• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.95-107
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• 2002

This study was designed to investigate the characteristics of atmospheric concentrations of toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Korea. Target compounds included 1,3-butadiene, aromatics such as BTEX, and a number of carbonyl compounds. In this paper, as the first part of the study, the performance of sampling and analytical methods was evaluated for the measurement of selected VOCs and carbonyl compounds in the ambient air. VOCs were determined by the adsorbent tube sampling and automatic thermal desorption coupled with GC/MSD analysis, while carbonyls by the DNPH-silica cartridge sampling with HPLC analysis. The methodology was investigated with a wide range of performance criteria such as repeatability, linearity. lower detection limits, collection efficiency, thermal conditioning, breakthrough volume and calibration methods using internal standards. In addition, the sampling and analytical methods established in this study were applied to real field samples duplicately collected in various ambient environments. Precisions for the duplicate samples appeared to be comparable with the performance criteria recommended by USEPA TO-17. The overall precision of the sampling and analytical methods was estimated to be within 20 ∼ 30% for major aromatic VOCs such as BTEX, whereas the precision for major carbonyl compounds such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde was within 10 ∼ 20% for field samples. This study demonstrated that the adsorbent sampling and thermal desorption method can be reliably applied for the measurement of BTEX in ppb levels frequently occurred in common indoor and ambient environments.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 2012

In this study, the effect of standard phase difference in calibration of carbonyl compounds (CC) was evaluated by using their standards prepared in both gaseous and liquid phase. For this analysis, standards in both phases were prepared for 6 different CCs (formaldehyde (FA), acetaldehyde (AA), propionaldehyde (PA), butyraldehyde (BA), isovaleraldehyde (IA) and valeraldehyde (VA)) at similar concentration levels. Their gaseous standard was calibrated after derivatization with three types of DNPH cartridge, and their calibration results were compared against liquid-phase standards. Although there was a strong compatibility between 2 phases for CCs with lower molecular weights (e.g., formaldehyde and acetaldehyde), it was not the case for the heavier CCs. The results of our analysis indicate that the analytical bias of the heavier CCs can be significantly large (by more than a few tens of %). As a result, underestimation of hevier CCs can be significant, if their gaseous samples are quantified by liquid phase standard.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.116-122
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to confirm the effects of flush-out in the reduction of formaldehyde concentration in newly built residential buildings. The field measurements were conducted on two complexes of multi-residential buildings which are located in the suburban area of Seoul. About eight samples of residential buildings were selected to measure the changes in formaldehyde concentrations after flush-out from the two apartment complexes. The concentration of formaldehyde was measured using DNPH cartridge and HPLC. From the results of the field measurements, it was established that indoor formaldehyde concentration decreases 27.6~54.2% in the samples after flush-out. The number of days that the flush-out were conducted was noted to have no significant influence on the reduction rate of formaldehyde concentration when the flush-out continued more than 7 days. The comparison with Bake-out showed that flush-out also can reduce formaldehyde in newly built buildings as same levels of it.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.807-818
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• 2010

The study is about variations in Carbonyl compounds concentration within apartment buildings according to pre-residence and residence. We consecutively investigated indoor air pollutants in 120 households in 6 cities at pre-residence and residence. Carbonyl compounds were collected using the 2,4-DNPH cartridge and were analyzed using HPLC. The carbonyls concentration of indoor air in the new apartments before occupation measured formadlehyde($76.0\;{\mu}g/m^3$), acetone($85.9\;{\mu}g/m^3$), acetaldehyde($13.8\;{\mu}g/m^3$). The carbonyls concentration of indoor air in the new apartments after occupation measured formadlehyde($233.1\;{\mu}g/m^3$), acetone($128.9\;{\mu}g/m^3$), acetaldehyde($29.8\;{\mu}g/m^3$), respectively. As a result, the mean concentration of carbonyl compounds within the pre-occupancy stage was lower than those of residence.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.767-774
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• 2008

This study was carried out to evaluate the characteristics of atmospheric concentrations of volatile organic compounds(VOCs) and aldehydes for near a large shipyard. Most of the painting work in marine coating is performed indoor and outdoor. Most of the VOCs are emitted to the atmosphere as the paint is applied and cures. The massive scale of a ship makes it difficult to capture the emissions from outdoor painting. The VOCs are an important health and contributors to photochemical smog. The VOCs and aldehydes samples were collected using adsorbent tube and 2,4-DNPH cartridge, and were determined by an automatic thermal desorption coupled with GC/MS and HPLC-UV analysis, respectively. A total of 16 aromatic VOCs and 12 aldehydes of environmental concern were determined. At indoor coating facilities, the most abundant compound among 16 target VOCs appeared to be m,p-xylene, being followed by o-xylene. But most of the aldehydes were extremely lower concentrations. The atmospheric concentration of VOCs, m,p-xylene concentrations were the highest and the mean value were outdoor workshop 11.323 ppb, residental area 5.134 ppb, and green area 2.137 ppb, respectively. However, the most aldehydes were extremely lower concentrations such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and non-detection such as iso-valeraldehyde, n-valeraldehyde and o-tolualdehyde.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.468-476
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• 2006

Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) have high toxicity and bioaccurnulation potentials into human body even inbsmall amount (levels of ng/$m^3$). As the levels of HAPs might be controversial, it has been become essential to establish the analysis method for correct results. In this study, various analysis methods of VOCs and Aldehydes were compared in order to select the proper methods in our condition. Sampling and analysis method of VOCs were followed to EPA TO-14a and TO-17. VOCs were collected in absorption tube and separated by thermal desorption unit then analyzed by GC/MSD. Aldehydes were sampled in DNPH-cartridge and extracted into solution then analyzed by HPLC as the same condition of EPA TO-13a. This study also shows the results of QA/QC system of selected methods. Some experiments could be improving the data assurance blank test, calibration check, repetition precision check, the determination of detection limit and reproducibility of the retention time. Precisions of VOCs and aldehydes were ranged in 2$\sim$9% and 1$\sim$4% RSD, respectively. Recovery rate of VOCs showed variable ranges from 60 to 133.5%. MDL of VOCs and aldehydes were 0.044$\sim$0.284 ppb and 0.14$\sim$1.02 ng, respectively.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.544-552
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• 2006

Emission tests were carried out to investigate the characteristics of concentration according to flooring sort using small chamber method. The target Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) included 27 individual compounds of environmental concern, which were determined by adsorption sampling and thermal desorption coupled with GC/MS method and by DNPH cartridge/HPLC method. The emission factor of Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) and Formaldehyde (HCHO) was detected $0.3mg/m^2{\cdot}h$ and $0.2mg/m^2{\cdot}h$ respectively, and the floorings of 37 (9 PVC Tile, 10 PVC Sheet, 18 Flooring) were satisfied emission standard. TVOC emission factor appeared in order of concentration of PVC Sheet, PVC Tile, and floor flooring, while HCHO was detected very high emission factor (as $0.4mg/m^2{\cdot}h$) at floor flooring above PVC series (as $0.001mg/m^2{\cdot}h$).

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.344-354
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• 2005

This study was carried out to evaluate the performance of a small chamber sampling and analytical method for the measurement of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and formaldehyde (HCHO) emission from building materials. While VOC was determined by the adsorbent tube sampling and sequential thermal desorption coupled with GC/MSD analysis, formaldehyde sampled with DNPH-silica cartridge was analyzed by HPLC. Wide-range performance criteria such as repeatability, desorption efficiency, emission chamber recovery test, duplicate precision, breakthrough volume and method detection limits were investigated for the evaluation of small chamber method. The overall precision of the small chamber sampling and analytical methods was estimated within 20~30% for target compounds. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the small chamber sampling and analytical method can be reliably applied for the measurement of building materials pollutants.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.542-551
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• 2005

This study is to investigate the characteristics of emission concentration according to wallpaper sort and emission time using small chamber method. The target compounds included 45 VOCs and formaldehyde, which were respectively determined by adsorption sampling and thermal desorption coupled with GC/MS method, and by sampling in DNPH cartridge and HPLC method. The emission factor of TVOC and HCHO was detected to $1.1mg/m^2{\cdot}h$ and $0.01mg/m^2{\cdot}h$ respectively, and the wallpapers of 25 satisfied emission standard. TVOC emission factor appeared in order of the concentration of PVC, natural, and Non-PVC wallpaper, while HCHO was detected very low concentration without relation to wallpaper sort. The paraffin hydrocarbons appeared to be the most contributable class of hydrocarbons in terms of their concentrations, followed by aromatics, and olefins, halogenated hydrocarbons was not detected. PVC wallpapers plentifully emitted TVOC above other wallpapers, and toluene was showed higher concentration of 10 times than natural wallpaper. In addition to, emission factor according to elapse was gradually decreased.