• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.718-726
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• 2007

There are many varieties of asbestos: chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophylite. These are widely used in construction materials, brake lining, textile, and so on. Even though non-asbestos fibers such as glassfiber and rockwool have manufactured because asbestos causes asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, etc., some bad effects of non-asbestos have been also reported. PCM (phase contrast microscopy) and PLM (polarized light microscopy) have been used to qualitatively analyze asbestoses. These techniques have serious drawbacks when identifying and separating various asbestoses. Recently scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) has been known as an useful tool to analyze airborne particle since it provides physical and chemical information simultaneously. The purpose of the study was to classify both asbestos and non-asbestos fibers and finally to develop their source profiles by using the SEM/EDX. The source profiles characterized by 6 different types of asbestos fibers and 2 types of non-asbestos fibers had been developed by analyzing a total of 380 fibers. Analytical parameters used in this study were length, width, aspect ratio, and shape as physical information, and Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Cu as chemical information. All the parameters were intensively reviewed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.454-465
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends in asbestos exposure among asbestos-handling industries from 2000 to 2005. Methods: The data included the number of industries and workers exposed, concentrations of asbestos and the amount exceeded, and the type and size of industry by year. These data were collected by 46 regional employment and labor offices in Korea using work environment monitoring reports. A total of 1,481 samples from 284 industries were extracted from the reports and were analyzed with no data modification. Results: The means of asbestos concentration decreased from $0.84f/cm^3$ to $0.03f/cm^3$ during the period 2000-2005. Among the total of 1,481 samples, 11 samples(0.7%) exceeded the KOEL, and 178 samples(12.0%) were ACGIH TLV. The insulating paper product manufacturing industry was found to have the highest level of asbestos, followed by the fireproofing manufacturing industry, brake lining products manufacturing industry, commutator products manufacturing industries, and construction materials manufacturing industry. The number of asbestos handling industries decreased from 48 industries with 1,155 employees to 37 industries during the period of 2000 to 2005, but the number of asbestos workers expanded to the point that 1,182 employees could be found in 2005. Conclusion: Based on these results, the strengthening of the KOEL and new regulations turned out to help reduce asbestos exposure levels. This study recommends that retrospective exposure to asbestos based on various industry types should be assessed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.242-253
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• 1998

South Korea has been producing asbestos over 60 years. The use of asbestos was over 50 years for production of asbestos slate and 27 years for asbestos friction materials including asbestos textile and brake-lining. Thus, it can be supposed that asbestos related diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma could be found in the vulnerable workers exposed to asbestos in 1955-1975, given the average latency period of 10-30 years. Asbestos was produced primarily by Japanese during World War II In Korea. The production of chrysotile peaked to 4,815 tons in 1944. From 1978 to 1984, 10,000 tons of asbestos were produced annually. However, the production was interrupted by raising labor costs and extinction of mine reserves, and finally they had to depend on import for the need of asbestos. In 1945, there were 16 asbestos mines, in total, with the addition of new asbestos mines in South Korea. Imports of asbestos was increased from 74,000 tons to 95,000 tons during the period of 1976 - 1992. But the imports was reduced to 88,000 tons in 1995. Since, in addition to the import of asbestos itself, the imports of asbestos products were increased as well and the accumulation of asbestos reached to 30,000 tons during the period of 1964 to 1993. In 1965, there was only one asbestos company with 207 employees. But the size of asbestos industry has been expanded so much that 118 asbestos companies could be found in 1993 with 1,476 workers. However, there was no record on the survey of asbestos concentration to which workers were exposed in any companies in 1983. The record of the air-borne concentration of the asbestos in textile working places in 1984 showed 6.7 fibers/cc by geometric mean(GM), but it was reduced to 1.2 fibers/cc in 1993. GMs of asbestos in working places for construction materials and asbestos textiles were also decreased from 1.7 fibers/cc to 0.55 fibers/cc during the period of 1984 - 1996.