• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2015

Owing to the increase in price of cigarettes in Korea, herbal cigarettes have received increasing attention as a non-smoking aid; however, its safety has hardly been studied. We analyzed some of the toxic components in the mainstream smoke of herbal cigarettes, performed a mutagenicity test on smoke condensates for safety assessment, and compared the results with the corresponding values of a general cigarette with the same tar content. Herbal cigarette "A" was smoked using automatic smoking machine under ISO conditions in a manner similar to general cigarette "T". The tar content measured was higher than that inscribed on the outside of a package. The mainstream smoke of herbal cigarette "A" did not contain detectable levels of tobacco-specific nitrosamines and nicotine. Carbon monoxide and benzo(${\alpha}$)pyrene contents in herbal cigarette "A" were higher than those in the general cigarette "T". The phenolic contents such as hydroquinone, resorcinol, and catechol in herbal cigarette "A" were higher than those in the general cigarette "T", but cresol contents in herbal cigarette "A" were lower than those in the general cigarette "T". The content of aromatic amines such as 4-aminobiphenyl in herbal cigarette "A" was higher than that in the general cigarette "T"; however, this difference was not statistically significant. On the other hand, 1-aminonaphthalene, 2-aminonaphthalene, and 3-aminobiphenyl contents in herbal cigarette "A" were lower than those in the general cigarette "T". The smoke condensates of herbal cigarette "A" exhibited a higher mutagenic potential than the condensates from the general cigarette "T" at the same concentration. We concluded that the mainstream smoke of herbal cigarette contains some toxic components, the smoke condensates of herbal cigarettes are mutagenic similar to general cigarette because of combustion products, and that the evaluation of the chemical and biological safety of all types of herbal cigarettes available on the market.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.327-338
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• 2014

The objective of this study is to enhance the effectiveness of Korean Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) program. Three main tasks are: to measure pollutant emissions of in-use light-duty diesel vehicles (LDVs); to evaluate the validity of existing smoke control scheme for low-smoke-emitting vehicles, which have diesel particulate filters, DPF, to meet stringent Euro-5 emission limits; and to assess the necessity and the benefit of $NO_x$ inspection, which is not involved in current I/M program. We measured second-by-second smoke, particulate and gaseous emissions of 27 LDVs using opacity smoke meter, photo-acoustic soot sensor, and portable emissions measurement system, respectively, under the Korean I/M test driving cycle, KD-147. We find that the DPF plays a key role in controlling soot, which can be considered as black carbon contained in particulate matter. Thus, from an I/M perspective, we believe smoke inspection strategies for Euro-5 diesel vehicles should be more focused on the capability of detecting DPF malfunctions or failures, in order to keep DPF properly functional. Fleet averaged distance-specific $NO_x$ emissions are consistently higher than corresponding emission limits, and the values are similar among pre-Euro-3, Euro-3, and Euro-4 vehicle fleets. These findings indicate that the $NO_x$ inspection should be incorporated into current I/M program in order to manage urban $NO_x$ emissions. This research allows the Korean I/M program keep pace with developments in vehicle technologies, as well as the increased emphasis on $NO_x$ with respect to air quality and human health.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2015

Objectives: The Korean government implemented a smoke-free regulation for pubs with a net indoor area of ${\geq}100m^2$ on January 1, 2014. The purpose of this study was to determine the indoor levels of concentrations of particulate matter smaller than $2.5{\mu}m$ ($PM_{2.5}$) in implemented and non-implemented pubs in Seoul and Changwon. Methods: $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations in fifty-two $100-150m^2$ (implemented) and fifty-seven < $100m^2$ (non-implemented) pubs were measured. A real-time aerosol monitor was used to measure $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations. Field technicians recorded characteristics of the pubs including net indoor area, indoor volume and presence of smoking rooms and counted the number of burning cigarettes, patrons and vents. Results: Differences between indoor and outdoor $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations in $100-150m^2$ and < $100m^2$ pubs were not significantly different in each city. Smoking was observed in 33% of $100-150m^2$ pubs and 51% of < $100m^2$ pubs. Average differences between indoor and outdoor $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations in the $100-150m^2$ and < $100m^2$ pubs were $79.2{\mu}g/m^3$ and $155.6{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. When smokers were not observed, differences between indoor and outdoor $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations ware $12.4{\mu}g/m^3$ in $100-150m^2$ pubs and $24.5{\mu}g/m^3$ in < $100m^2$ pubs. Conclusion: Although the regulation was implemented only in ${\geq}100m^2$ pubs, a higher difference between indoor and outdoor $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations was observed in implemented and non-implemented pubs with smokers. Strict implementation of the regulation in all pubs is needed for better indoor air quality.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.505-512
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• 2020

Background: In monitoring exposure to environmental smoke (ETS), biomarkers can overcome the subjectivity and inaccuracy of self-reporting measurements, and have the advantage of reflecting ETS exposure in all places. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of ETS exposure measurement using biomarkers such as urine cotinine. Methods: This study used the Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey data from 2009 to 2018. A total of 28,574 non-smokers with urine cotinine data were selected for the study. The cotinine concentration and ETS exposure rate using urine cotinine was estimated and then compared with the self-reporting measurements. The degree of agreement among measurements of ETS exposure was confirmed. Results: As a result of measuring ETS exposure with urine cotinine, 23,594 (83.8%) out of 28,574 subjects were classified as to exposure groups. This estimate differs significantly from measurements made by self-reporting. In addition, the average concentration of cotinine in non-smokers has decreased to a 10th level over the past 10 years. Based on the biomarker, the sensitivity of the self-reporting was 8.5%-29.0%, the specificity was 16.4%-19.5%, and the kappa value was 2.0%-5.8%. Conclusion: The findings of our study show that self-reporting measurement does not well reflect the extent to which non-smoker's exposure to smoking materials. Whereas cotinine concentration has decreased significantly over the past 10 years, the ETS exposure rate has not reduced. It strongly suggests the need for intervention in the group of non-smokers exposed to low concentrations of smoke. Therefore, an assessment using biomarkers such as cotinine-based measurement should be made in the Health Plan 2030.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.259-263
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• 1996

The preventive effects of ginseng and aloe extract on cigarette smoke-induced hepatotoxicity to Spague-Dawley rats were investigated. The experimental rats were exposed smoke by inhalation for 5 weeks, 3 times per day, and 15 minutes each time. Also ginseng and aloe extract (Group G+A), aloe (Group A) or ginseng (Group G) were administered to each group, but the positive control rats (Group C) were exposed smoke without any other special treatments. Group C showed decreased food intake and increased water consumption. Also the reduction of body weight and the increase in serumAST, ALT, triglyceride and alkaline phosphatase were observed. The relative liver weights of group C were increased and the hepatic parenchyma revealed light brownish red grossly. On histopathologic observation, the hepatocytes of group C animals exhibited diffuse swelling which narrowed the, sinusoidal lumen and disarrayed the hepatic cord-like arrangement. Diffuse necrosis of the hepatocytes was also observed. However, degeneration and necrosis of the hepatocytes were milder in group G+A. In the case of group A, the damage was moderate, while the group G showed marginal improvement from group C. Electronmicroscopically, peroxisome increased and mitochodria decreased in group C. Various hepatic damages related to smoking in group C revealed recovering tendency in group G+A. This study indicated that daily administration of ginseng and aloe could decrease and even prevent cigarette smokeinduced hepatotoxicity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.29-39
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to develop a secondhand smoking prevention education program for elementary school students with smoking parents and to identify its effects on their knowledge and coping skills related to secondhand smoke and their assertive behaviors towards secondhand smoke. Moreover, the study also intended to discover the program's impact on the students' coping assertiveness towards secondhand smoke from their smoking parents. Methods: For this nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design study, elementary students who have smoking parents were recruited. They were assigned either to the experimental group (n=40) or to the control group (n=40). A secondhand smoking prevention education program was provided for the experimental group for 4 weeks. Results: The experimental group showed a significant increase in their scores for knowledge, behavioral coping skills, and coping assertiveness towards secondhand smoke from their parents. Conclusion: The findings show that this program could serve as an effective program for elementary students with smoking parents. Encouraging smoking parents to participate in the program could enhance the program's effect.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.276-293
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• 2011

In this study a modeling system consisting of Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF), Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE), the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model, and the CMAQ-Model of Aerosol Dynamics, Reaction, Ionization, and Dissolution (MADRID) model has been applied to estimate enhancements of $PM_{10}$ during Asian dust events in Korea. In particular, 5 experimental formulas were applied to the WRF-SMOKE-CMAQ (MADRID) model to estimate Asian dust emissions from source locations for major Asian dust events in China and Mongolia: the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) model, the Goddard Global Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model, and the Dust Entrainment and Deposition (DEAD) model, as well as formulas by Park and In (2003), and Wang et al. (2000). According to the weather map, backward trajectory and satellite image analyses, Asian dust is generated by a strong downwind associated with the upper trough from a stagnation wave due to development of the upper jet stream, and transport of Asian dust to Korea shows up behind a surface front related to the cut-off low (known as comma type cloud) in satellite images. In the WRF-SMOKE-CMAQ modeling to estimate the PM10 concentration, Wang et al.'s experimental formula was depicted well in the temporal and spatial distribution of Asian dusts, and the GOCART model was low in mean bias errors and root mean square errors. Also, in the vertical profile analysis of Asian dusts using Wang et al's experimental formula, strong Asian dust with a concentration of more than $800\;{\mu}g/m^3$ for the period of March 31 to April 1, 2007 was transported under the boundary layer (about 1 km high), and weak Asian dust with a concentration of less than $400\;{\mu}g/m^3$ for the period of 16-17 March 2009 was transported above the boundary layer (about 1-3 km high). Furthermore, the difference between the CMAQ model and the CMAQ-MADRID model for the period of March 31 to April 1, 2007, in terms of PM10 concentration, was seen to be large in the East Asia area: the CMAQ-MADRID model showed the concentration to be about $25\;{\mu}g/m^3$ higher than the CMAQ model. In addition, the $PM_{10}$ concentration removed by the cloud liquid phase mechanism within the CMAQ-MADRID model was shown in the maximum $15\;{\mu}g/m^3$ in the Eastern Asia area.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.847-854
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• 2014

The paper presented a method of early fire detection based on the environmental characteristics inside the nacelle of wind turbine generator system(WTGS). The rising rates of the temperature and smoke density were used as the parameters for early fire detection. By considering the characteristics of temperature and smoke density of a nacelle, this method is very reliable and can minimize the possibility of a malfunction of fire detection. The performance of the method was tested through sets of experiments by using nacelle simulator.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.67-72
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• 2018

A fire shutter is installed to prevent the movement of fire or smoke when a fire occurs inside a building. Fire shutters have access doors for passengers. On the other hand, the present fire shutter door display regulation is only required to be displayed in a different color from the surroundings. Hence, the risk of people not being able to recognize the door of the fire shutter is quite high, and the danger increases further in a smoke situation. Therefore, this study attempted to find a way to mark a fire shutter door that can be recognized even when smoke is spreading. First, a preliminary questionnaire was used to draw three factors to mark the fire shutter door (sign, door background, and edge). The experiment type was set by combining 5 colors for the three derived factors. The experiment was conducted on a total of 122 male and female participants. The results showed that a yellow background, red sign, and red edge have the highest awareness in a normal visual field without smoke. This was also the same in the field of view in the case of a fire with smoke, but the red background, yellow sign, and yellow edge were most noticeable in the case of dark smoke.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 2018.10a
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• pp.53-53
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• 2018