• 한국환경보건학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경보건학회 2005년도 Proceedings of KSEH.Minamata Forum
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• pp.45-48
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• 2005

In 2005, the KMOE and an advisory members for environmental health policy are exploring new environmental policy directions in the 21st century by suggesting a 10-year plan of environmental health policy with its specific goals, grounded on four basic principles: preemptive environmental control instead of post hoc facto control of environmental contaminants or discharged substances, receptor-centered approach, priority on protection of the people vulnerable and sensitive to environmental contamination, and warranty of citizens' rights to be engaged and informed. Such new policy challenges in the area of environmental health, which must be significant of important policy shift for environmental health in the 21t century, is expected to conduct to improvement of environmental health in Korea and Northeast Asian Regions as well.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제42권6호
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• pp.385-395
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• 2016

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess exposure to VOCs and PAHs and the health effects on volunteers who participated in an oil spill cleanup in Yeosu. Methods: Atmospheric VOCs were evaluated in the vicinity of the accident site and questionnaire surveys were conducted to identify personal characteristics and acute health symptoms of clean-up workers seven days after the accident. The levels of metabolites of VOCs (t,t-MA, HA, PGA, MA, MHA) and PAHs (2-NAP, 1-OHP, 2-HF, 1-HPH), oxidative stress markers (TABARS, 8-OHdG) in the urine of workers were analyzed. Their correlation was determined by multiple regression analysis with SAS ver. 9.4. Results: Although the concentration of atmospheric VOCs in the residential areas were low at the time of survey, the levels of VOCs and PAHs metabolites in clean-up workers were higher than those in the control group after clean-up activities. The levels of urinary VOC and PAH metabolites were significantly increased after clean-up compared to those measured before participation. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) concentrations were also increased and showed significant correlations with those of metabolites of benzene. Conclusion: This study shows that oil spill clean-up activities affect exposure to VOCs and PAHs and the health of clean-up workers. The results suggest the need for check-ups of participants in oil spill cleaning work.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.391-396
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the level of community environmental perception of older adults and to identify the association between environmental perception and subjective health status among older persons. Methods: Analyses are based on data from Statistics Korea 2016 Social Survey. This study analyzed a total of 8,193 older adults aged 65 and over, and examined the association between environmental perception on air, water, soil, noise and vibration, and subjective health status using multiple regression analysis. Results: Study findings shown that environmental perception on water and soil had significant association with subjective health status of older adults. Specifically, older adults reported worse health status when they had more negative perceptions of water and soil environments in their communities. Conclusions: Results of this study suggested that efforts to enhance safety of drinking water and soil environments, and continuous research to identify relationship between environment and elderly health shoud be needed.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제35권6호
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• pp.433-446
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• 2009

Pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment are trace contaminants of growing importance in environmental health due to their physiologically active nature. Pharmaceuticals could affect non-target species and might eventually damage sustainability of susceptible populations in the ecosystem. Potentials for health consequences among susceptible human population cannot be ruled out since long-term exposure to cocktails of pharmaceuticals, which might be present in drinking water, is possible. Selection of antibiotic resistant microorganisms is of another concern. In order to understand, and if needed, to properly address the environmental health issues of pharmaceutical residues, knowledge gaps need to be filled. Knowledge gaps exist in many important areas such as prioritization of target pharmaceuticals for further risk studies, occurrence patterns in different environments, chronic toxicities, and toxicities of pharmaceutical mixtures. Appropriate treatment technologies for drinking water and wastewater could be developed when they are deemed necessary. One of the simplest, yet most efficient measures that could be undertaken is to implement a return program for unused or expired drugs. In addition, implementation of environmental risk assessment frameworks for pharmaceuticals would make it possible to efficiently manage potential environmental health problems associated with pharmaceutical residues in the environment.

• 환경정책연구
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.127-154
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• 2006

환경이 인간의 건강상태를 결정짓는 중요한 인자라는 인식과 과학적 증거가 국내외적으로 널리 받아들여지고 있다. 이에 정부는 2006년을 환경보건의 원년으로 선포하고 "환경보건 10개년 종합계획"을 수립 발표하는 등 적극적인 대응을 시작하였다. 환경보건정책의 비전과 목표를 효과적으로 달성하기 위해서는 환경보건 분야 조사 연구기반의 확충, 관련 법령체계의 정비 또는 수립, 기타 조직적 제도적 행정적 지원체계의 확립 등 법적 제도적 행정적 기반의 구축이 선행되어야 한다. 본 연구는 우리나라에서 이제 막 시작된 환경보건정책을 효과적으로 추진하기 위하여 필요한 법제정비의 기본원칙을 제시하고자 하였다. 환경보건 관련 법제 정비의 목적은 기존 오염매체 관리 중심의 법체계를 넘어 환경오염으로부터 국민건강과 생태계 건전성을 보호 유지하는 것이다. 이러한 정책목적을 효과적으로 달성하기 위해서는 우선 환경보건의 개념을 명확히 정립 제시함으로써 환경보건 영역의 독자성을 확립하여 관련 정책의 효율적 집행이 가능하도록 해야 할 것이다. 또한 환경 관련 질환의 치료 및 지원 등 사후적인 대책보다는 사전주의원칙(precautionary principle)을 바탕으로 한, 환경관련 질환의 원인규명 조사 감시 예방, 위해성평가 등 사전예방체계의 확립이 환경보건 법령체계의 주요 내용이 되어야 한다. 아울러 환경보건 법제는 어린이 등 환경오염 및 유해물질의 노출에 민감하거나 취약한 계층에 대한 우선적 보호 배려, 환경위해 요인에 영향을 받는 인구집단에 대한 적절한 정보제공 및 정책참여 기회의 증진, 각 매체별 환경계획과 시책의 통합, 조정정책의 수립 추진 등을 위한 규범적 도구가 될 수 있도록 정비 또는 수립되어야 할 것이다. 외국의 관련 입법 및 정책 사례, 우리나라의 현행 관련 법령체계에 대한 검토 및 분석, 환경보건정책의 수립 추진을 위한 법적 제도적 요소들을 중심으로 고찰하였다.

• 한국환경보건학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경보건학회 2005년도 Proceedings of KSEH.Minamata Forum
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• pp.1-3
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• 2005

• 한국환경보건학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경보건학회 2004년도 International Conference Current Challenges and Advances in Environmental Health
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• pp.79-79
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• 2004

• 한국환경보건학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경보건학회 2004년도 International Conference Current Challenges and Advances in Environmental Health
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• pp.71-71
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• 2004

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제45권5호
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• pp.559-560
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• 2019

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.572-580
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• 2018

Objectives: Human biomonitoring (HBM) is a measurement of the chemicals and their metabolites in human biological samples and has been successfully employed to determine the exposure levels of environmental chemicals. In this study, we analyzed seasonal variations of the blood or urinary levels of chemicals, and assessed that these differences could affect the results of association study. Methods: The Korea National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) is a nationwide survey that analyzes exposure levels of environmental pollutants, 19 kinds of chemicals including heavy metals and organic chemicals, and the exposure factors in the general population. Based on KoNEHS data, we analyzed the levels of chemicals concentrations over the total survey period (2012-2014) and each season, and assessed the association of thyroid measures with phthalate metabolite and BPA. Results: Exposure levels of blood mercury and lead were lower in summer compare to winter. Bisphenol A and PAHs metabolites were higher in spring and summer, but lower in autumn. VOCs metabolites were generally lower in summer and autumn. Phthalate metabolites were higher in all other seasons than in winter. Pyrethroid metabolite, 3-PBA, was higher in summer and autumn. Regarding seasonal variation of chemical exposures, the statistical significance and size of effects between thyroid measures and phthalate and BPA were changed with season. Conclusion: Seasonal variations of chemical exposure and health outcome should be considered for interpreting biomonitoring results from a public health context.