• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.1 s.56
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• pp.1-8
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• 2007

Biological monitoring, analyses of internal dose for exposure to toxicants, has been thought as one of the belt approaches for risk assessment. As the amount detected in human samples is generally very low, typically in the parts-per-bilion (ppb) or parts-per-trillion (ppt) range, analytic technologies such at HPLC, GC/MS, LC/MS, and LC/MS/MS have been continuously developed. In addition, route specific and sensitive exposure biomarkers have been developed for proper biological monitoring. PBPK modeling, particularly reverse dosimetry, has been emphasized as an useful method via interpretation of biological monitoring results for regulation of toxicants. Thus, this review is focused on the use of PBPK dosimetry models for toxicology research and risk assessment in Korea.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.317-329
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• 1992

Fifty chemicals are currently classified as human carcinogens based on epidemiologic and animal data. Humans are daily exposed to them from various sources of exposure via inhalation, dermal contact and oral ingestion. To reduce cancer risk to man, these human carcinogens should be appropriately regulated and monitored environmentally or biologically for routine human cancer risk assessment. A number of mathematical risk assessment models have been introduced, but any realistic and relevant model system is not available for humans. A mechanistic process for human cancer risk assessment was comprehensively reviewed and problems were also discussed. Here, a new conceptual approach using epidemiology and biological human monitoring was suggested for the most relevant method to study human cancer risk assessment.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.155-165
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• 2021

Objectives: Acute exposure to high concentrations of chemicals can occur when a chemical accident takes place. As such exposure can cause ongoing environmental pollution, such as in the soil and groundwater, there is a need for a tool that can assess health effects in the long term. The purpose of this study was assessing the health risks of residents living near a chemical accident site due to long-term exposure while considering the temporal concentration changes of the toxic chemicals leaked during the accident until their extinction in the environment using a multimedia environmental dynamics model. Methods: A health risk assessment was conducted on three cases of formaldehyde chemical accidents. In this study, health risk assessment was performed using a multimedia environmental dynamics model that considers the behavior of the atmosphere, soil, and water. In addition, the extinction period of formaldehyde in the environment was regarded as extinction in the environment when the concentration in the air and soil fell below the background concentration prior to the accident. The subjects of health risk assessment were classified into four groups according to age: 0-9 years old, 10-18 years old, 19-64 years old, and over 65 years old. Carcinogenic risk assessment by respiratory exposure and non-carcinogenic risk assessment by soil intake were conducted as well. Results: In the assessment of carcinogenic risk due to respiratory exposure, the excess carcinogenic risk did not exceed 1.0×10-6 in all three chemical accidents, so there was no health effect due to the formaldehyde chemical accident. As a result of the evaluation of non-carcinogenic risk due to soil intake, none of the three chemical accidents had a risk index of 1, so there was no health effect. For all three chemical accidents, the excess cancer risk and hazard index were the highest in the age group 0-9. Next, 10-18 years old, 65 years old or older, and 19-64 years old showed the highest risk. Conclusion: This study considers environmental changes after a chemical accident occurs and until the substance disappears from the environment. It also conducts a health risk assessment by reflecting the characteristics of the long-term persistence and concentration change over time. It is thought that it is of significance as a health risk assessment study reflecting the exposure characteristics of the accident substance for an actual chemical accident.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.646-657
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to suggest methods to investigate continuous monitoring of concentration levels and assess the exposure of individuals considering the actual time activity of residents for formaldehyde and particulate matter (PM₁₀, PM_2.5) in the indoor and outdoor air of a house, assess the health risks of children and adults based on the results of the exposure assessment, and provide basic data on studies for assessing exposure and health risks in Korea in the future. Methods: The concentration levels of formaldehyde and particulate matter were measured in a family home in Gyeonggi-do Province from April 25 to July 31, 2019, using electrochemical sensors (formaldehyde) and light scattering sensors (PM₁₀, PM_2.5). Risk assessment by the duration of exposure by time activity was performed by dividing between weekdays and weekends, and indoors and outdoors. Results: The greatest level of carcinogenic risk from inhaling formaldehyde was indoors during the weekdays for both children and adults. For children, the risk was at 7.5 per approximately 10,000 people, and for adults, the risk was at 4.1 per approximately 10,000 people. PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 also showed the greatest values indoors during the weekdays, with children at 1.7 people and 1.4 per approximately 100 people, respectively, and adults at 8.2 per approximately 1,000 and 1.8 per approximately 100 people, respectively. Conclusions: The risks of formaldehyde, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 were shown to be high indoors. Therefore, consideration of exposure assesment for each indoor pollutant and management of indoor air quality is necessary.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.616-632
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• 2021

We performed taxonomic reviews and habitat circumstances survey for 41 un-introduced environmentally harmful plants (as designated by the Ministry of Environment, Korea in 2016). And we investigated plant specimens from several herbaria and performed a field survey in the southeastern region of the United States. Based on the result, we presented the most comprehensive results of weed risk evaluation and taxonomic description up to now as well as classification keys for 11 species to apply the regulation management of putative invasive alien species - Senecio madagascariensis Poir., Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski, Ageratina riparia (Regel) R.M. King & H. Rob. (Asteraceae), Andropogon gayanus Kunth (Poaceae), Echinocystis lobata (Michx.) Torr. & A. Gray (Cucurbitaceae), Salvinia minima Baker (Salviniaceae), Vincetoxicum rossicum (Kleopow) Barbar. (Asclepiadaceae), Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce (Asparagaceae), Alternanthera pungens Kunth (Amaranthaceae), Salpichroa origanifolia (Lam.) Thell., and Lycium ferocissimum Miers (Solanaceae).

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.147-160
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• 2002

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are an important public health issue in Korea and many important questions remain to be addressed with respect to assessing exposure to these compounds. Because they are ubiquitous and highly volatile, special techniques must be applied in their analytic determination Valid Personal exposure assessment methods are needed to evaluate exposure frequency, duration and intensity, as well as their relationship to personal exposure characteristics. Biological monitoring is also important since it may contribute significantly in risk assessment by allowing the estimation of effective absorbed doses. This study was on ducted to establish the environmental measurement, personal dosimetry and biological monitoring methods for VOCs. These methods are needed to compare blood, urinary and exhalation breath VOC levels and to provide tools for risk assessment of VOC exposure. Passive monitors (badge type) and a active samplers (trap) for the VOCs collection were used for air sampling. Methods development included determining the minimum detectable amounts of VOCs in each media, as well as evaluating collection methods and developing analytical procedures. Method reliability was assessed by determining breakthrough volumes and comparing results between laboratories and with other methods. A total capacity of trap used in this study was 60ι. Although variable by compound, the average breakthrough was 20％. Also, there was no loss of compounds in trap even if keep for 45 day in -7$0^{\circ}C$. The recovery of active and passive methods was 69％ ~ 126％ and method detection limit was 0.24 $\mu\textrm{g}$/trap and 0.07 $\mu\textrm{g}$/badge. There was no statistical difference (P > 0.05) between active and passive methods.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.247-256
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• 2008

Public perceptions of nanotechnology and its potential risk can be an important measure for the sustainable advances of the technology. We conducted a survey for public (N =599) and experts (N = 165). They answered the same questions and results were analyzed. 74% of the public have not heard about the potential risk of nanotechnology and 77% expected that nanotechnology/materials are not harmful to the human and nature. 74% of experts realized the potential hazards by nanomaterials. The results represented that large perception gab between public and experts has existed in Korea. Interestingly, Korean public thought that nanotechnology is more profitable and less risky than that of American. We suggest that 'now is the best time to give appropriate information on the potential risk of nanotechnology to Korean public without preconception or exaggeration.'

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.72.2-72
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• 1999

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.41-45
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• 2001

The methods used for risk assessment from exposure to chemicals are well established. in most cases where toxicity other than carcinogenesis is being considered, the standard method relies on establishing the No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) in the most sensitive animal toxicity study and using an appropriate safety factor (SF) to determine the exposure which would be associated with an acceptable risk. For carcinogens a different approach is used because it has been argued there is no threshold of effect. Thus mathematical equations are used to extrapolate from the high doses used in ani-mal experiments. These methods have been strongly criticised in recent years on several grounds. The most cogent criticisms are a) the equations are not based on a thorough understanding of the mechanisms of carcinogenesis and b) the outcome of a risk assessment based on such models varies more as a consequence of changes to the assumptions and equation used than it does from the data derived from carcinogenicity experiments. Other criticisms include the absence of any measure of the variance on the risk assessment and the selection of default values that are very conservative. Recent advances in the application of risk assessment emphasise that measures of both the exposure and the hazard should be considered as a distribution of values. The outcome of such a risk assessment provides an estimate of the distribution of the risks.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.259-270
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• 2010

We conducted human risk assessment for exposure to inhalation of chemical substances emitted from the storage tanks of petroleum refineries. To assess human risk, this study calculated chemical emissions from the external floating roofs on storage tank at petroleum refineries, as well as concentrations thereof in the ambient air using the K-SCREEN model, and then determined risk in accordance with the Reference Concentration (RfC) values and Inhalation Unit Risk criteria developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The results indicated that non-carcinogenic chemicals have a hazard quotient of less than 1, meaning they have an insignificant effect on human health for residential areas near the storage tanks. Among the known carcinogens, the hazard risk for benzene slightly exceeded $10^{-6}$, indicating the need for corrective reduction measures. The methodology for health impact assessment devised herein provides findings useful in decision making for policy makers and the general public with respect to construction of industrial complexes. However, the methodology proposed herein does have limitations, including discrepancy in results induced by use of U.S. data (due to the lack of usable domestic data). More systematic studies from related researchers will be needed to address these issues and produce more reliable outcomes.