• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.72-81
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• 2015

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the exposure and risk assessment of residents near asbestos mines in Korea. Methods: To assess asbestos types and airborne concentrations, air monitoring was performed in the neighborhoods of Kwangcheon (KC) and Sinsuk (SS) mines, which were leading South Korean mines in the past. In addition, activity-based-sampling (ABS) of residents' particular activities were conducted in order to estimate the Excess Lifetime Cancer Risks (ELCRs) for the residents. Conclusions: The average concentration of airborne asbestos in KC was 0.0014 f/cc and 0.0015 f/cc by PCM and TEM, respectively. In SS it was equal at 0.0012 f/cc by PCM and TEM. No statistically significant difference was found in the average concentration of airborne asbestos between the two mines. The average asbestos concentration of ABS was 0.0048 f/cc (PCM) and 0.0042 f/cc (TEM) in KC, while it was 0.0137 f/cc (PCM) and 0.0125 f/cc (TEM) in SS. It was found that the average asbestos concentration of ABS in SS was statistically significantly higher than that of KC (p<0.01). The results of ELCRs by scenario in KC showed that the scenarios of bicycle, car, weed control, weed whacking, child playing in the dirt, and physical training fell within $1{\times}0^{-6}-1{\times}10^{-4}$, which is the acceptable range of ELCR. The scenarios of motorcycle, walker, digging, and field sweeping, however, exceeded the acceptable range. In SS, only the scenario of car fell within the acceptable range, while all of the other scenarios exceeded the acceptable range.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.245-256
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• 2017

Objectives: The present study is aimed at performing real-time measurement of fibrous materials using an F-1 fiber monitor, investigating the correlations between the measurements and environmental conditions, and assessing the feasibility of the use of the monitor in actual exposure assessments based on the accuracy and reliability of the device. Methods: Asbestos specimens with a fixed asbestos content were dispersed in a chamber and collected with a particle measuring test device. Measurements obtained by the existing PCM method, and with the F-1 fiber monitor were compared. In addition, concentrations of asbestos fibers obtained by the PCM method, the TEM method, and the F-1 fiber monitor were compared with that of specific ABS scenarios in NOA regions. Correlations of asbestos contents in soil and weather conditions with each method of measurement were analyzed. Results: Laboratory results showed that levels of asbestos fibers measured with each method increased as fiber contents in soil increased. In the accuracy and reproducibility assessment, no significant differences were found between the different methods of measurement. On-site assessment results showed positive correlations among the methods, and these correlations were less significant compared with what was shown by the laboratory results. Levels of asbestos fibers increased as asbestos contents in soil increased, and as temperature increased. Levels of asbestos fibers decreased as humidity increased, and wind speed did not significantly affect the extent to which asbestos fibers were scattered. Conclusions: While it would be premature to replace existing methods with the use of F-1 fiber monitors in real sites based on the results of this study, the monitor may be useful in the screening of the sites, which assesses hazard levels in different regions. Replacement of existing methods with the use of F-1 fiber monitors may be possible after the limitations identified in this study are overcome, and additional assessment data are obtained and reviewed under different conditions to confirm the reliability of the monitor in future research. Obtained assessment results may be used as basic data for the assessment of asbestos hazard in NOA regions.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.68-74
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• 2012

The objective of this study is to examine a releasable asbestos sampler developed for measuring friable asbestos from soil to air controlled by wind velocity and water contents. Asbestos contaminated soil with 3.75% at the Sinsuk-asbestos mine was sampled, air-dried and sieved to 100 mesh, then homogenized during 24 hours' agitation. Various wind velocities, 1 m/s, 2 m/s, 3 m/s, and 5 m/s, were applied to evaluate releasable characteristics of the releasable asbestos sampler. In addition, soils with 1.0%, 3.4%, 4.4%, 11.0%, 16.2%, and 20.0% of water contents were also examined the amount of friable asbestos by the releasable asbestos sampler. Collected soil and air samples were analyzed by polarized light microscopy (PLM) and phase contrast microscopy (PCM), respectively. Those contents were applied to calculate an excess life cancer risk (ELCR). This study also discussed the relationship with risk assessment by a weeding scenario of activity based sampling (ABS) and field applied releasable asbestos sampler. The result was shown that friability of asbestos in soil increased with wind velocity and decreased with water content. In comparison with ELCR results, over 10E-4 of cancer risk was found in condition on < 5% water content and > 3m/s wind velocity.

• 대한환경공학회지
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• 제34권5호
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• pp.345-350
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• 2012

충북의 D-석면광산 인근지역에서 석면이 포함된 토양으로 부터 대기 중으로 비산되는 석면조사와 주민들의 일상생활이나 토양을 경작하는 농업활동 등의 석면노출이 가능한 주요활동에 대한 인체 위해도를 평가하여, 지역주민의 건강 위해성을 미연에 방지하는 대책을 수립하고자 본 연구를 수행하여 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 첫째, 대기 중 석면 모니터링을 위해 바람의 방향을 고려하여 지역주민의 거주지 근처에 시료채취지점을 선정하였다. 이를 위상차현미경으로 분석한 결과, 20개 지점 중에서 12개 지점은 검출한계 이하이고, 8개 지점도 0.0025~0.0029 f/cc 범위로 석면안전관리법의 공기질 관리기준 0.01 f/cc 보다 매우 낮은 수준이었다. 또한 투과전자현미경으로 이 섬유상 물질을 분석한 결과도 석면이 아니거나 검출한계 이하로 나타났다. 일반 대기 중 석면의 악영향은 거의 없는 것으로 추정된다. 둘째, 현장조사와 지역주민의 설문조사를 토대로 활동근 거시료채취 시나리오를 현지 실정에 맞게 설정하였으며, 그 중에서 예초기 작업과 흙파기, 마당쓸기 시나리오의 경우에 위해도의 95% 신뢰상한치가 석면에 대한 활동별 초과생애발암위해도의 허용치 $1{\times}10^{-4}$을 초과하는 것으로 나타났다. 토양 교란활동이 수반되는 농경활동에는 토양에 함유된 석면섬유상 물질이 많이 비산되는 것으로 판단되며, 지역주민의 세심한 주의가 요구된다. 따라서 이에 대한 결과를 바탕으로 환경성 노출원을 가능하다면 원천적으로 차단하여 석면노출을 최소화하고, 지역주민들에게 석면노출 가능성이 있는 환경에 대해 널리 알림으로써 토양을 교란하여 석면이 비산되는 행위를 제한하는 등의 석면으로 인한 건강피해를 줄이는 체계적인 관리대책이 강구되어야 할 것이다.

• 한국광물학회지
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.43-53
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• 2011

폐석면 광산의 위해성 평가는 통상 ABS 방식에 의해 이루어지지만, 조사지역 전반에 관한 위해성 경향을 파악하는 데 그치는 한계를 지닌다. 이 연구에서는 새로운 평가방식으로 잠재적 위해지수(PIHR)라는 개념을 도입하여 석면 위해도를 계랑화하였다. PIHR 값에 대해 석면이 인체에 위해를 주는 요인들을 고려하여 적절한 가중치를 부여한 후, 토양 내 석면 농도 값을 적용하여 지리정보시스템(GIS)의 적지선정기법을 활용하여 위해성 평가를 실시하였다. 충청남도 보령시에 위치한 어느 폐석면 광산에 적용한 결과, 잠재적 위해 지수가 매우 높은 지역은 전체 면적의 7.8%에 해당되는 27.3 ha이며, 위해성 평가는 미국 환경보호청의 종합위해정보시스템(IRIS) 모델을 적용하여 각각 만 명당 1명(석면농도 0.36% 이상), 3만 명당 1명(석면농도 0.1% 이상), 10만 명당 1명(석면농도 0.04% 이상) 평생초과 발암 위험도 기준으로 관리할 경우 3.0, 12.9, 19.5 ha로 면적이 증가한다. 이러한 결과는 향후 광해 복원범위 선정에 효과적으로 적용할 수 있다.