• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.196-208
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• 1997

This study was performed to estimate quartz contents in the both bulk and airborne dust samples and to determine particle size distribution of airborne dust from the selected foundry operations. Total dust samples were collected by a 37mm cassette and respirable by a 10 mm nylon cyclone. Particle size distributions were determined by a Marple's 8-stage cascade impactor at the melting, molding, shakeout and finishing operations. The presence of elements in the dust samples were confirmed by the scanning electron microscopy equipped with the energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry. The quartz contents were estimated using the intensity of the absorption peak of quartz at 799 cm-l by the Fourie Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The results were as follows: 1. The analysis of data from cascade Impactor showed bimodal distributions of particle size at the melting, molding and shakeout operations. Mass median aerodynamic diameters for the distributions determined by histogram were $0.48-1.65{\mu}m$ for small and $13.43-19.58{\mu}m$ for large modes. In the dust samples collected at the finishing operations, however, only a large mode of $18.89{\mu}m$ was found. 2. The percentages of total to respirable dust concentration calculated from the impactor data ranged from 42 % to 66 %. The average concentrations of respirable dust by cyclone were $0.85-1.28mg/m^3$ collected from the workers, and were $0.23-0.56mg/m^3$ from the areas surveyed. Dust concentrations of personal samples were statistically significantly higher than those of area samples. The highest dust concentration was obtained from the personal samples of the finishing operation. 3. The mean percentages of silicon and oxygen estimated by SEM-EDXA in the bulk samples ranged from 35.83 % to 36.02 % and from 39.93 %-41.64 %, respectively. 4. The average quartz contents estimated by FTIR in the respirable dust from personal samples ranged from 4.32 % to 5.36 % and 4.54 % to 4.70 % in the bulk samples. No statistical difference of quartz content was found between foundry operations. In this study, quartz content was quantified by FTIR. Although no statistically significant difference in quartz content between airborne and bulk, samples and between different foundry operations was found, it is recommended that quartz content in the individual sample of respirable dust be analyzed and the results be used either to select an applicable quartz limits or to calculate the exposure limit. Further studies, however, are needed to compare the results by FTIR and XRD since it is reported that the quartz content determined by FTIR is different from that by XRD.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.156-161
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• 2016

When air discharged from a radioisotope production facility is contaminated with radiation, the public may be exposed to radiation. The objective of this study is to manage such radiation exposure. We measured the airborne radioactivity concentration at a 30 MeV cyclotron radioisotope production facility to assess whether the exhaust gas was contaminated. Additionally, we investigted the radioactive contamination of the air filter for efficient air purification and radiation safety control. To measure the airborne radiation concentration, specimens were collected weekly for 4 h after the beginning of the radioisotope production. Regarding the air purifier, five specimens were collected at different positions of each filter-pre-filter, high-efficiency particulate air filter, and charcoal filter-installed in the cyclotron production room. The concentrations of F-18, I-123, I-131, and Tl-201 generated in the radioiodine production room were $13.5Bq/m^3$, $27.0Bq/m^3$, $0.10Bq/m^3$, and $11.5Bq/m^3$, respectively; the concentrations of F-18, I-123, and I-131 produced in the radioisotope production room were $0.05Bq/m^3$, $16.1Bq/m^3$, and $0.45Bq/m^3$, correspondingly; and those of F-18, I-123, I-131, and Tl-201 generated in the accelerator room were $2.07Bq/m^3$, $53.0Bq/m^3$, $0.37Bq/m^3$, and $0.15Bq/m^3$, respectively. The maximum radiation concentration of I-123 generated in the radioiodine production room was 1,820 Bq/g, which can be disposed after 2 days. The maximum radiation concentration of Tl-202 generated in the radioisotope production room was 205 Bq/g, and this isotope must be stored for 53 days. The I-123 generated in the radioiodine production room had a maximum concentration of 1,530 Bq/g and must be stored for 2 days. The maximum radiation concentration of Na-22 generated in the radioisotope production room was 0.18 Bq/g and this isotope must be disposed after 827 days. To manage the exhaust, the efficiency of air purification must be enhanced by selecting an air purifier with a long life and determining the appropriate replacement time by examining the differential pressure through systematic measurements of the airborne radiation contamination level.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.174-183
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• 2015

The major purpose of this study is to construct a retrospective exposure assessment for benzene through a review of literature on Korea. Airborne benzene measurements reported in 34 articles were reviewed. A total of 15,729 individual measurements were compiled. Weighted arithmetic means [AM(w)] and their variance calculated across studies were summarized according to 5-year period intervals (prior to the 1970s through the 2010s) and industry type. Industries were classified according to Korea Standard Industrial Classification (KSIC) using information provided in the literature. We estimated quantitative retrospective exposure to benzene for each cell in the matrix through a combination of time and KSIC. Analysis of the AM(w) indicated reductions in exposure levels over time, regardless of industry, with mean levels prior to the 1980-1984 period of 50.4 ppm (n = 2,289), which dropped to 2.8 ppm (n = 305) in the 1990-1994 period, and to 0.1 ppm (n = 294) in the 1995-1999 period. There has been no improvement since the 2000s, when the AM(w) of 4.3 ppm (n = 6,211) for the 2005-2009 period and 4.5 ppm (n = 3,358) for the 2010-2013 period were estimated. A comparison by industry found no consistent patterns in the measurement results. Our estimated benzene measurements can be used to determine not only the possibility of retrospective exposure to benzene, but also to estimate the level of quantitative or semiquantitative retrospective exposure to benzene.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2002

Background and Objectives : Sulfur dioxide gas is one of the major airborne Pollutants noxious to human in industrialized countries. The most vulnerable areas in the human respiratory system were the trachea and main bronchi and a gradient of decreasing damage was observed in the peripheral tracheobronchial tree. Induced functional alteration was increased mucosal permeability, and morphological changes were epithelial sloughing, intracellular edema, mitochondrial swelling, widened intercellular spaces, and ciliary cytoplamic extrusions. The laminins are a family of extracellular matrix glycoproteins localized in the basement membrane. Their primary role is cell-matrix attachment, but many additional biologic activities, including Promoting cell growth and migration, tumor growth and metastasis, wound repair, and graft survival, have been demonstrated. Materials and Methods : Histologic changes and expression of laminin in tracheal mucosa sacrificed at 1 day, 2 day, 3 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 3 weeks after continued SO2 exposure of 250 ppm for 30 minutes a day(to 7week) were studied in rats. In this study, mild immune reaction for laminin was noted at the apical cytoplasm of epithelial cells and basement membrane one day after a 7 week $SO_2$ exposure. The cilia and nucleoi of epithelial cells were normal and no immune reaction was noted in Goblet cells. The lamina propria of the tracheal tissue was infiltrated by monocytes and lymphocytes. Results : At 24 hours after exposure, all tracheal cells except Goblet cells revealed a mild immune reaction for laminin. No immune reactions were noted in the basement membrane. At 72 hours after exposure, mild or moderate immune reactions for laminin was seen in the tracheal cell cytoplasm. Irregular faint immune reaction for laminin was noted in the basement membrane. At 1 week after exposure, strong immune reaction for laminin was detected over all tracheal cells, and the basement membrane was seen clearly. At 2~3 weeks after exposure, strong immune reaction for laminin was seen in all tracheal epithelial cells except Goblet cells and a mild immune reaction was partly revealed in the basement membrane. Conclusion : Our study suggests that 502 produces histologic damage on the tracheal mucosa. Longer duration after exposure of $SO_2$ makes more progressive healing on the tracheal mucosa and increased immunoreactivity for laminin.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.125-129
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• 2008

Results of corrosion testing for different grades of titanium, copper, zinc, alluminium alloys and steels after two years of outdoor exposure under humid tropical urban and marine conditions have been presented and discussed. Mass loss and corrosion product characteristics for the exposed specimens at Hanoi testing site with high humidity and Nhatrang marine stations (at 100 and 1,000 meters distances from sea) with different airborne salinities (35.9 and $90.0mg/m^2.d$ respectively) have been selected for investigation. From time dependence of the specimen mass loss and corrosion product characteristics, the strong influence of environmental parameters upon durability for the investigated metals and alloys has been demonstrated. Only titanium alloys show high resistance to the marine conditions. All the other specimens (copper, zinc, alluminium alloys and steels) have been underwent strong deterioration under influence of aerosol salinity. Results of corrosion products analysis have been also presented for characterization of environmental impact on the metal degradation processes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Industrial Safety Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.353-358
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• 1998

Vibrations exposured to human whole-body are transmitted through the contact area of a human body, such as feet, hip and back directly in contact with vibrating surface. they apparently leads to the decrease of human comfort, the reduction of working efficiency or normal activities, and, furthermore, causes the loss of health and safety. In this study, UH-1 vibration has been measured to produce the flight-time limitation at each mission Results of this study show that the most significant peaks appear at a main rotor blade-passage frequency and that the vibration level in ground is higher than that in airborne In addition, it is shown that the most affective aspect for the flight-time limitation is ground vibration level

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 1997

Pneumoconiosis is the result of the long-continued inhalation of dusts and it depends on the interaction between the man and the cloud to which he is exposed. The health effects of dusts, especially silica dust exposure have been since Egyptians had constructed the pyramids in ancient times. Subsequently, many works, including miners, milers, quarry workers, sandblasters, tunnel drivers, are occupationally exposed to mineral dusts. These workers may develop pneumoconiosis and in some instances, malignant neoplasms, particularly lung cancer, as a result of such exposures.Both quantity and quality of mineral dusts in the lungs show significant correlation with the degree of damage from pneumoconiosis. So mineralogical techniques require in pathological studies and in estimation of the airborne dusts in working places.Mineralogy has played an important role in both branches of the protective procedure. This lecture presents the knowledge on lung dust, cytotoxicity and fibrogenetic activity of minerals and control procedures for pneumoconiosis from pont of mineralogist.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.111-121
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• 2024

Particulate matter (PM) is a mixture of microscopic solid inhalable particles including airborne liquid droplets, and it is implicated with several diseases. The eye does not have a protective barrier among the human organs, consequently it get directly exposed to environmental substances such as PM. The scarcity of treatments for damage to the eyesight and the vision and eye structure being closely related to the structure and function of the central nervous system highlights the cruciality of novel therapeutics. In this study was conducted using in vivo zebrafish vertebrate model which is a useful model due to the conserved genes between human. We found that protective effect of Octopus minor extract against particulate matter-induced adverse effects on eye development in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos by regulating antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mRNA expression.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.699-708
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• 2015

This study was performed to identify the state of the exposure and characteristics of pollutants by each process at 4 casting sites located in Gyeongsang-do from April to November 2013. The concentrations of methanol, crystallized silica glass, formaldehyde and phenol were analyzed by different process - casting process, molding process, core process, and shakeout & finishing process. The highest concentration of methanol was found in casting and molding process, whereas the highest concentration of crystalline quartz(Silica) was observed in core process. The most oxidized steel dusts and the highest concentration of fume were found in shakeout & finishing process. As a result of this study, those labors working at the casting site were found to be constantly exposed to various forms of hazardous chemicals; therefore, it is considered that this is the time to manage and plan how to reduce them. In addition, it is required to thoroughly manage the local exhauster, and improve the process and working environment to reduce various forms of hazardous chemicals.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2010

This study was conducted to compare the concentration of various air contaminants in nine different laboratories during routine activities. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) were sampled and analyzed using NIOSH Method 1500 and asbestos fibers were sampled and analyzed using NIOSH Method 9002 and 7400. Detectable levels of acetone, toluene and ethanol were found in all the laboratories and xylene and n-hexane were detected in eight of the nine laboratories. All the VOC concentrations were well below the Korean Ministry of Labor's Exposure Limit and American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLVs). Total VOC concentrations at the university laboratories were significantly higher than those at governmental agency laboratories. Airborne fiber concentrations were below 0.01 fibers/cc, while the concentration of chrysotile was 2% in insulation materials sprayed on the ceiling of one laboratory. While all the governmental agency laboratories (n=4) had fume hoods, two out of the five university laboratories did not have fume hoods. The capture velocity of half of the fume hoods were below the maintenance standard(0.4 m/sec). In conclusion, the study suggests that the current controls in place at both university and government agency laboratories are not sufficient in limiting exposure to harmful chemicals to non-detectable levels, though they appear to be adequate in protecting workers to levels below applicable occupational exposure limits. The study also suggests that researchers working in university laboratories may be exposed to greater levels of contaminant than those working in government agency laboratories.