• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 1991

Exposure level of respirable coal dust of underground coal mines in Taebaek area was evaluated. Personal air samplers with 10-mm nylone cyclones were attached to the coal workers including drillers, coal cutters, their assistants, haulers, and separators. Log-normality of respirable dust exposure concentration were tested by Kolmogorov-Smirnov one-sample test. Differences of means of respirable dust exposure concentration between work sites were tested by one-way ANOVA test and multiple comparison(Scheffe) test. And differences of respirable dust exposure concentration of principal and assistant workers in drilling sites and in coal faces were tested by paired t-test. Relation of respirable dust exposure concentration for the principal workers and their assistants in drilling sites and in coal faces were tested by regression analysis. The results were as follows : 1. All of the respirable dust concentration were log-normally distributed. 2. There were not only significantly different means of exposure concentration between drillers and coal cutters but between coal cutters and haulers. 3. Means of exposure concentration of drillers and drilling assistants were not significantly different. And means of exposure concentration of coal cutters and coal cutting assistants were not different.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 1988

The exposure level of respirable dust and silica for the coal workers of underground coal mines in Taebaek area was evaluated. Personal air samplers were attached to the coal workers-drillers, coal cutters, their helpers, haulers, and separators. Normality and lognormality of respirable dust and silica concentrations were tested by Kolmogorov-Smirnov one-sample test, differences of means of respirable dust and silica concentration were tested by group-t-test and paired t-test, and relation between respirable dust and silica concentration were tested by regression test.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 1992

This study was carried out to investigate exposure level, size distribution, and respirable mass fraction of airborne coal dust and heavy metal concentration of respirable coal dust at each work site in coal briquet factory from July 1991 to September 1991. Geometric mean of total dust concentration was 10.88mg/m$^{3}$ at storage shop, 8.22mg/m$^{3}$ at pulverize shop, and 3.79mg/m$^{3}$ at rotary press shop, respectively, but those at storage and pulverize shop were higher than TLV. Geometric mean of respirable coal dust concentration wat 1.03mg/m$^{3}$ at storage shop, 0.78mg/m$^{3}$ at pulverize shop, and 0.55mg/m$^{3}$ at rotary press shop, respectively, which were lower than TLV Aerodynamic 50% cutoff diameter of the suspended coal dust was 5$\mu$m at rotary press shop and 6.8$\mu$m at storage shop, ranged to thoracic particulate defined by ACGIH, and deposited in the region of repiratory system. The mass fraction rate of respirable dust to the total coal dust was 26.2% at rotary press shop, 18.8% at storage shop, and 13.8% at pulverize shop, respectively. Heavy metal concentrations of the respirable coal dust were 0.028mg/m$^{3}$ ib Fe, 0.0081mg/m$^{3}$ in Cu, and 0.0039mg/m$^{3}$ in Pb.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.82-88
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• 1991

Determination of Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations in coal and respirable coal dust were performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The coal samples of 18 coal mines in Gangneung area were collected and 25 coal mines in Taebaek area. Crushed coal samples were divided into three mesh sizes. The results were as follows : 1. Metal concentrations of coals in Gangneung area by sieve sizes( -100/+200 mesh, -200/+325 mesh, -325 mesh) were as follows: Cu ; 20, 18, 19, Fe ; 1,830, 1,765, 1,107, Pb ; 6, 8, 14, Ni ; 17, 17, 14, Zn ; 4, 2, $4{\mu}g/g$, respectively. Metal concentrations in coals in Taebaek area by sieve sizes(-100/+200 mesh, -200/+325 mesh, -325 mesh) were as follows: Cu ; 30, 32, 26, Fe ; 1,741, 1,822, 1,773, Pb ; 8, 9, 7, Ni ; 13, 13, 13, Zn ; 8, 5, $4{\mu}g/g$, respectively. There were not significant differences of Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations of coals statistically in Gangneung and Taebaek area by sieve size. 2. Metal concentrations of coals in Gangneung and Taeback area were as follows : Cu ; 19, 30, Fe ; 1,514, 1,778, Pb ; 9, 8, Ni ; 16, 13, Zn ; 3, $6{\mu}g/g$, respectively. Differences of copper and zinc concentrations of coal samples were significant between Gangneung and Taebaek area, but those of iron, nickel and lead concentrations were not significant. 3. Copper, iron, lead, nickel and zinc concentrations of coals and respirable coal dust were as follows : Cu ; 30, 6, Fe ; 1,779, 5,075, Pb ; 8, 7,814, Ni ; 13, 5,681, Zn ; 5, $134{\mu}g/g$, respectively. Differences of nickel, lead and zinc concentrations were significant between coals and respirable coal dust but those of copper and iron concentrations were not significant.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 1991

Authors investigated size distributions of airborne mixed coal dust at drillings, coalfaces, and separating sites of underground coal mines in Taebaek, Hwasun, and Jeomchon area by ambient cascade impactors. And Respirable mass fractions were calculated from the size distributions by the ACGIH criteria.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.296-305
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• 2017

Background: Surfactant-containing water sprays are commonly used in coal mines to collect dust. This study investigates the dust collection performance of different surfactant types for a range of coal dust particle sizes and charges. Methods: Bituminous coal dust aerosol was generated in a wind tunnel. The charge of the aerosol was either left unaltered, charge-neutralized with a neutralizer, or positively- or negatively-charged using a diffusion charger after the particles were neutralized. An anionic, cationic, or nonionic surfactant spray or a plain water spray was used to remove the particles from the air flow. Some particles were captured while passing through spray section, whereas remaining particles were charge-separated using an electrostatic classifier. Particle size and concentration of the charge-separated particles were measured using an aerodynamic particle sizer. Measurements were made with the spray on and off to calculate overall collection efficiencies (integrated across all charge levels) and efficiencies of particles with specific charge levels. Results: The diameter of the tested coal dust aerosol was $0.89{\mu}m{\pm}1.45$ [geometric $mean{\pm}geometric$ standard deviations (SD)]. Respirable particle mass was collected with $75.5{\pm}5.9%$ ($mean{\pm}SD$) efficiency overall. Collection efficiency was correlated with particle size. Surfactant type significantly impacted collection efficiency: charged particle collection by nonionic surfactant sprays was greater than or equal to collection by other sprays, especially for weakly-charged aerosols. Particle charge strength was significantly correlated with collection efficiency. Conclusion: Surfactant type affects charged particle spray collection efficiency. Nonionic surfactant sprays performed well in coal dust capture in many of the tested conditions.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.20 no.2 s.22
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• pp.261-269
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• 1987

In order to investigate working conditions of underground coal mines, this work was undertaken to evaluate the respirable dust and the concentration of quartz in Taeback and Kangneung areas. The concentration of quartz was determined by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry. The results were as follows; 1) The concentration of respirable dust of drilling and coal face in Taeback and Kangneung areas were as followed; Arithmetic $Mean{\pm}S.D.(mg/m^3)$ Taeback Drilling: $2.00{\pm}1.56$ Taeback Coal Face: $3.74{\pm}3.14$ Kangneung Drilling: $4.55{\pm}4.51$ Kangneung Coal Face: $5.77{\pm}4.53$ Geometric $Mean{\pm}S.D.(mg/m^3)$ Taeback Drilling: $1.34{\pm}2.81$ Taeback Coal Face : $2.55{\pm}2.61$ Kangneung Drilling : $2.44{\pm}3.63$ Kangneung Coal Face: $4.24{\pm}2.37$ 2) Distribution of respirable dust was well fitted to the log-normal distribution and geometric mean value was $log^{-1}\;0.37{\pm}log^{-1}\;0.47(2.34{\pm}2.95)mg/m^3$. 3) The difference of respirable dust concentrations in Taeback and Kangneung areas was not significant statistically (p>0.05). 4) The concentration of quartz of drilling and coal face in Taeback and Kangneung areas were as followed; Arithmetic $Mean{\pm}S.D.(%)$ Taeback Drilling: $6.18{\pm}5.52$ Taeback Coal Face: $1.89{\pm}1.54$ Kangneung Drilling: $3.54{\pm}2.12$ Kangneung Coal Face: $2.05{\pm}3.37$ Geometric $Mean{\pm}S.D.(%)$ Taeback Drilling: $4.24{\pm}2.59$ Coal Face: $1.39{\pm}2.22$ Kangneung Drilling : $2.55{\pm}3.08$ Kangneung Coal Face : $1.24{\pm}2.33$ 5) Distribution of quartz concentrations was well fitted to the log-normal distribution and geometric mean value was $log^{-1}\;0.33{\pm}log^{-1}\;0.45(2.14{\pm}2.82)%$. 6) The difference of quartz concentrations in Taeback and Kangneung areas was not significant (p>0.05), but significant at drilling sites and coal faces (p<0.05).

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to assess respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposure levels in workers who collect and dispose used coal briquette ash (CBA) in sanitation companies that are subcontracted by one medium-sized local government on the collection of municipal household waste (MHW), and to analyze the quartz content in CBA. When the CBA powder that undergone specialized pretreatment in several steps were subjected to mineral identification and quantitative analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD), it was found that quartz represented 18%, and in addition, mullite, and plagioclase were included. For two CBA collectors, samples were collected by the personal sampling evaluation method. After respirable dust was collected in accordance with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 7500 method, the concentration of quartz was analyzed using XRD. Meanwhile, a portable real-time dust monitor (Sidepak AM520, TSI Inc., USA) was also used to observe the dust exposure level for each time zone and job task. The RCS exposure level of one worker was as high as 0.024 mg/㎥, which was the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLV) level. The other worker also exhibited a concentration of 0.013 mg/㎥, which was more than half of TLV. The Sidepak results revealed that the work of collecting CBA and loading it onto a vehicle was hardly exposed to the dust of a significant level. It was found, however, that the work of transferring the collected CBA to a container through a conveyor belt was exposed to a very high average respirable dust concentration of 2.238 mg/㎥. The results of this study confirmed that quartz, which is crystalline silica and a carcinogen, is contained in CBA, one of municipal household waste (MHW), in high concentration. It was also confirmed that workers are exposed to high RCS concentrations while transferring collected CBA into a container. Although each local government in South Korea handles CBA in different ways, it is imperative to investigate the CBA exposure level of sanitation workers and improve their working conditions.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.32-38
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• 1991

Airborne suspended particulate concentration in drilling sites of underground coal mines in Taebaek area was evaluated. And respirable coal dust exposure level was evaluated. Airborne suspended particulate mass include total suspended particle(TSP) and thoracic particle(TPM). TSP (by open-face filter holder) and TPM(by elutriator) concentration were determined by low volume air samplers. Personal air samplers were attached to the coal workers including drillers, coal cutters, and their assistants. Normality and log-normality of TSP, TPM, and respirable dust(RPM) concentration were tested by Kolmogorov-Smirnov one-sample test. Differences of means of TSP, TPM, and RPM concentration were tested by paired t-test. Relation between TSP, TPM, and RPM with pairs were tested by regression test and Pearson's correlation.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.68-78
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• 1989

The heavy metal of suspended particulates with human health has long been studied in environmental interest concerned. This study was intended to identify harmful heavy metals of the ambient air borne dusts which were related with the respirable sizes in the aerodynamics. Two sampling sites were selected comparatively; one was in the Shinchon area, which is the commercial district with heavy traffic and the other site was in the Bulgwang area which is residential area. The supended particulates were sampled by high volume air sample with 6 cascade impactor stages. The heavy metals in terms of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, V and Zn were determined by stomic absorption spectrometry or inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry. The samples weretaken bimothly for seven consecutive days from May 1987 to March 1988. The annual average concentration of the respirable suspended dust of which diameter is less than 10$\mum$ was 152.59 $\mug/m^3$ of the Shinchon air samples; the respirable dust was equivalent to approximately 85% of the total suspended particulates. The annual average concentration of the respirable suspended dust of the Bulgwang air samples was 112.56 $\mug/m^3$; that was approximately 86% of the total suspended particulates. The concentration of heavy metals was investigated in relation to the particle size. The concentration of Cr, Fe, Mn and V were tended to be much more in the coarse particles than in the fine particles. Cd and Pb in the fine particles were more than in the coarse particles. In the partial correlation coefficients; in the Shinchon area, high correlations among Fe, Se and Mn were determined; it is assumed that those sources would be originated from coal, gasolineand diesel. In Bulgwang area, would be high correlation among Fe, Se, Hg and Mn considered to be originated from coal, Bunker-C and heavy oil as well. From the above results, the hazardous heavy merals in air should be measured and controlled in originally their sources.