• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.157-165
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to investigate allergic diseases related to allergy caused by the exposure to indoor and outdoor sources of air pollution in primary schools. The symptoms questionnaire of allergic diseases based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was completed by the participants. The past and present status of asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, and allergic conjunctivitis were investigated by providing a questionnaire to all the participating children. Questionnaires were sent to a total of 61,350 children from 438 primary schools. A total of 40,522 children responded to the questionnaire, which represents a 66.1% return rate. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), $\underline{A}$ldehydes, and Particulate Matter ($PM_{10}$) were measured and analyzed from October to December of 2006, in 82 primary schools. The final study population comprised 35,168 children with complete data which excluded incomplete questionnaire responded by 5,354 children. Based on the survey, the level of indoor air contamination did not appear to be high, but 27.2% of the schools evaluated had exceeded the $PM_{10}$ level specified by the school health guidelines ($100\;{\mu}g/m^3$). The overall mean concentration of formaldehyde was $22.07\;{\mu}g/m^3$ and 1.0% of schools (1 school) exceeded the $100\;{\mu}g/m^3$. Statistically significant relationships have been observed between indoor air quality and prevalence rate of allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis of primary schools in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.23-37
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• 2017

Objectives : This study was conducted to evaluate the level of exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) among workers handling rust preventive oils. Methods : A total of 30 bulk samples and 54 personal air samples were collected using diffusive samplers at 22 workplaces handling rust preventive oils in Daegu and Gyongsangbuk-do Province from March to October 2013. We also investigated detailed information on the related work conditions, such as kinds of products, handling methods, local exhaustive ventilation systems, and the status of the wearing personal protective equipment. All bulk samples and air samples were analyzed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify components to which workers potentially were exposed. Quantitative airborne concentrations of VOCs were confirmed using gas chromatography with flame ionized detectors. Results : In terms of qualitative analyses for the 30 bulk samples, we found carcinogenic, mutagenic and reproductive toxic(CMR) substances such as butane(carcinogenic Group 1A, mutagenic Group 1B), butoxy ethanol(carcinogenic Group 2), cumene (carcinogenic Group 2), ethyl benzene(carcinogenic Group 2), methyl isobutyl ketone(carcinogenic Group 2) and toluene (reproductive toxic, Group 2). As a result of full-shift based personal air samples, eight substances such as n-hexane, n-heptane, octane, nonane, decane, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene were detected. Among them, n-hexane and n-heptane were detected in all of 54 air samples with $13.13mg/m^3$ and $8.61mg/m^3$ of maximum concentration, respectively. The level of airborne concentration from all of samples were bellow the occupational exposure limit in Korea. Conclusions : Based on the results of this study, workers handling rust preventive oils could be exposed to CMR substances contained in rust preventive oils and n-hexane and n-heptane were found as the most frequent sources of VOC exposure.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.173-181
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• 1996

Common volatile organic compounds(VOCs) such as toluene and methanol were removed successfully from N$_{2}$ using a novel silicone-coated hollow fiber membrane module. This novel membrane is a thin film composite(TFC) and was highly efficient in removing VOCs selectively from a N$_{2}$ stream. This membrane had some innate advantages over other silicone-based membrane in that the selective barrier was ultrathin(~1 $\mu$m) and the porosity of the polypropylene substrate was high which leads to a low permeation resistance. The substram was very strongly bonded to the coating layer by plasma polymerization and can withstand a very high pressure. A small hollow fiber module having a length of 25cm and 50 fibers could remove 96~99% of toluene as well as methanol vapors when the feed flow rate was up to 60cc/min. The percent removal of VOCs were even higher when the feed inlet concentration was higher. This process is especially suitable for treating streams having a low flow rate and high VOCs concentration. The permeances of VOCs through this membrane was in the range of $4~30 \times 10^{-9}gmol/sec \cdot cm^{2}\cdot cmHg$ for both toluene and methanol, and nitrogen permeance was between $3~9 \times 10^{-10}gmol/sec \cdot cm^{2} \cdot cmHg$. High separation factor between 10~55 for toluene/N$_{2}$ and 15~125 for methanol/N$_{2}$ were obtained depending on the feed flow rate ranges and feed VOCs concentration levels.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.139-152
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• 2017

Excessive amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and odorants discharged into the environment are highly dangerous to human health as well as to ecological systems. Biological treatments of waste gas streams, called biofiltration, containing VOCs and odorous compounds has gained much attention because biofilters are more cost effective and environmentally friendly than conventional air pollution control technologies. This review provides an overview of biotrickling filtration, which is a type of biofiltration including continuous trickled-water flow inside filter media, for VOC and odor abatement. The configuration, design, cost effectiveness, removal capacity and environmental impact of this techniques and the future research and development needs in this area are all considered.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.303-308
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• 2005

A miniaturized time-of-flight mass spectrometer with an electron impact ionization source and sheet membrane introduction has been developed. The advantages and features of this mass spectrometer include high sensitivity, simple structure, low cost, compact volume with field portability, and ease of operation. A mass resolution of 400 at m/z 78 has been obtained with a 25 cm flight path length. Under optimized conditions, the detection limits for the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) studied were 0.2-10 ppm by volume with linear dynamic ranges greater than three orders of magnitude. The response times for various VOCs using a silicone membrane of 127 $\mu$m thickness were in the range 4.5-20 s, which provides a sample analysis time of less than 1 minute. These results indicate that the membrane introduction/time-of-flight mass spectrometer will be useful for a wide range of field applications, particularly for environmental monitoring.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.633-638
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• 2019

Indoor air quality underground facilities are not equipped for the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and they are usually treated by diffusion methods such as ventilation. In this study, an adsorption filter was prepared using various coating methods such as carbon nano fiber (CNF) and dip coating. As a result, the adsorption performance was improved by 2 to 20 times or more compared to that of using the metal foam support. This is maybe due to the enhancement of pore distribution which was confirmed by SEM. In addition, the adsorption performance was 13.95 mg/g by adding lignin, and also an average adsorption performance of 13.25 mg/g was maintained after washing indicating that a highly durable adsorption filter material was prepared. It can be suggested that the developed adsorption filter material can be a potential solution that can fundamentally control VOCs, not via the concentration reduction of mechanical ventilation in underground facilities.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.37-42
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• 2010

Together with the concern about the indoor air quality as sick house syndrome, the Ministry of Environment announced "Indoor Air Quality Control Law for the Multi Purpose Facility," which made the interests to be focused in the urgent understanding of current condition and preparation of measures about the indoor air pollution. The law was revised to obligatorily notify the amount of Formaldehyde and Volatile Organic Compounds in the case of newly constructed apartments with more than 100 houses. School also have its own indoor air quality guideline. Indoor air quality in school is very important because, children who very weak to indoor pollutants reside long time in there. The purpose of this paper is to to survey indoor air quality in school by field measurement. Field measurements were performed in 11 schools which were selected from 3 major cities(Incheon, Dae-jeon, chuncheon) in korea, Totally concentration of indoor pollutants were determined in 32 classroom. Target air pollutants were TVOC, formaldehyde, dust, CO, CO2. For the result of this investigation, Indoor air quality in classroom was very poor and it was found that some pollutants(TVOC, float bacteria) exceed the guideline.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2015

It is important thing that air quality affects human health. And It is more important thing that Indoor Air Quality more affects human health than Outdoor Air Quality. The cause of that is indoor air pollutants are more absorbed than outdoor air pollutants. By the way, in case of Multi-use facility for example office, department store, school etc., it has a feature that there are more people than any other buildings. therethrough, effects of Indoor Air Quality of Multi-use facility affect more people's health than Indoor Air Quality of any other buildings. However, in multi-use facility, specifically retail store, chemical treated materials are used for interior finishing, showcase finishing and product finishing because esthetic element is more added for detention of customer. Consequently, in place where demands brisk sales, possibility that indoor air is polluted by VOCs is high. This study considered retail store's Indoor Air Quality. as result of experiment, figure of department store's air pollution exceed about 5~20 times in guideline of multi-use facility's Indoor Air Quality in any kind of shop of department store (guideline : $500{\mu}g/m^3$).

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2017

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the emission of VOCs from clothing that had been dry cleaned. Methods: In order to ensure the same conditions, f100% wool scarves were selected as the fabric type. Four identical tests were conducted on the option of either removing the plastic bags which came from the dry cleaning shop or not. The scarf was located inside a closet or room for one or two days. Small chamber tests were conducted to determine the VOC emission characteristics under the same conditions such as temperature, humidity, loading factor, and air exchange rates. Air from the chamber for VOCs was sampled by Tenax TA tube and analyzed by thermal desorption and GC/MSD. Results: Assuming that test represented dry cleaning and consumer's conditions well enough, we can conclude that immediate emissions after the dry cleaning of the scarfs caused elevated levels of TVOC, five VOCs (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, stylene), and decane group compounds. Conclusions: By removing the plastic bags which came from the dry cleaning shop or not, the storage conditions of dry cleaned scarfs by consumers during the storage time periods (one to three days) would be significant for reducing VOC emissions.

• Clean Technology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.134-139
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• 2013

VOCs such as formaldehyde and benzene in a control chamber were adsorbed onto gypsum incorporating oyster shell powder, which was solidified and dried. VOC was first exposed in air and then gypsum mortar was placed in the chamber for 180 min for adsorption. The mortar was prepared with 0, 10, 30, and 50% of oyster shell powder. Two initial concentrations of VOCs including formaldehyde were $27.7{\sim}28.5mg/m^3$ or $175{\sim}150{\mu}g/m^3$. We found out that the initial concentrations did not seem to make any difference in adsorption performance but higher oyster content strongly led to higher adsorption. We used a convection-diffusion-adsorption model to compare the experiment. The model which considers diffusion coefficients of adsorbates and affinity of the adsorbents well represented the experimental data with a fair agreement.