• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2018

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to research the usage characteristics of asbestos-containing building materials and to conduct exposure risk assessment by applying no. 2016-230 "Methods of Risk Assessment of Asbestos-Containing Buildings" from the Ministry of Environment. Methods: One hundred buildings located in the Seoul and Gyeonggi-Incheon area were chosen, with 29 in Seoul, 20 in Incheon, and 51 in Gyeonggi-do Province. The year of construction was divided between three buildings in the 1970s, 11 buildings in the 1980s, 42 buildings in the 1990s, and 44 buildings in the 2000s. The bulk samples were analyzed by using a polarizing microscope after a pre-process using a stereomicroscope in a hood with an HEPA filter. This study defined ACMs(asbestos-containing materials) as asbestos when the content percentage was over 1% in the analysis result. Methods and standards of risk assessment of asbestos-containing building materials were conducted by refering to no. 2016-230 "Method of Risk Assessment of Asbestos-Containing Buildings" from the Ministry of Environment. The risk of exposure to ACMs was rated by a score based on three categories(high, middle, low risk of asbestos exposure). Results: In this study, 30 of the 100 buildings and 36 of the 416 bulk samples(8.6%) were found to have had asbestos. Asbestos was detected at a high rate, in 18 out of 42, in buildings constructed in the 1990s and at the lowest rate(7 out of 44) for buildings constructed in the 2000s. As a result of the evaluation according to no. 2016-230 "Method of Risk Assessment of Asbestos-Containing Buildings" of the Ministry of Environment, the risk assessment level of two asbestos-containing building materials was found to be "Medium", and 28 buildings materials were found to be at the "Low" level. Conclusion: As asbestos is regulated by the government, it is required to conduct active management and implemention by introducing methods of risk assessment of asbestos exposure that are supported by data from various situations. In the case of buildings owned by individuals, building owners should be aware of the risk of exposure to asbestos.

• 월간산업보건
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• s.281
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• pp.26-27
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• 2011

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.393-402
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• 2011

Asbestos is a toxic material that can lead to lung cancer and other diseases. There is no information regarding areas in Korea that contain asbestos in nature; consequently we need to manage such areas with care. The purpose of this study was to construct a local graded map of asbestos exposure risk based on the natural occurrence of asbestos in rocks. We first developed a means of evaluating the asbestos exposure risk and produced thematic maps based on a field survey. In addition, we constructed a knowledge base for asbestos through analysis, representation and processes about asbestos data and prepare for the development of an evaluation model for asbestos exposure risk. The spatial analysis of asbestos exposure risk is based on a weighted-overlay analysis using expert opinion and the literature, and a fuzzy-overlay analysis using the uncertainty in the data. The map of asbestos exposure risk, compiled according to the weighted and fuzzy operations, is expected to be used to ensure safety and to reduce the risk of exposure to asbestos.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.309-322
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• 2018

Naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) occurs in rocks and soils as a result of natural weathering and human activities. It is proved that inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to increase risk of developing several diseases such as lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma. The parent rocks of asbestos have been mainly associated with (ultra)mafic and carbonate rock. The previous studies on NOA were mainly limited to (ultra)mafic rock-hosted asbestos, but studies on carbonate rock-hosted asbestos are relatively rare in S. Korea. Therefore, this study was aimed to examine mineralogical characteristics of carbonate rock-hosted NOA at three sites including Muju and Jangsu, Jeonbuk province and Asan, Chungnam province. Types of rocks at the three sites mainly consisted of Precambrian metasedimentary rocks, carbonate rock, and Cretaceous and Jurassic granites. Asbestos-containing carbonate rock samples were obtained for mineralogical characterization. XRD, PLM, EPMA, SEM and EDS analyses were used to characterize mineralogical characteristics of the carbonate rock-hosted NOA. From the carbonate rock, fibrous minerals were occurred acicular and columnar forms in the three sites. Fibrous minerals were composed of mainly tremolite and associated minerals included possibly asbestos containing materials (ACM) such as talc, vermiculite, and sepiolite. The length and aspect ratios of tremolite were similar to the standard asbestiform (length >$5{\mu}m$, length:width = 3:1). These results indicate that both non-asbestiform and asbestiform tremolite with acicular forms occurred in carbonate rocks at three sites. Geological and geochemical characteristics and mineral assemblages indicate tremolite and associated minerals might be formed by hydrothermal alternation and/or hydrothermal veins of carbonate rocks due to intrusion of acidic igneous rocks.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.457-473
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• 2023

Asbestos has been produced, imported and used in various industries in Korea over the past decades. Since asbestos causes fatal diseases such as malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer, the use of asbestos has been generally banned in Korea since 2009. However, there are still many asbestos-containing materials around us, and safe management is urgently needed. This study aims to examine asbestos-related trend changes using major asbestos-related keywords based on the asbestos trend analysis using big data for the past 32 years (1991 to 2022) in Korea. In addition, we reviewed both domestic trends related to the production, import, and use of asbestos before 1990 and asbestos-related policies from 2023 to 2027. From 1991 to 2000, main keywords related to asbestos were research, workers, carcinogens, and the environment because the carcinogenicity of asbestos was highlighted due to domestic production, import, and use of asbestos. From 2001 to 2010, the main keywords related to asbestos were lung cancer, litigation, carcinogens, exposure, and companies because lawsuits were initiated in the US and Japan in relation to carcinogenicity due to asbestos. From 2011 to 2020, the high ranking keywords related to asbestos were carcinogen, baseball field, school, slate, building, and abandoned asbestos mine due to the seriousness of the asbestos problem in Korea. From 2021 to present (2023), the main search keywords related to asbestos such as school, slate (asbestos cement), buildings, landscape stone, environmental impact assessment, apartment, and cement appeared.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.111-118
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• 2013

Diagenetic black chert nodules occur in the Paleozoic dolostone in Susan, Jecheon, Korea. They reacted with dolomite to form alteration rim around the nodules during the contact metamorphism probably related to the intrusion of biotite granite. In the earlier stage of alteration, talc and calcite replaced both the chert and dolomite, which were subsequently replaced by tremolite. Significant mass of tremolite occurs along the horizon enriched with chert nodules. Scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy of the tremolite specimens revealed the elongated morphology of diverse aspect ratios coexisting in several mm scale. Non-asbestiform tremolite columns were also common as well as asbestiform fibrous bundles. Quantitative estimation of asbestos should be more cautious for naturally occurring materials because all the tremolite particles in the outcrop are not asbestiform. The occurrence of asbestiform tremolite in the Susan area indicates that a combination of chert-bearing dolostone, heat source, and aqueous fluids is one of the geological environments for the formation of asbestiform tremolite.

• Proceedings of the Korea Air Pollution Research Association Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.229-230
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• 2000

자동차 보유대수의 증가와 더불어 열악해진 도로환경으로 인해 자동차를 이용하는 운전자와 승객의 보다 쾌적한 자동차 실내 환경에 대한 요구가 점점 증가하고 있다. 도로 주행시 자동차내로 유입되는 공기 중에는 도로먼지, 석면입자, 박테리아, 꽃가루 등의 다양한 악성 미립자상 물질과 오존, 벤젠, 톨루엔, 포름알데히드, 암모니아, NOx, SOx 둥의 유해 기체상 물질이 다량 함유되어 있다. 특히 미세 입자의 크기는 대부분이 5.0 $\mu\textrm{m}$로 미세하여 인간의 상부 호흡기관인 코에서 폐포까지 깊숙이 침착되는 것으로 보고되고 있다. (중략)

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.627-635
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• 2019

Cement-asbestos slate is the main asbestos containing material. It is a product made by combining 10~20% of asbestos and cement components. Man- and weathering-induced degradation of the cement-asbestos slates makes them a source of dispersion of asbestos fibres and represents a priority cause of concern. When the asbestos enters the human body, it causes cellular damage or deformation, and is not discharged well in vitro, and has been proven to cause diseases such as lung cancer, asbestos, malignant mesothelioma and pleural thickening. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has designated asbestos as a group 1 carcinogen. Currently, most of these slats are disposed in a designated landfill, but the landfill capacity is approaching its limit, and there is a potential risk of exposure to the external environment even if it is land-filled. Therefore, this study aimed to exam the possibility of detoxification of asbestos-containing slate by using exothermic reaction and heat treatment. Cement-asbestos slate from the asbestos removal site was used for this experiment. Exothermic catalysts such as calcium chloride(CaCl₂), magnesium chloride(MgCl₂), sodium hydroxide(NaOH), sodium silicate(Na₂SiO₃), kaolin[Al₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄)], and talc[Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂] were used. Six catalysts were applied to the cement-asbestos slate, respectively and then analyzed using TG-DTA. Based on the TG-DTA results, the heat treatment temperature for cement-asbestos slate transformation was determined at 750℃. XRD, SEM-EDS and TEM-EDS analyses were performed on the samples after the six catalysts applied to the slate and heat-treated at 750℃ for 2 hours. It was confirmed that chrysotile[Mg₃Si₂O₅(OH₅)] in the cement-asbestos slate was transformed into forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) by catalysts and heat treatment. In addition, the change in the shape of minerals was observed by applying a physical force to the slate and the heat treated slate after coating catalysts. As a result, the chrysotile in the cement-asbestos slate maintained fibrous form, but the cement-asbestos slate after heat treatment of applying catalyst was broken into non-fibrous form. Therefore, this study shows the possibility to safely verify the complete transformation of asbestos minerals in this catalyst- and temperature-induced process.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.153-160
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• 2014

While variety of cases of studies about asbestos analysis methods are released internationally, the results of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) according to differences in the method of the analysis is becoming an issue. In this study, homogeneity ensured ACM samples were analyzed by visual estimation method and point counting method, and the result cound be used not only to improve the reliability on asbestos analysis of the institutions and analysts but also to obtain the basic data of Polarizing Light Microscope (PLM) analysis by comparing and evaluating. Asbestos analysis were divided into qualitative and quantitative analysis method. The quantitative analysis was performed by visual estimation method and point counting method (total 400 points) of EPA 600-R-93-116 method by using PLM. Firstly, The following was the result of homogeneity of the samples by ANOVA (Analysis of variance) and the results were satisfied. The results of qualitative analysis showed that the samples were chrysotile and amosite, and about the results of quantitative analysis, asbestos concentration determined by point counting method tend to be lower than concentrations determined by visual estimation method and also, pont counting method was a little more complicated and time-consuming.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.87-109
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• 1998

1989년 미국 환경청(Environmental Protection Agency : EPA)은 유독물질통제법(Toxic Substances Control Act : TSCA)에 의해 석면을 함유하고 있는 일부 제품의 제조, 수업, 가공 및 판매를 세 단계로 나누어 금지하였다. 본 논문은 석면규제를 금지여부결정과 금지우선순위결정으로 구분하여 각 결정에 내재된 EPA의 의사결정요인들을 추론한다. 특히 본 논문은 Magat et al.(1986), Asch and Seneca(1989), Cropper et al.(1992)이 EPA의 의사결정요인들로 제시한 내부신호(internal signals, 비용과 편익의 추정치)와 외부신호(external signals, 외부집단의 참여)를 석면규제에 적용하여 이들의 역할을 고찰한다. 한편 본 논문은 규제에 의해 영향을 받는 이익집단들이 EPA의 의견수렴기간(comment period) 동안에 제출한 의견서(written comments)가 외부신호를 나타낸다고 가정한다. Probit 모형으로 추정된 금지여부결정에 있어 EPA는 TSCA의 규정을 준수하여 비용과 편익을 균형하였고, 기업과 환경보호단체의 참여도 EPA의 의사 결정에 영향을 미쳤다. 즉, 어떤 제품의 금지에 소요되는 비용이 많으면 그 제품이 금지될 확률이 작았고, 그 제품의 금지를 반대하는 기업의 의견서가 많으면 그 제품이 금지될 확률이 작았다. 그러나 외부신호가 포함된 모형에서 내부 신호의 통계적 유의성이 낮아지는 문제가 나타났다. 한편 추정결과는 금지로 인해 감소된 암 한 건에 대한 EPA의 암묵적인(implicit) 평가가 5,000만 달러가 넘는다는 것을 보여 준다. Ordered Probit 모형으로 추정된 금지우선순위결정에 있어, 편익의 단위당 비용이 작을수록, 그리고 그 제품의 금지를 찬성하는 환경보호단체의 의견서가 많을수록 그 제품은 보다 이른 단계에서 금지되었다. 이 경우 외부신호의 계수의 통계적 유의성은 높은 반면 내부신호의 계수의 통계적 유의성은 상대적으로 낮았다.