• Title/Summary/Keyword: Chemical spill accident

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A Study on Improved Emergency Management System - Focused on Response to Diffusion of Oil Spilled in Marine - (재난안전관리 체계 개선 방안 연구 - 해양오일유출 확산방지기술 중심으로 -)

  • Yoo, Byungtae;Oh, Keumho;Baek, Jong-bae
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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    • v.30 no.2
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    • pp.83-89
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    • 2015
  • In Korea for 20 years(1993-2012), total number and average annual number of oil spills were 6,608 cases and total volume and average annual volume of oils spilt were $57,328k{\ell}$ and nearly $2,866k{\ell}/year$, respectively. The annual number of oil spills and annual amount of oil spilt tended to decrease with the lapse of year in Korea. As oil transportation worldwide continues to increase, many communities are at risk of oil spill disasters and must anticipate and prepare for them. Factors that influence oil spill consequences are myriad and rage from the biophysical to the social. In this paper, we analysed the emergency response systems and recovery apparatuses for oil spill accident in marine and proposed a developed oil diffusion apparatus which can be used to initial response stage by crew, and to extend golden times. This system can be minimized casualties for rescued people in disaster.

Statistical Analysis of Chemical Substance Transporting Accidents (화학물질 운송 화학사고의 통계 특성 분석에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Tae-Hyung;Lee, Sang-Jae;Shin, Chang-Hyun
    • Fire Science and Engineering
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    • v.30 no.6
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    • pp.23-30
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    • 2016
  • This study analyzed the characteristics of chemical accidents, including the accidents occurring each year according to status, type of accident, accident cause for chemical substance transporting accidents. The major aim of this study was to provide information on the chemical accidents that occurred involving chemical substance transporting accidents from 2013 to July - 2016. The total incidence of chemical transporting accidents was 77 cases; 74 cases occurred by the spill & leakage type. The main cause of the accidents analyzed was traffic accidents (41 cases). Forty-six accidents were related to hazardous chemical substances. Among the 46 hazardous chemical substances involved in transporting chemical accidents, 46% of the accident substances were hydrogen chloride. For the prevention and response to accidents occurring during the transportation of chemicals, it is necessary to complement the precautions for chemical accidents caused by transportation accidents and chemical spills and leaks of chemicals. In addition, when the chemical transport of an accident occurs, it is necessary to apply a chemical transport safety system for chemical transfer.

Scientific Basis of Environmental Health Contingency Planning for a Coastal Oil Spill (대규모 유류유출사고 대비 환경보건 대응계획 수립을 위한 기반연구)

  • Kim, Young-Min;Cheong, Hae-Kwan;Kim, Jong-Ho;Kim, Jong-Hun;Ko, Kum-Sook;Ha, Mi-Na
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.42 no.2
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    • pp.73-81
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    • 2009
  • Objectives : This study presents a scientific basis for the establishment of an environmental health contingency plan for dealing with accidental coastal oil spills and suggests some strategies for use in an environmental health emergency. Methods : We reviewed the existing literature, and analyzed the various fundamental factors involved in response strategies for oil spill. Our analysis included data derived from Hebei Spirit oil spill and used air dispersion modeling. Results : Spill amounts of more than 1,000 kl can affect the health of residents along the coast, especially those who belong to vulnerable groups. Almost 30% of South Korean population lives in the vicinity of the coast. The area that is at the highest risk for a spill and that has the greatest number of people at risk is the stretch of coastline from Busan to Tongyeong. The most prevalent types of oil spilt in Korean waters have been crude oil and bunker-C oil, both of which have relatively high specific gravity and contain volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and metals. In the case of a spill of more than 1,000 kl, it may be necessary to evacuate vulnerable and sensitive groups. Conclusions : The government should establish environmental health planning that considers the spill amount, the types of oil, and the distance between the spot of the accident and the coast, and should assemble a response team that includes environmental health specialists to prepare for the future oil spill.

Modeling Human Exposure Levels to Airborne Volatile Organic Compounds by the Hebei Spirit Oil Spill

  • Kim, Jong-Ho;Kwak, Byoung-Kyu;Ha, Min-A;Cheong, Hae-Kwan;Yi, Jong-Heop
    • Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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    • v.27
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    • pp.8.1-8.10
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    • 2012
  • Objectives: The goal was to model and quantify the atmospheric concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as the result of the Hebei Spirit oil spill, and to predict whether the exposure levels were abnormally high or not. Methods: We developed a model for calculating the airborne concentration of VOCs that are produced in an oil spill accident. The model was applied to a practical situation, namely the Hebei Spirit oil spill. The accuracy of the model was verified by comparing the results with previous observation data. The concentrations were compared with the currently used air quality standards. Results: Evaporation was found to be 10- to 1,000-fold higher than the emissions produced from a surrounding industrial complex. The modeled concentrations for benzene failed to meet current labor environmental standards, and the concentration of benzene, toluene, orthometa- para-xylene were higher than the values specified by air quality standards and guideline values on the ocean. The concentrations of total VOCs were much higher than indoor environmental criteria for the entire Taean area for a few days. Conclusions: The extent of airborne exposure was clearly not the same as that for normal conditions.

Analysis on the Characteristics of Hazardous Chemical Transport Vehicle Accidents in Korea (국내 유해화학물질 운송차량사고 특성분석)

  • Jeong, Jae-uk;Lee, Sang-jae
    • Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.310-317
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    • 2020
  • Purpose: In this study, the characteristics of hazardous chemical transport vehicle accidents during the last six years from 2014 to 2019 was analyzed. This study is to prevent chemical transport accidents. Method: Using statistics from the Ministry of Environment, chemical transport vehicle accidents were classified into accident type, accident cause and vehicle type. Result: Of the total 506 cases chemical accidents, 105 cases were caused by transport vehicle. More than 20 percent of total accidents were reported. Most of the accidents were caused by spill·leak. The main causes of the accident were traffic accidents(49 cases) and management negligence(29 cases). This was more than 74% of all transport vehicle accidents. By vehicle type, 57 cases(54%) were most common in tank lorries, followed by trucks (39 cases, 37%) and trailers (9 cases, 9%). Conclusion: In order to prevent accident of transport vehicle, thorough inspection of the transport vehicle is required and safe operation of the driver. In addition, the government needs to expand real-time monitoring of transport vehicles and comprehensively manage different systems by the relevant ministries.

Defining Area of Damage of 2012 Hydrofluoric Acid Spill Accident in Gumi, Korea (구미 불산 누출사고로 인한 주변지역 환경영향권 설정에 관한 연구)

  • Koh, Dohyun;Kim, Jeongsoo;Choi, Kyungho
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.40 no.1
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    • pp.27-37
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    • 2014
  • Objectives: On September 27, 2012, leakage of anhydrous hydrofluoric acid occurred in a chemical plant in the Gumi National Industrial Complex. Following the accident, local factory workers and residents complained of abnormal health conditions. In addition, visual discolorations were widely observed in crops and trees in surrounding areas. The main objectives of the present study were to identify the area that was affected by the spill using data obtained from plants, soil, and water samples after the accident. Methods: Fluoride concentrations were analyzed in pine tree needles, soil, nearby streams, ponds and reservoirs collected from an area within a radius of three kilometers from the plant where the leak occurred. Fluoride concentrations in the air at the time of leakage were then estimated from fluoride concentrations that were measured in the pine tree needles. A Kriged map was developed to describe the spatial distribution of hydrofluoric acid at the time of the leakage and was compared with the area designated as a Special Disaster Zone by the government. Results: The Special Disaster Zone did not include all the affected area that was estimated by the Kriged map. Analytical results of the environmental samples also supported this discrepancy. Conclusion: Using plants, atmospheric concentrations of fluoride at the time of the leakage could be estimated. For the area that was identified as affected, further public health risk assessment and environmental risk assessment should be considered. Also, in the absence of air monitoring at the time of leakage, studies employing plants may be conducted in order to better understand the spatial extent and severity of the contamination.

A Study on the Improvement of Chemical Accident Response System in View of the National Disaster Management System (국가재난관리체제 관점의 화학사고 대응체계 개선방안에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Jae-Seok;Choi, Don-Mook
    • Fire Science and Engineering
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    • v.29 no.5
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    • pp.73-78
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    • 2015
  • Since the hydrofluoric acid spill accident in Gumi in 2012, the current situation has continued to suffer from makeshift responses or feeble national system maintenance in preparing real countermeasures against chemical accidents, regardless of their repeated occurrence and seriousness. Industrial chemical accidents have an enormous ripple effect on the whole country and society. The purpose of this study is to propose ways of establishing directions for the national disaster management system against repeated occurrence of chemical accidents. To achieve this goal, the present study proposed improvement measures of response system for industrial chemical accident through the analysis of the current response system and structural causes of disaster control failure for chemical accidents.

A Study on Investigation Procedure of Chemical Spill by Vehicle Transporting Chemicals (화학물질 운반차량 누출사고 처리절차에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Sungbum;Lee, Sangjae;Jeong, Seongkyeong;Lim, Myunghee;Song, Youngil;Ahn, Euisan;Jeong, Hoyong;Kim, Najin;Lee, Hyunjoo;Choi, Sungwoon
    • Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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    • v.13 no.1
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    • pp.1-5
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    • 2017
  • 301 cases of chemical accidents occurred during the recent three years('13~15) recording about 100cases on average in Korea.. Chemical accidents has brought casualties and negative impact on the environment. The chemical accident by transporting vehicles during recent 3 years records 21 on average & takes about 21% of the whole chemical accident. Systematic investigation on chemical accident was needed by corresponding authorities since the transport accident has occurred on the road, all over the nation. For the systematic investigation on the accident scene by the corresponding authorities, the cooperation of transport companies and transport contractor is highly necessary. The investigation of such accident scene was examined and analyzed in this study. Through this study, the results can be basis to analyzed the cause of chemical accident by transporting vehicles and to prepare procedures for on-site investigation and handling systematically.

Impact of Residual Hydrofluoric Acid on Leaching of Minerals and Arsenic from Different Types of Geological Media (잔류 불산에 의한 모델 지질토양시료의 광물 용해 및 비소 용출 특성)

  • Jeon, Pilyong;Moon, Hee Sun;Shin, Doyun;Hyun, Sung Pil
    • Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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    • v.23 no.2
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    • pp.23-29
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    • 2018
  • This study explored secondary effects of the residual hydrofluoric acid (HF) after a hypothetical acid spill accident by investigating the long-term dissolution of minerals and leaching of pre-existing arsenic (As) from two soil samples (i.e., KBS and KBM) through batch and column experiments. An increase in the HF concentration in both soil samples resulted in a dramatic increase in the release of major cations, especially Si. However, the amounts of mineral dissolved were dependent on the soil type and mineral characteristics. Compared to the KBM soil, relatively more Ca, Mg and Si were dissolved from the KBS soil. The column experiment showed that the long-term dissolution rates of the minerals are closely associated with the acid buffering capacity of the two soils. The KBM soil had relatively higher effluent pH values compared to the KBS soil. Also, more As was leached from the KBM soil, with a more amorphous hydrous oxide-bound As fraction. These results suggest that the potential of heavy metal leaching by the residual acid after an acid spill will be influenced by heavy metal speciation and mineral structure in the affected soil.

The Study for Performance TestㆍVerification Standard, Form approval procedure(draft) of OSBA (생물정화제제의 성능시험ㆍ검정기준, 형식승인절차(안) 등에 관한 연구)

  • Chung Jin-Won;Yoon Joo-yong;Shin Jae-Rouk;Kim Han-Gyu
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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    • v.6 no.2
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    • pp.16-27
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    • 2003
  • For the last decade, some 400 small and large oil spill accidents have occurred every year. Such accident blow a serious damage to the marine resource and ecosystem, which can't be estimated in terms of economic and environmental losses. The physical/chemical methods used currently may be effective at the initial stage of accidents, but they can't serve to remove the spilled oil completely. Moreover, the dispersant may lead to a secondary contamination detrimental to the lives inhabiting wet lands, beaches and tidal zone. Thus, a new decomposing technology Is required for the environmentally sensitive areas. Bioremediation is the active use of biological techniques to mitigate the consequences of a spill using biological processes and refers both of stimulation of pollutant biodegradation and/or to enhance ecosystem recovery Bioremediation is an economically attractive method for the clean-up of oil-contaminated area. Bioremediation has been demonstrated to be an effective oil spill countermeasure for use in cobble, sand beach, salt marsh, and mud flat environment.

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