• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.472-481
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• 2012

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the AD (allergic diseases: asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis) prevalence among elementary schoolchildren in an industrial city, Ulsan, and identify major environmental risk factors associated with AD prevalence. Methods: Data on the physician-diagnosed prevalence over the past 12 months and potential risk factors of AD were collected through a questionnaire from a 2009-2010 survey of 4,067 schoolchildren living in different urban environments. The logistic regression analysis was performed to assess differences in AD prevalence among the areas and to determine which environmental factors impacted AD. Results: Our survey results showed that the AD prevalence rate ranged between 26.2% and 35.9%. Children living in polluted areas (near industrial and central urban areas) had about a 10% higher prevalence of AD than did those living in coastal or suburban residences. The Chi-Square test demonstrated that this local difference was statistically significant before and after adjustment of major confounders such as parental AD history and parental education. The results of the logistic regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between several environmental factors (ventilation in winter, odor conditions and exposure to traffic smoke, and outdoor $PM_{10}/O_3$ pollution) and the prevalence of AD found by multivariate model after adjusting confounders. Conclusion: These results suggest that local differences in AD prevalence are significantly associated with outdoor environmental factors. Although there are likely to be other risk factors for AD, living in a polluted area and exposure to high levels of air pollutants can contribute to an increased risk of childhood AD.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.325-326
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1994.04a
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• pp.315-315
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• 1994

Recently, it was reported that Pfaffia paniculata, known as Brazil ginseng, caused occupational asthma. To assess a potential relationship between Korean ginseng and allergic reactions, total IgE in serum, allergologic parameter, was investigated. Serum total IgE were measured in 8 takers of ginseng for more than 5 yr, 4 subjects of weak constitution, 10 workers participated in the washing of fresh ginseng in factory and 7 control subjects, Blood samples were taken before and after the scheduled exposure to Korean ginseng, sera were kept frozen until assay. Total IgE levels after the scheduled exposure to Korean ginseng were not significantly different in each group and total IgE levels were not significantly different in the control subjects compared with those of other groups at the start of experiment and at the end of experiment. These results suggest that the exposure to Korean ginseng dose not affect significantly the IgE immune response in volunteers. No changes of levels of IgE on the exposure of Korean ginseng may represent additional evidence of the lack of antigenic potential of Korean ginseng.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 2013

Objectives: Skin exposure to diisocyanates may be an important risk factor for respiratory sensitization to leading asthma. However little is known about the extent of worker's diisocyanates skin exposure and the effectiveness of personal protective equipments in polyurethane foam manufacturing companies. This study provides data on diisocyanates skin exposure, surface diisiocyantes contamination of foams and the effectiveness of personal protective gloves in five polyurethane foam manufacturing companies. Materials and methods Colorimetric SWYPE pads are used for the determination of diisocyanates on surfaces of workers skin and polyurethanes foams. Results: The forearms, necks and faces of workers in polyurethane foam manufacturing companies were found to be contaminated with diisocyanates. Heavy contamination with uncured diisocyanates at large block foams surfaces were found. Personal gloves of workers for skin protection showed significant penetrations by diisocyanates. Conclusions: We found that all workers in polyurethane foam manufacturing companies could be exposed to diisocyanates by skin exposure. Also further researches which would better quantify skin exposure are needed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.346-354
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the changes and regional differences of mortality and morbidity particularly respiratory system diseases in the area of exposure to coal dust(Ansim area, Dong-gu, Daegu). Methods: The authors analyzed secondary data(cancer registration data, mortality data, and health insurance data) for respiratory system diseases. We calculated age standardized incidence ratio(SIR), mortality ratio(SMR), and health care utilization ratio(SHR) using those data. Results: There were no significant differences between Ansim area(or Dong-gu, Daegu) and the control area for cancer registration data and mortality data. In the results for the health insurance data, significant increased SHR in asthma was observed compared to the control area. Conclusions: Although confounders such as selection bias were not clearly ruled out, our findings reveal increased asthma SHR in the area of exposure to coal dust. Further prospective studies are required to clarify the increasing respiratory disease due to exposure to coal dust.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.29
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• pp.17.1-17.6
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• 2014

Objectives Antimicrobial chemicals are used in a variety of household and personal care products. Exposure to antimicrobial household products has been hypothesized to lead to allergic diseases in children. Methods We investigated antimicrobial household product exposure and allergic symptoms in Korean children. An antimicrobial exposure (AE) score was derived. To examine the symptoms of allergic diseases (current wheeze, current rhinitis, and current eczema) in the past 12 months, we used a questionnaire based on the core module of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children. Complete data for the analysis were available for 25,805 of the 35,590 (72.5%) children. Results The prevalence of current allergic diseases was as follows: wheeze, 5.6%; allergic rhinitis, 32.6%; and eczema, 17.7%. The mean (standard deviation) AE score was 14.3 (9.3) (range: 0-40). Compared with subjects with a low AE score (reference), subjects with a high AE score (fourth quartile) were more likely to have symptoms of wheezing and allergic rhinitis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for wheezing 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.45, p for trend=0.24; aOR for allergic rhinitis 1.30, 95% CI, 1.20-1.40, p <0.01). Conclusions These findings suggest that frequent use of antimicrobial household products was associated with current wheeze and current allergic rhinitis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.310-320
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• 2014

Backgrounds: Endotoxin, which found in the outer membrane of the gram-negative bacteria cell wall, makes up almost all of the lipopolysaccharide(LPS). When people are exposed to endotoxin,it can result in diverse health effects such as an airway irritation and inflammation, fever, malaise, bronchitis, allergic asthma, toxic pneumonitis, hypersensitivity lung disease. Cases among the elderly, children or pregnant can occur more frequently than a healthy adult if they are repeatedly exposed to the existing endotoxin. Therefore, we investigated and assessed the environmental characteristics associated with the airborne endotoxin concentration level in six hospital lobbies. Method: Endotoxin from indoor air in six hospital lobbies was measured by an area sampling method and analyzed according to American Society for Testing and Materials International(ASTM international) E2144-01. Total suspended particulate(TSP), carbon dioxide($CO_2$), temperature and humidity were also measured by using direct reading measurements or airborne sampling equipment at the same time. Environmental characteristics were appropriately divided into two or three groups for a statistics analysis. One-way analysis variable(one-way ANOVA) was used to examine a difference of the endotoxin concentration, depending on the environmental characteristics. In addition, only variables with p-value(p<0.25) were eventually designed to the best model by using multiple regression analysis. Results: The correlation analysis result indicated that TSP(p=0.003) and $CO_2$(p<0.0001) levels were significantly associated with endotoxin concentration levels. In contrast, temperature(p<0.068) and humidity(p<0.365) were not associated with endotoxin concentration. Levels of endotoxin concentration were statistically different among the environmental characteristics of Service time(p=0.01), Establishment of hospital(p<0.001), Scale of hospital(p=0.01), Day average people using hospital(p=0.03), Cleaning time of lobby(p=0.05), Season(p<0.001), and Cleaning of ventilation system(p<0.001) according to ANOVA. Finally, the best model(Adjusted R-square=72%) that we designed through a multiple regression test included environmental characteristics related to Service time, Area of lobby, Season, Cleaning of ventilation system, and Temperature. Conclusions: According to this study, our result showed a normal level of endotoxin concentration in the hospital lobbies and found environmental management methods to reduce the level of endotoxin concentration to a minimum. Consequently, this study recognized to be requirement for the management of ventilation systems and an indoor temperature in order to reduce the level of endotoxin concentration in the hospital lobbies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2003

Purpose : While there have been growing concerns about the effects of Asian dusts on health, there are few studies for relationship between Asian dusts and health outcome. This study was designed to examine the perceived symptoms and behavior change of children during the Asian Dust events. Methods : We surveyed 459 students at an elementary school in Seoul, Korea from November 20th to 27th 2002. Children with parents were asked to return the completed questionnaires within a week. The questionnaires included the sociodemographic factor, previous respiratory disease, and perceived symptom, hospital visits and behavior change during the Asian dusts. Results : The majority of children reported that they restrained going out and outdoor recreational activity during the Asian dusts. The rate of children who worn the mask was 49% and 47% in second grade and fifth grade, respectively. Regarding the perceived symptom during the Asian dusts, the children in 2nd were more likely to have symptom than 5th and there were significant difference between two groups in cough, asthma symptom, dry cough, phlegm and medication for allergy or asthma symptom. In addition, children who had previous disease were more likely to change behavior in order to prevent the effects of Asian dusts. Conclusions : This study suggested that the younger children and children who had past respiratory disease were susceptible to the effect of Asian dusts. There is a need for providing public information and health education to prevent the impact of Asian dusts on health.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.788-794
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• 2020

This study was measured and analyzed from January to November 2019 to confirm the effect that Abietic acid, an asthma-causing substance, which can be exposed to workers in the electronics industry, is removed by plasma treatment. The experiment was carried out using a solder wire and natural rosin. Air at temperatures of 250℃, 300℃, and 350℃ was collected with a glass fiber filter paper using an air sampler for 10 minutes at a flow rate of 2ℓ/min. An analysis of the collected samples was performed by pretreatment with methyl alcohol and quantitative analysis by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This procedure confirmed that abietic acid was generated in both natural rosin and solder wires, and the quantum of abietic acid increased as the treatment temperature increased. The amount of abietic acid was higher in natural rosin than solder wire. As a result of plasma treatment, a removal efficiency of about 92% or more was confirmed in natural rosin. A peak of abietic acid was not detected in the solder wire. Therefore, a removal efficiency of 100% was confirmed. This study, confirmed that abietic acid, an asthma-trigger can be generated in solder wire and natural rosin, and can be removed by plasma treatment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.324-333
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• 2016

Objectives: We aimed to compare the sampling performance of different flow-based impactor samplers for collecting fungal spores and bacteria and to explore the association of the level of bioaerosols with activity patterns of occupants in daycare center settings. Methods: For comparison of sampling performance, two different flow-based samplers (greater than 100 L/min or not) were selected; a low flow-based sampler (one-stage Andersen sampler) and two high flow-based samplers (DUO SAS SUPER 360 sampler, BUCK bio-culture sampler). We collected airborne mold and bacteria in 30 daycare centers with various levels of contaminated air. Three repeat samplings per each sampler were performed. Mold and bacteria were grown for 96 hours at $25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ and 48 hours at $35{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, respectively. The Andersen and SAS samplers were used for investigating the association between the level of bioaerosols and the activity patterns of occupants in daycares. Particular matters 10($PM_{10}$), temperature, and relative humidity were monitored as well. Samplings were carried out with one-hour interval from 9 to 5 O'clock. For statistical comparisons, Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon's signed rank test, and multiple regression analysis were carried out. Results: The airborne level of molds by the low flow-based sampler were significantly higher than that of high flow-based samplers (indoor, P=0.037; outdoor, P=0.041). However, no statistical difference was observed in the airborne level of bacteria by each sampler. Also the level of bioaerosols varied by the time, particularly with different activity patterns in daycare centers. The higher level of mold and bacteria were observed in play time in indoor. Similarly, the concentrations of $PM_{10}$ were significantly associated with the level of bioaerosols (P<0.05). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the flow rate of sampler, rather than total air volume, could be able to affect the results of sampling. Also, the level of airborne mold and bacteria vary behavior patterns of occupants in indoor of daycare settings. Therefore, different samplers with other flow rate may be selected for mold or bacteria sampling, and activity patterns should be considered for bioaerosol sampling as well.