• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.30 no.4 s.59
• /
• pp.752-763
• /
• 1997

To evaluate the effect of manganese on the respiratory system, we investigated the respiratory symptoms of 63 male workers exposed to, fume containing manganese (Mn), iron (Fe) and silica (Si), and compared them with those of 66 male workers not exposed to the fume in a manganese alloy smelting factory. The prevalence ratios of the seven respiratory symptoms were not different between two groups. The presence of any respiratory symptom was not related with the age, duration of employment, smoking status of workers, and exposure to fume. In furnace workers, it was not related with the airborne Mn, Fe, and Si concentration in the total or respirable fume. Airborne Mn concentrations of all 4 furnaces in the respirable fume were below $1mg/m^3$. There were two suspicious cases of pneumoconiosis among furnace workers and one definite case(1/2) among casting workers who were not exposed to fume. The above results suggest that the exposure to the low airborne Mn concentration is not related with respiratory symptoms and pneumoconiosis. However, it is necessary to study the respiratory effects of Mn using the symptom questionnaire with consideration of the severity and persistence, of symptoms and the time interval from exposure.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.209-223
• /
• 1998

The aim of this study was to evaluate welders' exposure to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) and nickel (Ni) during welding operations in a Korean shipyard. The airborne Cr(VI) and Ni concentrations were measured during metal inert gas (MIG) welding on mild and stainless steel, and manual metal arc (MMA) welding on mild steel. The geometric mean (GM) of Cr(VI) concentrations inside the welding helmet during MIG welding on mild steel were $0.0018mg/m^3$ inside a ship section, and $0.0015-0.0026mg/m^3$ at the welding shops. All of the personal breathing zone air samples were below the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value ($TLV^{(R)}$) of $0.01mg/m^3$. Conversely, eighty-eight percent(21 of 24) of the personal breathing zone air samples exceeded the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended exposure limit of $0.001mg/m^3$. Ni was not detected on 20 of 23 air samples collected during MIG welding on mild steel. The three Ni samples above the limit of detection ranged from 0.015 to $0.044mg/m^3$. The GM of Cr(VI) concentrations during MMA welding on mild steel were $0.0013mg/m^3$, but Ni was not detected in the air samples during this operation. It is assumed that the airborne Cr(VI) and Ni during mild steel welding were derived from the base metals which contained about 0.03% Cr and 0.03% Ni. The GM of airborne total Cr, Cr(VI) and Ni concentrations during MIG welding on stainless steel were 4.02, 0.13 and $0.86mg/m^3$, respectively, and the levels of Cr(VI) and Ni were above the ACGIH-$TLV^{(R)}$. Cr(VI) comprised about 35.5% of the total chromium(Cr) from MIG welding on mild steel, and about 8.4% of total Cr from MIG welding on stainless steel. The ratios of Cr(VI) to total Cr were significantly different among welding shops. It was concluded that welders were exposed to high levels of Cr(VI) and Ni during welding on stainless steel, and were exposed to low levels of Cr(VI) even during welding on mild steel.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.11-16
• /
• 2006

There are many counting rules for analyzing man-made mineral fibers. The representatives are the NIOSH Method 7400 A and B counting rules. The two rules have different rules of length-to-width ratio(aspect ratio) and diameter. The A rule counts only fibers $>5{\mu}m$ in length, and only fibers with aspect ratio >3:1. The B rule counts only ends of fibers $>5{\mu}m$ in length and $<3{\mu}m$ in diameter, and only fibers with aspect ratio ${\geq}5:1$. The A counting rule had been used before the B counting rule was introduced. The purpose of this study is to compare the A and B counting rules for airborne fibers from various man-made mineral fibers(glass wool fibers, rock wool fibers, refractory ceramic fibers, and continuous filament glass fibers) industries. There were significantly differences between the paired counts of A and B rules in all types of fibers(p<0.05). A rule counts/B rule counts(A/B ratios) were 1.52 for glass fibers, 1.53 for rock wool fibers, 1.19 for RCF, and 1.82 for continuous filament glass fibers. The counting results by A and B counting rules were highly correlated in glass wool fibers, rock wool fibers and refractory ceramic fibers(RCF) samples (r=0.96 for all types of fibers) except continuous filament glass fibers(r=0.82). Regression equations to correct for the differences between counting rules were presented in this paper.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.265-275
• /
• 2012

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution patterns and exposure concentrations of biological hazards in waste handling industries. Methods: We selected 3 recyclable waste sorting plants(RWS), 2 food recycling plants(FR), 1 landfill area(LA) and 1 waste incineration plant(WI). Total airborne bacteria and fungi were measured with single stage impactor and gelatin filters. Endotoxin and glucan were measured with polycarbonate filters in total and respirable dust. Results: The geometric mean of airborne bacterial concentration was the highest in FR($3,273CFU/m^3$), followed by LA, RWS, and WI as 1,334, 934, and $860CFU/m^3$. The fungal concentrations were 6,031, 5,052, 3,307, and $713CFU/m^3$ in RWS, WI, FR, and LA, respectively. By process, WI pit showed the highest concentrations of bacteria, fungi, and endotoxin, followed by inside of bulldozer in LA. The indoor to outdoor ratios of bacteria, fungi, endotoxin and glucan were 2.3, 4.0, 2.3, and 5.0 in RWS, 29.5, 4.9, 7.6, and 5.0 in FR, 5.3, 8.7, 26.8, and 9.5 in WI, respectively. Conclusions: We found that biological hazards, specifically bacteria in FR, fungi in RWS and endotoxin in WI pit and bulldozer at LA, should be controlled to prevent worker's respiratory diseases.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.414-427
• /
• 2019

In East Asia, the long-range transport of dust storms originating from Mongolia and northern China affects airborne dust loadings over downwind areas in the southern Korean Peninsula. Since 1997, dust loading cases caused by dust storms have been observed using the thresholds of total suspended particles (TSP, ${\geq}250{\mu}g\;m^{-3}\;hr^{-1}$) and particulate matter less than $10{\mu}g$ ($PM_{10}$, ${\geq}190{\mu}g\;m^{-3}\;hr^{-1}$) in the central-southern Korean Peninsula. There were two dust loading cases that exceeded these thresholds in 2016 and three in 2017, which reflects the downward trend of the last twenty-one years in the central-southern Korean Peninsula. Furthermore, five other dust loading cases with mass concentrations lower than the thresholds were observed from 2016 to 2017. In the moderate dust loading cases exceeding the thresholds, a descending motion of cut-off lows below $45^{\circ}N$ and a southward trough at 500 hPa gpm isopleths intensified at the western ridge, and largely extended the surface high-pressure system over southeast China. Airborne dust loadings following pronounced north-westerlies in the forward side of the high-pressure system were transported to the surface of the central-southern Korean Peninsula. However, in slight dust loading cases lower than the thresholds, the restricted descending motion of cut-off lows over $45^{\circ}N$ and the southwestward trough at 500 hPa gpm isopleths intensified the zonal flow over the Korean Peninsula. Surface high- and low-pressure systems moved eastward from the source compared to moderate dust loading cases. Due to the zonal movement of dust storms traversing eastern China, slight dust loading cases were observed with relatively higher ratios of $PM_{2.5}/TSP$ and carbon monoxide (CO) in the central-southern Korean Peninsula.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
• /
• 2005.06a
• /
• pp.254-258
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study is to characterize the indoor-outdoor relationship of airborne pollutants and recognize probable sources in inside and outside individual apartments in Seoul metropolitan. Simultaneous air monitoring in inside and outside of the 16 Korean Apartments classified into 2groups: less than 1 year old and more than 4 years old from October, 2004 to February, 2005were sampled f3r airborne pollutants(volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, respiratory particles, carbon dioxide and bacteria) using the Korean Indoor Air Quality Official Method. The concentrations of $CO_2$, TVOCs, HCHO, bacteria and PM10 in the less than 1 year old apartments were determined to be $773.6{\pm}422.3ppm$, $4,393.8{\pm}2,758.2{\mu}g/m^3$, $98.0{\pm}56.4{\mu}g/m^3$, $254.0{\pm}186.3CFU/m^3$ and $31.7{\pm}14.8{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively, Also, the concentrations of those in the more than 4 years old apartments were determined to be $798.9{\pm}266.5ppm$, $792.7{\pm}398.3{\mu}g/m^3$, $70.0{\pm}30.7{\mu}g/m^3$, $245.6{\pm}122.0CFU/m^3$, $49.7f28.7{\pm}g/m^3$, respectively. The average ratios of the indoor and outdoor concentrations of $CO_2$, TVOCs, HCHO, bacteria and PM10 were 2.2, 3.6, 3.1, 3.9 and 1.4, respectively. These results of this analysis is suggested that $CO_2$, TVOCs, HCHO, bacteria and PM10 in indoor air are both emitted from source within the apartment environment and partly come from outdoor air. With the above considerations in mind, it is suggested that the research for source contribution of indoor air pollutants should be expanded and the detailed interpretation of the results on these needed further study(using principal component analysis(PCA).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.501-509
• /
• 2011

Unlike many laboratory-scale studies on absorption of organic compounds (VOCs), limited pilot-scale studies have been reported. Accordingly, the present study was carried out to examine operation parameters for the effective control of a hydrophilic VOC (methyl ethyl ketone, MEK) by applying a circular pilot-scale packed-absorption system (inside diameter 37 cm ${\times}$ height 167 cm). The absorption efficiencies of MEK were investigated for three major operation parameters: input concentration, water flow rate, and ratio of gas flow-rate to washing water amount (water-to-gas ratio). The experimental set-up comprised of the flow control system, generation system, recirculation system, packed-absorption system, and outlet system. For three MEK input concentrations (300, 350, and 750 ppm), absorption efficiencies approached near 95% and then, decreased gradually as the operation time increased, thereby suggesting a non-steady state condition. Under these conditions, higher absorption efficiencies were shown for lower input concentration conditions, which were consistent with those of laboratory-scale studies. However, a steady state condition occurred for two input concentration conditions (100 and 200 ppm), and the difference in absorption efficiencies between these two conditions were insignificant. As supported by an established gas-liquid absorption theory, a higher water flow rate exhibited a greater absorption efficiency. Moreover, as same with the laboratory-scale studies, the absorption efficiencies increased as water-to-gas ratios increased. Meanwhile, regardless of water flow rates or water-to-gas ratios, as the operation time of the absorption became longer, the pH of water increased, but the elevation extent was not substantial (maximum pH difference, 1.1).

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.90-98
• /
• 2016

Total suspended particulates (TSP) in the atmosphere were collected for 2 weeks during winter in Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan, a typical iron-manufacturing city. The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) in TSP were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using fluorescence and chemiluminescence detectors, respectively. No relationship was observed between the atmospheric PAH and NPAH concentration, or the atmospheric PAH and TSP concentration. However, there was a tendency that the atmospheric PAH concentration was higher when the wind blew from the coke-oven plant. Furthermore, the concentration ratios of 1-nitropyrene to pyrene, which is a suitable indicator of the contribution made by automobiles and coal combustion systems to urban air particulates, were smaller in Muroran and the values were close to those observed in particulates from coal combustion systems. Therefore, these results show that the PAH and NPAH compositions for Muroran are characteristic of an iron-manufacturing city.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.108-115
• /
• 2000

The mass fraction of PM10 had a bimodal distribution in the middle of between 2.1 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, and the average mass fraction of particles less than 2.1~3.1 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ was 54.1% for Pb and 890.8 ng/㎥ for Fe, respectively. For the concentration of PM10 and metallic elements by seasonal variation, PM10 showed bimodal distribution, while metallic elements showed different distributions by their sources. The ratios of fine particles to total mass were 0.45 for PM10, 0.41 for Cr, and 0.20 for Fe, 0.57 for Zn, 0.68 for Cd and 0.63 for Pb, respectively. That facts indicated that PM10, Zn, Cd, Cr and Pb were from anthropogenic sources, and Fe was from natural source. The geometric means and geometric standard deviations by seasonal variations were 3.6 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ , 2.31 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in winter, 3.0 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ , 2.49 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in spring, 2.7 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ , 2.03 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in summer respectively. And, total efficiency of cascade impactor by seasonal variations were 49.6% in winter, 45.9% in spring and 44.5% in summer.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.209-217
• /
• 2011

Objectives: In this study, the size distribution of airborne particulates ($PM_{10}$) was measured by using Cascade Impactors. The purpose of this study was to assess the size distribution of metal and ionic materials of $PM_{10}$. Methods: Samples were collected in the Kunsan industrial complex from April 2006 to January 2007. Results: The mass fraction of $PM_{10}$ had a bimodal distribution between 2.1-3.1 ${\mu}M$, and the average mass fraction of particles less than 2.1-3.1 ${\mu}M$ was 47%. Average concentrations of PM10 were 68.05 ${\mu}g/m^3$ and seasonal concentration 95.44 ${\mu}g/m^3$ for spring, 49.03 ${\mu}g/m^3$ for summer, 81.99 ${\mu}g/m^3$ for fall, 52.66 ${\mu}g/m^3$ for winter, respectively. Conclusions: Seasonal variations of $PM_{10}$ were significant for showing peak values in spring. The average concentrations of Cd, Cr, Pb, and Fe were 1.54, 4.51, 14.11, and 254.3 $ng/m^3$, respectively. The ratios of fine particles to total mass were 0.47 for $PM_{10}$, 0.45 for Cr, and 0.16 for Fe, 0.91 for Cd and 0.49 for Pb, respectively.