• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.22-36
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• 1993

This study was conducted to evaluate the charcoal tube sampling method for carbon disulfide in the air. Breakthrough was investigated according to flow rate, sampling time and air volume. Also the storage stability by storage method and time was investigated. The results are summarized as follows. 1. The samples stored at room temperature($28.2^{\circ}C$), refrigerator($3.8^{\circ}C$) and freezer($-15.6^{\circ}C$) were analyzed every week to five weeks. At one week storage at room temperature, 3.5% of $CS_2$ in the front section of the charcoal tube migrated into the back section and 57.7% at five weeks. The amount of $CS_2$ in the back section of the charcoal increased continuously by storage time. Migration of $CS_2$ was slow at refrigerator, and stopped occur at freezer. Recovery rate $CS_2$ was 52-82% at room temperature and 92-101% at refrigerator, based on the amount at freezer as a reference value. Thus loss was observed at room temperature. 2. When 6-48 L of fresh air were passed through tubes with spiked amounts of 0.379 and 0.759mg sample, the amounts of $CS_2$ in the back section of charcoal were 5.7-132.4 and 0-92% of the amount in the front section, respectively. The total recovery rates of$CS_2$ from 0.379 and 0.759mg spiked sample were 35.7-101.0% and 9l.3-100.1%, respectively. $CS_2$ loss was observed in 0.379mg spiked sample, but not in 0.759mg spiked sample. In the spiked samples, the amount of $CS_2$ in the back section of charcoal was not affected by flow rate when the air volume was controlled. The amount of $CS_2$ in the back section of charcoal increased over sampling time. And the faster the flow rate, the more the migration amount when the sampling time was the same. 3. A known concentration, 10 ppm of $CS_2$, was produced in a 200 L Tedlar bag. When the air volume was 24, 36, 48 L, breakthrough was 5.8, 16.9, 47.4%, respectively. The sampling flow rate of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 Lpm did not change the breakthrough rate. Breakthrough increased over sampling time. And the faster the flow rate, the more the breakthrough, when the sampling time was the same.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.262-270
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• 2008

This study was conducted to measure concentrations of particulate matter ($PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$) and endotoxin in thirty public facilities (7 elderly-care facilities, 4 hypermarkets, 4 university hospitals, 7 child-care facilities, 4 subway stations and 4 bus terminals) from September 2004 to February 2007 in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do province. $PM_{10}$ or $PM_{2.5}$ was measured with glass fiber filter and mini volume air sampler for 6 to 8 hours in indoor and outdoor of the facilities and expressed as ${\mu}g/m^3$. After weighing the filter, endotoxin was analyzed by Limulus Ameobocyte Lysate method ($EU/m^3$). $PM_{10}$ in indoor air was higher (GM and GSD was 78.00 and $1.92\;{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively) than the outdoor air (GM and GSD was 60.70 and $2.23\;{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively, I/O=1.28). All measurements was not exceeded the national maintenance standard. Elderly-care and child-care facilities showed relatively higher concentrations ($83.27\;{\mu}g/m^3$ and $81.75\;{\mu}g/m^3$; I/O=2.01 and 1.19, respectively) than hypermarkets or university hospitals. The highest PM2.5 was seen in child-care facilities ($62.15\;{\mu}g/m^3$, I/O=2.42). The I/O of the endotoxin in the PM10 and the $PM_{2.5}$ was exceeded 1.0 (1.37 and 1.57, respectively). Indoor $PM_{10}$ was affected by user/day and humidity, and endotoxin in the PM10 was affected by temperature. In conclusion, elderly- and child-care facilities are high priority facilities to be improved indoor air quality.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2010

Objectives : The purposes of this study were to evaluate exhaust ventilation systems(EVSs) and to suggest problems and improvements. Methods : For 50 small and medium-sized enterprises, we carried out evaluation of EVSs. We evaluated hoods with smoke tester and measurement of capture velocity. In addition, we used several indicators for performance evaluation designed in this study. Results : 1. Based on the smoke flow pattern and the criteria of occupational health and safety act, 67.8% of hoods were rated 'good' level at smoke test whereas 26.3% were rated 'good' level at measurement of capture velocity. 2. 29.3% of hoods, of which ratio of measured actual air flow at hood(Qah) to required ideal exhaust air flow at hood(Qih) was 1 or more, were rated 'good' level. 3. The % of EVS, of which ratio of measured actual air flow at stack(Qast) to total required ideal exhaust air flow at hood(Qith) was 1 or more, was 29.0%. 4. For the ratio of measured Qast to existing air flow at fan(Qfan), only 5% of EVSs were 1 or more and 26.0% were 0.8 or more but less than 1.0. 5. For the ratio of measured Qast to total measured actual exhaust air flow at hood(Qath), 74.0% were 0.8 or more but less than 1.0. 6. The percentage of EVS, of which ratio of total measured Qath to existing Qfan was 0.8 or more, was 19.0%. 7. The percentage of EVS, of which ratio of total measured Qath to total required ideal exhaust Qith was 1 or more, was 26.0%. 8. For the comprehensive evaluation indicators designed in this study, 29.0% were 0.8 or more. Conclusions : We found that few exhaust local ventilations at small and medium-sized enterprises were rated 'good' level and that most exhaust local ventilations had 'poor' design and installation. Therefore, relevant professional manpower and enterprises have to construct exhaust local ventilation where it is needed, and technical guidance and economic support are needed to improve 'poor' exhaust local ventilation after self-evaluation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.261-271
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• 2007

To provide necessary information for future environmental monitoring of storage batteries in Korea, authors analyzed environmental monitoring dataset of air lead concentration of 12 storage battery industries measured during 1989-2006. We calculated geometric mean and standard deviation with minimum and maximum value of each year dataset. Air lead concentration data were analyzed according to year of measurement, type of grid manufacturing method (grid casting type or expander type), size of industries and type of operation (casting, lead powder & pasting, assembly and others). The geometric mean and standard deviation of all lead industries for overall 18 years were $72{\mu}g/m^3$ and 3.65 with minimum of $6{\mu}g/m^3$ and maximum of $7,956{\mu}g/m^3$. The geometric mean air lead concentrations of years between 1989-1999 were above the Korean PEL($50{\mu}g/m^3$), whereas those of years after year 2000 were below the Korean PEL showing 50% of it. The geometric mean concentration of air lead was significantly lower in expander method battery industries than that of grid method battery industries and was lower in large sized battery industries than small & medium sized ones throughout the whole 18 years period. The distributions of over PEL($50{\mu}g/m^3$) were decreased by the years of environmental monitoring and those were lower in expander method battery industries than grid method battery industries. The significant reduction of mean air lead concentration during last 10 years may be induced partly due to more active environmental engineering control and new introduction of new operation in grid method battery industries, but may be also influenced by non-engineering method such as reduction of operation hours or reduction of exposure time during actual environmental measurement by industrial hygienist which is not concrete evidence, but just circumstantial evidence.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.272-280
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• 1996

This study was to evaluate the associations between urinary S-Phenyl-mercapturic acid(S-PMA) as a new indicator of biological monitoring for low level of exposure to benzene and independent variables such as the air concentration of benzene in the breathing zone of workers, the years of work, and smoking. In this study the subjects were the total of 145 drawn from 53 workers who were occupationally exposed to benzene and 92 workers who were not. The results were as follows: 1. In the workplace geometric mean concentration of benzene in the breathing zone of workers was 0.31 ppm(0.02 - 3.26 ppm) for the spraying workers and 0.25 ppm(0.02 - 3.95 ppm) for the printing workers. 2. The geometric mean of uninary S-PMA for non exposed group was $8.9{\mu}g/g$ creatinine($0.6-72.3{\mu}g/g$ creatinine), 80.3% (74 workers) of the total non-exposed workers indicated less than $20{\mu}g/g$ creatinine of uninary S-PMA. The difference of uninary S-PMA by sex, age, smoking was not significant. 3. The geometric mean of urinary S-PMA for workers who were exposed to benzene was $37.2{\mu}g/g$ creatinine, and was four times higher than that of workers who were not exposed. And 79.3% (42 workers) of the total exposed workers indicated more than $20{\mu}g/g$ creatinine of urinary S-PMA. 4. Regarding the level of benzene in the air, urinary S-PMA was the highest level of $147.9{\mu}g/g$ creatinine in the workers who were exposed to air concentration of 0.5 ppm of benzene and was higher as the level in the air was increased. 5. The correlation coefficient between log urinary S-PMA and log benzene concentration in the breathing zone was 0.80, and the following linear equation was found between urinary log S-PMA and log benzene concentration in the breathing zone : log S-PMA(${\mu}g/g$ creatinine) = 0.564 log benzene in air(ppm) + 0.192 (n=53, r=0.80, p=0.000) In conclusion, the concentration of S-PMA in urine proved to be good parameter for biological monitoring benzene exposure at the workplace even at low level of benzene in air.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.520-527
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• 2021

In this study, toxin gene and antibiotic resistance of food poisoning strains isolated from indoor air in the cafeteria were analyzed to prevent food poisoning. Staphylococcus aureus (16 strains) and Bacillus cereus (37 strains) isolated from indoor air in child care center were tested. The toxin genes of S. aureus and B. cereus were detected by PCR assay. The antimicrobial susceptibility test followed the disc diffusion method described by the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute. The seg and sei toxin genes were detected in 11 of 16 S. aureus strains (68.6%). The nheA and nheB toxin genes were detected in 37 B. cereus strains. In this study, a total of 12 toxin gene patterns of B. cereus were found, among which the nheA-nheB-nheC toxin gene was found to be the most frequent pattern. The result of the antimicrobial susceptibility test of S. aureus revealed 93.8% and 87.5% resistance to ampicillin and penicillin antibiotics, but methicillin resistance S. aureus and vancomycin resistance S. aureus were not detected. All 37 B. cereus tested in this study were resistant to ampicillin and penicillin antibiotics. Based on the result of this study, it was judged that regular ventilation and air quality management were necessary to prevent food poisoning caused by S. aureus and B. cereus contaminated in the indoor air of child care centers.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.507-516
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to investigate the awareness and practice of dental unit waterline management in dental hygienist. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 377 dental hygienists in Seoul and Gyeonggido from March 2 to April 30, 2015. The data were collected by direct visit and informed consent was received after explanation of the study. The questionnaire consisted of general characteristics of the subjects, awareness of dental waterline, practice of dental waterline, and implementation of dental waterline disinfection. Data were analyzed using SPSS 12.0 program. Results: There was a significant correlation between the dental unit waterline disinfection and the appropriateness of the water used for dental treatment(p<0.01, p<0.001). The handpiece was the most commonly used device before treatment and the majority of the subjects answered that they didn't take water out of ultrasonic scaler and air-water syringe on a daily basis. Conclusions: The majority of the dental hygienists did not know the right understanding and proper practice of dental unit waterline management. To reduce the dental device contamination, the continuing education of waterline management should be done for the dental hygienists.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.119-124
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• 2017

Objective: The death of animals during transport for slaughter is a major factor indicating the level of welfare in transported animals. The aim of this study was to assess mortality related to the commercial transport of finisher pigs for slaughter in the Czech Republic. Methods: The inspectors of the State Veterinary Administration of the Czech Republic recorded the numbers of finisher pigs transported to processing plants in the Czech Republic for slaughter and the mortality in these pigs in relation to transport in the period from 2009 to 2014. Results: Our results show that the likelihood of death losses in transported pigs increases with increasing transport distance. The transport-related mortality ranged from 0.049% in pigs transported for distances below 50 km to 0.145% in pigs transported for distances exceeding 300 km. The impact of external air temperature on the transport-related mortality found in our study clearly shows that current transport practices fail to ensure the welfare of pigs transported under other than moderate weather. Particularly cold temperatures below $-2^{\circ}C$ were associated with increased death losses in winter transport. Conclusion: Despite a decreasing trend in the mortality of finisher pigs transported for slaughter in Europe, our study suggests that current transport conditions are not efficient at ensuring the welfare of pigs during transport for longer distances and the protection of pigs against the negative impact of extreme ambient temperatures. Further research should focus on developing practical guidelines to improve the welfare of pigs in transit accordingly.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.307-310
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• 2020

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has placed unprecedented pressure on healthcare systems, even in advanced economies. While the number of cases of SARS-CoV-2 in Africa compared to other continents has so far been low, there are concerns about under-reporting, inadequate diagnostic tools, and insufficient treatment facilities. Moreover, proactiveness on the part of African governments has been under scrutiny. For instance, issues have emerged regarding the responsiveness of African countries in closing international borders to limit trans-continental transmission of the virus. Overdependence on imported products and outsourced services could have contributed to African governments' hesitation to shut down international air and seaports. In this era of emerging and re-emerging pathogens, we recommend that African nations should consider self-sufficiency in the health sector as an urgent priority, as this will not be the last outbreak to occur. In addition to the Regional Disease Surveillance Systems Enhancement fund (US$600 million) provided by the World Bank for strengthening health systems and disease surveillance, each country should further establish an epidemic emergency fund for epidemic preparedness and response. We also recommend that epidemic surveillance units should create a secure database of previous and ongoing pandemics in terms of aetiology, spread, and treatment, as well as financial management records. Strategic collection and analysis of data should also be a central focus of these units to facilitate studies of disease trends and to estimate the scale of requirements in preparation and response to any future pandemic or epidemic.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.436-445
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• 2014

Objectives: Time-activity studies have become an integral part of comprehensive exposure assessment and personal exposure modeling. The aims of this study were to estimate exposure levels to nitrogen dioxide($NO_2$) and volatile organic compounds(VOCs), and to compare estimated exposures by using time-activity patterns and indoor air concentrations. Methods: The major microenvironments for office workers were selected using the Time-Use Survey conducted by the National Statistical Office in Korea in 2009. A total of 9,194 and 6,130 workers were recruited for weekdays and weekends, respectively, from the Time-Use Survey. It appears that workers were spending about 50% of their time in the house and about 30% of their time in other indoor areas during the weekdays. In addition, we analyzed the time-activity patterns of 20 office workers and indoor air concentrations in Daegu using a questionnaire and time-activity diary. Estimated exposures were compared with measured concentrations using the time-weighted average analysis of air pollutants. Conclusions: According to the time-activity pattern for the office workers, time spent in the residence indoors during the summer and winter have been shown as $11.12{\pm}2.20$ hours and $12.48{\pm}1.77$ hours, respectively, which indicates higher hours in the winter. Time spent in the office in the summer has been shown to be 1.5 hours higher than in the winter. The target pollutants demonstrate a positive correlation ($R^2=0.076{\sim}0.553$)in the personal exposure results derived from direct measurement and estimated personal exposure concentrations by applying the time activity pattern, as well as measured concentration of the partial environment to the TWA model. However, these correlations were not statistically significant. This may be explained by the difference being caused by other indoor environments, such as a bar, cafe, or diner.