symptom level by Indoor air according to ventilation system in Dental Clinic. The number of respondents was 582 who work in dental clinic and period of investigation was October 2010 through January 2011. A structured questionnaire was employed to evaluate the level of participants' sociodemographics, job-related factors, work place condition, a subjective symptom. Most of respondents were answered that time for symptom to begin was at around 2 P.M. and time for symptom to feel serve pain was at around 3 P.M. and ventilation frequency per a day was often in case of individual cooling and heating system. More often natural ventilation and in case of individual cooling and heating system, the level of subject symptom was low and multiple regression analysis has found that indoor air quality related elements were main factors that influence to the feeling of satisfaction in work place. The results of this study suggest that more often natural ventilation was very important to reduce the level of subjective symptom. Thus, a management program for indoor air quality is strongly recommended by natural ventilation, maintenance man for promotion of quality of life in dental hygienist and to improve dental service and competitiveness.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.35-40
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• 2012

In this study, adsorption characteristics of expanded graphite (EG) were investigated by a series of batch adsorption tests using p-Xylene as a model volatile organic compounds (VOCs). After acid treatment, graphite were expanded at various temperature from $600^{\circ}C$ to $1000^{\circ}C$ for one minute. The optimal temperature was $800^{\circ}C$, where the expansion ratio reached 195 times of original volume. The BET specific surface area of EG was $92.4m^2/g$, which was only 1/10 of granular activated carbon (GAC), however the adsorption of p-Xylene by EG was almost completed within 5 minutes while that of GAC continued for 7 days because the majority of pores of EG was consisted with meso- and macro-pores. According to the Langmuir isotherm analysis, the maximum specific adsorption of p-Xylene onto EG was 24.0 mg/L with the adsorption constant of 7.94. In conclusion, the adsorption capacity of EG was much less than that of GAC due to the significantly lower specific surface area, but the first order kinetic constant was more than 500 times larger than GAC. Overall, EG might be effective where the fast adsorption is required.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.388-393
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• 2013

It has been well documented that Bacillus vallismortis strain EXTN-1, a beneficial rhizosphere bacterium, could enhance plant growth and induce systemic resistance to diverse pathogens in plants. However, the molecular mechanisms for how the EXTN-1 promote plant growth and induce resistances to diverse pathogens. Here, we show that 3-Hydroxy-2-butanone, a volatile organic compound (VOCs) emitted from the EXTN1, is a key factor for the bacteria-mediated beneficial effects on plant growth and defense systems. We found that the presence of volatile signals of EXTN-1 resulted in growth promotion of tobacco seedlings. The identification and analysis of EXTN-1-secreted volatile signals by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) indicated that a 3-hydroxy-2-butanone could provide not only the plant growth promotion, but also higher resistance against Pectobacterium carotovorum SCC1. These results suggest that a volatile compound released from EXTN-1 enhances the plant growth promotion and immunity of plants.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.10 no.1_2
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• pp.1-14
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• 1995

The purpose of this research is to assess the health risk of pollutants in drinking water and recommend the guidelines and management plans for maintaining good quality of drinking water. This study has been funded as a national project for three years from 1992 to 1995. This study(the second year, 1993-1994) was conducted to monitor 32 species of carcinogenic chemicals such as volatile organic compounds(VOCs), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs), pesticides and heavy metals of drinking water at some area in six cities of Korea, and evaluate health risk due to these chemicals through four main steps of risk assessment in drinking water. In hazard identification, 32 species of carcinogenic chemicals were identified by the US EPA classification system. In the step of exposure assessment, sampling of raw, treated and tap water from the public water supply system had been conducted from 1993 to 1994, and 32 chemicals were analyzed. In dose-response assessment, cancer potencies, unit risk estimates and virtually safe doses of carcinogens were obtained by TOX-RISK (Version 3.1). In risk characterization of detected chemicals, health risk due to carcinogens such as vinyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride, dichloromethane, 1, 2-dichloromethane, chloroform, benzene and arsenic of tap water in several cities exceeded 10$^{-5}$ level. We suggest that non-regulated chemicals which exceed 10$^{-5}$ excess cancer risk level, such as vinyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride and 1, 2-dichloroethane, should be monitored periodically and be regulated by the Drinking Water Management Act, and database for exposure parameter of our own situation should be established.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2018

Nation-wide systematic and comprehensive measurements of air quality criteria species have been made over 340 sites currently in Korea since 1990. Using these data, temporal and spatial trends of $SO_2$, $PM_{10}$, $NO_2$, $O_3$, CO and $O_x(NO_2+O_3)$ were analyzed to characterize and evaluate implementing efficiency of air quality policy and regulations. Due to strict and effective policy to use cleaner fuels in late 1980s and 1990s, the primary pollutants, such as $SO_2$, CO, and $PM_{10}$ decreased sharply by early 2000s in all parts of Korea. After this period, their concentrations declined with much lower rates in most parts of Korea. In addition, isolated but noticeable numbers of places, especially in major ports, newly developing towns and industrial parks, sustained high levels or even showed further degradation. Despite series of emission control strategies were enforced since early 1990s, $NO_2$ concentrations haven't changed much till 2005, due to significant increase in number of automobiles. Nevertheless, we confirmed that the staggering levels of $NO_2$ and $PM_{10}$ improved evidently after 2005, especially in Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA), where enhanced regulations for $NO_2$ and $PM_{10}$ emissions was imposed to automobiles and large emission sources. However, their decreasing trends were much lessened in recent years again as current air quality improvement strategies has been challenged to revise further. In contrast to these primary species, annual $O_3$, which is secondary product from $NO_2$ and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), has increased consistently with about 0.6 ppbv per year in every urban part of Korea, while yearly average of daily maximum 8-hour $O_3$ in summer season had a much higher rate of 1.2 ppbv per year. Increase of $O_3$ can be explained mainly by reductions of NO emission. Rising background $O_3$ in the Northeast Asia and increasing oxidizing capacity by changing photochemistry were likely causes of observed $O_3$ increase. The future air quality policy should consider more effective ways to lower alarming level of $O_3$ and $PM_{10}$.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.188-198
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• 2008

Since 2003, the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) of Korea has been conducting "The monitoring study on exposure level and biomarkers of environmental pollutants" in the Ulsan industrial complex with the goals to establish a surveillance system for residents, to evaluate the health effects associated with chronic exposure to environmental pollutants and to develop the environmental health indicators in Ulsan industrial complex. This program consists of three phases an initial or foundation phase in which the program is developed, made operational and extended to the community, followed by an evaluation and accountability assessment of the surveillance system and finally an improvement in the quality of life and the maintenance of good health for Ulsan residents. In the period 2003 to 2008, the study program developed the surveillance system which will be used for the full-length survey. All participants in this study were contacted at a presentation meeting for residents, introduced to the objectives and protocols of the survey, and asked to participate. Informed consent was obtained from each participant. The study is now underway and includes questionnaires, health examinations and the analysis/collection/banking of bio-sample such as blood and urine. To date 828 subjects have participated and already 588 subjects have been followed up. We are committed to complete health examinations and to arrange storage of biosample for all participants. During the current year, we will analyze metals (Pb in blood and Cd, inorganic As and Hg in urine) in 1,972 samples and VOCs (11 species) and PARs (18 species) in 300 samples (blood sample). Moreover, the summary of the first step and the further preparation of the second step are currently underway. In this article, we introduce the study and its protocols and the distribution and size of the study participants. In conclusion, this survey will be continuously conducted on the established cohort and will enable the identification of relationship between environmental pollutant exposures and the health status of residents in Ulsan industrial complex.

• 보존과학연구
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• s.28
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• pp.91-104
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• 2007

The goal of this study was to provide basic data for arrangement of management in museum environment. We investigated characteristics of distribution on indoor air pollutants at exhibition halls and storages in museums between July and August, 2007. The monitoring carried out at three cultural sites, Pusan, Daejeon and Kyungjoo which is possessed their own exhibition hall and storage in Museums. We adopt the several pollutants for this survey such as $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$ $CO_2$, Formaldehyde, TBC, CO, $NO_2$, Rn, VOCs, $O_3$ and followed the standard method of Ministry of Environment, Korea for sampling and analysis, respectively. The results of this survey revealed that average concentration of $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ in storages were $117.3{\mu}g/m^3$ and $92.6{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. The average concentration in storages of gases pollutants and microorganism such as $CO_2$, Formaldehyde, $NO_2$, Rn, TVOC, $O_3$, and TBC showed as: 788.8ppm, $30.7{\mu}g/m^3$, 0.4ppm, 6.4ppb, $1.3pCi/{\ell}$, $1,374.9{\mu}g/m^3$, 2.4ppb, and $119.4cfu/m^3$, respectively. In addition, average concentration of $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ in exhibition halls were $49.5{\mu}g/m^3$ and $56.1{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. The average concentration in exhibition halls of gases pollutants and microorganism such as $CO_2$, Formaldehyde, $NO_2$, Rn, TVOC, $O_3$, and TBC showed as: 475.2ppm, $94.1{\mu}g/m^3$, 0.3ppm, 12.4ppb, $0.3pCi/{\ell}$, $1,179.1{\mu}g/m^3$, 5.2ppb, 2.4ppb, and $24.8cfu/m^3$, respectively.