• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.108-121
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• 2008

On January 1, 2005, the Korean Ministry of Environment put into operation a comprehensive program, so called 'Blue Sky 21' project, for the improvement of air quality in greater Seoul metropolitan area. This program was legally based on the 'Special Act on Metropolitan Air Quality Improvement' for Greater Seoul area, which was established in 2003, and should be updated every 10 years. The principal objective of this program is to improve the air quality in Seoul and surrounding area by 2014 to the levels of air quality in Tokyo and Paris, with particular emphases on reducing the concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and $PM_{10}$. Any regulation of the emission of toxic air pollutants in general, and $NO_2$ and $PM_{10}$ in particular, should be based on human exposure levels and consequential health effects. In this article, the contents and feasibility of the special program were critically evaluated with respect to the reduction of health risks. Important issues for improving not only air quality but public health are discussed, and future requirements for the success of the special program are suggested.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1169-1182
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• 2008

The chemical and meteorological effects on the concentration variations of air pollutants ($O_3$ and its precursors) were evaluated based on ground observation data in coastal and inland regions, Busan during springs and summers of 2005-2006. For the purpose of this study, study areas were classified into 5 categories: coastal area (CA), industrial area (IA), downtown area (DA), residential area (RA), and suburban area (SA). Two sites of Dongsam (DS) and Yeonsan (YS) were selected for the comparison purpose between the coastal and inland regions. $O_3$ concentrations in CA and SA were observed to be highest during spring (e.g., 40 ppb), whereas those in DA and RA were relatively low during summer (e.g., $22\sim24$ ppb). It was found that $O_3$ concentrations in IA were not significantly high although high VOCs (especially toluene of about 40 ppb) and $NO_x$ ($\geq$ 35 ppb) were observed. On the other hand, the concentration levels of $O_3$ and $PM_{10}$ at the DS site were significantly higher than those at the YS site, but $NO_x$ was slightly lower than that at the YS site. This might be caused by the photochemical activity and meteorological conditions (e.g., sea-land breeze and atmospheric stagnance). When maximum $O_3$ (an index of photochemical activity) exceeds 100 ppb, the contribution of secondary $PM_{10}\;((PM_{10})_{SEC})$ to total observed $PM_{10}$ concentrations was estimated up to 32% and 17% at the DS and YS sites, respectively. In addition, the diurnal variations of $(PM_{10})_{SEC}$ at the DS site were similar to those of $O_3$ regardless of season, which suggests that they are mostly secondary $PM_{10}$ produced from photochemical reactions.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.651-658
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• 2018

Particulate matter (PM) emitted from fossil fuel-combustion facilities can be classified as either filterable or condensable PM. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defined condensable PM as material that is in the phase of vapor at the stack temperature of the sampling location which condenses, reacts upon cooling and dilution in the ambient air to form solid or liquid in a few second after the discharge from the stack. Condensable PM passed through the filter media and it is typically ignored. But condensable PM was defined as a component of primary PM. This study investigates the change of condensable PM according to the variation in the sulfur dioxide of combustion gas. Domestic oil boilers were used as the source of emission ($SO_2$) and the level of $SO_2$ concentration (0, 50, 80, and 120 ppm) was adjusted by diluting general light oil and marine gas oil (MGO) that contains sulfur less than 0.5%. Condensable PM was measured as 2.72, 6.10, 8.38, and $13.34mg/m^3$ when $SO_2$ concentration in combustion gas were 0, 50, 80, and 120 ppm respectively. The condensable PM tended to increase as the concentration of $SO_2$ increased. Some of the gaseous air pollutants emitted from the stack should be considered precursors of condensable PM. The gas phase pollutants which converted into condensable PM should reduced for condensable PM control.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.21-35
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• 2009

The Asian dust storms which originated in the deserts of Mongolia and China transported particles to Korea and led to a high concentration of atmospheric particulate matters (PM) of more than $1000{\mu}g/m^3$ throughout the country in the spring, of 2007. Public concern, in Korea, about the possible adverse effects of these dust events has increased, as these dust storms can contain various air pollutants emitted from heavily industrialized eastern China. The objectives of this study were to understand the concentration characteristics of PM as a function of particle size between the Asian dust storm episodes and non-Asian dust period and to consider the mass size distribution of PM in the Asian dust storms and their water soluble ion species on the potential, possible effects on deposition levels in the three regions (nasopharyngeal, tracheobronchial, and alveolar) of the human respiratory system. The size distribution of PM mass concentration during the Asian dust storms showed a peak in the coarse particle region due to the long-range transport of soil particles from the deserts of Mongolia and China, which was identified by HYSPLIT-4 model for backward trajectory analysis of air arriving in the sampling site of Iksan. During the non-Asian dust period, there were two different types in PM size distribution: bimodal distribution when low concentrations of $PM_{2.5}$ were observed, while unimodal distribution having a peak in fine particle region when high concentrations of $PM_{2.5}$ were showed. This unimodal distribution with high concentrations of fine particulate and secondary air pollutants such as ${SO_4}^{2-}$, ${NO_3}^-$, ${NH_4}^+$ was found to be due to the long-range transport of air pollutants from industrialized eastern China. During the Asian dust storms, the mean concentrations of PM that can be deposited in the nasopharyngeal, tracheobronchial, and alveolar region were $128.8{\mu}g/m^3$, $216.5{\mu}g/m^3$, and $89.6{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. During the non-Asian dust period, the mean concentrations of PM that can be deposited in the nasopharyngeal, tracheobronchial, and alveolar region were $8.4{\mu}g/m^3$, $9.5{\mu}g/m^3$ and $38.5{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.719-725
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• 2006

Since low-floor apartments ate vertically closer to patting lots and roadways, it is hypothesized that residents in low-floor apartments may be exposed to elevated ambient levels of motet vehicle emissions compared to residents in high-floor apartments. The present study examined this hypothesis by measuring two motor vehicle source-related pollutants(CO and PM10) in ambient air of high-rise apartment buildings within the boundary of industrial complexes according to atmospheric stability The ambient air concentrations of CO and PM10 were higher for low-floor apartments than for high-floor apartments, regardless of atmospheric stability, The median concentration ratio of the low-floor air to high-floor alt ranged from 1.3 to 2.0, depending upon atmospheric stabilities, seasons and compounds. Moreover, the CO and PM10 concentrations were significantly higher in the winter and in the summer, regardless of the Hoot height. Atmospheric stability also was suggested to be important for the residents' exposure of high-rise apartment buildings to both CO and PM10. The median ratios of surface inversion air to non-surface inversion air ranged from 1.2 to 1.7 and from 1.0 to 1.6 lot PM10 and CO, respectively, depending upon seasons. Conclusively, these parameters(apartment floor height, season, and atmospheric stability) should be considered when evaluating the exposure of residents, living in high-rise apartment buildings, to CO and PM10. Meanwhile, the median PMl0 outdoor concentrations were close to or higher than the Korean annual standards for PM10, and the maximum PM10 concentrations substantially exceeded the Korean PM10 standard, thus suggesting the need for a management strategy for ambient PM 10. Neither the median nor the maximum outdoor CO concentrations, however, were higher than the Korean CO standard.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1647-1661
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• 2011

The Government had devised legislation of Special Act and drew up guidelines for improving air quality in Seoul Metropolitan area. In 2007 local government of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi conducted the results of application policy by reduced air pollutants emission for the first time. Although there was reduction of air pollutant emission in each local government, it was ineffective as expected using air pollution monitoring database. Therefore we worked out a way to prepare modeling input data using the results of enforcement plan. And we simulated surface $NO_2$ and PM10 before and after decrease in air pollutants emission and examine reduction effects of air pollution according to enforcement regulation except other influence, by using MM5-SMOKE-CMAQ system. Each local government calculated the amount of emission reduction under application policy, and we developed to prepare input data so as to apply to SMOKE system using emission reduction of enforcement plan. Distribution factor of emission reduction were classified into detailed source and fuel codes using code mapping method in order to allocate the decreased emission. The code mapping method also included a way to allocate spatial distribution by CAPSS distribution. According to predicted result using the reduction of NOx emission, $NO_2$ concentration was decreased from 19.1 ppb to 18.0 ppb in Seoul. In Gyeonggi and Incheon $NO^2$ concentrations were down to 0.65 ppb and 0.68 ppb after application of enforcement plan. PM10 concentration was reduced from 18.2 ${\mu}g/m^3$ to 17.5 ${\mu}g/m^3$ in Seoul. In Gyeonggi PM10 concentration was down to 0.51 ${\mu}g/m^3$ and in Incheon PM10 concentration was decreased about 0.47 ${\mu}g/m^3$ which was the lower concentration than any other cities.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.25-37
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• 2002

The purpose of the study was to survey the distribution patterns of inorganic elements of PM-10 in the various indoor environments and analyze the pollution patterns of aerosol in various places of indoor environment using a pattern recognition method based on cluster analysis and disjoint principal component analysis. A total of 40 samples in the indoor had been collected using mini-vol portable samplers. These samples were analyzed for their 19 bulk inorganic compounds such as B, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Ba, Ce, and Pb by using an ICP-MS. By applying a disjoint principal component analysis, four patterns of the indoor air pollutions were distinguished. The first pattern was identified as a group with high concentrations of PM-10, Na, Mg, and Ca. The second pattern was identified as a group with high concentrations B, Mg, At, Ca, Fe, Cu, and Ba. The third pattern was a group of sites with high concentrations of K, Zn. Cd. The fourth pattern was a group with low concentrations PM-10 and all inorganic elements. This methodology was found to be helpful enough to set the criteria standard of indoor air quality, corresponding pollutants, and classification of indoor environment categories when making an indoor air quality law.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 2013

Studies evaluating the health effects of hazardous air pollutants assume that people's exposure to typical pollutant level is the same as specific regional pollutant level. However, depending on social and demographic factors, time-activity pattern of people can vary widely. Since most people live in indoor environments over 88% of the day, evaluating exposure to hazardous air pollutants is hard to characterize. Objective of this study was to estimate the exposure levels of university students of $NO_2$, VOCs(BTEX) and $PM_{10}$ using the scenarios with time-activity pattern and indoor concentrations. Using data from time-use survey of National Statistical Office in 2009, we investigated time-activity pattern of university students and hourly major action. A total of 1,057 university students on weekday and 640 on weekend spent their times at indoor house 13.04 hr(54.32%), other indoors 7.70 hr(32.06%), and transportation 2.36 hr(9.83%). Indoor environments in which university students spent their times were mainly house and school. Air pollutants concentrations of other indoor environments except house and school such as bar, internet cafe and billiard hall were higher than outdoors, indicating that indoor to outdoor ratios were above 1. According to three types of exposure scenarios, exposure to air pollutants could be reduced by going home after school.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.55-69
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• 2021

Chungnam region accounts for the largest SO_X (22.8%) emission with the second-largest NO_X (10.8%) emission in Korea due to the integration of many large industrial sources including a steel mill, coal-fired power plants, and petrochemical complex. Air pollutants emitted by large industrial sources can cause harmful problems to humans and the environment. Thus, it is necessary to understand dispersion patterns of air pollutants from large industrial sources in Chungnam to characterize atmospheric contamination in Chungnam and the surrounding area. In this study, seasonal atmospheric dispersion characteristics for SO_X, NO_X, and PM2.5 from ten major point sources in Chungnam were evaluated using HYSPLIT 4 model, and their contributions to SO₂, NO₂ concentrations in the regions near the source areas were estimated. The predictions of the HYSPLIT 4 model show a seasonal different dispersion pattern, in which air pollutants were dispersed toward the southeast in winter while, northeast in summer. In summer, due to weaker wind speed, air pollutants concentrations were higher than in winter, and they were dispersed to the metropolitan area. The local emissions of air pollutants in Taean area had a greater influence on the ambient SO₂ and NO₂ concentrations at Taean, whereas SO_X and NO_X emissions from large sources located at Seosan showed relatevely little effect on the ambient ambient SO₂ and NO₂ concentrations at Seosan.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2023

Background: Among various pollutants, fine particle (PM_2.5, defined as particle less than 2.5 nm in aerodynamic diameter) shows the most consistent association with adverse health effects. There is scientific evidence documenting a variety of adverse health outcomes due to exposure to PM_2.5. Objectives: This study aims to assess the health benefits of that would be achieved by meeting the World Health Organization's air quality guidelines for PM_2.5 using AirQ+ and BenMAP. Methods: We estimated PM_2.5 related health benefits in Korea from implementing the World Health Organization's air quality guidelines (annual average 5 ㎍/m³ and 10 ㎍/m³) and Korea's National Ambient Air Quality Standard (annual average 15 ㎍/m³). We used World Health Organization's AirQ+ and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program. Results: The annual number of avoided PM_2.5 related premature deaths exceeding WHO guideline levels was assessed using both AirQ+ and BenMAP. We estimated that the health benefits of attaining the World Health Organization's air quality guidelines for PM_2.5 (annual average 5 ㎍/m³) would suggest an annual reduction of 26,128 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 17,363~34,024) and 26,853 (95% CI: 18,527~34,944) premature deaths. Conclusions: Our study provided useful information to policy makers and confirms that the reduction of PM_2.5 concentration would result in significant health benefits in Korea.