• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.75-90
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• 2002

Methyl tertiary-butyl ether(MTBE) is used as an octane enhancer in gasoline. MTBE can enter the environment at any stage in the production, storage, and transport of undiluted MTBE or MTBE-blended gasoline. Although data on concentrations of MTBE in the environment are not available, modelling of fate of MTBE has provided predictions for concentrations of MTBE in the various media to which humans and other organisms may be exposed. Many individuals do not taste or smell MTBE at the $5{\mu}g/L$ level, and thus may be exposed to higher concentrations for a significant amount of time. MTBE exposure through inhalation is likely to be below health-threatening levels, except for occupational workers such as gasoline station attendants and auto mechanics. It should be stressed, however, that there are important data gaps in our understanding of the acute and chronic toxicity of MTBE. Little or no research concern including being conducted that directly addresses these issues. Rather than any immediate ban on MTBE, I recommend consideration of phasing out MTBE in USA and other countries. During the transition phase, a number of policies are suggested to reduce the risk of using MTBE. One of these policies is that the state should invest in a research program. Such research should, for example, examine effective alternatives for motor vehicle fuels, and detect concentrations of MTBE in ambient air, water, and other environmental media.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.137-154
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• 2019

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial compound used in consumer products. The purpose of current study was to examine toxicology and risk assessment of TCS based on available data. Acute toxicities of oral, transdermal and inhalation routes were low, and phototoxicity and neurotoxicity were not observed. Topical treatment of TCS to animal caused mild irritation. TCS did not induce reproductive and developmental toxicity in rodents. In addition, genotoxicity was not considered based on in vitro and in vivo tests of TCS. It is not classified as a carcinogen in international authorities such as International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). No-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was determined 12 mg/kg bw/day for TCS, based on haematoxicity and reduction of absolute and relative spleen weights in a 104-week oral toxicity study in rats. Percutaneous absorption rate was set as 14%, which was human skin absorption study reported by National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) (2009). The systemic exposure dosage (SED) of TCS has been derived by two scenarios depending on the cosmetics usage of Koreans. The first scenario is the combined use of representative cosmetics and oral care products. The second scenario is the combined use of rinse-off products of cleansing, deodorants, coloring products, and oral care products. SEDs have been calculated as 0.14337 mg/kg bw/day for the first scenario and 0.04733 mg/kg bw/day for the second scenario. As a result, margin of safety (MOS) for the first and second scenarios was estimated to 84 and 253.5, respectively. Based on these results, exposure of TCS contained in rinse-off products, deodorants, and coloring products would not pose a significant health risk when it is used up to 0.3%.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.423-432
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• 2020

Objectives: In this study, we analyzed the current state of delivery containers and packages and established handling guidelines to safely transport delivery containers and packages for use in research, testing, and examination reagents. Methods: Handling guidelines were revised in such categories as maintenance of the handling facilities, storage, loading and unloading, containers and packages, transportation, etc. In addition, we analyzed the current state of domestic sales for hazardous chemicals used for research, testing, and examination reagents, and investigated the handling guidelines related to delivery transportation in the USA, EU, and Japan by chemical property. Results: There are 6,160 companies selling hazardous chemicals. Among them, the 476 companies selling reagents for use in research, testing, and examination were investigated. Total amounts handled reached 425,000 tons, contributing to 0.2% of the total. For delivery transportation, internal containers and packaging was specified for chemical properties as follows: within 1 L for flammable gas, within 5 L for flammable liquid, and within 18 L for others. In addition, the maximum size of the outer package was set within 130 cm for total length, width, and height, and no dimension of the packaging could exceed 60 cm. Sixty-four hazardous chemicals with explosiveness or acute inhalation toxicity were prohibited for delivery transportation. Conclusion: Specified handling guidelines for inner and outer containers as well as packaging were regulated for delivery transportation of hazardous chemicals used for reagents. In addition, 64 hazardous chemicals were prohibited for delivery transportation. These are designed to prevent transportation accidents involving hazardous chemicals for reagents and thus protect the safety and health of transporters who handle hazardous chemicals.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1972.03a
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• pp.6-7
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• 1972

The air pollutants can be classified into the irritant gas and the asphixation gas, and the irritant gas is closely related to the otorhinolaryngological diseases. The common irritant gases are nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, hydrogen carbon compounds, and the potent and irritating PAN (peroxy acyl nitrate) which is secondarily liberated from photosynthesis. Those gases adhers to the mucous membrane to result in ulceration and secondary infection due to their potent oxidizing power. 1. Sulfur dioxide gas Sulfur dioxide gas has the typical characteristics of the air pollutants. Because of its high solubility it gets easily absorbed in the respiratory tract, when the symptoms and signs by irritation become manifested initially and later the resistance in the respiratory tract brings central about pulmonary edema and respiratory paralysis of origin. Chronic exposure to the gas leads to rhinitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, and olfactory or gustatory disturbances. 2. Carbon monoxide Toxicity of carbon monoxide is due to its deprivation of the oxygen carrying capacity of the hemoglobin. The degree of the carbon monoxide intoxication varies according to its concentration and the duration of inhalation. It starts with headache, vertigo, nausea, vomiting and tinnitus, which can progress to respiratory difficulty, muscular laxity, syncope, and coma leading to death. 3. Nitrogen dioxide Nitrogen dioxide causes respiratory disturbances by formation of methemoglobin. In acute poisoning, it can cause pulmonary congestion, pulmonary edema, bronchitis, and pneumonia due to its strong irritation on the eyes and the nose. In chronic poisoning, it causes chronic pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary edema. 4. Ozone It has offending irritating odor, and causes dryness of na sopharyngolaryngeal mucosa, headache and depressed pulmonary function which may eventually lead to pulmonary congestion or edema. 5. Smog The most outstanding incident of the smog occurred in London from December 5 through 8, 1952, because of which the mortality of the respiratory diseases increased fourfold. The smog was thought to be due to the smoke produced by incomplete combustion and its byproduct the sulfur oxides, and the dust was thought to play the secondary role. In new sense, hazardous is the photochemical smog which is produced by combination of light energy and the hydrocarbons and oxidant in the air. The Yonsei University Institute for Environmental :pollution Research launched a project to determine the relationship between the pollution and the medical, ophthalmological and rhinopharyngological disorders. The students (469) of the "S" Technical School in the most heavily polluted area in Pusan (Uham Dong district) were compared with those (345) of "K" High School in the less polluted area. The investigated group had those with subjective symptoms twice as much as the control group, 22.6% (106) in investigated group and 11.3% (39) in the control group. Among those symptomatic students of the investigated group. There were 29 with respiratory symptoms (29%), 22 with eye symptoms (21%), 50 with stuffy nose and rhinorrhea (47%), and 5 with sore thorat (5%), which revealed that more than half the students (52%) had subjective symptoms of the rhinopharyngological aspects. Physical examination revealed that the investigated group had more number of students with signs than those of the control group by 10%, 180 (38.4%) versus 99 (28.8%). Among the preceding 180 students of the investigated group, there were 8 with eye diseases (44%), 1 with respiratory disease (0.6%), 97 with rhinitis (54%), and 74 with pharyngotonsillitis (41%) which means that 95% of them had rharygoical diseases. The preceding data revealed that the otolaryngological diseases are conspicuously outnumbered in the heavily polluted area, and that there must be very close relationship between the air pollution and the otolaryngological diseases, and the anti-pollution measure is urgently needed.