• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.235-238
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• 2009

In Korea, talc that has been widely used for a lot of consumer products as well as industrial usage until recently was found to be contaminated with asbestos. It becomes a major social issue. Critical health risk about both talc and talc contaminated with asbestos was summarized through literature review. It has been confirmed that talc can pose ovarian cancer when talc powder is used in the genital area. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) already concluded that the perineal use of cosmetic talc can cause possibly carcinogenic to humane(Group 2B), although there was study reporting the lack of a consistent an established correlation between perineal dusting frequency and ovarian tissue talc concentrations and the lack of a consistent dose-response relationship with ovarian cancer risk. The association between talc exposure and ovarian cancer is as strong as in recent studies. The epidemiological studies to date provided inadequate evidence for the carcinogenicity of either inhaled or ingested talc that does not contain asbestos or asbestosiform fibers. Future studies should focus on seeking evidence in talc-exposed populations, collecting reliable information on age at initial used of body powder, exposure assessments related to talc use and dose response relationship in order to identify possible risk of talc ingested or inhaled.

• 한국광물학회지
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.333-341
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• 2015

동아광산에서 채취한 암석 시료의 X-선 회절분석 결과 주 구성광물은 백운석(Dolomite : $CaMg(Co_3)_2$, 투각섬석(Tremolite : $Ca_2Mg_5Si_{18}O_{22}(OH)_2$), 활석(Talc : $Mg_3Si_4O_{10}(OH)_2$), 방해석(Calcite : $CaCO_3$)이며, 소량의 석영(Quartz : $SiO_2$)을 포함하고 있다. 편광현미경 관찰 결과 종횡비는 일반적으로 정의하는 3 : 1의 수치보다 높은 값을 나타내며 신장방향에 대한 소광각은 $8.0-19.5^{\circ}$의 범위로 사소광을 나타낸다. 주사전자현미경 관찰 결과 석면의 장경은 $5{\mu}m$ 이상이고 최대 $250{\mu}m$ 정도이며 종횡비는 3 : 1 정도이다. 암석시료에서 나타나는 석면결정은 벽개면을 따라 성장하고 있으며 결정의 끝부분이 침상형태를 나타낸다. 에너지분산분광분석결과 투각섬석이 주 구성광물인 시료는 대체로 Fe의 함량이 높게 나타난다.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제35권6호
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• pp.538-541
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• 2009

Humans have a long history of asbestos use. There are reports from the Roman era, of asbestos victims among the slaves who worked in asbestos mines. The fact that asbestos can induce lung cancer and mesothelioma was verified epidemiologically in the 1960s. Asbestos related diseases are predominantly occupational in nature but can be caused by environmental exposure. Environmental mesothelioma is mainly associated with tremolite asbestos and this information comes from many countries including Turkey, Greece, Corsica, New Caledonia and Cyprus. In 1993, the first case of mesothelioma in Korea was reported in an asbestos textile worker. Recently, some asbestos disease victims who lived near an asbestos factory have their cases before the courts. A series of recent asbestos-related events in Korea, for example, the shocking revelation of asbestos containing talc in baby powders have caused the general public to become aware of the health risks of asbestos exposure. Asbestos related diseases are characterized by a long latency period, especially, mesothelioma which has no threshold of safety. Hence the best strategy for preventing asbestos related diseases is to decrease asbestos exposure levels to as low as possible.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.254-263
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• 1998

A worker employed in a serpentine mine was found developed mesothelioma as the first case of Korea in 1997. Asbestos was known as a causative agent for mesothelioma. Thus, asbestos contamination in mines could be a big health threat to those workers who were unknowingly exposed. However, there was no report that any minerals found in Korea contained asbestos. This study was carried out to find the presence of any asbestiform fibers in minerals which could be obtained in Korean mines. We examined fifteen minerals from 44 mines which were suspected contaminated with asbestiform fibers. Asbestiform analysis was done with high resolution transmission electron microscope(TEM), with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope(EDX) and X-ray diffraction(XRD) analyses. Among asbestiform fibers, chrysotile was found in chrysotile, serpentine, talc and pyrophylite specimens from 11 mines. Tremolite was found in tremolite and talc specimens from three mines. Mordenite was found in zeolite specimens from two mines. Wallastonite and sepiolite were found in wallastonite and sepiolite specimens respectively. Crocidolite, antigorite and actinolite were found from talc specimens. But no asbestiform fiber contaminants were found in doromite, vermiculite, limestone, marble, gypsum, kaolin, and clary specimens. Thus, these asbestiform fibers such as such as chrysotile, tremolite, mordenite, crocidolite, antigorite and actinolite could be the responsible agents for the health hazards such as mesothelioma and other cancers.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.119-130
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• 2010

Pulmonary toxicity of talc containing tremolite asbestos (TCT) has been studied in term sequential in Sprague-Dawely rats. UICC chrysotile(average diameter 0.03${\mu}m$, average length 2.93${\mu}m$) was applied as the positive control. TCT was analyzed for its physicochemical properties by transmission electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer(TEM-EDS). The effects of 2mg TCT(talc average diameter 9.7${\pm}$8.4${\mu}m$; tremolite average diameter 1.6${\pm}$1.6${\mu}m$, average length 10.8${\pm}$7.0${\mu}m$) on pathological changes were evaluated after 1, 8 weeks instilled into rat lungs. 2mg Chrysotile continuously affected lung pathological changes. Inflammation and granuloma response broke out from 1 week after instilled with chrysotile and the pathological examination further showed increased legions of lung after 8 weeks. But TCT did not showed lung pathological changes. The biopersistence of TCT and chrysotile was evaluated by TEM- EDS. Whereas chrysotile continuously have retained to 8 weeks instilled into rat lungs, talc of TCT showed statistically significant decrease of diameter from 1 weeks and statistically significant change in Si atomic % compositions at 8 weeks instilled into rat lungs. Physicochemical properties of tremolite of TCT were not affected until 8 weeks instilled into rat lungs. This study showed that the durability of TCT in the lungs is much weaker than chrysotile.

• Carbon letters
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.6-11
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• 2004

In spite of unparalleled combination of essential material properties for brake linings and clutch facings, replacement for asbestos is seriously called for since it is a health hazard. Once asbestos is replaced with other material then composition and properties of brake pad changes. In certain cases hardness of the material may be high enough to affect the rotor material. In this study, hardness of the brake pad has been controlled using suitable reinforcement materials like glass, carbon and Kevlar pulp. Brake pad formulations were made using CNSL (cashew net shell liquid) modified phenolic resin as a binder, graphite or cashew dust as a friction modifier and barium sulphate, talc and wollastonite as fillers. Influence of each component on the hardness value has been studied and a proper formulation has been arrived at to obtain hardness values around 35 on Scleroscopic scale. Friction and wear properties of the respective brake pad materials have been measured on a dynamometer and their performance was evaluated.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.19-27
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• 2022

The industrial development and socioeconomic structures of a society are inextricably linked to occupational accidents and diseases. Since the 1970s, a series of major occupational diseases have occurred in South Korea, such as mercury poisoning in Munsong-myeon, carbon disulfide poisoning at Wonjin Rayon, and leukemia at Samsung Electronics. These incidents have caused us to take a critical look at the level of worker safety and health management within companies and the government. These serve as symbolic and representational events. Doctors, lawyers, and labor activists concerned about employee safety and lives came together for years to struggle with the government and industry in order to determine what caused the diseases and to obtain compensation for victims. They finally achieved recognition for occupational diseases and recompense for losses. It is difficult to find similar cases to the baby powder asbestos talc cases and the radon bed case internationally, or there is no case where such a large number of consumers have been potentially harmed. It is also difficult to prove that the damage took place due to the victims' diverse geographic locations and ages, as well as the disease's long incubation period. Based on this premise, businesses and the government have been apathetic in acknowledging these diseases and compensating for damages, with few practical outcomes. Furthermore, unlike the large-scale occupational disease cases, only a few people including expert groups were organized and actively participated in the settlement of these issues, so it remains unfinished business for our society to address.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.105-115
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• 2017

Background: The goal of this study is to develop a general population job-exposure matrix (GPJEM) on asbestos to estimate occupational asbestos exposure levels in the Republic of Korea. Methods: Three Korean domestic quantitative exposure datasets collected from 1984 to 2008 were used to build the GPJEM. Exposure groups in collected data were reclassified based on the current Korean Standard Industrial Classification ($9^{th}$ edition) and the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations code ($6^{th}$ edition) that is in accordance to international standards. All of the exposure levels were expressed by weighted arithmetic mean (WAM) and minimum and maximum concentrations. Results: Based on the established GPJEM, the 112 exposure groups could be reclassified into 86 industries and 74 occupations. In the 1980s, the highest exposure levels were estimated in "knitting and weaving machine operators" with a WAM concentration of 7.48 fibers/mL (f/mL); in the 1990s, "plastic products production machine operators" with 5.12 f/mL, and in the 2000s "detergents production machine operators" handling talc containing asbestos with 2.45 f/mL. Of the 112 exposure groups, 44 groups had higher WAM concentrations than the Korean occupational exposure limit of 0.1 f/mL. Conclusion: The newly constructed GPJEM which is generated from actual domestic quantitative exposure data could be useful in evaluating historical exposure levels to asbestos and could contribute to improved prediction of asbestos-related diseases among Koreans.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.266-270
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• 1998

악성늑막삼출증 환자에서 임상증상을 호전시켜 삶의 질을 향상시키기 위한 여러 방법이 시도되고 있으나 어려운 점이 많다. 이전에 늑막유착을 위해 많이 사용하던 tetracycline은 생산이 중단되어 더 이상 사용하지 못하고 있다. 본 연구는 악성 늑막 삼출증 환자에서 흉강내에 탈크를 분무하여 늑막 유착의 효과을 연구함에 목적을 두고 전향적으로 조사하였다. 1995년 3월 부터 1997년 3월 까지 15명의 환자에서 흉강경을 이용하여 4 gm의 무균적이고 석면이 들어 있지 않은 100% 탈크을 분무하여 수술전과 수술후(평균 101일, 범위 25∼233일) 임상적, 방사선학적 비교 관찰하여 다음과 같은 결과을 얻었다. 1. 환자는 남자 6례, 여자 9례로 여자가 많았으며, 평균연령이 55.1세(범위 31∼74세)이었고, 원발성 종양은 폐암이 10례 유방암이 2례 간암, 위암, 미확인 선암이 각각 1례였다. 2. 수술전 늑막수에서 세포진 검사 양성률은 36%이었고 흉강경하 조직검사의 양성률은 100%였다. 3. 임상적으로 탈크 분무후 증상호전이 94%에서 관찰되었다. 4. 흉부 x-선 촬영상 술후 한달에서 94%의 늑막수의 재발이 없었다. 5. 술후 합병증으로는 창상감염과 호흡부전이 각각 1례씩 있었다. 결론적으로 악성늑막삼출증 환자에서 흉강경을 사용해 흉강내에 탈크을 분무하여 늑막유착을 유도하는 것이 매우 효과적인 방법으며 환자 선택에 있어 수술후 폐의 재팽창이 중요한 인자가 된다

• 헤리티지:역사와 과학
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.4-31
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• 2018

영종도 중산동 신석기시대 토기를 광물조합에 따라 크게 4유형(I-형; 장석질 토기, II-형; 운모질 토기, III-형; 활석질 토기, IV-형; 석면질 토기)으로 구분하였다. 토기는 전반적으로 불완전 소성을 경험하였으며, 상대적으로 점토함량이 높은 I-형에서 산화도가 낮은 것으로 나타났다. 활석이 다량 포함된 III-형은 스멕타이트 군에 속하는 사포나이트를 포함하여 탄소제거 속도가 다소 느렸던 것 으로 판단된다. IV-형 토기는 적색도가 가장 높고 균일한 특성을 보여 산화정도가 가장 좋았다. 특히 I-형 토기의 기벽 안쪽에는 약 1mm 두께의 유기질 기원 고착 탄화물(C; 33.7 wt.%)이 검출되었으며, 외면에 방사상 균열이 깊게 형성되어 있는 것으로 보아 조리용 토기의 반복적 열 충격의 영향으로 해석된다. I-형을 제외한 토기를 모두 저장용으로 볼 때, 활석과 투각섬석을 포함한 토기는 액체 저장에 용이한 재료적 특성을 가진다. 한편 광물조성이 다양하고 물성이 약한 II-형은 단순 저장용으로 이용되었을 것으로 보았다. 국내 활석 및 석면광산은 경기 및 강원, 충북 일부와 충남지역에 집중적으로 분포하며 활석과 투각섬석은 서로 수반광물로 산 출 될 가능성이 높다. 중산동 유적과 이들 광산의 거리 및 지형적 분포를 고려할 때 원료채취의 가능성은 있으나 개연성은 높지 않은 것으로 판단된다. 중산동 일대에는 활석 및 투각섬석을 형성시킬만한 사문암과 같은 초염기성암체가 확인되지 않는다. 한편 영종도 북서측에 운모편암을 협재한 석회암과 흑운모화강암이 분포하고 있어 과거 소규모 암체가 형성되었을 가능성도 배재할 수 없다. 따라서 중산동 유적 외에 활석 및 투각섬석을 포함하는 토기에 대한 자료를 축적하고 주변지역에 대한 보다 정밀한 암석 및 토양조사가 이루어져야 할 것으로 판단된다. 중산동 유적 토기의 소성온도는 유형별 구성광물의 안정범위를 통해 해석하였으며, I-형 토기는 $550{\sim}800^{\circ}C$, II-형, III-형, IV-형 토기는 모두 $550{\sim}700^{\circ}C$로 추정된다. 이들의 물성 및 소성도에 영향을 미친 요소는 온 도뿐만 아니라 점토의 종류와 입도 및 소성유지 시간 등이다.