• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.149-158
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• 2023

Background: Injury is one of the major health problems in South Korea. Few studies have evaluated both intentional and unintentional injury when investigating the association between exposure to air pollutants and injury. Objectives: We aimed to explore the association between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and years of life lost (YLLs) due to injury. Methods: Data on daily YLLs for 2002~2019 were obtained from the the Death Statistics Database of the Korean National Statistical Office. This study estimated short-term exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of <10 ㎛ (PM₁₀), particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of <2.5 ㎛ (PM_2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O₃). This time series study was conducted using a generalized additive model (GAM) assuming a Gaussian distribution. We also evaluated a delayed effect of ambient air pollution by constructing a lag structure up to seven days. The best-fitting lag was selected based on smallest generalized cross validation (GCV) value. To explore effect modification by intentionality of injury (i.e., intentional injury [self-harm, assault] and unintentional injury), we conducted stratified subgroup analyses. Additionally, we stratified unintentional injury by mechanism (traffic accident, fall, etc.). Results: During the study period, the average daily YLLs due to injury was 307.5 years. In the intentional injury, YLLs due to self-harm and assault showed positive association with air pollutants. In the unintentional injury, YLLs due to fall, electric current, fire and poisoning showed positive association with air pollutants, whereas YLLs due to traffic accident, mechanical force and drowning/submersion showed negative associations with air pollutants. Conclusions: Injury is recognized as preventable, and effective strategies to create a safe society are important. Therefore, we need to establish strategies to prevent injury and consider air pollutants in this regard.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.145-151
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• 1982

Breslau's report on the two stillbirths induced by illuminating gas poisoning made many investigators explore the hazards. of carbon monoxide(CO) poisoning to pregnancy. The pregnant woman, her fetus, and the newborn infant have been identified to be particularly vulnerable to CO even in low concentration. Several factors, such as placental barrier, membrane resistance of maternal and fetal red blood cells etc., were considered to be related to the delayed elimination of CO from fetus. Slower elimination of CO from fetus than from mother was confirmed in several in vivo studies. But there are few studies which have confirmed the difference of carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) dissociation in adult and fetal bloods. Author investigated the effects of hemoglobin itself on the elimination of CO from mother and fetus. By observing the difference of CO dissociation from adult and fetal hemoglobin at the various partial pressures of oxygen, the author tries to suggest the base of the proper treatment measure for the CO poisoning of pregnant woman and newborn infant. The results were as follows: 1. The total hemoglobin amounts of adults and fetal bloods were $16.1{\pm}0.50gm%\;and\;15.7{\pm}0.32gm%$, respectively. The fetal hemoglobin proportions in adult and fetal bloods were $1.2{\pm}0.15%\;and\;72.7{\pm}3.01%$, respectively. 2. Adult and fetal bloods saturated by CO to 100% HbCO were exposed to ambient air$(21%\;O_2),\;100%\;O_2\;and\;3\;ATAO_2$. After 30 minutes exposure, the HbCO saturations of adult blood were 96.7%, 70.9%, and 52.8%, respectively, and those of fetal blood were 98.5%, 76.1%, and 62.2%, respectively. HbCO dissociation was proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen and the most marked dissociation was shown under 3 ATA $O_2$, HbCO dissociation of fetal blood was slower than that of adult blood in all conditions. According to the above results, it is possible that CO poisoning make more serious damage to the fetus and newborn infant than to the adult due to the delayed dissociation of HbCO. Thus in the treatment of CO poisoning of pregnant woman and newborn infant, hyperbaric oxygen therapy seems to be the most eflective treatment measure, but the duration of hyperbaric oxygenation should be lengthened accordingly.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.356-362
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• 2006

The $SO_2$ reduction using CO and $H_2$ over Sn-Zr based catalysts was performed in this study. Sn-Zr based catalysts with Sn/Zr molar ratio (0/1, 1/4, 1/1, 2/1, 3/1, 1/0) were prepared by the precipitation and co-precipitation method. The effect of the temperature on the reaction characteristics of the $SO_2$ reduction with a reducing agent such as $H_2$ and CO was investigated under the conditions of space velocity of $10,000ml/g_{-cat.}h$, $([CO(or\;H_2)]/[SO_2])$ of 2.0. As a result, the activity of Sn-Zr based catalysts were higher than $SnO_2$ and $ZrO_2$. The reactivity for the $SO_2$ reduction with CO was higher than that with $H_2$, and sulfur yield in the $SO_2$ reduction by $H_2$ was higher than that by CO. The reactivity for the $SO_2$ reduction with $H_2$ was increased with the reaction temperature regardless of Sn-Zr based catalyst with a Sn/Zr molar ratio. $SnO_2-ZrO_2$ (Sn/Zr=1/4) had highest activity at $550^{\circ}C$, in the $SO_2$ reduction with $H_2$ and $SO_2$ conversion of 94.4％ and sulfur yield of 66.4％ were obtained at $550^{\circ}C$. On the other hand, in the $SO_2$ reduction by CO, the reactivity was decreased with the increase over $325^{\circ}C$. At the optimal temperature of $325^{\circ}C$, $SO_2$ conversion and sulfur yield were about 100％ and 99.5％, respectively, in the $SO_2$ reduction over $SnO_2-ZrO_2$ (Sn/Zr=3/1). Also, the $SO_2$ reduction using syngas with $CO/H_2$ ratio over $SnO_2-ZrO_2$ (Sn/Zr=2/1) was performed in order to investigate the application possibility of the simulated coal gas as the reductant in DSRP. As a result, the reactivity of the $SO_2$ reduction using syngas with $CO/H_2$ ratio was increased with increasing the CO content of syngas. Therefore, it could be known that DSRP using the simulated coal gas over Sn-Zr based catalyst is possible to be realized in IGCC system

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.368-376
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• 2022

Spontaneous ignition occurs in industrial sites or anywhere in our lives, and is a phenomenon in which a substance ignites itself without an ignition source in the atmosphere. As the rate of chemical reaction increases, the heat generated increases, and the risk of spontaneous ignition increases. In this study, safe raw materials used for food and cosmetics were mixed to prepare coal spontaneous ignition prevention agents specifically among various spontaneous ignition phenomena. The effect of suppressing spontaneous combustion of coal was confirmed through lab and field tests with low-calorie, low-grade coal from Indonesia. As a result of the outdoor field test, the ignition prevention agent manufactured in this study compared with the control group(Fire after 90 days) showed excellent ignition inhibitors for more than 120 days. In addition, CO concentration control was confirmed by comparing the concentration of carbon monoxide for 50 days at the indoor coal yard. It was confirmed that the results were better than the comparative group coal and the existing anti-firing method. In addition, the possibility of coal fire prevention agents for indoor coal farms will be applied from 2024 was confirmed by studying the environment and safety of workers' working environments through official test such as soil and water quality test, MSDS of coal fire prevention agents in consideration of working workers, water quality, and eye irritation tests.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2007

In this study, the reactivity of a $SnO_2-ZrO_2$(Sn/Zr = 2/1) catalyst for $SO_2$ reduction by CO was investigated in order to optimize the various reaction conditions such as temperature, gas hourly space velocity (GHSV), and [CO]/[$SO_2$] molar ratio. The reaction temperature in the range of $300{\sim}550^{\circ}C$, space velocity in the range of $5000{\sim}30000cm^3/[g_{-cat}{\cdot}h]$ and [CO]/[$SO_2$] molar ratio in the range of 1.0~4.0 were employed. The optimum temperature, GHSV, and [CO]/[$SO_2$] molar ratio were determined to be $325^{\circ}C$, $10000cm^3/[g_{-cat}{\cdot}h]$, and 2.0, respectively; under these conditions, $SO_2$ conversion was over 99% and sulfur selectivity was over 95%. In addition, the effect of $H_2O$ content on the $SO_2$ reduction by CO was also investigated. As the $H_2O$ content increased from 2 vol% up to 6 vol%, the reactivity and sulfur selectivity decreased. In case of 2 vol% $H_2O$ content, the reaction temperature and [CO]/[$SO_2$] molar ratio were varied in the range of $300{\sim}400^{\circ}C$ and 1.0~3.0. The optimum temperature and [CO]/[$SO_2$] molar ratio were $340^{\circ}C$ and 2.0, respectively under which $SO_2$ conversion and sulfur selectivity were about 90% and 87%, respectively.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1972.03a
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• pp.6-7
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• 1972

The air pollutants can be classified into the irritant gas and the asphixation gas, and the irritant gas is closely related to the otorhinolaryngological diseases. The common irritant gases are nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, hydrogen carbon compounds, and the potent and irritating PAN (peroxy acyl nitrate) which is secondarily liberated from photosynthesis. Those gases adhers to the mucous membrane to result in ulceration and secondary infection due to their potent oxidizing power. 1. Sulfur dioxide gas Sulfur dioxide gas has the typical characteristics of the air pollutants. Because of its high solubility it gets easily absorbed in the respiratory tract, when the symptoms and signs by irritation become manifested initially and later the resistance in the respiratory tract brings central about pulmonary edema and respiratory paralysis of origin. Chronic exposure to the gas leads to rhinitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, and olfactory or gustatory disturbances. 2. Carbon monoxide Toxicity of carbon monoxide is due to its deprivation of the oxygen carrying capacity of the hemoglobin. The degree of the carbon monoxide intoxication varies according to its concentration and the duration of inhalation. It starts with headache, vertigo, nausea, vomiting and tinnitus, which can progress to respiratory difficulty, muscular laxity, syncope, and coma leading to death. 3. Nitrogen dioxide Nitrogen dioxide causes respiratory disturbances by formation of methemoglobin. In acute poisoning, it can cause pulmonary congestion, pulmonary edema, bronchitis, and pneumonia due to its strong irritation on the eyes and the nose. In chronic poisoning, it causes chronic pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary edema. 4. Ozone It has offending irritating odor, and causes dryness of na sopharyngolaryngeal mucosa, headache and depressed pulmonary function which may eventually lead to pulmonary congestion or edema. 5. Smog The most outstanding incident of the smog occurred in London from December 5 through 8, 1952, because of which the mortality of the respiratory diseases increased fourfold. The smog was thought to be due to the smoke produced by incomplete combustion and its byproduct the sulfur oxides, and the dust was thought to play the secondary role. In new sense, hazardous is the photochemical smog which is produced by combination of light energy and the hydrocarbons and oxidant in the air. The Yonsei University Institute for Environmental :pollution Research launched a project to determine the relationship between the pollution and the medical, ophthalmological and rhinopharyngological disorders. The students (469) of the "S" Technical School in the most heavily polluted area in Pusan (Uham Dong district) were compared with those (345) of "K" High School in the less polluted area. The investigated group had those with subjective symptoms twice as much as the control group, 22.6% (106) in investigated group and 11.3% (39) in the control group. Among those symptomatic students of the investigated group. There were 29 with respiratory symptoms (29%), 22 with eye symptoms (21%), 50 with stuffy nose and rhinorrhea (47%), and 5 with sore thorat (5%), which revealed that more than half the students (52%) had subjective symptoms of the rhinopharyngological aspects. Physical examination revealed that the investigated group had more number of students with signs than those of the control group by 10%, 180 (38.4%) versus 99 (28.8%). Among the preceding 180 students of the investigated group, there were 8 with eye diseases (44%), 1 with respiratory disease (0.6%), 97 with rhinitis (54%), and 74 with pharyngotonsillitis (41%) which means that 95% of them had rharygoical diseases. The preceding data revealed that the otolaryngological diseases are conspicuously outnumbered in the heavily polluted area, and that there must be very close relationship between the air pollution and the otolaryngological diseases, and the anti-pollution measure is urgently needed.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.107-111
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to develop a Eco smoking booth that can effectively reduce hazardous pollutants generated during smoking and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of removing hazardous pollutants. The design and manufacture of an eco-friendly automatic smoking booth equipped with deodorizing facilities, such as inlet - HEPA filter - electrostatic precipitator (EP) - impregnated activated carbon - exhaust port, etc., and the efficiency of removing hazardous pollutants from inside and outside was measured and evaluated. The complex odor removal efficiency was 95.37% inside the smoking booth, and 97.38% at the exit of the preventive facility. The carbon monoxide removal efficiency was 94.25% in the inside and 98.32% in the outlet. In addition, the removal efficiency of particulate matter, (PM1, PM2.5, and PM10) inside the smoking booth was 98.59%, and 98.85% at the outlet. The total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) decreased from $26,000{\mu}g/m^3$ to $5,203{\mu}g/m^3$ in the smoking booth, resulting in 79.99% removal efficiency. After the ventilator was operated, the measured effluent concentration was $5,019{\mu}g/m^3$, and the removal efficiency was 80.70%. Therefore, the smoking booth designed and manufactured through this study can be applied to the removal of harmful pollutants even in the small working environment in the future.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2010

On adsorbing carbon monoxide (CO) on the silica supported ruthenium/iron alloy ($Ru/Fe-SiO_2$) samples above mole ratio 9/1 of Ru/Fe five bands ($2138.7{\sim}2142.5cm^{-1}$, $2067.3{\sim}2073.1cm^{-1}$, $1976.7{\sim}2017.2cm^{-1}$, $1737.9{\sim}1799.3cm^{-1}$, $1625.7cm^{-1}$) were observed, and in $Ru/Fe-SiO_2$ samples below mole ratio 8/2 of Ru/Fe two bands ($1934.0{\sim}1990.2cm^{-1}$, $1625.7cm^{-1}$) were observed. The $2138.7{\sim}2142.5cm^{-1}$ bands, the $2067.3{\sim}2073.1cm^{-1}$ bands, and the $1988.3{\sim}2030.7cm^{-1}$ bands may be ascribed to stretching vibrations of CO molecules lineally bonded to the Ru atoms on supported Ru/Fe cluster surface, the $1737.9{\sim}1799.3cm^{-1}$ bands to stretching vibrations of CO molecules bridge bonded to the Ru atoms on supported Ru/Fe cluster surface or to stretching vibrations of CO molecules bonded to the Ru atoms on high Miller index planes, and the $1934.0{\sim}1990.2cm^{-1}$ bands to stretching vibrations of CO molecules lineally bonded to the Fe atoms on supported Ru/Fe cluster surface. The absorbances of the $1934.0{\sim}1990.2cm^{-1}$ bands in $Ru/Fe-SiO_2$ samples gradually increased with the increases of Ru/Fe mole ratio below the ratio of 8/2. This phenomena may be ascribed to the increases of Fe concentration of surface compared with the one of the sample and to the increases of surface area of supported Ru/Fe cluster according as increase of Ru/Fe mole ratio below the ratio of 8/2 compared with the $Fe-SiO_2$ sample.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.530-534
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• 2011

The synthesis of dimethyl carbonate by liquid phase oxidative carbonylation of methanol was studied under batch reaction system. Reaction factors such as effect on various metals, anion containing in copper catalyst, temperature, carbon monoxide and oxygen molar ratio and copper content were investigated. In particular $CuCl_2{\cdot}2H_2O$ showed the excellent of the methanol conversion 65.2%, DMC selectivity 96.6% reaction condition under 1.0 g, $150^{\circ}C$, MeOH/CO/$O_2$=0.2/0.215/0.05 (molar ratio). $CuCl_2$ led to corrosion of the reactor. Thus, a new catalyst system using supports was investigated to resolve these corrosion problem. Influence on various supports were examined and copper catalyst supported on zeolite Y showed the most excellent activity on the formation of dimethyl carbonate. The amount of Fe dissolved during the reaction using ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometer) was compared with catalysts, calcined Cu/zeolite Y showed the lower value below 5% than $CuCl_2-2H_2O$.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.163-172
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• 2012

As more diesel engines have been employed in underground limestone mines with large cross section, underground space environment is worsened by diesel exhausts and heat flow. This paper aims for the ultimate goal to optimize the work place environment through assuring the optimal required ventilation rate based on the analysis of the airflow, diesel exhaust gas concentrations and the effects of mechanization and deepening working face on temperature and humidity. Due to the insufficient capacity of the main exhaust fan and poor airway management, stagnant airflows were observed at various locations, while the flow direction was reversed instantly with passing diesel equipment and the flow reversal was also made by the seasonal variation of the outside surface weather. During the loading operation, CO concentration measurements were found to be frequently higher than the threshold limit of 50 ppm, and most of the $NO_2$ measurements during drilling and loading operations shows even more serious levels surpassing the permissible limit of 3 ppm. The actual ventilation quantity was considerably less than the required quantity estimated by the mine health and safety law, and this shortage problem was less serious in colder winter showing more effectiveness of the natural ventilation.