• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.434-448
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• 2014

The aerosol characteristics between haze episode and Asian dust event were identified in January and March, 2013 in Gwang-ju of Korea to investigate the metal elements, ionic concentrations and carbonaceous particles of $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$. In the haze episode, the concentrations were increased 1~3.2 times of ionic species and 1.6~2.7 of metal elements. Especially, the concentration of $NO{_3}{^-}$, $SO{_4}{^2-}$ and $NH{_4}{^+}$ consists of 50 percent in ionic species during haze episode that was higher than Asian dust event. This suggests that secondary aerosols from anthropogenic air pollution were mainly contributed by haze episode. During the Asian dust event, increase of metal concentrations was higher than haze episode because of remarkable increase of Ti, K and Fe originated from soil. The concentrations of carbonaceous particles were increased 2.5 times during haze episode, and 2.4 times of OC and 2.1 times of EC during Asian dust event in $PM_{2.5}$. However, these aerosol mass concentration does not affect the OC/EC ratio. The average equivalence ratios of cations/anions in $PM_{2.5}$ were 0.99 in haze episodes and 0.94 during non-event day. The neutralization factor of $NH_3$ was higher than that of $CaCO_3$. Futhermore, $NH{_4}{^+}$ aerosol was aged due to atmospheric stagnation that might be affected by the haze episode.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.177-183
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• 2010

A focused ion beam (FIB) system produces a beam of positive ions (usually gallium) which are heavier than electrons and can be focused by electrostatic lenses into a spot on the specimen. With its ability milling of the specimen material by 10 to 100 nm with each pass of the beam, FIB is widely adopted in materials science, semiconductor industry, and ceramics research. Recently, FIB has been increasingly employed in the field of biomedical sciences. Here we provide a brief introduction to FIB and its applications for a wide variety of biomedical research. The surface of specimen can be in situ processed and quasi-real time visualized by two beam combination of FIB and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). Due to its milling process, internal structures can be exposed and analyzed: yeast cells, fungus-inoculated wheat leaf, mannitol particles in inhalation aerosols, and oyster shell. Serial blockface tomography with the system kindles 3-dimensional reconstruction researches in the realm of nervous system and life sciences. Two-beam system of FIB/FESEM is a versatile tool to be utilized in the biomedical sciences, especially in 3-dimensional reconstruction studies.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.239-253
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• 2017

Neodymium is a future-oriented material due to its unique properties, and its use is increasing in various industrial fields worldwide. However, the toxicity caused by repeated exposure to this metal has not been studied in detail thus far. The present study was carried out to investigate the potential inhalation toxicity of nano-sized neodymium oxide ($Nd_2O_3$) following a 28-day repeated inhalation exposure in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Male rats were exposed to nano-sized $Nd_2O_3-containing$ aerosols via a nose-only inhalation system at doses of $0mg/m^3$, $0.5mg/m^3$, $2.5mg/m^3$, and $10mg/m^3$ for 6 hr/day, 5 days/week over a 28-day period, followed by a 28-day recovery period. During the experimental period, clinical signs, body weight, hematologic parameters, serum biochemical parameters, necropsy findings, organ weight, and histopathological findings were examined; neodymium distribution in the major organs and blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and oxidative stress in lung tissues were analyzed. Most of the neodymium was found to be deposited in lung tissues, showing a dose-dependent relationship. Infiltration of inflammatory cells and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) were the main observations of lung histopathology. Infiltration of inflammatory cells was observed in the $2.5mg/m^3$ and higher dose treatment groups. PAP was observed in all treatment groups accompanied by an increase in lung weight, but was observed to a lesser extent in the $0.5mg/m^3$ treatment group. In BALF analysis, total cell counts, including macrophages and neutrophils, lactate dehydrogenase, albumin, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, increased significantly in all treatment groups. After a 4-week recovery period, these changes were generally reversed in the $0.5mg/m^3$ group, but were exacerbated in the $10mg/m^3$ group. The lowest-observed-adverse-effect concentration of nano-sized $Nd_2O_3$ was determined to be $0.5mg/m^3$, and the target organ was determined to be the lung, under the present experimental conditions in male rats.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.111-123
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• 2004

Objectives : It has been reported that Cordyceps militaris Mycelia(CMM) has an effect on deficiency allergic asthma(虛喘) clinically. The aim of this study was to determine an appropriate oriental treatment and the doses of CMM to treat asthma. Methods : In order to study the effect of herbal acupuncture solution of the CMM on allergic asthma, the mouse were pretreated by CMM herbal acupuncture at BL13, LU4 before antigen sensitization. 2 days later Mice were actively sensitized with a subcutaneous injection of ovalbumin(OA) and 13 days later they were provoked with OA aerosols. IL-4, lymphocyte, macrophage in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF), IgE in serum, WBC, RBC, HGB in blood, and in vitro isometric contractile responses of the isolated tracheal smooth muscle(TSM) to acetylcholine$(ACh,\;0.1-1000\;{\mu}M)$, KCl were measured. Results : Contractile responses of TSM to ACh were significantly increased in CMM herbal acupuncture 1 group $(Ach\;1000\;{\mu}M)$, CMM herbal acupuncture 2 group $(ACh\;1,\;10\;{\mu}M)$, CMM herbal acupuncture 3 group $(Ach\;0.3,\;1,\;30,\;300\;{\mu}M)$. The sensitivity of TSM to ACh was significantly decreased in CMM herbal acupuncture 3 group. The maximal contractile response of TSM to ACh was significantly decreased in CMM herbal acupuncture 1, 3 group. The maximal contractile response of TSM to KCl was significantly decreased in CMM herbal acupuncture 1, 2, 3 group. The counts of lymphocytes in BALF was significantly increased in CMM herbal acupuncture 3 group. The counts of macrophages in BALF was significantly decreased in CMM herbal acupuncture 3 group. Interleukin-4 level in BALF was significantly increased in CMM herbal acupuncture 1,3 group. and it was increased in CMM herbal acupuncture 2 group, but there was no significance. Serum IgE level was significantly decreased in CMM herbal acupuncture 1, 2, 3 group. The counts of WBC in blood was significantly increased in CMM herbal acupuncture 1, 3 group Conclusion : Based on the above results it is assumed that CMM herbal acupuncture at BL13, LU4 can help the treatment of deficiency allergic Asthm.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.207-216
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• 1979

Environmental pollution or contaminations caused by various kinds of pollutants have become one of most serious problems of our time. Environ mental pollution is the unfavoralble alteration of our surroundings, through direct or indirect effects of changes in energy patterns, rediation levels, chemical and physical constitution and abundances of organisms. These changes may affect humans directly or through their supplies of water and of agicultural and other biological products, their physical objects or possessions, or their opportunities for recreation and appreciation of nature. Pollutants that meet the criteria of this definition of environmental pollution are numerous: gases (such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) and paniculate matter (such as smoke particles, lead aerosols, and asbestos) in the atmosphere; pesticides and radioactive isotopes in the atmosphee and in waterways; sewage, organic. chemicals, and phosphates in water; solid wastes on land; excessive heating (thermal pollution) of rivers and lakes; and many others. Some of these pollutants are introduced into the environment naturally, others by human actions, and most in both ways. Our major concer is with environmental pollution resulting wholly or largely as a by-product of human activities, because these can be controlled most readily. Environmental pollution cannot be solved by science and technology alone. It should be handled by an interdisciplinary approach with combined methods of science and technology as wen as social science disciplines for the better solution of this critical problem. In this respect, introducing "Environmental Science," a new scientific approach for the solution of environmental problems, which is now widely accepted by most developed countries of the world will be very helpful for systematization of theoretical basis for a new scientific approach to environmental pollution. Environmental science is "the study of all systems of air, land, water, energy, and life that surround Man. It includes all sciences directed to the system-level of understanding of the environment, drawing especially upon such disciplines as meteorology, geophysics, oceanography, and ecology, and utilizing to the fullest knowledge and techniques developed in such fields as physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and engineering as well as many social science disciplines, such as economics, such as economics, law, political science and public administration." The components of this discipline are not new, for they are drawn from existing areas of science within biology chemistry, physics, and geoscience. What is really new about environmental science, however, is it siewpoint - its orientation to global problems, its conception of the earth as a set of interlocking, interacting systems, and its interest in Man as a part of these systems.

• Atmosphere
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.57-67
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• 2011

Aerosol lidar ratio (extinction-to-backscatter ratio) at 532 nm was determined using 4-year measurements of elastic-backscatter lidar and sky radiometer at Seoul National University of Seoul, Korea. The mean lidar ratio (with standard deviation) based on 4 years of measurements is found to be $61.7{\pm}16.5$ sr, and weak seasonal variations are noted with a maximum in JJA ($68.1{\pm}16.8$ sr) and a minimum in DJF ($57.2{\pm}17.9$ sr). The lidar ratios for clean, dust, and polluted conditions are estimated to be $45.0{\pm}9.5$ sr, $51.7{\pm}13.7$ sr, and $62.2{\pm}13.2$ sr, respectively. While the lidar ratio for the polluted condition is appears to be consistent with previous studies, clean and dust conditions tend to have larger ratios, compared to previous estimates. This discrepancy is thought to be mainly due to the anthropogenic aerosols existing throughout the year around Seoul, which may cause increased lidar ratios even for clean and dust conditions.

• Clean Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.136-143
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• 2008

The objective of this study is to investigate the visibility of plume at the Y power plant stack, which fires the orimulsion as a fuel. The plume contains numerous primary particles under $1\;{\mu}m$ size and inorganic ions possibly inferred by the chemicals of secondary aerosol formation. We evaluated the visibility of the plume using the modified PLUVUE-II model. The monitoring data on the particle size distribution (PSD) and secondary aerosols of sulfate were applied to estimate and evaluate the main factors of plume opacity. The chemical reactions were applied to the model for the secondary aerosol formation of $(NH_4)_2SO_4(s)$. The maximum plume length was estimated by an optic method using threshold contrast. The results showed that the plume length was strongly dependent upon the PSD and $(NH_4)_2SO_4(s)$ concentration of the plume emitted from the stack.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.701-718
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• 2006

The average ratio of the daily UV-B to total solar (75) irradiance at Busan (35.23$^{\circ}$N, 129.07$^{\circ}$E) in Korea is found as 0.11%. There is also a high exponential relationship between hourly UV-B and total solar irradiance: UV-B=exp (a$\times$(75-b))(R$^2$=0.93). The daily variation of total ozone is compared with the UV-B irradiance at Pohang (36.03$^{\circ}$N, 129.40$^{\circ}$E) in Korea using the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data during the period of May to July in 2005. The total ozone (TO) has been maintained to a decreasing trend since 1979, which leading to a negative correlation with the ground-level UV-B irradiance doting the given period of cloudless day: UV-B=239.23-0.056 TO (R$^2$=0.52). The statistical predictions of daily total ozone are analyzed by using the data of the Brewer spectrophotometer and TOMS in East Asia including the Korean peninsula. The long-term monthly averages of total ozone using the multiplicative seasonal AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model are used to predict the hourly mean UV-B irradiance by interpolating the daily mean total ozone far the predicting period. We also can predict the next day's total ozone by using regression models based on the present day's total ozone by TOMS and the next day's predicted maximum air temperature by the Meteorological Mesoscale Model 5 (MM5). These predicted and observed total ozone amounts are used to input data of the parameterization model (PM) of hourly UV-B irradiance. The PM of UV-B irradiance is based on the main parameters such as cloudiness, solar zenith angle, total ozone, opacity of aerosols, altitude, and surface albedo. The input data for the model requires daily total ozone, hourly amount and type of cloud, visibility and air pressure. To simplify cloud effects in the model, the constant cloud transmittance are used. For example, the correlation coefficient of the PM using these cloud transmissivities is shown high in more than 0.91 for cloudy days in Busan, and the relative mean bias error (RMBE) and the relative root mean square error (RRMSE) are less than 21% and 27%, respectively. In this study, the daily variations of calculated and predicted UV-B irradiance are presented in high correlation coefficients of more than 0.86 at each monitoring site of the Korean peninsula as well as East Asia. The RMBE is within 10% of the mean measured hourly irradiance, and the RRMSE is within 15% for hourly irradiance, respectively. Although errors are present in cloud amounts and total ozone, the results are still acceptable.

• Atmosphere
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.225-233
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• 2017

Korea has recently suffered from severe hazes, largely being long-range transported from China but frequently mixed with domestic pollution. It is important to identify the origin of the frequently-occurring hazes, which is however hard to clearly determine in a quantitative term. In this regard, we suggest a possible classification procedure of various hazes into long-range transported haze (LH), Yellow Sand (YS), and urban haze (UH), based on mass loading of fine particles, time lag of PM mass concentrations between two sites aligned with dominant wind direction, backward trajectory of air mass, and the mass ratio of PM2.5 to PM10. The analysis sites are Seoul (SL) and Baengnyeongdo (BN), which are distant about 200 km from each other in the west to east direction. Aerosol concentrations at BN are overall lower than those of SL, indicative of BN being a background site for SL. We found distinct time lag of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations between BN and SL in case of both LH and YS, but the intensity of YS being stronger than LH. Time scale (e-folding time scale) of LH appears to be longer and more variable than YS, which implies that LH covers much larger spatial scale. In addition, we found linear and significant correlations between ${\tau}_a$ obtained from sunphotometer and ${\tau}_{cal}$ calculated from surface aerosol scattering coefficient for LH episodes, relative to few correlation between those for YS, which might be associated with transported height of YS being much higher than LH. Therefore surface PM concentrations for the YS period are thought to be not representative for vertical integrated amount of aerosol loadings, probably by virtue of decoupled structure of aerosol vertical distribution. Improvement of various hazes classification based on the current result would provide the public as well as researchers with more accurate information of LH, UH, and YS, in terms of temporal scale, size, vertical distribution of aerosols, etc.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.39-50
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• 2013

Real-time aerosol measuring instruments have been widely used for the measurement of atmospheric aerosol, diesel particulate matter, or material synthesis. A scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) measures the number size distribution of particles using electrical mobility detection technique. An aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) is used to determine the number concentration and the mean aerodynamic diameter of test particles. An electrical low-pressure impactor (ELPI) is a multi-stage impaction device to separate airborne particles into aerodynamic size classes using particle charging and electrical detection techniques. In this study, the performance of these instruments were evaluated to assess their ability to obtain mass concentrations from particle number concentration measurements made as a function of particle size. The effect of determination of particle density on the measurement of mass concentration was investigated for the three instruments.