• Title/Summary/Keyword: the urban environment

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Changes of Total Gaseous Mercury Concentration Levels and the Associated Environmental Conditions in Seoul, Korea (12년 차이를 두고 본 서울 한남동 지역 대기 중 수은의 분포특성과 환경요인의 비교)

  • Kim, Min-Young;Kim, Ki-Hyun
    • Journal of the Korean earth science society
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    • v.22 no.3
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    • pp.237-247
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    • 2001
  • The concentrations of gaseous mercury (Hg) determined between two different time periods of the late 1980s and the late 1990s were compared to account for the effects of changes between source/sink relationships of atmospheric Hg in an urban area. The Hg concentration levels were different remarkably between the two time periods due possibly to changes in source/sink relationships. The results showed that the Hg levels in the former period were measured to be 14.4${\pm}$9.56ngm$^{-3}$ (N = 2714), whereas those of the latter period were characterized by approximately three-fold decreased values of 5.34${\pm}$3.92 ngm$^{-3}$ (N=2576). Using two independent measurement data sets, we examined the patterns of Hg distribution at different time scales. When analyzed over 24 hour scale, these data sets exhibited two distinctive distribution patterns. The former period showed enhanced concentration levels during daytime, while the latter period showed relative depletion during daytime. The patterns of the two data sets were also examined over seasonal scale. The results of two different time periods consistently showed the occurrences of maximum seasonal values during winter. The former period was characterized by seasonal patterns of fuel consumption with excessive Hg levels during winter. Conversely, no distinctive trend was apparent for the latter period with slight changes in concentration levels across seasons. In order to analyze the factors affecting Hg distributions between two different periods, we conducted both correlation and factor analysis on both all data sets and on seasonally divided data groups. The results of these analyses consistently indicate that the Hg concentration levels for two different time periods are regulated by distinctive source processes that are characteristic of each period.

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A Study on the Experience of Back Pain and Developmental Factors of Male High School Students in an Urban area (일 도시지역 남자고교생들의 요통경험과 발생요인에 관한 연구)

  • Chung, Seung-Hee;Cho, Young-Shin
    • Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.321-337
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    • 1999
  • The purpose of this study was to obtain basic data for the prevention and control of adolescent back pain through analyzing connections between study environments and physical posture. The subjects were 960 male general high school students in the Chonju area and the data were collected by a self-reported questionnaire from Mar. 17 to Mar. 22, 1999. The collected data were analyzed by a frequency, chi-square and t-test using an SPSS program. The results are as follows; 1) The experience rate of back pain perceived by subjects was 67.5% and by each grade: 1st-27.5%, 2nd-35.4%, 3rd-37.1%. The relationship between grades and the experience of back pain didn't show any significant difference. 2) The causes of back pain perceived by subjects such as 'postures are not good' was 56.7%, 'sitting too much time in a chair' was 39.1%, and 'too severe exercise' was 32.4%. 27.8% had back pain first during the 3rd grade of middle school, and 23.9% had it first during the 1st grade of high school. 3) Intensity of subjects' back pain spread from 'moderate' at 49.6%, to 'severe' at 16.4%. Concerning the frequency of back pain, 58.6% said it was 'irregalar'. 4) Among interventions to deal with back pain: 'move by exercising my back or ask friends to beat my back' was 41.0%, 'just bear it' was 23.1%, and at home 'don't have 'any treatment' was ranked first, at 54.9%. 5) The relationship between subjects' general characteristics and back pain experiences: height (t=-1.99, P=.046), sitting/height (t=-2.61, P=.009), self-perceived condition of health (${\chi}^2=23.530$, P=.000), family history (${\chi}^2=43.903$, P=.000) showed significant difference, but the kinds of transportation, sleeping postures, sleeping method and smoking didn't show significant differences. 6) The relationship between subjects' learning environment and back pain experiences, the height of students' desk and chair showed significant difference (${\chi}^2=23.054$, P=.000), but the sitting time didn't show significant difference. 7) The relationship between the characteristics of subjects' physical postures and back pain experiences: standing postures (${\chi}^2=15.105$, P=.001), and sitting postures (${\chi}^2=20.264$X2, P=.001) showed significant difference, but lifting postures didn't show significant difference.

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Light Conditions for Suitable Growth of Urban Interior Plants - In Case of Green House within Kyobo Building, Seoul - (도심 실내조경 식물의 적절한 생육에 필요한 광조건 - 서울시 광화문 교보생명빌딩 그린하우스를 대상으로 -)

  • Lee, Kyong-Jae;Choi, Jin-Woo;Pae, Ho-Bong;Kang, Hyun-Kyoung
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.37 no.3
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    • pp.113-124
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    • 2009
  • This study has attempted to calculate the intensity of illumination for the optimal growth environment of indoor plants after analyzing both damage to plant species and growth conditions as impacted by light conditions for the Kyobo Life Insurance greenhouse. The optical intensity of illumination has been estimated after investigating the problems of growth conditions based on an analysis of illumination by light condition, dead tree replacement cycle(weeks) and rate of damage of plant species. According to the investigation of illumination, the lowest difference was observed between the shaded spot in the south(531lux) and the sunny spot(602lux) while the largest difference(nearly 500lux) was detected between the shaded spot in the central area(210lux) and the sunny spot(782lux). According to an analysis of dead trees from 1990 to 2004, in terms of dead tree replacement cycle, Viburnum awabuki was the highest(161weeks), followed by Phyllostachys spp.(84weeks), Camellia japonica and Ternstroemia japonica(40weeks). Regardless of plant species, damage rate of plant were lower in the shaded spot and higher in the sunny spot. According to correlation and regression analyses with the intensity of illumination as an independent variable and the damage rate of plant species as a dependent variable, the damage rate of plant species increased as the intensity of illumination decreased. A dramatic decline in the rate of damage was observed at $500{\sim}600lux$. At 700lux, it reached the lowest level.

A Review of U.S. Renewable Energy Expansion and Support Policies (미국의 재생 에너지 확대 및 지원정책 연구)

  • Kim, Chu
    • Land and Housing Review
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    • v.9 no.2
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    • pp.41-50
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    • 2018
  • The purpose of this study is to review the U.S. renewable energy policies implemented by the federal government and the state governments to investigate potential barriers of renewable energy expansion and to develop policy implications for the successful renewable energy policy making in Korea. Recently, the restructuring in the energy supply chain has been being a new trend in many countries that shows a transition from traditional fossil fuels to sustainable renewable energy sources. The United States has enforced effective renewable energy policies (i.e., regulatory policies, financial incentives), which have led to the exploding growth of renewable energy facilities and productions over the last ten years. For example, many state governments in the U.S. are implementing Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) policies that require increased energy supply from renewable energy sources (i.e., solar, wind and geothermal). These RPS policies are expected to account for at least 10-50 percent of total electricity production in the next fifteen years. As part of results, in the recent three years, renewable energy in the U.S provided over 50 percent of total new power generation constructions. On the other hand, Korea initiated to develop climate change policies in 2008 for the Green Growth Policy that set up a target reduction of national Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions up to 37 percent by 2025. However, statistical data for accumulated renewable energy capacity refer that Korea is still in its early stage that contribute to only 7 percent of the total electricity production capacity and of which hydroelectric power occupied most of the production. Thus, new administration in Korea announced a new renewable energy policy (Renewable Energy 3020 Plan) in 2017 that will require over 95 percent of the total new generations as renewable energy facilities to achieve up to 20 percent of the total electricity production from renewable energy sources by 2030. However, to date, there have not been enough studies to figure out the barriers of the current policy environment and to develop implications about renewable energy policies to support the government plan in Korea. Therefore, this study reviewed the U.S. renewable energy policies compared with Korean policies that could show model cases to introduce related policies and to develop improved incentives to rapidly spread out renewable energy facilities in Korea.

Soil Pollution and Contaminated Soil Management of the Public Housing Agency in Residential Land Development (전국 토양오염실태 및 공공택지개발지구의 오염토양 관리)

  • Oh, Jeongik;Jin, Kyunam;Lee, Hyunjeong
    • Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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    • v.38 no.7
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    • pp.377-386
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    • 2016
  • The purposes of this research are to examine soil pollution in the nation and to explore the contaminated soil management of the public housing agency in public land for residential development. In so doing, the primary and secondary data were utilized, the former made use of the public data annually released by the Korea Ministry of Environment, and the latter relied on a self-administerd questionnaire survey conducted in the staff of the public housing agency, particularly those in charge of soil contamination in large-scale land, housing and urban development projects. The findings reveal that the national concentrations of 21 inorganic and organic soil contaminants (e.g., Cd, Cu, As, Hg, Pb, Cr, Zn, Ni, F, P, PCB, CN, Phenol, BTEX, TPH, TCE, PCE, Benzo(a)pyrene, and pH) in the land were extracted to be well below the risk level designated by the statutory guidance while industrial areas had them at a relatively modest level. In addition, the survey results indicate that the public housing agency didn't establish specific and clear guidelines for soil pollution and its remediation in the residential land development, so that contaminated sites have been primarily remediated by outsourcing companies. As the unexpected occurrence of contaminated sites causes the incurring expenses added to total project budget, the provision of both professional training and on-site manuals with the sufficient information on techniques and methods of soil contamination is critical to promptly and systematically deal with soil pollution.

A Study on the Evaluation of Greening Level of Domestic Public Libraries (국내 공공도서관의 녹색화 수준 평가 연구)

  • Noh, Younghee
    • Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.5-34
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    • 2017
  • This study measured greening level on the 978 public libraries nationwide, making and distributing questionnaires based on green library evaluation indicators developed to measure the greening level of public libraries. As a result of analyzing the averages by evaluation area, among the green library evaluation areas, the whole average of the library resources was the highest by 1.93, and followed by land use and traffic 1.81, indoor environment 1.30, management of water circulation 1.20, etc. The greening evaluation area which shows the best strength in the surveyed public libraries, was the area of the library resource, and it turned out that it use spaces effectively like effective use of the entire area, effectiveness of conservation of books, use and management of eco-friendly products etc., or use the equipments in eco-friendly way which are purchased or used frequently in the libraries, and, as for the land use and traffic area, most of the libraries had bicycle racks, and chose the location of the libraries, considering accessibility to public transportation and a distance between central urban area and libraries. Also, it turns out that, in the area of materials and resources, most of the libraries were equipped with hand dryers and rolling towels and maintained the eco-friendly view.

A Study on the Regional Distribution of Enrollment Cases Who Reported Humidifier Disinfectant-Related Health Effects (가습기살균제 노출로 인한 건강피해 신고자의 지역별 편차에 대한 고찰)

  • Ju, Min Jae;Yoon, Jeonggyo;Jo, Eun-Kyung;Lee, Seula;Oh, Jaehyun;Park, Jinhyeon;Yang, Wonho;Choi, Yoon-Hyeong
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.47 no.4
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    • pp.303-309
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    • 2021
  • Background: Humidifier disinfectant is a biocidal product used in the water tanks of humidifiers to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Although there are a huge number of cases of reported humidifier disinfectant-related health effects across the entire Korean population, their numbers are distributed differently depending on the region. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the regional distribution of enrollment cases who reported humidifier disinfectant-related health effects. Methods: This study used data on 6,240 subjects who experienced humidifier disinfectant-related health effects and who enrolled their cases which is conducted by the Korea Ministry of Environment. We examined the regional distribution of the enrolled cases based on sixteen administrative divisions and assessed the: 1) crude number; 2) proportional rate; and 3) age-standardized proportional rate of enrollment by region. Results: When we examined the crude number of enrollments by region, the highest number were in Gyeonggi-do Province (n=1,896), followed in order by Seoul (n=1,405), Incheon (n=436) Busan, Daegu, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, Daejeon, Chungcheongnam-do Province, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Jeollabuk-do Province, Gwangju, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, Gangwon-do Province, Jeollanam-do Province, Ulsan, and Jeju-do. When we examined proportional rate of the regional enrollment (cases per 100,000 population), Daejeon (n=16.2) was the region with the highest rate, followed in order by Gyeonggi-do Province (n=16.1), Incheon-do Province (n=15.9), Seoul, Daegu, Gwangju, Jeollabuk-do Province, Chungcheongnam-do Province, Busan, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, Gangwon-do Province, Gyeongsanbuk-do Province, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, Ulsan, Jeju-do, and Jeollanam-do Province, which is inconsistent with the order in terms of crude numbers. However, when we examined the age-standardized proportional rate of regional enrollment (cases per 100,000 population), their ranked distribution is consistent with the crude rate. Conclusions: This study observed that the regional distribution of the enrolled cases who reported humidifier disinfectant-related health effects is inconsistent with the regional distribution of the proportional rate of enrollment cases, which may be caused in part by the volume of the inherent population of each region.

Analysis of Land Cover Characteristics with Object-Based Classification Method - Focusing on the DMZ in Inje-gun, Gangwon-do - (객체기반 분류기법을 이용한 토지피복 특성분석 - 강원도 인제군의 DMZ지역 일원을 대상으로 -)

  • Na, Hyun-Sup;Lee, Jung-Soo
    • Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.121-135
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    • 2014
  • Object-based classification methods provide a valid alternative to traditional pixel-based methods. This study reports the results of an object-based classification to examine land cover in the demilitarized zones(DMZs) of Inje-gun. We used land cover classes(7 classes for main category and 13 classes for sub-category) selected from the criteria by Korea Ministry of Environment. The average and standard deviation of the spectrum values, and homogeneity of GLCM were chosen to map land cover types in an hierarchical approach using the nearest neighborhood method. We then identified the distributional characteristics of land cover by considering 3 topographic characteristics (altitude, slope gradient, distance from the Southern Limited Line(SLL)) within the DMZs. The results showed that scale 72, shape 0.2, color 0.8, compactness 0.5 and smoothness 0.5 were the optimum weight values while scale, shape and color were most influenced parameters in image segmentation. The forests (92%) were main land cover type in the DMZs; the grassland(5%), the urban area (2%) and the forests (broadleaf forest: 44%, mixed forest: 42%, coniferous forest: 6%) also occupied mostly in land cover classes for sub-category. The results also showed that facilities and roads had higher density within 2 km from the SLL, while paddy, field and bare land were distributed largely outside 6 km from the SLL. In addition, there was apparent distinction in land cover by topographic characteristics. The forest had higher density at above altitude 600m and above slope gradient $30^{\circ}$ while agriculture, bare land and grass land were distributed mainly at below altitude 600m and below slope gradient $30^{\circ}$.

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Estuarine Wetlands Related to Watershed Characteristics in the Han River Estuary (유역특성에 따른 한강하구 습지의 공간분포 및 변화분석)

  • Rho, Paik-Ho
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.42 no.3 s.120
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    • pp.344-354
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    • 2007
  • Estuarine wetlands for 33 watersheds in the Han River estuary were delineated on topographic maps from the 1910s, 1970s, and 2000s. Then, these data were used to address the issue of spatial distribution and temporal variation. Watershed characteristics such as drainage density, location, watershed size, slope, and elevation were identified for each watershed to determine the relationship between watershed characteristics and spatial distribution of estuarine wetlands. The analysis of estuarine wetlands indicated that wetlands in the estuary had declined gradually between the 1910s and the 1970s, although most wetlands were lost since the 1970s mainly caused by the large development projects related to urban expansion in metropolitan Seoul. The sediment composition and formation processes of the wetlands differed with watershed location; mud flats dominate in the lower part of the estuary, and relatively more sandy and emergent-plant wetlands occur near the main channel and tributaries of the Han River. Relatively more estuary wetlands occur in large watersheds, which have high slopes and low elevations. Estuarine wetlands have been lost dramatically in the densely populated watershed regions (i.e., Han River Seoul, Han River Goyang, West Han River), while relatively more wetlands have remained in undeveloped regions, including the Lower Imjin River and Lower Han River. In particular, anthropogenic disturbance has played an important role in the loss of wetland through the conversion of wetland into agricultural and developed land.

Estimation of regional flow duration curve applicable to ungauged areas using machine learning technique (머신러닝 기법을 이용한 미계측 유역에 적용 가능한 지역화 유황곡선 산정)

  • Jeung, Se Jin;Lee, Seung Pil;Kim, Byung Sik
    • Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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    • v.54 no.spc1
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    • pp.1183-1193
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    • 2021
  • Low flow affects various fields such as river water supply management and planning, and irrigation water. A sufficient period of flow data is required to calculate the Flow Duration Curve. However, in order to calculate the Flow Duration Curve, it is essential to secure flow data for more than 30 years. However, in the case of rivers below the national river unit, there is no long-term flow data or there are observed data missing for a certain period in the middle, so there is a limit to calculating the Flow Duration Curve for each river. In the past, statistical-based methods such as Multiple Regression Analysis and ARIMA models were used to predict sulfur in the unmeasured watershed, but recently, the demand for machine learning and deep learning models is increasing. Therefore, in this study, we present the DNN technique, which is a machine learning technique that fits the latest paradigm. The DNN technique is a method that compensates for the shortcomings of the ANN technique, such as difficult to find optimal parameter values in the learning process and slow learning time. Therefore, in this study, the Flow Duration Curve applicable to the unmeasured watershed is calculated using the DNN model. First, the factors affecting the Flow Duration Curve were collected and statistically significant variables were selected through multicollinearity analysis between the factors, and input data were built into the machine learning model. The effectiveness of machine learning techniques was reviewed through statistical verification.