• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2016

Background: It is necessary to consider the overall countermeasure for analysis of nuclear activities according to the increase of the nuclear facilities like nuclear power and reprocessing plants in the neighboring countries including China, Taiwan, North Korea, Japan and South Korea. South Korea and comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty organization (CTBTO) are now operating the monitoring instruments to detect radionuclides released into the air. It is important to estimate the origin of radionuclides measured using the detection technology as well as the monitoring analysis in aspects of investigation and security of the nuclear activities in neighboring countries. Materials and methods: A three-dimensional forward/backward trajectory model has been developed to estimate the origin of radionuclides for a covert nuclear activity. The developed trajectory model was composed of forward and backward modules to track the particle positions using finite difference method. Results and discussion: A three-dimensional trajectory model was validated using the measured data at Chernobyl accident. The calculated results showed a good agreement by using the high concentration measurements and the locations where was near a release point. The three-dimensional trajectory model had some uncertainty according to the release time, release height and time interval of the trajectory at each release points. An atmospheric dispersion model called long-range accident dose assessment system (LADAS), based on the fields of regards (FOR) technique, was applied to reduce the uncertainties of the trajectory model and to improve the detective technology for estimating the radioisotopes emission area. Conclusion: The detective technology developed in this study can evaluate in release area and origin for covert nuclear activities based on measured radioisotopes at monitoring stations, and it might play critical tool to improve the ability of the nuclear safety field.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.215-231
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• 2018

It was analyzed to identify the cause of $PM_{2.5}$ concentration changes for the fall in 2016 and 2017 in South Korea using ground measurement data such as meterological variables and $PM_{2.5}$, AOD from GOCI satellite, and WRF-CMAQ modeling system. The result of ground measurement data showed that the $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations for the fall in 2017 decreased by 12.3% ($3.0{\mu}g/m^3$) compared to that of 2016. The difference of $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations between 2016 and 2017 mainly occurred for 11 Oct. - 20 Oct. (CASE1) and 15 Nov. - 19 Nov. (CASE2) when weather conditions were difficult to long-range transport from foreign regions and favored atmospheric ventilation in 2017 compared to 2016. Simulated $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations in 2017 decreased by 64.0% ($23.1{\mu}g/m^3$) and 35.7% ($12.2{\mu}g/m^3$) during CASE1 and CASE2, respectively. These results corresponded to the changes in observed $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations such as 53.6% for CASE1 and 47.8% for CASE2. It is implied that the changes in weather conditions affected significantly the $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations for the fall between 2016 and 2017. The contributions to decreases in $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations was assessed as 52.8% by long-range transport from foreign regions and 47.2% by atmospheric ventilation effects in domestic regions during CASE1, whereas their decreases during CASE2 were affected by 66.4% from foreign regions and 33.6% in domestic regions.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.36 no.5_4
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• pp.1267-1276
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• 2020

To quantitatively predict the impacts of large-scale volcanic eruptions of Mt. Baekdu on air quality and damage around the Korean Peninsula, a three-dimensional chemistry-transport modeling system (Weather Research & Forecasting - Sparse Matrix Operation Kernel Emission - Comunity Multi-scale Air Quality) was adopted. A worst-case meteorology scenario was selected to estimate the direct impact on Korea. This study applied the typical worst-case scenarios that are likely to cause significant damage to Korea among worst-case volcanic eruptions of Mt. Baekdu in the past decade (2005~2014) and assumed a massive VEI 4 volcanic eruption on May 16, 2012, to analyze the concentration of PM_2.5 caused by the volcanic eruption. The effects of air quality in each region-cities, counties, boroughs-were estimated, and vulnerable areas were derived by conducting an exposure assessment reflecting vulnerable groups. Moreover, the effects of cities, counties, and boroughs were analyzed with a high-resolution scale (9 km × 9 km) to derive vulnerable areas within the regions. As a result of analyzing the typical worst-case volcanic eruptions of Mt. Baekdu, a discrepancy was shown in areas between high PM_2.5 concentration, high population density, and where vulnerable groups are concentrated. From the result, PM_2.5 peak concentration was about 24,547 ㎍/㎥, which is estimated to be a more serious situation than the eruption of Mt. St. Helensin 1980, which is known for 540 million tons of volcanic ash. Paju, Gimpo, Goyang, Ganghwa, Sancheong, Hadong showed to have a high PM_2.5 concentration. Paju appeared to be the most vulnerable area from the exposure assessment. While areas estimated with a high concentration of air pollutants are important, it is also necessary to develop plans and measures considering densely populated areas or areas with high concentrations of susceptible population or vulnerable groups. Also, establishing measures for each vulnerable area by selecting high concentration areas within cities, counties, and boroughs rather than establishing uniform measures for all regions is needed. This study will provide the foundation for developing the standards for disaster declaration and preemptive response systems for volcanic eruptions.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.277-283
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• 2005

A plasticizer is a substance which is added to a material to improve its processability, flexibility and stratchability. Phthalates and adipates are the most frequently used plasticizers of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). However, they can migtate into food from PVC food packaging, and some of them are especially suspected as endocrine disruptors. In this study, Simultaneous analysis of 13 phthalates and 9 adipates were carried out by dual-column gas chromatography system equipped wi two FID detectors for rapid confirmation and quantification. The Proposed method was validated with > 0.993 of linearity in the ranges of 10-500 mg/l, < $3.5\%$ RSD of reproducability in 10 inter-days sample preparations, and > $98.1\%$ of recoveries for all the plasticizers. DEHA was detected in all the 3 PVC wraps at levels of 176.9-198.5mg/g. Among the 51 samples of PVC gaskets, the targeted plasticizers were detected in 41 samples. Of these plasticizer detected samples,40 contained DIDP at the levels of 157.3-374.7 mg/g and one contained DMP at the levels of 165.6 mg/g. Also, some plasticizers were detected in other packaging materials such as PET, PP, PE, Pulp. But it might be attributed to contamination in manufacturing.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.430-446
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• 2018

To improve understanding of the sources and chemical properties of particulate pollutants on the Korean Peninsula, An Aerodyne High Resolution Time of Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) measured non-refractory fine particle ($NR-PM_1$) from 2013 to 2015 at Baengnyeong Island and Seoul metropolitan area (SMA), Korea. The chemical composition of $NR-PM_1$ in Baengnyeong island was dominated by organics and sulfate in the range of 36~38% for 3 years, and the organics were the dominant species in the range of 44~55% of $NR-PM_1$ in Seoul metropolitan area. The sulfate was found to be more than 85% of the anthropogenic origin in the both areas of Baengnyeong and SMA. Ratio of gas to particle partition of sulfate and nitrate were observed in both areas as more than 0.6 and 0.8, respectively, representing potential for formation of additional particulate sulfate and nitrate. The high-resolution spectra of organic aerosol (OA) were separated by three factors which were Primary OA(POA), Semi-Volatility Oxygenated Organic Aerosol (SV-OOA), and Low-Volatility OOA(LV-OOA) using positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis. The fraction of oxygenated OA (SOA, ${\fallingdotseq}OOA$=SV-OOA+LV-OOA) was bigger than the fraction of POA in $NR-PM_1$. The POA fraction of OA in Seoul is higher than it of Baengnyeong Island, because Seoul has a relatively large number of primary pollutants, such as gasoline or diesel vehicle, factories, energy facilities. Potential source contribution function (PSCF) analysis revealed that transport from eastern China, an industrial area with high emissions, was associated with high particulate sulfate and organic concentrations at the Baengnyeong and SMA sites. PSCF also presents that the ship emissions on the Yellow Sea was associated with high particulate sulfate concentrations at the measurement sites.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.27-43
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• 2017

The objectives of the study were to evaluate fish compositions, endangered species, community structure, physical habitat, and general water quality for a preliminary environmental impact assessment of Jeokbyeok River on the road construction between two regions. Total number of species and total number of individuals, based on CPUE, were 23 and 1186, respectively. The endangered species (I, II) as the legal protection species were Pseudopungtungia nigra (79 samples) Gobiobotia brevibarba) (5) Gobiobotia macrocephala (2), indicating a requiring of endangered species conservation. In the meantime, exotic species and ecological disturbing species such as Micropterus salmoides and Lepomis macrochirus, were not present, indicating a well conserved area. According to fish community analysis, values of species diversity index were high (range: 0.788 - 1.030), and the dominance index were low (range: 0.097 - 0.183), indicating that the fish community in this area was maintained well without high dominacne by specific species. Also, fish analysis on tolerance guilds and trophic guilds showed that the proportions of sensitive species were largely exceeded the proportions of the tolerant species, while the proportions of insectivore species were largely exceeded the proportions of the omnivore species. This outcome suggests that the ecosystem was well maintained in terms of tolerance and trophic compositions (food chain). Ecological health, based on the multi-metric fish model of Fish Assessment Integrity (FAI), reflected those fish conditions. In other words, values of FAI model averaged 82.4, which means a "good condition" in the criteria of ecological health by the Minstry of Environment, Korea. In addition, general water quality and physical habitat analyses showed that the system was in good condition. Under these conditions, if the road constructions between the two regions happen in the future, inorganic suspended solids may increase in the waterbody, and this may result in indirect or direct influences on the physical habitats and food chain as well as fish compositions, so the ecological protections and prevention strategy from the soil erosion are required in the system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1116-1122
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• 2008

The existing technology which is for recycling aggregate using dried swage sludge have been limited for practical application, because the properties of aggregate are not regular and don't meet the recycling aggregate standard. In this research, an innovative slag-producing technology is developed by addition of oyster shell, waste cast-sand and iron-rust as inorganic waste additives. The mixed slag with the additives was evaluated at the various ratio of CaO/SiO$_2$, SiO$_2$/Al$_2$O$_3$ and Fe$_2$O$_3$/SiO$_2$. When the waste sludge was melted at 1,400$^{\circ}C$ during 20 minutes, the optimal ratio of CaO/SiO$_2$ for the slag added the oyster shell, SiO$_2$/Al$_2$O$_3$ for added the waste cast-sand and Fe$_2$O$_3$/SiO$_2$ for added the iron-rust were 1.00, 3.00 and 0.60, respectively. At the optimal condition, the bulk density of the slag was 2.24 g/cm$^3$, 2.45 g/cm$^3$ and 2.73 g/cm$^3$, And the 24 h water adsorption was 4.72%, 1.44% and 0.37%, respectively. Therefore it is proved that adding the waste additives to the process of the slag production contributed for elevation of recycling aggregate properties. And also it is expected that production cost can be reduced by decreased melting temperature.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.49-82
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• 2004

The study aimed to evaluate cancer damage cost due to risk from benzene inhalation. We performed health risk assessment based on US EPA guideline to estimate annual population risk in Ulsan metropolitan city. Also, we estimated a willingness-to-pay amount for reducing a cancer mortality rate to evaluate a value of statistical life. We combined the annual population risk and the value of statistical life to calculate the cancer damage cost. In the health risk assessment, we applied the benzene unit risk ($2.2{\times}10^{-6}{\sim}7.8{\times}10^{-6}$) in the US EPA'S Integrated Risk Information System to assess the annual population risk. Average concentration of benzene in ambient air is $7.88{\mu}g/m^3$(min: 1.16~max: $23.32{\mu}g/m^3$). We targeted an exposure population of 516,641 persons who aged over 30 years old. Using a Monte-Carlo simulation for uncertainty analysis, we evaluated that the population risk of benzene during ten years in Ulsan city is 2.90 persons (5 percentile: 0.32~95 percentile: 9.11persons). And the monthly average WTP for 5/1,000 cancer mortality reduction during ten years is 14,852 Won(95% C.I: 13,135~16,794 Won) and the implied VSL is 36 million Won(95% C.I: 30~40 million Won). Cancer damage cost due to risk from benzene inhalation during 10 years in Ulsan city is about 104 million Won(5 percentile: 13~95 percentile: 328 million Won). Health benefit cost to reduce a cancer mortality risk of benzene is about 50 million Won is Ulsan metropolitann city. But, it is very important that this cost is not for all health damage cost of cancer mortality in some area. We just recommended a model for evaluating a cancer risk reduction, so we must re-evaluate an integrated application of total VOCs damage cost including benzene.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.157-165
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• 1975

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the sanitary quality of commercially frozen sea foods. One hundred and sixteen samples in six different items from several refrigeration plant in Busan city were examined from March to December in 1974. In addition, the changes in bacterial density through the process from thawing, round or semifilleted frozen alaska pollack to the finishing as frozen fillet blocks were observed. To evaluate the sanitary quality, sanitary indicative bacteria such as total coliform, fecal coliform, fecal streptococci and enterococci as well as plate counts were determined. From the results, the median value of fecal coliform MPN was 20 per 100 grams of the samples and that of enterococci was 790. The median value of plate counts was $2.2\times10^4$ per gram. The plate counts were not correlated with the number of sanitary indicative bacteria. The results suggest that enterococci could be used advantageously in preference to coliform organisms as indicative bacteria for the evaluation of sanitary quality of frozen sea foods. The plate counts at $20^{\circ}C$ of the samples were 14 times higher than that at $35^{\circ}C$. Geometric mean of total coliform MPN was 310 and that of enterococci was 143. Bacterial density was reduced by fleering. Morethan 50 percent for total coliform MPN and $35^{\circ}C$ plate counts, and about 35 percent for enterococci MPN and $20^{\circ}C$ plate counts were reduced under the contact freezing unit which was generally operated at $-40^{\circ}C$. About fifty-five percent of the samples were negative in fecal coliform test and 10 percent of those were exceeded $1.0\times10^5$ per gram in $35^{\circ}C$ plate counts.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.29-54
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• 2007

Nuclear Power Sources(NPS) have been used since 1961 for the purpose of generating energy for space objects and have since then been recognized as particularly suited essential to some space operations. In January 1978 a malfuctioning Soviet nuclear powered satellite, Cosmos 954, re-entered the earth's atmosphere and disintegrated, scattering radioactive debris over a wide area of the Canadian Northwest Territory. This incident provided some reasons to international legal scholars to make some principles to regulate using NPS in outer space. In 1992 General Assembly adopted "Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space". These NPS Principles set out certain legal and regulatory requirements on the use of nuclear and radioactive power sources for non-propulsive purposes. Although these principles, called 'soft laws', are not legal norms, they have much enfluences on state practices such as 1983 DBS Principles(Principles Governing the Use by States of Artificial Earth Satellites for International Direct Television Broadcasting), 1986 RS Principles(Principles Relating to Remote Sensing of the Earth from Space) and 1996 Declaration on International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for the Benefit and in the Interests of all States, Taking into Particular Account the Needs of Developing Countries. As far as 1963 Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space is concerned the main points such as free use of outer space, non-appropriation of celestial bodies, application of international law to outer space etc. have become customary international law binding all states. NPS Principles might have similar characters according to states' willingness to respect them.