• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.80 no.4
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• pp.351-357
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• 2017

In 2011, a cluster of peripartum patients were admitted to the intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital in Seoul with signs and symptoms of severe respiratory distress of unknown etiology. Subsequent epidemiological and animal studies suggested that humidifier disinfectant (HD) might represent the source of this pathology. Epidemiological studies, animal studies, and dose-response analysis demonstrated a strong association between HD use and lung injuries. The diagnostic criteria for HD-associated lung injury (HDALI) was defined on the basis of the clinical, pathological, and radiological attributes of the patients. The clinical spectrum of HDALI appears to range from asymptomatic to full-blown acute respiratory failure, and some patients have required actual lung transplantation for survival. The overall mortality of the exposed population was not significant, although peripartum patients and children who were admitted to the intensive care unit did show high mortality rates. Persistent clinical findings such as diffuse ill-defined centrilobular nodules and restrictive lung dysfunction were observed in some of the survivors. The findings of this review emphasize the importance of assessment of the level of toxicity of chemical inhalants utilized in a home setting, as well as the need to identify and monitor afflicted individuals after inhalational injury.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.321-325
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• 2019

The recent humidifier disinfectant disaster has caused a great change in our society and lead the Korean people to lose faith in the government and corporations. To overcome this mistrust, the government and corporations have undertaken certain efforts, including a voluntary agreement on consumer product safety. All the ingredients of a consumer product should be disclosed according to this voluntary agreement. There were also unexpected benefits occuring from this process. We found that the concept of corporate responsibility for product safety differed greatly among the various actors in Korean society. Corporations believed that a product could be considered safe if it contained no regulated substances. We have come to believe that this may be an important cause of the humidifier disinfectant disaster. The Korean government, corporations, and civil organizations have reached a consensus that it is a corporation's responsibility to evaluate the risks of products before they are introduced to the market. However, the limitations of these voluntary efforts are clear, and the legal system needs to be improved. We suggest that the concept of extreme recklessness should be introduced into regulations on product safety.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.181-200
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• 2012

At present water crisis is not an issue of scarcity, but of access. There is a growing recognition of the need for increased access to clean water (drinkable, agricultural, industrial use). An encouraging number of innovative technologies, systems, components, processes are emerging for water-treatment, including new filtration and disinfectant technologies, and removal of organics from water. In the past decade many methods have been developed. The most important membrane-based water technologies include reverse osmosis (RO), ultrafiltration (UF), microfiltration (MF), and nanofiltration. Beside membrane based water-treatment processes, other techniques such as advanced oxidation process (AOP) have also been developed. Some unconventional water treatment technology such as magnetic treatment is also being developed.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.455-470
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• 2007

The usage of appropriate disinfectants is essential for infection control in dental hospitals, dental clinics. Inadequate use of disinfectants is the cause of human or environmental toxicity and is a waste of cost. This study was aimed to assess the level of knowledge on the disinfection and chemical disinfectants among dental workers in dental hospitals, dental clinics. It's ultimately intended to serve as a basis for the preparation of more effective, appropriate educational programs on the disinfection and manuals on the use of disinfectants for dental workers. This study enforced a questionnaire with 184 dental workers employed in dental hospitals, dental clinics from 15 Aug. to 15 Sep. 2007, in the area of Daejeon. The obtained result were as follows; 1. The population sociological feature of dental hospital and dental clinic showed that significant differences of dental service career(pM0.039). Dental service career of dental workers shows; below 3 years 42.9%, 4~6 years 34.7%, more than 7 years 22.4% in dental hospitals, below 3 years 30.4%, 4~6 years 26.7%, more than 7 years 43.0% in dental clinics(pM0.039). 2. The average score of dental workers knowledge in 'Critical item soaks in high-level disinfectants for 20minutes was 2.73V0.49 point, got from knowledge of dental instrument is appropriate to immerse before sterilization in the dental device disinfection(pM0.002). 3. In the general disinfection which it follows in education experience of chemical disinfectants direction for use, 'Direction for use by Spaulding process classification' responded that the correct answer was the education experience dental workers 60.0%, the education non-experience dental workers 39.5%(p=0.026). 4. In the dental device disinfection which it follows in education experience of chemical disinfectants direction for use. 'High level disinfection is not applied for the non-critical items and equipment' responded that the education experience dental workers 49.2%, the education non-experience dental workers 31.9%(pM0.045), 'Semi-critical items is applied same method in presence of the infection disease which it acts responded that the education experience dental workers 44.6% answer back, the education non-experience dental workers 24.4%(pM0.017). 5. 'A hand disinfectants of anticeptics have effect' the education experience dental workers 78.5% answer back, the education non-experience dental workers 52.9%(pM0.003). 1t uses with hand disinfectants when the instruments which be imbrued and patient contact', the education experience dental workers 78.5% answer back, the education non-experience dental workers 62.2%(pM0.026), 'Boric acid solution uses for the skin disinfectants the education experience dental workers 52.3% answer back, the education non-experience dental workers is 37.0%(pM0.016), 'Gluconate have effective difference which it follows in chemical disinfectant consistency and the solution type' education experience dental workers 72.3% answer back, education non-experience dental workers 47.9%(pM0.004). 6. The education experience dental workers were appeared higher than the education non-experience dental workers in knowledge of the disinfection and chemical disinfectants. Consequently system and the specialty education which is standardized continuously must be provided to all dental workers.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.111-122
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• 2021

Objectives: There was a judgment of acquittal for the manufacturer SK Chemical and the vendor Aekyung regarding humidifier disinfectant (HD) containing 5-chloro-2-methylisothiazol-3(2H)-one/2-methylisothiazol-3(2H)-one (CMIT/MIT). The rationale used in this judgement is discussed here in the light of scientific consideration. Methods: The sentencing document for the judgements was obtained from the Korea Supreme Court Service. In particular, the judgements made by the court related to the risk of HD and external and internal exposure to CMIT/MIT are discussed based on scientific evidence. Results: Rendering a determination in a criminal trial of insufficient evidence of causation, the court dismissed the prosecution's motion that humidifier disinfectant-associated lung injuries (HDLI) and asthma were associated with the utilization of these products. However, CMIT/MIT, a strong sensitizing and corrosive substance, has been reported to be associated with brain toxicity, allergic contact dermatitis, and asthma. Furthermore, the judgment did not consider total consumption amounts or the cumulative dose of CMIT/MIT in the humidifier. Lastly, there are several cases supporting the fact that exposure to water-soluble substances including CMIT/MIT can cause lower respiratory tract diseases. In addition to cases of asthma among the workers exposed to CMIT/MIT, we identified lung injury victims who were exposed to HDs exclusively containing CMIT/MIT. Conclusions: We conclude that there is sufficient evidence supporting the assertion that HDs containing CMIT/MIT cause lung injuries, including asthma, contrary to the court's judgement.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2019

Objective: This study was performed to propose a domestic occupational exposure limit(OEL) following a health hazard assessment, calculation of a non-carcinogenicity reference concentration worker($RfC_{worker}$) value, and examination of international agencies' exposure limits. It also recommends legal management within the Occupational Safety and Health Act for PHMG-Phosphate(CAS No. 89697-78-9), It is a humidifier disinfectant that generated many lung injuries. Methods: We have investigated the recommendation or guidelines of foreign OEL for PHMG-Phosphate and the actual state of legal management in Korea. To examine the procedures and methods for recommendation OEL. Toxicological hazard and health hazard classifications were examined and a non-carcinogenicity $RfC_{worker}$ value was calculated for PHMG-Phosphate. An OEL and the necessity of legal management were recommended as well. Results and Conclusions: The OEL for PHMG-Phosphate is recommended to be $0.01mg/m^3$. The recommended OEL is close to 10 times the RfCworker value of $0.000833mg/m^3$ calculated from the chemical dose-response hazard assessment, which is a 2017 study. The CMIT/MIT(3:1) mixture, which was a social issue as a humidifier disinfectant substance, was also exposed to the same ratio in March 2018, establish the OEL. It is recommended to establish OEL for PHMG-Phosphate to prevent worker health hazards and for chemical safety management.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.625-631
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• 2005

Disinfection characteristics of mixed oxidants produced by mean of electro-chemical method were evaluated. Inactivation rate of B. subtilis spore on the mixed oxidants were similar with that of chlorine. Based on the experimental results, activation energy of mixed oxidants and chlorine with B. subtilis spore at pH 8.3 were calculated as 30.8, $34.7kJ{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ respectively. UV absorption spectrum of both chlorine and mixed oxidants present similar. Molar extinction coefficients of chlorine and mixed oxidants at 292nm, which is maximum absorption wavelength of $OCl^-$ were 357, $377M^{-1}cm^{-1}$, respectively. Disinfectant decay rate and formation rate of THM in the S WTP filtrate also shows insignificant difference for both mixed oxidants and chlorine. In consequent, it was confirmed that high portion of chlorine presents in the mixed oxidants.

• Plant Resources
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.130-134
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• 2005

This study was conducted to evaluate the control effect of fungicides on control of Gray mold, growth characteristics, and root yield in the cultivation of Scutellaria baicalensis after barley cropping. All fungicides treated had no effect on the growth and flowering rate of Scutellaria baicalensis. All seed disinfectants had no effect on the growth and flowering date of Scutellaria baicalensis Georg. The major seed disinfectants were Benomyl Wp, $20\%$, Captan Wp, $50\%$, Hymexazol Ec, $30\%$, Carboxin D, $37.5\%$. Dry root yield were increased largely with Benomyl Wp, $20\%$, seed disinfectant than the other seed disinfectants had no injury with standard dosage. On the other hand, all seed disinfectants had slight injury in the double dosage level for the Scutellaria baicalensis Georg.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.251-257
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• 2009

Recently, there is much interest in the antimicrobial activity of silver since silver has known to be safe and effective as a disinfectant or an antimicrobial agent against a broad spectrum of microorganisms. Although silver has been applied to various kinds of products due to the effective antimicrobial activity, the quantitative antimicrobial activity or detailed mechanism of silver is not clearly investigated yet, causing the controversy and confusion. In this review paper, we summarized the characteristics, antimicrobial activities and mechanisms, synergistic effects with other antimicrobials, and applicability of silver.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.129-134
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• 2005

The cytotoxicity that chemical disinfectants of K products and natural disinfectants of naringin & chitosan well-known preservative, have on endothelium and epithelium of rabbit's cornea were obseved by scanning electron microscope. The main component of naringin is grapefruit seed extract, which is one of the flavonoid widely recognized as natural antioxidants and used as preserved food and cosmetics. The chitosan also wildly distributed epithelium of crustacea, epidermis of insects, mould, fungi and so on. It is no harm of cytotoxicity of human body and recognized of antibacterial for various of bacteria. This study was performed to examine the cytotoxicity of natural and chemical preservative.