• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.96-103
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• 2009

Objectives : We evaluated the health effects of exposure to BTEX(Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, m,p-Xylene, o-Xylene) in the Taean area after the Hebei Spirit oil spill. Methods : We used a questionnaire survey to look for health effects among 80 pregnant women 2 to 3 months following the Hebei Spirit oil spill. Their BTEX exposures were estimated using the CALPUFF method. We then used a multiple logistic regression analysis to evaluate the effects of BTEX exposure on the women s health effets. Results : Pregnant women who lived near the accident site reported more symptoms of eye irritation and headache than those who lived farther from the site. There was a trend of decreasing symptoms with an increase in distance from the spill site. Pregnant women exposed to higher ambient cumulative levels of Xylene were significantly more likely to report symptoms of the skin(OR 8.01 95% CI=1.74-36.76) in the first day after the accident and significantly more likely to report abdominal pain(OR 3.86 95% CI=1.02-14.59 for Ethylbenzene, OR 6.70 95% CI=1.82-24.62 for Xylene) during the 1st through 4th days following the accident. Conclusions : This study suggests that exposure to BTEX from an oil spill is correlated with an increased risk of health effects among pregnant women. This implies the need to take proper measures, including the development of a national policy for environmental health emergencies and a plan for studying the short- and long-term chronic health effects associated with such spills.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.392-398
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• 2014

It was confirmed that malodor connected with an air-conditioner in an automobile is caused by microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) produced by microorganisms and through microorganisms coexisting with each other to form a biofilm on the evaporator surface. A bacterium, Methylobacterium aquaticum, can form a biofilm on the evaporator surface. The biofilm was composed of 45.79% C (Carbon), 42.36% O (Oxygen), 1.85% Na (Sodium), 5.42% Al (Aluminum), 1.39% P (Phosphorus), 0.74% Cl (Chlorine) and 2.45% K (Potassium). This result matches the composition of the biofilm formed on the surface of the used evaporator. It was determined that sulfur compounds (Hydrogen sulfide, Dimethyl sulfide) and organic acids (n-Butyric acid, n-Valeric acid, iso-Valeric acid) in the air which was blown into the automobile were generated by Methylobacterium aquaticum and Aspergillus versicolor, respectively. On the other hand, volatile organic compounds (Toluene, Xylene, 2-Ethylhexanol, 2-Phenyl- 2-propanol, Ethylbenzene) were not found. It is estimated that the reason is due to the low concentration of generated MVOCs or is caused by the change of some MVOCs depending on the nutrients (medium).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1019-1026
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• 2007

This study was performed in 30 selected apartments in Seoul, Asan and Daegu area which were constructed within 4 years and over 4 years, to measure the concentration of VOCs(benzene, toluene, xylene) from July, 2004 to September. Mean ratios of indoor to outdoor VOCs concentrations in the construction under 4 years were higher in 1 than average, I/O ratio of over 4 years were lower in 1. This was considered that the VOCs density influences indoor pollutant. For the indoor air quality estimation, the deposition constant and the source strength factor of toluene were $1.49{\pm}2.05\;hr^{-1}\;and\;36.95{\pm}52.26\;ppb/h$, respectively.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.173-178
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• 2006

Silica aerogel with ultra low density and high porosity has been focused on versatile application due to its fascinating properties. Ambient drying process of waterglass, in this study was researched to fabricate a crack-free monolith body in the point view of cost effective way. Wet gel was obtained by removing of $Na^{+}$ ions in waterglass, which contains 8 wt% of $SiO_{2}$. Xylene, which has a low vapor pressure, was used as a solution substitutor to prevent the formation a cracks during drying. Various surface modifiers like as hexamethyldisilazane (HMDSZ), trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS), methyltriethoxylsilane (MTES), methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) and phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES) were used in order to improve hydrophobicity of the waterglass Silica aerogel. Some physical properties of the surface modified aerogels were investigated by FT-IR, TGA, BET and SEM. Hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of Silica aerogel is attributed to the Si-OH bond and the non-polar C-H bond groups on the surface of aerogel. Crack-free waterglass aerogel with >90 % of porosity, 17 nm of pore size and <0.15 $g/cm^{3}$ of density was prepared. HMDSZ and TMCS are effective as a surface modifier

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.443-446
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• 2008

본 연구는 과산화수소를 이용하여 디젤오염토양의 처리시 중금속 용출특성, 백연가스 발생특성 등을 평가하기 위하여 실험을 하였다. 중금속 용출속도는 반응시간 15분까지 용출이 지속적으로 증가하다가, 15분 이후 점차적으로 감소하는 경향을 보였다. 이러한 과산화수소(H$_2$O$_2$) 처리방법은 토양내 중금속 용출속도를 가속화시켜 실제 현장에서 적용될 경우 이로 인하여 지하수에 심각한 영향을 미칠 수 있으므로 ex-situ 방법 등과 같은 방법을 고려한 2차 오염에 대한 대책이 필요할 것으로 판단된다. 또한, 백연가스의 발생량은 과산화수소의 농도가 높을수록 많이 발생하는 것으로 관찰되었으며, 이는 높은 농도의 과산화수소와 유류오염토양이 급격하게 반응하기 때문인 것으로 판단된다. 백연가스 중 Hexane이 가장 높은 농도로 검출되었으며, 이 외에도 Cyclopentane, Benzene, Ethylbenzene, m,p-Xylene, Undecane 등이 많이 발생하는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 백연가스 중에 함유된 고농도의 휘발성유기화합물(VOCs)이 주변 환경에 유해한 영향을 미칠 것으로 예상되므로 적절한 대기오염방지시설을 설치하여 제거한 후 대기로 방출하는 것이 필요하다고 판단된다.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.369-379
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence rate of atopic dermatitis (AD) and indoor risk factors of AD in school-aged children living in Changwon, which is one of the largest industrial cities in Korean. Data were collected from 2,118 children in 12 elementary schools in Changwon city. A cross-sectional questionnaire based on the Korean Version of the ISAAC (International Study of Allergy and Asthma in Childhood) was employed to survey the $1^{st}$ and $4^{th}$ year elementary students from the 12 elementary schools in Changwon. The life time and last 12-month prevalence of itchy eczema were 20.6%; 70.5% in the elementary children. The life time and last 12-month prevalence of AD diagnosis were 28.8%; 12.6% in the elementary children. There was only one elementary school that was abnormal in the levels of particulate matters (PM), and $Co_2$. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that risk factors for AD were BMI, the levels of PM, $Co_2$, CO, $No_2$, $O_3$, Ethylebenzene, and Xylene. This study could be used to manage possible risk factors that are related to the prevalence of AD and develop the strategies for prevention of AD.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.613-624
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• 2005

In this study, we investigated the characteristic of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) concentrations in Shiwha area, which were measured using the Open-path FTIR Gas Analyzer. The passive samplers were set for a certain period of time to obtain the average concentration of toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene and styrene. In addition, VOCs concentration contour maps were constructed using the Tecplot program to illustrate the VOCs concentration distribution. The residential area showed higher concentrations than the industrial area. And the summer had higher concentration value than the winter. Also, we confirmed that the VOCs concentrations ranged from 2 to several tens ppb in the vicinity of an industry than diffused VOC concentration, whereas those ranged from 0 to 5 ppb in most other areas. It was conferred that the wind change with seasons significantly affects the distribution of VOCs concentrations such as a northwesterly wind in the winter or a southwestern wind in the summer.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.1-5
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• 2005

Single crystals of metallocene-catalyzed isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and/or syndiotactic PP (sPP) were prepared and preliminarily characterized. The crystallization was performed utilizing 0.1 % by weight concentrations of each PP in o-xylene in the range of temperature of $40{\sim}90^{\circ}C$. Following the XRD patterns, samples were ${\alpha}$-iPP and antichiral Cell III of sPP. The XRD pattern of iPP shows three ${\alpha}$-form peaks due to the (110), (040), (130) planes at $2{\theta}=14.2^{\circ}$, $17^{\circ}$, $18.8^{\circ}$, respectively. The XRD pattern of sPP is characterized by the presence of the (020) reflection at $16^{\circ}$. The melting point ($123^{\circ}C$ and $148^{\circ}C$, respectively) of the metallocene catalyzed iPP and sPP were generally lower than that of conventional PP ($160{\sim}170^{\circ}C$) due to the misinsertion of the monomer. When metallocene-catalyzed iPP samples were crystallized isothermally from solution grown at a lower temperature, lozenge shape single crystals were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.692-699
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• 1994

A bacterial strain which formed a distinct colony on agar plate containing phenol as a vapor phase and grew well in a liquid minimal medium was isolated and identified as Acinetobac- ter sp. GEM2. The optimal temperature and initial pH for the growth of Acinetobacter sp. GEM2 were 30$\circ$C and 7.0, respectively. Cell growth was inhibited by phenol at the concentration over 1500 ppm. Cell growth dramatically increased from 10 hours after cultivation and almost showed a stationary phase within 24 hours at which 95% of phenol was concomitantly degraded. Acinetobac- ter sp. GEM2 was capable of growing on aromatic compounds, such as benzoic acid, phenol, m- cresol, o-cresol, P-cresol, catechol, gentisic acid, and toluene, but did not grow on benzene, salicylic acid, p-toluic acid, and p-xylene. By the analysis of catechol dioxygenase, it seemed that catechol was degraded through both meta- and ortho-cleavage pathway. The growth-limiting log P value of Acinetobacter sp. GEM2 on organic solvents was 2.0.

• International Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 2005

In this study, indoor VOCs concentration emitted from floor and furniture was measured after the installation of floor and furniture in a real residence. With the measured data, prediction method and predication equations for indoor concentration of each VOCs and BTEX were developed. The following conclusions were drawn from this study. First, according to the predicted results of concentration decrease of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p,o-xylene) after the installation of floor in a real residence, prediction equation can be expressed using exponential function. Second, in case of floor, more reliable prediction equation can be obtained by using cumulative value of indoor concentration than by using just hourly measured value directly. Indoor concentration of benzene can be expressed as $y=408.52(1­e^{-00031{\times}time})$ with $R^2$ of 0.94 which is significantly high value. Third, toluene showed the highest concentration in case of furniture installation indoors, and it needed the longest time for concentration decrease. However, other substances except toluene showed constant concentration throughout the measurement period. Fourth, in case of furniture installation indoors, prediction equation of toluene concentration decrease is estimated to be $y= 3616.3{\times}e^{(-0.1091{\times}time)}+513.96{\times}e^{(-0.0006{\times}time)}\;with\; R^2$ of 0.95 which is significantly high value.