• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.140-140
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• 2004

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.211-221
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• 2001

Recognizing interaction between the environment and humans, the EIA(environmental impact assessment) movement has sought to promote more environmentally sound and informed decisions for the sake of human welfare. Therefore, most EIA programs require the consideration of human health impacts. Yet relatively few EIA documents adequately address those impacts. This study was carried out to investigate the role of EIA for reuniting the environment and human health, for preventing and reducing significant health risks, and for improving human health impact assessment by means of risk assessment. Risk assessment consists of 4 components; hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment and risk characterization. Since most people spent their times in indoor, indoor air quality modelling can be used in exposure assessment and risk assessment. In this study, indoor $NO_2$ concentration and personal $NO_2$ exposure were estimated by Box Model using mass balance equation and time weighted average, respectively. The estimated indoor $NO_2$ concentration and the personal $NO_2$ exposure were compared by those measured, respectively. Subsequntly, health effect was assessed with these results. Consequently, exposure assessment and risk assessment using indoor air quality model may be considered to be applicable to EIA.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.3.1-3.11
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• 2023

Background: Studies on the risk of mercury (Hg) in Korean fishery products focus primarily on total Hg levels as opposed to methylmercury (MeHg) levels. None of the few studies on MeHg in tuna investigated tuna from Japanese restaurants. Few have evaluated lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in tuna. Thus, this study aimed to conduct a risk assessment by evaluating heavy metal concentrations in tuna from Japanese restaurants. Methods: Thirty-one tuna samples were collected from Japanese restaurants in the Republic of Korea. They were classified according to region and species. The concentration of heavy metals in the samples was analyzed using the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Food Code method. The rate of exceedance of maximum residue levels (MRLs) and the risk compared to the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) set by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (%PTWI) were evaluated for risk assessment. Results: The mean of MeHg, Pb, Cd and As concentrations were 0.56 ± 1.47 mg/kg, 33.95 ± 3.74 ㎍/kg, 14.25 ± 2.19 ㎍/kg and 1.46 ± 1.89 mg/kg, respectively. No sample exceeded the MRLs of Pb and Cd, but 9.7% of the samples exceeded the MRL of MeHg. The %PTWIs of MeHg, Pb, Cd and As were 4.2037, 0.0162, 0.0244 and 1.1627, respectively. The %PTWI of MeHg by age group and sex was highest among men aged 19-29 years (10.6494), followed by men aged 30-49 years (7.2458) and women aged 19-29 years (4.8307). Conclusions: We found that 3 out of 31 samples exceeded the MRL of MeHg. The %PTWI of MeHg showed significant differences based on age and sex, and the value was likely to exceed a safe level depending on individuals' eating behaviors. Therefore, improved risk management for MeHg is required.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.111-118
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• 2019

Accidents occurring due to natural disasters in chemical process facilities where technologies are concentrated can cause secondary damage. The concept of the relationship between natural disasters and highly intensive technologies has evolved into the Natech (Natural Hazards Triggered Technological Disaster) research. Currently, the number of earthquakes is increasing all over the Korean peninsula. To assess the risk of Natech when an earthquake has occurred in South Korea, the Rapid Natech Risk Assessment Tool (RAPID-N) developed by the European Commission's Joint Research Center (EC JRC) was used in the present study. The RAPID-N can be used for Natech risk assessment based on mapping and can be utilized for sufficient preparation for reduction of the effects of Natech accidents. A total of 261 chemical facilities actually existing in Pohang were initially analyzed to select eight facilities and the Pohang earthquake that occurred in 2017 was implemented in the RAPID-N utilizing the shake map. High risk areas were selected through Natech risk assessments for the selected eight work places and countermeasures for the areas were suggested. High risk areas exist depending on the location, since the damage influence ranges could be overlapped and each chemical facility has an independent probability of Natech. Therefore, studies on Natech emergency plans and emergency evacuation routes should be actively conducted considering such high risk areas. The present study was conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of Natech risk assessment in South Korea through the RAPID-N. These findings can be used as a reference material to lay a foundation for Natech risk assessment and related policies in South Korea.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.259-270
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• 2010

We conducted human risk assessment for exposure to inhalation of chemical substances emitted from the storage tanks of petroleum refineries. To assess human risk, this study calculated chemical emissions from the external floating roofs on storage tank at petroleum refineries, as well as concentrations thereof in the ambient air using the K-SCREEN model, and then determined risk in accordance with the Reference Concentration (RfC) values and Inhalation Unit Risk criteria developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The results indicated that non-carcinogenic chemicals have a hazard quotient of less than 1, meaning they have an insignificant effect on human health for residential areas near the storage tanks. Among the known carcinogens, the hazard risk for benzene slightly exceeded $10^{-6}$, indicating the need for corrective reduction measures. The methodology for health impact assessment devised herein provides findings useful in decision making for policy makers and the general public with respect to construction of industrial complexes. However, the methodology proposed herein does have limitations, including discrepancy in results induced by use of U.S. data (due to the lack of usable domestic data). More systematic studies from related researchers will be needed to address these issues and produce more reliable outcomes.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.105-115
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• 1994

This study was conducted to assess the health risk of carcinogenic heavy metals such as arsenic, nickel, chromium and cadmium Ambient concentrations of these metals were measured bimonthly, during May 1987 to March 1988. Respirable Particle concentrations of As, Ni, Cr, Cd in traffic area(Shinchon) were 16ng/㎥, 43ng/㎥, 4.2ng/㎥, 6.6ng/㎥, respectively, and in residential area(Bulkwang) were 25ng/㎥, 32ng/㎥, 4.7ng/㎥, 8.9ng/㎥, respectively. Carcinogenic risk of each metal was calculated by multiplication of ambient concentration and unit risk of the metal which was referred to recent version of Integrated Risk Information System(IRIS). Sum of the risk from these for metals was 9.8$\times$10$^{-5}$ as individual risk in traffic area and 13.9$\times$10$^{-5}$ in residential area.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.10 no.1_2
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• pp.1-14
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• 1995

The purpose of this research is to assess the health risk of pollutants in drinking water and recommend the guidelines and management plans for maintaining good quality of drinking water. This study has been funded as a national project for three years from 1992 to 1995. This study(the second year, 1993-1994) was conducted to monitor 32 species of carcinogenic chemicals such as volatile organic compounds(VOCs), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs), pesticides and heavy metals of drinking water at some area in six cities of Korea, and evaluate health risk due to these chemicals through four main steps of risk assessment in drinking water. In hazard identification, 32 species of carcinogenic chemicals were identified by the US EPA classification system. In the step of exposure assessment, sampling of raw, treated and tap water from the public water supply system had been conducted from 1993 to 1994, and 32 chemicals were analyzed. In dose-response assessment, cancer potencies, unit risk estimates and virtually safe doses of carcinogens were obtained by TOX-RISK (Version 3.1). In risk characterization of detected chemicals, health risk due to carcinogens such as vinyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride, dichloromethane, 1, 2-dichloromethane, chloroform, benzene and arsenic of tap water in several cities exceeded 10$^{-5}$ level. We suggest that non-regulated chemicals which exceed 10$^{-5}$ excess cancer risk level, such as vinyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride and 1, 2-dichloroethane, should be monitored periodically and be regulated by the Drinking Water Management Act, and database for exposure parameter of our own situation should be established.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 1994.04a
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• pp.86-86
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• 1994

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.15-15
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• 2004

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.348-355
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• 2017

Human activities have resulted in soil pollution problems to us. Human and ecological risk assessment have been suggested as an efficient environmental management strategy for protecting human and ecosystems from soil pollution. However, Korean environmental policy is currently focused on human protection, and fundamental researches for ecology protection are required for institutional frameworks. In this study, we developed a schematic frame of Korean soil ecological risk assessment, and suggested the basic information for its application. This study suggested a soil ecological risk assessment scheme consisting of 4 steps for derivation of Predicted-No-Effect-Concentration (PNEC): 1) ecotoxicity data collection and reliability determination, 2) data standardization, 3) evaluation of data completeness for PNEC calculation, and 4) determination of ecological-risk. The reliability determination of ecotoxicity data was performed using Reliability Index (RI), and the classification of domestic species, acute/chronic, toxicity endpoint, and soil properties was used for data cataloging. The PNEC calculation methodology was determined as low-reliability, middle-reliability, and high-reliability according to their quantitative and qualitative levels of ecotoxicity data. This study would be the introductory plan research for establishment of Korean soil ecological risk assessment, and it can be a fundamental framework to further develop guidelines of Korean environmental regulation.