• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.267-278
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• 2011

Objectives: A great number of hazardous agents can be emitted from various types of art-creation in a fine arts college, but little data on exposure assessment has been published. A variety of processes encompassing toxic or non-toxic materials, tools, and components are involved in a sculptor work at a fine art college. The aim of this study was to assess exposure levels to particulates and noise during sculpture classes in a college of fine arts. Methods: Students in sculpture classes participated in this study. Mass, number, and surface area concentrations of particulates, noise level, temperature and relative humidity were monitored by both personal and area sampling during the tasks of metal, wood, and stone sculpting. Results: The number and surface concentration of particulates was the highest in the task of wood sculpting, followed by metal and stone work. The mass concentration of particulates was the highest in stone sculpting (personal GM 3.0 mg/$m^3$, GSD 3.0), followed by wood (personal GM 1.5 mg/$m^3$, GSD 1.8) and metal work (personal GM 0.95 mg/$m^3$, GSD 1.51) in that order. Occupational exposure limits (OEL) for particulates depends on the type of particulate. For wood dust, 86% (six subjects) of the personal samples and all area samples exceeded the Korean OEL for wood dust (1 mg/$m^3$), while 20% (two subjects) among stone sculpting students were exposed above the Korean OEL (10 mg/$m^3$). In contrast, metal sculpting did not exceed the OEL (5 mg/$m^3$). For noise level, metal sculpting students (Leq 95.1 dB(A) in the morning, 85.3 dB(A) in the afternoon) were exposed the most, followed by stone sculpting (88.3 dB(A)), and wood sculpting (84.8 dB(A)) in that order. Compared with the 90 dB(A) of the Korean OEL and 85 dB(A) of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' threshold limit value (ACGIH-TLV) for noise, 100% of the subjects (five subjects) and area samples during metal sculpting in the morning session exceeded both OELs, but only three subjects (60%) exceeded the ACGIH-TLV in the afternoon session. For stone sculpting, 50% (one subject) and 100% (two subjects) exceeded the Korean OEL and ACGIH-TLV, respectively, but the area sample did not exceed either OEL. During wood sculpting, two subjects (40%) exceeded ACGIH TLV. Conclusions: This work evaluated the sculptors' exposure to particulate matter and noise in fine art college, and revealed a poor working environment for the participating students. Effective measures should be supplemented by the administration of colleges.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.454-468
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the actual condition of the farm work environment and personal protective equipment as part of the effort to improve livestock work for the safety and health of poultry farmers and provide basic data for establishing plans to improve and develop personal protective equipment. Methods: For this purpose, a questionnaire survey on general information about stables, the poultry work environment, accidents, the wearing of work clothes and personal protective equipment, and the level of awareness related to personal protective equipment was conducted among 148 poultry farmers. Results: As a result, it was found that poultry workplace environment was exposed to such risks as fine dusts; organic dusts; poisonous gases; odorous substances; chicken excrement; contact with chickens, bacteria or viruses; and accidents related to machine operation. Thirteen percent of respondents suffered severe respiratory diseases, and the most frequently injured sites due to accidents were the hands (25.7%), knees (23.8%), arms (17.3%), and head (10.9%). The most frequent type of accident was collisions between the body and obstacles or machinery during movement (36.4%), followed by erroneous machine operation such as feeders and electric shocks (8.5%). Regarding the wearing of work clothes and personal protective equipment, 51.7% of the respondents wore worn-out clothing or everyday clothes, whereas only 32.0% wore work clothes. The percentage of farmers who wore proper protective equipment for the work environment during poultry work was 48.4%. The most frequently used type of protective equipment was boots (38.9%), followed by mask (36.7%), gloves (36.3%), appropriate work clothes (22.6%), quarantine clothes (17.6%), helmets (13.4%), and goggles (12.6%). The rate of wearing goggles was low because they were considered inconvenient and lowered work efficiency. Furthermore, they purchased everyday products available on the market for their personal protective equipment which were not appropriate for maintaining safety in an actual harmful environment and its consequent risks. As a result of the survey of the awareness level related to personal protective equipment, their levels of awareness of accidents and attitude proved to be average or higher, but the practice of wearing protective equipment and the level of knowledge and management of personal protective equipment were lower. Conclusion: This survey found that the wearing status of personal protective equipment among poultry farmers was insufficient even though they were exposed to risks. Most respondents were aware of the necessity of wearing personal protective equipment and of the potential for accidents, but they did not wear proper protective equipment. Their wearing rate was low due to a lack of knowledge about protective equipment, as well as the inconvenience of wearing it. Therefore there is a need to improve and develop specialized personal protective equipment for respiration, hands, and eyes, as well as work clothes that can protect farmers from major harmful matter that is generated in the poultry workplace. Based on the results of this investigation, we will conduct further studies on the required performance and design directions of personal protective equipment while collecting more objective data through field-oriented assessments.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.141-158
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• 2004

The dependency of criteria used to terminate compatibility tests on the prehydration and quality of bentonite in geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) is evaluated based on permeation with chemical solutions containing 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 mM calcium chloride ($CaCl_2$). The hydraulic conductivity tests are not terminated before chemical equilibrium between the effluent and the influent chemistry has been established, resulting in test durations ranging from < 1 day to > 900 days, with longer test durations associated with lower $CaCl_2$ concentrations. The evaluation includes both physical termination criteria (i.e., volumetric flow ratio and steady hydraulic conductivity based on ASTM D 5084, ${\ge}2$ pore volumes of flow, constant thickness of specimen) and chemical termination criteria requiring equilibrium between influent and effluent chemistry (viz., electrical conductivity, pH, and $Ca^{2+}\;and\;Cl^-$ concentrations). For specimens permeated with 5, 10, and 20 mM $CaCl_2$ solutions, only the criterion based on chemical equilibrium in $Ca^{2+}$ concentration correlates well with equilibrium in hydraulic conductivity, regardless of prehydration or quality of bentonite. However, all of the termination criteria, except for the volumetric flow ratio and 2 pore volumes of flow for the prehydrated specimens, correlate well with equilibrium in hydraulic conductivity regardless of prehydration or quality of bentonite when permeated with 50 and 100 mM $CaCl_2$ solutions. The results illustrate the uniqueness of the termination criterion based on solute concentration equilibrium between the effluent and the influent with respect to both prehydration and quality of bentonite in the GCLs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.12
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• pp.1873-1880
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to survey intention to purchase home meal replacement (HMR) made with eco-friendly food ingredients as well as need for development while analyzing importance and performance of HMR made with eco-friendly ingredients for its commercialization. From September 2014 to March 2015, questionnaires were filled out by respondents. Of the 422 questionnaires that were returned, 412 were used with 10 discarded as incomplete. Regarding reasons behind purchasing HMR, the highest percentages of both males and females answered 'ready to eat'. Almost all respondents spent 'less than 10,000 won' each time they purchased HMR. Regarding place they bought HMR, a higher percentage of respondents answered 'convenience store' and 'discount retail chain store'. In terms of improvements needed for HMR, the highest percentage of males answered 'development of a variety of menus' while the highest percentage of females answered 'change in food ingredients' at 37.7%. For development of HMR made with eco-friendly ingredients, most respondents replied that there is a need for development. Regarding intention for purchasing HMR made with eco-friendly ingredients, 66.7% of males and 73.5% of females answered they have intention to buy. Important performance analysis showed a need to improve performance of 'safety of food ingredients', which was located close to the second quadrant. To improve performance for 'safety of food ingredients', safety must be ensured through use of eco-friendly ingredients, and a systematic process for managing hazardous materials that could arise during the manufacturing process has to be developed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.3 s.172
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• pp.305-317
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• 2005

This study addresses the preliminary results of rock slope stability analyses including hazard assessments for slope failure conducted on the selected sections of rural road cut slope which are about 4 km long. The study area is located in the Mt. Chuntae northeast of Busan and mainly composed of Cretaceous rhyolitic ash-flow tuff', fallout tuff, rhyolitc and andesite. The volcanic rock mass in the area has a number of discontinuities that produce a potentially unstable slope, as the present cut slope is more than 70 degrees in most of the slope sections. Discontinuity geometry data were collected at selected 8 scanline sections and analyzed to estimate important discontinuity geometry parameters to perform rock slope kinematic and block theory analyses. Kinematic analysis for plane sliding has resulted in maximum safe slope angles greater than $65^{\circ}$ for most of the discontinuities. For most of the wedges, maximum safe cut slope angles greater than $45^{\circ}$ were obtained. Maximum safe slope angles greater than 80" were obtained fur most of the discontinuities in the toppling case. The block theory analysis resulted in the identification of potential key blocks (type II) in the SL4, SL5, SL6 and SL8 sections. The chance of sliding taking place through a type ll block under a combined gravitational and external loading is quite high in the investigated area. The results support in-field observations of a potentially unstable slope that could become hazardous under external forces. The results obtained through limit equilibrium slope stability analyses show how a stable slope can become an unstable slope as the water pressure acting on joints increases and how a stable slope under Barton's shear strength criterion can fail as the worst case scenario of using Mohr-Coulomb criterion.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.77-88
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• 2016

Chrysotile is a 1:1 sheet silicate mineral belonging to serpentine group. It has been highlighted studies because of uses, shapes and structural characteristics of the fibrous chrysotile. However, it was designated as Class 1 carcinogen, so high attentions were being placed on detoxification studies of chrysotile. The objectives of this study were to investigate changes of mineralogical characteristics of chrysotile and to suggest detoxification mechanism of chrysotile by thermal decomposition. Samples for this study were obtained from LAB Chrysotile mine in Canada. The samples were heated in air in the range of 600 to $1,300^{\circ}C$. Changes of mineralogical characteristics such as crystal structure, shape, and chemical composition of the chrysotile fibers were examined by TG-DTA, XRD, FT-IR, TEM-EDS and SEM-EDS analyses. As a result of thermal decomposition, the fibrous chrysotile having hollow tube structure was dehydroxylated at $600-650^{\circ}C$ and transformed to disordered chrysotile by removal of OH at the octahedral sheet (MgOH) (Dehydroxylation 1). Upon increasing temperature, it was transformed to forsterite ($Mg_2SiO_4$) at $820^{\circ}C$ by rearrangement of Mg, Si and O (Dehydroxylation 2). In addition, crystal structure of forsterite had begun to transform at $800^{\circ}C$, and gradually grown 3-dimensionally to enstatite ($MgSiO_3$) by recrystallization after the heating above $1,100^{\circ}C$. And then finally transformed to spherical minerals. This study showed chrysotile structure was collapsed about $600-700^{\circ}C$ by dehydroxylation. And then the fibrous chrysotile was transformed to forsterite and enstatite, as non-hazardous minerals. Therefore, this study indicates heat treatment can be used to detoxification of chrysotile.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.261-266
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• 2012

It is common to use many experiment animals to evaluate the toxicity of chemicals including pesticides. For protecting animal, the concepts of 3R (Reduction, Replacement, Refinement) were introduced and in vitro alternatives methods actively have been developed all over the world. Many experimental animals for toxicological tests have been used, so that it is important to establish the alternative methods. In this study, the alternative method using reconstituted human skin model (Keraskin$^{TM}$) was conducted for classification of skin irritation on pesticides. Sixteen formulations selected on the basis of the degree of irritation were treated by Keraskin$^{TM}$ test. The percent of cell viability was measured into the culture medium collected after treatment of the pesticides for 24-72 hrs. The skin irritations of formulations were evaluated by the cell viability. In this study, The 4 formulations with mild irritation in rabbits were evaluated as nonirritant, the 6 formulations with moderate and severe irritation were evaluated as irritant in human skin model test. We suggest that the alternative test using Keraskin$^{TM}$ model could be used as toxicity evaluation for primary irritation index (P.I.I.) score of greater than or equal to 2.1 of pesticides. The further studies should be required to apply for hazardous assessment of pesticides on alternative skin irritation methods because of the interindividual variability of the sensitivity of skin irritation on pesticides.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.13-29
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• 1998

Recently, It is increasing popularity to research on the soil remediation in aspect of management by reason of the hazardous impact on the contaminated soil in Korea. It was investigated high levels of arsenic salts in soil near abandoned five mines(Darak, Daduk, Jingok, Dalsung, Ilkwang) located in Youngnam area. Arsenic, classified as group A(Human Carcinogens) from IRIS, have shown statistically significant increment in skin cancer with oral exposure. This paper was conducted to predict excess cancer risk value (to the skin cancer) based on multiple pathway such as soil ingestion, dermal uptake and food(plant) ingestion contaminated by arsenic, and also, to identify the remedial goal regarded in future land use. The mine having the highest arsenic level was Daduk(mean : 1950mg/kg) and the next rank was Jingok(1690mg/kg), Ilkwang(352.37mg/kg), Dalsung(86.08mg/kg), Darak(0.83mg/kg). The chronic daily intake to the multiple exposure were calculated using Monte-Carlo simulation regarded in future land use and used q: value was $1.5(mg/kg/day)^{-1}$ to the oral proposed by IRIS(1997). The computated excess cancer risk 95th value to all the mine regarding future land use as residential and rural area were more than $10^{-4}$. If the level of acceptable risk is aimed for 1$\times$$10^{-6}$, it could be used Darak as commercial and industrial area without soil remediation due to the lowest risk value(6$\times$$10^{-8}$ and 3$\times$$10^{-8}$). Computated remedial goal based on 1$\times$$10^{-6}$ of acceptable risk to the future land use as the residential, rural, commercial and industrial area were 0.02mg/kg, 0.003mg/kg, 97.31mg/kg and 194.62mg/kg, respectively.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.31-39
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• 2002

Pollutants from industry, mining, agriculture, and other sources have contaminated sediments in many surface water bodies. Sediment contamination poses a severe threat to human health and environment because many toxic contaminants that are barely detectable in the water column can accumulate in sediments at much higher levels. The purpose of this study was to make optimal treatment and disposal plan o( sediment for water quality improvement in small-scale resevoir based on an evaluation of degree of contamination. The degree of contamination were investigated for 23 samples of 9 site at different depth of sediment in small-scale J river. Results for analysis of contaminated sediments were observed that copper concentration of 4 samples were higher than the regulation of hazardous waste (3 mg/L) and that of all samples were exceeded soil pollution warning levels for agricultural areas. Lead and mercury concentration of all samples were detected below both regulations. Necessary of sediment dredge was evaluated for organic matter and nutrient through standard levels of Paldang lake and the lower Han river in Korea and Tokyo bay and Yokohama bay in Japan. The degree of contamination for organic matter and nutrient was not serious. Compared standard levels of Japan, America, and Canada for heavy metal, contaminated sediment was concluded as lowest effect level or limit of tolerance level because standard levels of America and Canada was established worst effect of benthic organisms. The optimal treatment method of sediment contained heavy metal was cement-based solidification/stabilization to prevent heavy metal leaching.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.238-244
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• 2009

This survey was conducted as a surveillance program following the establishment of safety guidelines for agricultural products in Korea. Concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) were measured in 421 samples using a mercury analyzer or ICP-MS. The average levels of Pb in mg/kg were 0.021 for rice, 0.020 for corn, 0.028 for soybeans, 0.034 for red beans, 0.025 for sweet potatoes, 0.021 for potatoes, 0.019 for Chinese cabbage, 0.031 for spinach, 0.021 for Welsh onions, and 0.011 for radishes. The average levels of Cd in mg/kg were 0.021 for rice, 0.002 for corn, 0.020 for soybeans, 0.006 for red beans, 0.008 for sweet potatoes, 0.011 for potatoes, 0.007 for Chinese cabbage, 0.035 for spinach, 0.006 for Welsh onions, and, 0.006 for radishes. The average levels of As in mg/kg were 0.103 for rice, 0.005 for corn, 0.007 for soybeans, 0.005 for red beans, 0.005 for sweet potatoes, 0.004 for potatoes, 0.007 for Chinese cabbage, 0.015 for spinach, 0.009 for Welsh onions and, 0.006 for radishes. Finally, the average levels of Hg in ${\mu}g/kg$ were 2.3 for rice, 0.2 for corn, 0.6 for soybeans, 1.4 for red beans, 0.1 for sweet potatoes, 0.3 for potatoes, 0.5 Chinese cabbage, 2.1 for spinach, 0.5 for Welsh onions, and 0.2 for radishes. Based on the Korean public nutrition report 2005, these levels (or amounts) are calculated only at 2.6% for Pb, 8.7% for Cd, 1.2% for Hg of those presented in provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) which has been established by FAO/WHO. Therefore, the levels presented here are presumed to be adequately safe.