• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.310-319
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• 1993

A pilot study was conducted in order to investigate the concentrations of indoor and outdoor VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) at ten homes and four building offices in Seoul during March-April, 1993. The five components of VOCs(Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, o-Xylene, m/p-Xylene) were collected using charcoal tube and were analysed using Gas Chromatography(GC) with a Flame Ionization Detector(FID). The mean concentations of indoor VOCs were shown as Benzene of 38.9 .mu.g/m$^{3}$. Toluene of 165.0 .mu.g/m$^{3}$, Ethylbenzene of 21.7 .mu.g/m$^{3}$, o-Xylene of 11.6 .mu.g/m$^{3}$ and m/p-Xylene of 29.3 .mu.g/m$^{3}$, but those corresponding that indoor levels of VOCs were higher than corresponding outdoor levels. The ratio of indoor and outdoor VOCs were higher than corresponding outdoor levels. The ratio of indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations was 0.99 for Benzene, 1.23 for Toluene, 5.86 for Ethylbenzene, 5.23 for o-Xylene, 2.41 for m/p-Xylene in homes, while 2.02 for Benzene, 1.15 for Toulene, 0.96 for Ethylbenzene, 1.41 for o-Xylene, 1.38 for m/p-Xylene in offices, respectively. The mean concentrations of VOCs in homes were higher than those levels in offices, while the mean concentration of VOCs during active hour of occupants in a day were higher 1-3 times than the levels during non-active hour. Comparing VOCs levels by building's age, the mean concentrations of Benzene, o-Xylene and m/p-Xylene were higher in new building than old building, but the mean concentrations of Toluene and Etylbenzene in new building were lower than old building. The mean concentrations in all components of VOCs in smoking area were higher than non-smoking area. These results suggested that the VOC levels were affected by various indoor characteristics and behavioral activity of occupants.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.513-519
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• 1999

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analyzed on the seawater from 17 stations in Kwangyang Bay throughtout the year. We could not detect 10 VOCs; methylene chloride, tetrachloromethane, 1, 1, 1-trichloroethane, trichloroethane, 1, 1, 1, 2-tetrachloroethane, trichloroethylene, bromoethane, dibromoethane, bromobenzene, 1-ethyl-3-methylbenzene. The other VOCs-chloroform, 1, 2-dichloroethane, ethylbenzene, benzene, toluene, m, p-xylene, methylethylketone, styrene, hexane-were detected with a little variance according to the sampling stations and the sampling seasons. The concentrations of chloroform (0.6 ~ 49.9 $\mu$g/1) and toluene (0.42 ~ 48.3 $\mu$g/1) were high and they were detected more frequently than the other detected VOCs. We also tried to seek the correlation between the physicochemical environmental factors and VOCs. Only toluene had the high correlation coefficient with the water temperature (r = -0.524) and with the pH (r = 0.319). Correlation between VOCs themselves showed some interesting results. The benzene had high correlation coefficient (r = 0.549 ~ 0.662) with three VOCs such as toluene, m, p-xylene, ethylbenzene. From these results it is suggested that VOCs might be discharged simultaneously in Kwangyang Bay.

• Journal of odor and indoor environment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.362-371
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• 2018

Indoor Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are classified as known or possible toxicants and odorants. This study characterized VOC levels in 11 homes in an area in the capital of Seoul by using two different methods of VOCs sampling, which are the active sampling using a thermal sorption tube and the passive sampling using a diffusion sampler. When using the active sampling method, the total target VOC concentration ranged from 41.7 to $420.7{\mu}g/m^3$ (mean $230.4{\mu}g/m^3$ ; median $221.8{\mu}g/m^3$) during winter and 21.3 to $1,431.9{\mu}g/m^3$ (mean $340.1{\mu}g/m^3$; median $175.4{\mu}g/m^3$) during summer. When using the passive method, 29.6 to $257.5{\mu}g/m^3$ (mean $81.8{\mu}g/m^3$; median $49.4{\mu}g/m^3$) during winter and 1.2 to $5,131.1{\mu}g/m^3$ (mean $1,758.8{\mu}g/m^3$; median $1,375.1{\mu}g/m^3$) during summer. Forty-nine VOCs were quantified and toluene showed the highest concentration regardless of the season and the sampling method studied. The distribution of VOCs was relatively varied by using the active method. However, it showed a low correlation with indoor environmental factors such as room temperature, humidity and ventilation time. The correlation between indoor environmental factors and VOCs were relatively high in the passive method. In particular, these characteristics were confirmed by principal component analysis.

• 보존과학연구
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• s.35
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• pp.25-44
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• 2014

In this study, measured annual year and seasonal concentrations of VOCs by Active type and Passive type using the measurement and analysis method in the exhibition hall and outdoor. It was compared with the correlation between the methods according the comparison of methods to measured concentrations. As a results, the annual average concentrations of TVOC in exhibition room($906.5{\mu}g/m^3$) was greater than for most of the study period, more than 1.8 times the standard in the Ministry of Environment. ${\Sigma}VOCs$ concentration of exhibition room by Active type was higher than Passive type. Some VOCs was decreased with the lapse of time a temporary increase tendencies was. The annual average I/O ratio of TVOC was 9.0, ${\Sigma}VOCs$ was confirmed to occur in a large amount inside the exhibition hall ${\Sigma}VOCs$ was studied to 34.0. Correlation coefficient of ${\Sigma}VOCs$ was 0.367. Toluene was 0.567 that the survey was the largest analysis to the relationship between the two methods.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.967-976
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• 2003

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are present in essentially all natural and synthetic materials from petrol to flowers. In this study, indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations of houses, offices and internet-cafes were measured and compared simultaneously with personal exposures of each 50 participants in Asan and Seoul, respectively. Also, factors that influence personal VOCs exposure were statistically analyzed using questionnaires in relation to house characteristics, time activities, and health effects. All VOCs concentrations were measured by OVM passive samplers (3M) and analyzed with GC/MS. Target pollutants among VOCs were Toluene, o-Xylene, m/p-Xylene, Ethylbenzene, MIBK, n-Octane, Styrene, Trichloroethylene, and 1,2-Dichlorobenzene. Indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations measured in Seoul were significantly higher than those in Asan except Ethylbenzene. Residential indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios for all target compounds ranged from 0.94 to 1.51 and I/O ratios of Asan were a little higher than those of Seoul. Relationship between personal VOCs exposure, and indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations suggested that time-activity pattern could affect the high exposure to air pollutant. Factors that influence indoor VOCs level and personal exposure with regard to house characteristics in houses were building age, inside smoking and house type. In addition insecticide and cosmetics interestingly affected the VOCs personal exposure. Higher exposure to VOCs might be caused to be exciting increase and memory reduction, considering the relationship between measured VOCs concentrations and questionnaire (p<0.05).

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.468-476
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• 2006

Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) have high toxicity and bioaccurnulation potentials into human body even inbsmall amount (levels of ng/$m^3$). As the levels of HAPs might be controversial, it has been become essential to establish the analysis method for correct results. In this study, various analysis methods of VOCs and Aldehydes were compared in order to select the proper methods in our condition. Sampling and analysis method of VOCs were followed to EPA TO-14a and TO-17. VOCs were collected in absorption tube and separated by thermal desorption unit then analyzed by GC/MSD. Aldehydes were sampled in DNPH-cartridge and extracted into solution then analyzed by HPLC as the same condition of EPA TO-13a. This study also shows the results of QA/QC system of selected methods. Some experiments could be improving the data assurance blank test, calibration check, repetition precision check, the determination of detection limit and reproducibility of the retention time. Precisions of VOCs and aldehydes were ranged in 2$\sim$9% and 1$\sim$4% RSD, respectively. Recovery rate of VOCs showed variable ranges from 60 to 133.5%. MDL of VOCs and aldehydes were 0.044$\sim$0.284 ppb and 0.14$\sim$1.02 ng, respectively.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.161-168
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to determine the performance characteristics of the paint particulate and volatile organic compounds(VOCs) simultaneous removal from the spraying paint booth in the laboratory and real site by sticky paint particulate and VOCs simultaneous removal demonstration unit. The sticky paint particulate and VOCs simultaneous removal unit is composed of the horizontal type pleated filter modules and the zig-zag type granular activated carbon packing modules. The test conditions at the laboratory are $50.15g/m^3$ of average paint aerosol concentration and 300 ppm of VOCs concentration which were same as the working conditions of spraying paint booth in the real site. But, the demonstration conditions at the real site are varied according to the working condition of spraying paint booth for the kind of passenger car bodies. The test results at the laboratory obtained that 99% of total particulate collection efficiency at 0.62 m/min of filtration velocity and 84% at 1.77 m/min of filtration velocity. The VOCs removal efficiencies are 97% at $3500hr^{-1}$ of gas hour space velocity and 59% at $10,000hr^{-1}$ of gas hour space velocity. In the real site test, the average removal efficiency of PM10 was measured to be 99.65%, the average removal efficiency of PM2.5 was 99.38%, the average removal efficiency of PM1 was 98.52%, and the average removal efficiency of VOCs was 89%.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.479-494
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• 2020

This study analyses the characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from the painting and printing facilities, as well as ambient VOCs at industrial complexes in Gwangju. The major components of VOCs emissions from painting facilities were toluene, acetone, 2-butanone, ethyl acetate, ethyl benzene, o-xylene and m,p-xylene. The printing facilities mostly emitted ethyl acetate, 2-butanone, acetone and toluene. Aromatics (49.9%) and oxygenated VOCs (43.6%) were dominant in painting facilities, while oxygenated VOCs (92.7%) were the largest group in printing facilities. The total hydrocarbon concentration (THC) in printing facilities was approximately six times higher than in the painting facilities. The painting and printing facilities use many solvents. Their THC concentrations differed considerably depending on the type of prevention facilities. To reduce THC, it is necessary to improve the prevention facilities and operating conditions. The dominant species of ambient VOCs in industrial complexes were investigated with toluene, ethyl acetate, 2-butanone, ethyl benzene, m,p-xylene, butyl acetate, o-xylene, hexane and acetone. Factor analysis of ambient VOCs showed that the main sources of the VOCs were organic solvents used in painting, coating, and printing, as well as automobile emissions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.223-226
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• 2004

Building materials emit high concentration volatile organic compounds(VOCs), formaldehyde(HCHO) and other hazardous air pollutants(HAPs) to indoor environment. Average value of VOCs and HCHO emission concentration were $3,770\;{\mu}g/m^3$, $430\;{\mu}g/m^3$ in newly buildings, respectively. VOCs and HCHO emission characteristic are high emission level at initial time and decreased in course of time.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.543-553
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• 2005

In recent days, photochemical smog due to the rapid industry development and vehicle increasement has become a critical pollutant in the metropolitan area and the number of ozone alarm signal has increased every year. This research was performed to evaluate VOCs emission source characteristics and concentration of VOCs in Daegu. The site average concentration was observed in the following order: industrial area > commercial area > residential area. Most of the VOCs species except toluene showed variations with higher concentration during nighttime, and lower concentration during the daytime. The major VOCs of stationary emission source were BTEX(benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene. xylene) and methylene chloride, trichloroethene and styrene. Also, those of automobile exhaust were toluene and benzene. Also, the major VOCs concentration emited by the vehicle fuel was observed in the following order: gasoline > light oil > liquefied petroleum gas (L.P.G). Correlation coefficients values were estimated between major VOCs such as toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p-xylene, o-xylene. Results showed that correlation coefficient values were significant magnitude above 0.76. Also, there showed highly significant correlations among ethyl benzene, m,p-xylene, and o-xylene concentration(Pearson correlation coefficients, r=0.868-0.982). Calculated correlation coefficients among commercial area,industrial area and residential area were 0.934-0.981, they showed high correlation. There showed highly correlation between stationary emission source and industrial area, compared with commercial area and residential area. Also, calculated correlation coefficients among commercial area, industrial area, residential area and automobile exhaust were 0.732, 0.725, 0.777, respectively.