• Journal of Korea Society of Waste Management
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.744-753
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• 2018

The Stockholm Convention, which was adopted in Sweden in 2001 to protect human health and the environment, includes regulations for Persistent Organic Pollutant Rotors such as toxic and bioaccumulatives. Currently, there are 28 types of materials. This prohibits and limits the production, use, and manufacture of products. Korea is a member of the Convention, and it is necessary to prepare management and treatment plans to address the POP trends. Thus, we experimentally investigate whether the environmentally stable incineration is achieved when the sample is thermally treated using the Lab-scale (1 kg/hr). The target samples is pesticides in liquid phase and solid phase. In this study, organic chlorinated pesticides and their thermal characteristics were analyzed. We calculated the theoretical air volume based on the element analysis results. Because the interior of the reactor is small, more than 10 times of the air ratio was injected. The retention time was set to at least 4 seconds using a margin. The incineration temperature was $850^{\circ}C$ and $1100^{\circ}C$. Thus, we experimentally investigated whether the environmentally stable incineration was achieved when the sample was thermally treated using the Lab-scale (1 kg/hr). We analyzed five types of exhaust gas; the 02 concentration was high, but the CO amount decreased. Complete combustion is difficult because of the small size of the furnace due to the nature of Lab-scale. The organic chlorine-containing pesticide had an average decomposition rate of 99.9935%. Considering the decomposition rates of organic chlorine-containing pesticide in this study, the incineration treatment at over 2 ton/hour, which is typical for a conventional incinerator, is possible. Considering the occurrence of dioxins and unintentional persistent organic pollutants, it can operate at more than $1,100^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.23-32
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• 2012

This study was conducted to monitor microbial species dynamics within the aquifer due to long term operation of geothermal heat pump system. The species were identified by molecular biological methods of 16S rDNA. Groundwater sample was collected from both open (S region) and closed geothermal recovery system (J region) along with the control. J measured and control as well as S measured found Ralstonia pickettii as dominant species at year 2010. In contrast, Rhodoferax ferrireducens was dominantly observed for the control of S. In 2011, Sediminibacterium sp. was universely identified as the dominant species regardless of the monitoring places and type of sample, i.e., measured or control. The difference in the dynamics between the measured and the control was not critically observed, but annual variation was more strikingly found. It reveals that possible environmental changes (e.g. ORP and DO) due to the operation of geothermal heat recovery system in aquifer could be more exceedingly preceded to differentiate annual variation of microbial species rather than positional differences.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.457-469
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• 2020

Objective: This study was designed to estimate the precise nationwide number of those who used humidifier disinfectants (HDs) and experienced specific health effects, including death, due to exposure to HDs in Korea between 1994 and 2011. Methods: A total of 5,000 households (15,472 people) were surveyed by stratifying the sample with a design that is equivalent to nationally approved household systematic sampling and face-to-face interviews from October 16, 2019 to December 30, 2019. Results: The proportion of use of humidifier disinfectants at home was 18.4% (2,844/15,472 people) and the proportion of those who experienced health effects among those who were exposed to HDs was 10.7% (303/2,844 people). Based on these factors, it was estimated that 8.94 million people (95% CI=8.25-9.63 million) were exposed to HDs and 0.95 million people (95% CI=0.87-1.02 million) experienced health effects, which means almost one in five and one in fifty Koreans respectively. The estimated number of deaths from HDs were 20,366 people (95% CI=18,801-21,931). Conclusion: The survey was large and analyzed a representative sample across the country, so this estimation of the nationwide population exposed and at risk to HDs is more accurate and reliable than previous studies. However, it is necessary to confirm whether results similar to those of this study can be reproduced through a survey using a cross-sectional survey at the national level. In particular, a survey focused on death cases is needed.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.368-371
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• 2006

The standard procedure outlined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) in Method 1623 for analyzing Giardia lamblia cysts and Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in water samples consists of filtration, elution, centrifugal concentration, immunomagnetic separation (IMS), and immunofluorescence assay (IFA) followed by microscopic examination. In this study, the extent of (oo)cyst loss in each step of this procedure was evaluated by comparing recovery yields in segmented analyses: (i) IMS + IFA, (ii) concentration + IMS + IFA, and (iii) filtration/elution + concentration + IMS + IFA. The complete (oo)cyst recovery by the full procedure was $52{\sim}57%$. The (oo) cyst loss in the IMS step was only $0{\sim}6%$, implying that IMS is a fairly reliable method for (oo)cyst purification. Centrifugal concentration of the eluted sample and pellet collection before IMS resulted in a loss of $8{\sim}14%$ of the (oo)cysts. The largest (oo)cyst loss occurred in the elution step, with $68{\sim}71%$ of the total loss. The permeated loss of (oo)cysts was negligible during filtration of the water sample with a $1.0-{\mu}m$ pore polyethersulfone (PES) capsule. These results demonstrated that the largest fraction of (oo)cyst loss in this procedure occurred due to poor elution from the filter matrix. Improvements in the elution methodology are therefore required to enhance the overall recovery yield and the reliability of the detection of these parasitic protozoa.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1257-1262
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• 2005

Organo-chlorinated pesticides have been seldom measured in Korea because their use was banned for more than two decades. Nevertheless, the environmental persistency of these pesticides requires regular monitoring. Only organo-phosphorus pesticides are currently being monitored in Korea. Simultaneous determination of organo-chlorinated and organo-phosphorus pesticides was attempted using gas chromatography/mass spectrometer detector. Pressurized fluid extraction(PFE) was used in sample preparation. PFE showed equivalent extraction efficiency to traditional soxhlet extraction with less solvent use and less sample preparation time. Average recovery of spiked pesticides to soil and lawn samples was 62% ranging 52 to 154%. Method detection levels(MDLs) for these pesticides ranged from 3.4 to 10.5 ${\mu}g/kg$. Endosulfan, fenitrothion, and diazinon were found in the samples from 5 different golf courses out of 9 courses.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.10-18
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• 2017

Occupational hazards of firefighting and rescue works include frequent exposure to emergencies and life-threatening situations. These stressful work conditions of being constantly under pressure and exposed to potentially traumatic events put them at higher risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), compared to the general population. PTSD is a potentially debilitating mental disorder, due to persistent intrusive thoughts, negative alterations of mood and cognition, hypervigilance, avoidance of similar situations and reminders, and re-experiences of the traumatic event. Previous studies have shown a relatively high prevalence of PTSD among firefighters, indicating the need for a systematic approach of early detection and prevention. Therefore, a critical review of the current literature on PTSD in firefighters would provide valuable insights into developing effective prevention and intervention programs. Literature indicated that there are risk factors of PTSD in firefighters, such as pre-existing depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, occupational stress, physical symptoms, and binge drinking, whereas social support and adequate rewards are protective factors. Although there are differences in the prevalence of PTSD across studies, partly due to various assessment tools utilized, different sample sizes, and sample characteristics, over one tenth of the firefighters were estimated to have PTSD. The current review warrants further investigations to precisely assess PTSD and co-morbid mental disorders, functional outcomes, and associated factors, and to develop evidence-based preventive and interventional programs to help firefighters with PTSD.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.906-917
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to quantify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in gas sample using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled to GC analysis. The optimal HS-SPME conditions was CAR/PDMS fiber and 30 min absorprion time for the analysis of various VOCs. In optimal conditions, 80 VOCs could be detected within 1 ppbv and even less than 0.0005 ppbv especially in the case of BTEX. However, fiber reproducibility on adsorption efficiency was 1~9.2% (between the same fiber) and 5.9~13.5% (between the other fiber). We successfully determined 35 VOCs in landfill gas with this method and found that VOCs of high concentration are emitting from vent pipe of closed/open landfill site under the HS-SPME conditions. This method may apply to VOCs/odor determination from various atmospheric environmental samples as well as landfills.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.492-503
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• 2014

In this study, emission characteristics of volatile odorant species released from urine samples were investigated in relation to two key variables: [1] storage conditions before sampling and [2] incubation conditions during sampling. To this end, 20 offensive odorants were quantified by four different analytical systems and then sorted according to seven functional groups. It is indicated that benzene (B), styrene (S), isobutyl alcohol (i-BuAl), butyl acetate (BuAc), butyraldehyde (BA), isovaleraldehyde (IA), and valeraldehyde (VA) did not contribute to urine odor because their concentration levels were measured below detection limits in all samples. On the other hand, emission concentrations of toluene (T), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), methyl mercaptan ($CH_3SH$), carbon disulfide ($CS_2$), and ammonia ($NH_3$) were generally higher than other compounds. In terms of odor intensity (OI), $CH_3SH$ and $NH_3$ showed the largest OI values in the range of 2~4. According to t-test (storage approach and urine temperature), the results of T, $CS_2$, and $NH_3$ were statistically distinguished from each other in terms of differences in sampling temperature. Likewise, the emissions of certain odorants from urine samples were affected by changes in sample treatment conditions to a degree.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.11 no.1_2
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• pp.31-39
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• 1996

Leachate from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill, effluent from leachate treatment plant, and ground water sample from a monitoring well near landfill site were tested for an acute toxicity. Microtox toxicity test was used for testing the acute toxicity of leachate and other samples. EC$_{50}$ values which a concentration of pollutant for reducing 50% light output from luminescent bacteria, Photobacterium phosphoreum were determined to assess the toxicity of pollutants as well as the relative toxicity. In addition, characteristics of leachate were studied and compared to those of phenol and pentachlorophenol (PCP) which are typical aquatic toxic pollutants. For leachate, EC$_{50}$ for 30 min incubation was 10.8%, while for phenol and PCP, 46 ppm and 1.2 ppm, respectively. the relative toxicity of treated leachate by in situ aeration with activated sludge was reduced to more than 75% of toxicity of the untreated leachate. Microtox toxicity test was failed to figure out EC$_{50}$ values for groundwater from a monitoring well since the relative toxicity of the unconcentrated sample was too low to estimate EC$_{50}$. Addition of activated carbon to leachate was reduced the relative toxicity. The reduction Pattern of the relative toxicity of leachate by mechanical aeration was similar to that of PCP, but different from that of phenol. These findings suggest that the toxicity of leachate may come from PCP-like toxic compounds rather than phenol-like one. In conclusion, the process of aeration with activated sludge might be very important to reduce the environmental toxicity of leachate. And Microtox test could be a reasonable bioassay for screening and monitoring the environmental toxicity of leachate from municipal solid waste landfill as well as for determining the reduction efficiency of the leachate toxicity by various treatment processes in leachate treatment plant.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.171-180
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• 2022

Zeolitic material, Z-Y3, was synthesized from coal fly ash (CFA) under low-alkaline conditions (NaOH/CFA ratio = 0.3 and NaOH solution concentrations of 0.0, 0.5, and 1.0 M) using a fusion/hydrothermal method. The adsorption capacities of the fabricated Z-Y3 samples for Cs and Sr ions and the desorption capacity of Na ions were evaluated. The XRD patterns of the Z-Y3 sample fabricated using a 1.0 M NaOH solution (Z-Y3 (1.0 M)) indicated the successful synthesis of a zeolitic material, because the diffraction peaks of Z-Y3 coincided with those of the Na-A zeolite in the 2θ range of 7.18-34.18. Moreover, the SEM images revealed that morphology of the Z-Y3 (1.0 M) sample, which presented zeolitic materials characteristics, consisted of sharp-edged cubes. The adsorption isotherms of Cs and Sr ions on all the fabricated Z-Y3 samples were described using the Langmuir model, and the maximum adsorption capacities of Cs and Sr were calculated to be 0.14-0.94 mmol/g and 0.19-0.78 mmol/g, respectively. The desorption of Na ions from the Cs and Sr ions adsorbed Z-Y3 samples followed the Langmuir desorption model. The maximum desorption capacities of Na ions from the Cs and Sr ions adsorbed Z-Y3 (1.0 M) samples were 1.28 and 1.49 mmol/g, respectively.