• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1963-1970
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• 2014

Ambient particulate matters($PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$) were investigated at GNTECH university in Jinju city. Samples were collected using a dichotomous sampler(series 240, Andersen Corp.) and a TEOM(Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance) monitor period from November 2012 to October 2013. For the dichotomous sampler measurements, daily 24-h integrated $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10-2.5}$ ambient air samples were collected at a total flow rate of 16.7 L /min. For the TEOM monitor measurements, daily 1-h integrated $PM_{10}$ ambient air samples were collected at a flow rate of 16.7 L /min. The annual average concentrations of $PM_{10-2.5}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ by a dichotomous sampler were $10.0{\pm}6.1{\mu}g/m^3$ and $22.6{\pm}9.3{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. And $PM_{10}$ concentration by dichotomous sampler were similar to TEOM monitor by $32.7{\pm}12.9{\mu}g/m^3$ and $31.7{\pm}11.3{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. And good correlation ($R^2=0.964$) between the two methods was observed. The annual average of $PM_{2.5}/PM_{10}$ ratio was $0.70{\pm}0.12$.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.322-329
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• 2017

Perturbation in ambient particulate matter ($PM_1$, $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_{10}$) and black carbon (BC) concentrations was studied during a firecracker bursting episode in Diwali (Festival of Lights) celebrations in Nagpur, India. Firecracker bursting resulted in greater escalation in fine particulates over coarse particulates while $PM_{2.5}$ was found to be dominated by $PM_1$ concentration. On the Diwali day, daily mean concentration of $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$ exceeded Indian National Ambient Air Quality Standards by over 1.8 and 1.5 times, respectively, while daily mean BC concentration on the same day was almost two times higher than the previous day. The BC/$PM_1$ ratio reduced remarkably from about 0.26 recorded before fire-cracker bursting activity to about 0.09 during fire-cracker bursting on Diwali night in spite of simultaneous escalation in ambient BC concentration. Such aberration in BC/$PM_1$ was evidently a result of much higher escalation in $PM_1$ than BC in ambient air during firecracker bursting. The study highlighted strong perturbations in ambient $PM_1$, $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_{10}$ concentrations and BC/$PM_1$ during the firecracker bursting episode. Altered atmospheric BC/$PM_1$ ratios could serve as indicators of firecracker-polluted air and similar BC/$PM_1$ ratios in local and regional air masses might be used as diagnostic ratios for firecracker smoke.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.679-687
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• 2015

Atmospheric aerosol particles were investigated at GNTECH university in Jinju city. Samples were collected using the Nanosampler period from January to December 2014. The Nanosampler is a 6 stage cascade impactor(1 stage : > $10{\mu}m$, 2 stage : $2.5{\sim}10{\mu}m$, 3 stage : $1.0{\sim}2.5{\mu}m$, 4 stage : $0.5{\sim}10{\mu}m$, 5 stage : $0.1{\sim}0.5{\mu}m$, back-up : < $0.1{\mu}m$) with the stages having 50% cut-off ranging from 0.1 to $10{\mu}m$ in aerodynamic diameter. The mass size distribution of Atmospheric aerosol particles was unimodal with peak at $1.0{\sim}2.5{\mu}m$ or $0.5{\sim}1.0{\mu}m$. The annual average concentrations of TSP, $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_1$, $PM_{0.5}$ and $PM_{0.1}$ were $44.0{\mu}g/m^3$, $40.3{\mu}g/m^3$, $31.4{\mu}g/m^3$, $18.0{\mu}g/m^3$, $8.0{\mu}g/m^3$, $3.0{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. On average $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_1$, $PM_{0.5}$ and $PM_{0.1}$ make up 0.91, 0.70, 0.41, 0.19 and 0.07 of TSP, respectively. The annual average of $PM_{2.5}/PM_{10}$ ratio was 0.77.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.162-169
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• 2024

Particulate matter (PM) constitutes a hazardous blend of organic and inorganic particles that poses health risks. Inhalation of fine airborne PM with a diameter of ≤ 2.5 ㎛ (PM_2.5) can lead to significant lung impairments. (+)-afzelechin (AZC), a natural compound sourced from Bergenia ligulata, boasts a range of attributes, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, and cardiovascular effects. However, knowledge about the therapeutic potential of AZC for patients with PM_2.5-induced lung injuries remains limited. Thus, in this study, we investigated the protective attributes of AZC against lung damage caused by PM_2.5 exposure. AZC was administered to the mice 30 min after intratracheal instillation of PM_2.5. Various parameters, such as changes in lung tissue wet/dry (W/D) weight ratio, total protein/total cell ratio, lymphocyte counts, levels of inflammatory cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), vascular permeability, and histology, were evaluated in mice exposed to PM_2.5. Data demonstrated that AZC mitigated lung damage, reduced W/D weight ratio, and curbed hyperpermeability induced by PM_2.5 exposure. Furthermore, AZC effectively lowered plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines produced by PM_2.5 exposure. It reduced the total protein concentration in BALF and successfully alleviated PM_2.5-induced lymphocytosis. Additionally, AZC substantially diminished the expression levels of Toll-like receptors 4 (TLR4), MyD88, and autophagy-related proteins LC3 II and Beclin 1. In contrast, it elevated the protein phosphorylation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Consequently, the anti-inflammatory attribute of AZC positions it as a promising therapeutic agent for mitigating PM_2.5-induced lung injuries by modulating the TLR4-MyD88 and mTOR-autophagy pathways.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 1998

This study was carried out to investigate the distribution of PAHs in atmosphere and soil, and their relationship, accumulation tendency in soil, and its contain burden ratio (%) the PM$_{10}$ and soil were sampled adjacent to a roadside and analysed by HPLC from August 25th 1996 to September 22nd 1996 in Seoul and Kunggido area. The main results are summarized below 1. The concentration of PM$_{10}$ in the ambient air was showed in order of industrial region ($142.70\pm 21.77 \mu g/m^3$), commercial region ($136.51\pm 31.62 \mu g/m^3$), residential region ($110.12\pm 14.98 \mu g/m^3$), greenbelt region ($77.44\pm 12.12 \mu g/m^3$), respectively. 2. Distribution of PAHs concentration level in PM$_{10}$ and soil was showed in order of industrial region, commercial region, residential region, greenbelt region, respectively in all components. 3. The contain burden ratio (%) in PM$_{10}$ was attested that BbF was the highest contain burden component (21.7-32%) and An was the lowest contain burden component (0.35-1.95%) in all region. 4. The contain burden ratio (%) in soil was attested that Pb (20.5%) was the highest and An (0.8%) was the lowest contain burden component in industrial region and BbF (21.9%) and An (0.45%) were the same tendency in commercial region and Py (21.6%) and BkF (3.5%) were in residential region, Py (29%) and An (2.6%) were in greenbelt region. 5. The relationship between concentration of PAHs in PM$_{10}$ and soil was attested that the component of BbF (r=0.514) was very highly correlated, and there were significant in Fl and BaA in soil between industrial region and commercial region (P<0.05).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2017

Aerosol mass size distributions were investigated at 865 m high the of Jirisan national park. A nanosampler cascade impactor was used to collect aerosols. The atmospheric aerosol particles had a unimodal mass size distribution, which peaked at $0.5-1.0{\mu}m$, and a mass aerodynamic diameter of $1.13{\mu}m$. The annual average concentrations of TSP, $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_1$, $PM_{0.5}$ and $PM_{0.1}$ were $20.9{\mu}g/m^3$, $19.3{\mu}g/m^3$, $14.9{\mu}g/m^3$, $10.7{\mu}g/m^3$, $5.3{\mu}g/m^3$, $1.2{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. TSP concentrations were below $30{\mu}g/m^3$ during the sampling period. On average $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_1$, $PM_{0.5}$ and $PM_{0.1}$ made up 0.91, 0.70, 0.41, 0.19 and 0.07 of TSP, respectively. The annual average of PM2.5/PM10 ratio was 0.77.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.785-792
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• 2015

This study investigates weekday/weekend characteristics of $PM_{10}$ concentration and chemical composition of water-soluble ions in Busan in the spring of 2013. Contribution rate of water-soluble ions to PM10 concentration in weekday/weekend were 41.5% and 38.5%, respectively. Contribution rate of SO_4{^{2-}}$ to total ion mass in weekday/weekend were 30.4% and 33.8%, respectively. Contribution rate of total inorganic water-soluble ions in PM10 in weekday/weekend were 42.2% and 39.1% (mean 41.4%), respectively. $[NO_3{^-}/SO_4{^{2-}}]$ ratio in weekday/weekend were 1.01 and 0.97(mean 0.99), respectively, which indicated that weekday ratio was higher. Contribution rate of sea salts and $Cl^-/Na^+$ ratio in PM10 in weekday/weekend were 8.1% and 7.6%, 0.37% and 0.41%, respectively. This research will help understand chemical composition of water-soluble ions during the weekday/weekend and will be able to measure the contribution level of artificial anthropogenic source on urban air.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.100-113
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• 2016

In this study, the characteristics of $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{2.5-10}$ concentrations were identified in two different functional areas including Chuncheon and Youngwol, Korea. Even though the anthropogenic emission rates of $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$ are approximately four times higher in Youngwol than in Chuncheon their atmospheric concentrations were statistically higher in Chuncheon. In Chuncheon, both $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations and the ratio of $PM_{2.5}/PM_{10}$ increased as relative humidity (RH) increased possibly because the inorganic and/or organic secondary aerosols were actively formed at high RH. This result was also supported by that $PM_{2.5}$ concentration was enhanced under the fog and mist conditions in Chuncheon. On the other hand, both $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{2.5-10}$ concentrations clearly increased with the southerly winds blown from the cement production facility in Youngwol. In addition, high $PM_{2.5-10}$ concentrations were observed with high wind speed, low relative humidity, and high $NO_2$ concentrations in Youngwol, suggesting that $PM_{2.5-10}$ was generated through the physical process including crushing and packing procedures followed by resuspension from cement and lime factory.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.298-305
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• 2005

Purpose : We performed this study to evaluate the mean serum levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, insulin-like growth factor binding protein(IGFBP)-2 and IGFBP-3 in healthy Korean children according to age and sex. Methods : Ninety two healthy children, consisting of 42 boys and 50 girls, were classified into five groups according to age : neonate; infancy; early childhood; late childhood; and adolescence. We measured serum levels of IGF-I, IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) and analysed the serum levels according to sex and age group. Results : For boys, the mean serum levels of IGF-I(ng/mL) in neonate, infancy, early childhood, late childhood and adolescence were $41.1{\pm}3.6$, $70.9{\pm}33.7$, $103.5{\pm}97.2$, $89.8{\pm}46.5$ and $51.4{\pm}27.8$, respectively. Those of IGFBP-2(ng/mL) were $8.2{\pm}3.4$, $5.8{\pm}0.4$, $9.3{\pm}4.0$, $9.5{\pm}1.1$ and $7.0{\pm}0.5$, respectively. Those of IGFBP-3(ng/mL) were $559.2{\pm}215.2$, $1,333.3{\pm}692.5$, $2,254.6{\pm}1,513.8$, $2,447.1{\pm}1,464.2$, $1,533.6{\pm}807.4$, respectively. For girls, the mean serum levels of IGF-I(ng/mL) according to five age groups were $53.3{\pm}9.5$, $99.3{\pm}45.8$, $69.6{\pm}51.1$, $106.2{\pm}67.0$ and $145.1{\pm}127.8$, respectively. Those of IGFBP-2 (ng/mL) were $9.1{\pm}7.4$, $5.3{\pm}0.9$, $6.9{\pm}2.0$, $10.5{\pm}3.0$ and $7.9{\pm}1.3$, respectively. Those of IGFBP-3(ng/mL) were $858.2{\pm}433.4$, $1,834.8{\pm}851.3$, $1,404.3{\pm}570.2$, $2,203.5{\pm}899.4$ and $2,029.3{\pm}1,316.7$, respectively. There were significant positive correlations observed between IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels(r=0.589, P=0.000). Conclusion : IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels increased as children get older. The peak level of IGFBP-3 was observed in late childhood for both boys and girls, suggesting a current trend of children reaching peak growth velocity before adolescence. The IGFBP-2 level was higher in neonates compare to infancy, suggesting that IGFBP-2 is an important substance for fetal growth.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.627-641
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• 2006

Atmospheric $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$ were measured to investigate their levels and water-soluble ions(${SO_4}^{2-},\;{NO_3}^-,\;{NO_2}^-,\;Cl^-,\;{NH_4}^+,\;Na^+,\;Ca^{2+},\;Mg^{2+},\;and\;K^+$) in Daegu between February 17 and April 18, 2006. Four Asian dust episodes during the period were examined for the influence of Asian dust on the particulate properties. Daily $PM_{2.5}\;and\;PM_{2.5-10}$ concentrations ranged between $10.83{\sim}136.76{\mu}g/m^3$ with a mean of $38.43{\mu}g/m^3$ and $16.13{\sim}409.13{\mu}g/m^3$ with a mean of $79.98{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. For all measured ions the mean fractions of $PM_{2.5}\;and\;PM_{2.5-10}$ were 51.8% and 28.9% being lowered to 30.7% and 9.4%, respectively, during the dust episodes. Secondary ions (i.e., non-sea salt ${SO_4}^{2-},\;{NO_3}^-,\;and\;{NH_4}^+$) contributed 44.3% and 14.8% to $PM_{2.5}\;and\;PM_{2.5-10}$, respectively, with a decreased contribution during the episodes. The average equivalent ratio of ${NH_4}^+$ to the sum of ${SO_4}^{2-}\;and\;{NO_3}^-$ was 0.99 and 0.89 for $PM_{2.5}\;and\;PM_{2.5-10}$, respectively, indicating high source strength of $NH_3$ and its dominance in the neutralization of the acidic ions. Correlations and charge balance between ions suggest that neutralization of the acidic ions results in substantial depletions of carbonate both in $PM_{2.5}\;and\;PM_{2.5-10}$ and chloride only in $PM_{2.5}$.