• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.344-352
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• 2023

Background: With its developed port and related industries, the concentration of fine dust is high in Busan compared to other cities in South Korea. Many studies have reported the health effects of fine dust, but there has been a lack of information regarding concentrations of volatile organic compounds among those who exposed to high levels of fine dust. Objectives: This study aimed to define an area with high concentrations of particulate matter and perform biomonitoring surveys among the residents of the area. Methods: Air quality data was collected and the mean level of each district in Busan was derived. We then defined the area with the highest concentrations of PM₁₀ as a target site. Urine samples were collected from the 400 participants and analyzed for VOCs metabolites - trans,trans-Muconic Acid (t,t-MA) and N-AcetylS-(benzyl)-L-cysteine (BMA). Interviews were conducted by trained investigators to examine demographic information. The levels of t,t-MA and BMA were compared with representative South Korean population data (Korean National Environmental Health Survey). The association of the VOC metabolites and fine dust were analyzed by general linear regression analysis. Results: The mean of PM₁₀ in the target site was 42.50 ㎍/m³ from 2018 to 2020. Among the 400 participants in the target site, 74.8% were female and the average age of the participants was 66 years. The geometric mean of t,t-MA was 71.15 ㎍/g creatinine and the BMA was 7.00 ㎍/g creatinine among the residents. The levels were higher than the geometric mean from the 4th KoNEHS. The levels of t,t-MA showed significance in BMI, smoking status, and household income. BMA showed significance in gender and age. Conclusions: Compared to the general population of South Korea, the target site's residents had higher biomonitoring levels. Based on this study, continuous screening for high risk areas, including the target site, and biomonitoring of the residents are required.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.E2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2006

This pilot study focuses on emissions characterization of air pollutants produced from incineration of some municipal solid wastes (MSWs). The MSWs incinerated by an electric furnace maintained up to $600^{\circ}C$ included food, paper, and plastic wastes. The pollutants analyzed in this study included concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), bottom ash contents, and heavy metals extracted from the bottom ash of each waste. The VOCs identified were classified based on their chemical structure. The total emissions of VOCs produced from incineration of the papers were identified as the highest followed by those from the plastics and the food wastes. Aliphatic alkenes were major VOC compounds produced from incineration of plastic or food wastes, while furans were major VOCs produced from incineration of papers. The second major VOCs produced from incineration of food, plastics, and papers were aromatics. In particular, hazardous air pollutants such as benzene were produced with considerable amount of emission concentration. The bottom ash contents of papers were usually much higher than those of food or plastic wastes. The bottom ash contents produced from incineration of food and plastics were much lower than those of other MSWs. In analysis of heavy metals extracted by an ultrasonic method from the bottom ashes of the papers, high concentrations of heavy metals were identified from incineration of newspapers and box (cardboard). In addition, it was identified that the general public might be exposed to considerable amounts of lead concentrations during incineration processes and uses of paper cup and from ashes.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.254-258
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• 2006

Zeolites with excellent adsorption capacity of volatile organic compounds were attached onto inorganic fibers which were the raw materials of honeycomb-type adsorbers. The amounts of zeolite particles attached onto the fibers considerably increased by treating them with hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, or hydrofluoric acid. Various functional groups such as chloropropyl, aminopropyl and epoxy groups of silane compounds, and amine groups of polyethylenimine were employed as covalent linkage materials between the fibers and zeolite particles. The state of the fibers coated with zeolite particles was examined by scanning electron microscopy, and the amounts of zeolite particles bound to the fibers were estimated from their BET surface areas. The largest amount was obtained when polyethylenimine was employed as a linkage material. Polyethylenimine was the most effective for attaching zeolite particles onto the inorganic fibers among various linkers employed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.65-75
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• 1997

Removal characteristics of volatile organic carbons(VOCs) by ozone oxidation and other processes in the raw water of the 1st Nakdong water treatment plant were investigated. Dichrolomethane, toluene and other 7 compounds were detected in the raw water. With regard to detected 4 compounds in finally treated water, it was found that VOCs could not be removed effectively by traditional water treatment process. Benzene, 1,2-dichlorobenzne were not detected in the raw water but they were detected in the process of treatment. The compound of highest detection frequency was dichloromethane. When the raw water was controlled at pH 7, temperature $20^{\circ}C$, 5 minutes as contact time, 10 minutes as reaction time, the removal rate of THMFP, $KMnO_4$ demand, TOC, $UV_{254nm}$ and $NH_3-N$ were 46.4%, 22%, 19.6%, 31% and 8%, respectively. From estimating the finally treated water qualities in 7 kinds of treatment processes, P-6 process(raw water-chlorination-coagulation-ozonation) was most effective for organics removal and THMs control. Removal efficiencies for $KMnO_4$ demand and TOC by the process which combined preozonation with coagulation was twice better than only preozonation. $NH_3-N$ removal rate was shown as 10% by P-3 process(raw water-coagulation-ozonation), but 83% of $NH_3-N$ was removed by P-4 process(raw water-coagulation-chlorination). It was found that the chlorination is more effective than the ozonation for the NH3-N removal as commonly known.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.83-96
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• 2005

The purposes of this study were to characterize the local levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), to develop source profiles of VOCs, and to quantify the source contribution of VOCs using the CMB (chemical mass balance) model. The concentration of VOCs had been measured every 6-day duration in the SRO monitoring site in the Yeosu Petrochemical Industrial Complex from September 2000 to August 2002. The total of 35 target VOCs, which were included in the TO-14 designated from the U.S. EPA, was selected to be monitored in the study area. During a 24-h period, the ambient VOCs were sampled by using canisters placing about 10 ～ 15 m above the ground level. The collected canisters were then analyzed by a GC-MS in the laboratory. Aside from ambient sampling at the SRO site, the VOCs had been intensively and massively measured from 8 direct sources and 4 general sources in the study area. The results obtained in the study were as follows; first, the annual mean concentrations of the target VOCs were widely distributed regardless of monitoring sites in the Yeosu Petrochemical Industrial Complex. In particular, the concentrations of BTX (Benzene, Toluene, Xylene), vinyl chloride were higher than other target compounds. Second, based on these source sample data, source profiles for VOCs were developed to apply a receptor model, the CMB model. Third, the results of source apportionment study for the VOCs in the SRO Site were as follows; The source of petrochemical plant was apportioned by 31.3% in terms of VOCs mass. The site was also affected by 16.7% from wastewater treatment plant, 14.0% from iron mills, 8.4% from refineries, 4.4% from oil storage, 3.8% from automobiles, 2.3% from fertilizer, 2.3% from painting, 2.2% from waste incinerator, 0.6% from graphic art, and 0.4% from gasoline vapor sources.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2005

Polyurethane-polysiloxanes (PU/PDMS) was synthesized using 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and 1,4-butanediol (BD) to overcome the weakness to the organic chemicals. The composite membranes were prepared onto porous poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) supports. In vapor permeation experiments, the flux increased with increasing operating temperatures and feed concentrations while the separation factors showed the opposite trend, so-called 'trade-off'. In this study, the effect of the flux on the operating temperatures was not severe since the content of the soft segments is fairly higher than that of the hard segments. The composite membrane type of PU/PDMS maintained high flux and separation factor as well when comparing with the dense type membranes.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.362-377
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• 2014

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been of particular concern since they are present both in the vapor and particulate phases in ambient air. In this study, a simple method was applied to determine the vapor phase PAHs, and the performance of the new method was evaluated with a conventional method. The simple method was based on adsorption sampling and thermal desorption with GC/MS analysis, which is generally applied to the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air. A combination of Carbotrap (300 mg) and Carbotrap-C (100 mg) sorbents was used as the adsorbent. Target compounds included two rings PAHs such as naphthalene, acenaphthylene, and acenaphthene. Among them, naphthalene was listed as one of the main HAPs together with a number of VOCs in petroleum refining industries in the USA. For comparison purposes, a method based on adsorption sampling and solvent extraction with GC/MS analysis was adopted, which is in principle same as the NIOSH 5515 method. The performance of the adsorption sampling and thermal desorption method was evaluated with respect to repeatabilities, detection limits, linearities, and storage stabilities for target compounds. The analytical repeatabilities of standard samples are all within 20%. Lower detection limits was estimated to be less than 0.1 ppbv. In the results from comparison studies between two methods for real air samples. Although the correlation coefficients were more than 0.9, a systematic difference between the two groups was revealed by the paired t-test (${\alpha}$=0.05). Concentrations of two-rings PAHs determined by adsorption and thermal desorption method consistently higher than those by solvent extraction method. The difference was caused by not only the poor sampling efficiencies of XAD-2 for target PAHs and but also sample losses during the solvent extraction and concentration procedure. This implies that the levels of lower molecular PAHs tend to be underestimated when determined by a conventional PAH method utilizing XAD-2 (and/or PUF) sampling and solvent extraction method. The adsorption sampling and thermal desorption with GC analysis is very simple, rapid, and reliable for lower-molecular weight PAHs. In addition, the method can be used for the measurement of VOCs in the air simultaneously. Therefore, we recommend that the determination of naphthalene, the most volatile PAH, will be better when it is measured by a VOC method instead of a conventional PAH method from a viewpoint of accuracy.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.540-547
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• 2021

Background: Indoor air pollutants are caused by a number of factors, such as coming in from the outside or being generated by internal activities. Typical indoor air pollutants include nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide from household items such as heating appliances and volatile organic compounds from building materials. In addition there is carbon dioxide from human breathing and bacteria from speaking, coughing, and sneezing. Objectives: According to recent research results, most indoor air pollution is known to be greatly affected by internal factors such as burning (biomass for cooking) and various pollutants. These pollutants can have a fatal effect on the human body due to a lack of ventilation facilities. Methods: We fabricated a polydopamine (PDA) layer with Ti substrates as a coating on supported glass fiber fabric to enhance its photo-activity. The PDA layer with TiO₂ was covalently attached to glass fiber fabric using the drop-casting method. The roughness and functional groups of the surface of the Ti substrate/PDA coated glass fiber fabric were verified through infrared imaging microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The obtained hybrid Ti substrate/PDA coated glass fiber fabric was investigated for photocatalytic activity by the removal of ammonia and an epidermal Staphylococcus aureus reduction test with lamp (250 nm, 405 nm wavelength) at 24℃. Results: Antibacterial properties were found to reduce epidermal staphylococcus aureus in the Ti substrate/PDA coated glass fiber fabric under 405 nm after three hours. In addition, the Ti substrate/PDA coated glass fiber fabric of VOC reduction rate for ammonia was 50% under 405 nm after 30 min. Conclusions: An electron-hole pair due to photoexcitation is generated in the PDA layer and transferred to the conduction band of TiO₂. This generates a superoxide radical that degrades ammonia and removes epidermal Staphylococcus aureus.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.24-37
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• 2007

The Korean Ministry of Environment started controlling indoor air quality (IAQ) in 2004 through the introduction of a law regulating the use of pollutant emitting building materials. The use of materials with formaldehyde emission levels above $1.25 mg/m^2{\cdot}h$ (JIS A 1901, small chamber method) has been prohibited. This level is equivalent to the $E_2$ grade ($>5.0mg/{\ell}$) of the desiccator method (JIS A 1460). However, the $20{\ell}$ small chamber method requires a 7-day test time to obtain the formaldehyde and volatile organic compound (VOC) emission results from solid building interior materials. As a approach to significantly reduce the test time, the field and laboratory emission cell (FLEC) has been proposed in Europe with a total test time less than one hour. This paper assesses the reproducibility of testing formaldehyde and TVOC emissions from wood-based composites such as medium density fiberboard (MDF), laminate flooring, and engineered flooring using three methods: desiccator, perforator and FLEC. According to the desiccator and perforator standards, the formaldehyde emission level of each flooring was ${\le}E_1$ grade. The formaldehyde emission of MDF was $3.48 mg/{\ell}$ by the desiccator method and 8.57 g/100 g by the perforator method. To determine the formaldehyde emission, the peak areas of each wood-based composite were calculated from aldehyde chromatograms obtained using the FLEC method. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde and benzaldehyde were detected as aldehyde compounds. The experimental results indicated that MDF emitted chloroform, benzene, trichloroethylene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p-xy-lene, styrene, and o-xylene. MDF emitted significantly greater amounts of VOCs than the floorings did.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.61-69
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• 2005

Adsorption characteristics of toluene vapor, which is one of important source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), by activated carbon were investigated using a fixed bed adsorption column. The operating parameters such as breakthrough curve, adsorption capacity, mass transfer zone (MTZ), and length of unused bed (LUB) were studied. The experimental results showed that the breakthrough time decreased with increasing inlet toluene concentration and gas flow rate. MTZ and LUB increased with the increase of inlet concentration, gas flow rate, and particle size of activated carbon. The adsorption capacity increased with the increase of inlet toluene concentration, while it decreased with increasing particle size. However, it was kept at constant value regardless of the increase of gas flow rate. Adsorption isotherm of toluene vapor could be represented by the Freundlich adsorption equation fairly well. From the adsorption experiments using some VOC gases such as toluene, xylene, butyl acetate. butanol and acetone, it was also found that the adsorption capacity was higher in the case of gas with higher boiling point and lower vapor pressure.