• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2015

Objectives: This study assessed the impact of the smoke-free law on secondhand smoke exposure in computer game rooms by measuring concentrations of particulate matter smaller than $2.5{\mu}m$($PM_{2.5}$). Methods: Indoor $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations were measured in 56 (during the smoke-free guidance period) and 118 computer game rooms (after the law went into effect) in four cities (Seoul, Cheonan, Daegu and Kunsan) in Korea. The number of smokers in the computer game rooms was also counted every five minutes. Results: Although a smoking ban had been implemented nationally, smoking was observed in 47% of the computer game rooms. Smoking density decreased from 1.62 persons per $100m^3$ during the guidance period to 0.32 persons per $100m^3$ after the smoke-free law. There is no statistically significant difference of $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations before and after the smoking ban. The $PM_{2.5}$ concentration was two times higher than the US NAAQS of $35{\mu}g/m^3$. The $PM_{2.5}$ concentration in computer game rooms without smokers was two times higher than the outdoor concentration. Conclusion: The smoke-free law in computer game rooms was complied with, even after the guidance period, in Korea. Indoor $PM_{2.5}$ concentration after smoke-free law implementation was high due to this non-compliance. High $PM_{2.5}$ concentration in computer game rooms without smokers might be due to smoking booths. The complete prohibition of smoking in computer game rooms should be implemented to protect patrons from secondhand smoke exposure.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.38 no.5_3
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• pp.967-977
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• 2022

The occurrence and intensity of wildfires are increasing with climate change. Emissions from forest fire smoke are recognized as one of the major causes affecting air quality and the greenhouse effect. The use of satellite product and machine learning is essential for detection of forest fire smoke. Until now, research on forest fire smoke detection has had difficulties due to difficulties in cloud identification and vague standards of boundaries. The purpose of this study is to detect forest fire smoke using Level 1 and Level 2 data of Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS), a Korean environmental satellite sensor, and machine learning. In March 2022, the forest fire in Gangwon-do was selected as a case. Smoke pixel classification modeling was performed by producing wildfire smoke label images and inputting GEMS Level 1 and Level 2 data to the random forest model. In the trained model, the importance of input variables is Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), 380 nm and 340 nm radiance difference, Ultra-Violet Aerosol Index (UVAI), Visible Aerosol Index (VisAI), Single Scattering Albedo (SSA), formaldehyde (HCHO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), 380 nm radiance, and 340 nm radiance were shown in that order. In addition, in the estimation of the forest fire smoke probability (0 ≤ p ≤ 1) for 2,704 pixels, Mean Bias Error (MBE) is -0.002, Mean Absolute Error (MAE) is 0.026, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) is 0.087, and Correlation Coefficient (CC) showed an accuracy of 0.981.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.2394-2398
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• 2013

Nicotine is the main component of environmental tobacco smoke, and its presence in indoor air is widely used as a secondhand-smoke indicator. Environmental tobacco smoke is a major source of indoor air pollution, but sufficient investigation of the uncertainty of its measurement, which mirrors the reliability of nicotine measurement, has not been performed. We calculated the uncertainty of measurement of indoor air nicotine concentration at low, medium, and high concentrations of 11.3798, 10.1977, $98.3768{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively, and we employed the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurements (GUM), proposed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The factors considered in determining the uncertainty were uncertainty of the calibration curve (calibration curve and repeated measurements), desorption efficiency, extraction volume, and sampling airflow (accuracy and acceptable limits of flowmeter). The measurement uncertainty was highest at low concentrations; the expanded measurement uncertainty is $0.9435{\mu}g/m^3$ and is represented as a relative uncertainty of 63.38%. At medium and high (concentrations, the relative uncertainty was 13.1% and 9.1%, respectively. The uncertainty of the calibration curve was largest for low indoor nicotine concentrations. To increase reliability of measurement in assessing the effect of secondhand smoke, measures such as increasing the sample injection rate ($1{\mu}L$ or more), increasing sampling volume to increase collected nicotine, and using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) or GC/MS/MS, which has a lower quantitation threshold, rather than gas chromatography with nitrogen phosphorous detector, should be considered.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2002

The single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay is one of the useful tools for the study of genetic damage in humans exposed to environmental mutagens and carcinogens. This study was undertaken to evaluate the status of DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes depending on their sex, age, smoking habits, and other factors in normal healthy Korean population. The 99 volunteers included in the study and out of these, 36 volunteers were smoker and 63 volunteers were non-smoker aged between 20-59 years. All individual answered a questionnaire that assessed their general information including smoking habits and the extent of the environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure, and blood samples were obtained. There was a statistically significant difference in the extent of DNA damage between smoker and non-smoker (p<0.001). A significant difference was also observed between male and female (p<0.001) and amongst the different group of age (p<0.005), however, correlation analysis showed that only smoking habit was a significant factor for DNA damage. No significant effect of smoking duration, number of cigarettes smoking a day, SPY (smoke pack years) in smokers and environmental tobacco smoke exposure in non-smokers on the status of DNA damage was observed.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2010

In recent years, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has become an important worldwide public health issue. Children are particularly vulnerable to ETS because they are still developing. ETS exposure causes a wide range of adverse health effects on childhood asthma. There is convincing evidence that ETS exposure is causally associated with an increased prevalence of asthma, increased severity of asthma and worsening asthma control in children who already have the disease, even though a causal relationship with asthma onset is not yet established for asthma incidence. Mechanisms underlying these adverse effects of ETS are not clearly elucidated but e studies on this issue suggest that genetic susceptibility, impaired lung function, and augmented airway inflammation and remodeling may be involved. Children with asthma are just as likely to be exposed to ETS as children in general and there is no risk-free level of exposure. Therefore, providing a smoke-free environment may be of particular importance to the asthmatic children exposed to ETS who have adverse asthma outcomes, as well as to children with genetic susceptibility who are at increased risk of developing asthma upon exposure to ETS in early childhood.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.170-176
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• 1996

This paper describes the generation and decay phenomena of gas, vapor and particulate phase components of environmental tobacco smoke in 18 m3 controlled experimental atmosphere chamber. Real time-weighted average concentration ratios of markers were determinated at no ventilation rates and sampling durations of starting to smoking 45 min. Average concentration of major ETS markers was no significant on the mainstream smoke contents of commercial cigarette and decay ratios were dependent on first order kinetic. RSP/nicotine, solanesol and 3-EP were good predictors of ETS concentration in the public indoor field. The concentration ratio of vapor phase and particulate phase components is highly variable to assessment of indoor air quality with ETS. Key words : ETS, chamber study, ETS markers.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.267-274
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• 2018

Objectives: This study examined the impact of a smoke-free policy on indoor air quality at indoor recreation facilities by assessing $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations before and after the implementation of the new policy. Methods: Using real-time monitors, $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations were measured in 50 billiard rooms and 50 golf simulator rooms in Seoul, Korea. The characteristics of the indoor recreation facilities, smoking status, and atmospheric conditions were recorded at the same time.After the enforcement of a smoke-free policy, $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations, installation of smoking room, and smoking status were examined when the facilities were revisited. Results: Almost a half of the billiard rooms and over 80% of golf simulator rooms were located underground. Seventy percent of the billiard rooms and one hundred percent of the golf simulator rooms were equipped with a local exhaust ventilation system. After the implementation of the smoke-free policy, 46% of the billiard rooms and 20% of the golf simulator rooms newly installed a smoking room. In the billiard rooms with a newly-installed smoking room, the $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations decreased from 97.9 to $45.6{\mu}g/m^3$ after the implementation of the smoke-free policy. The same change of 29.0 to $ 26.3{\mu}g/m^3$ was not statistically significant in golf simulator rooms. Indoor $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations were correlated with outdoor $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations, number of smokers, and number of people in the room. Conclusions: The smoke-free policy for indoor recreation facilities was not effective at making the indoor spaces free from second hand smoke. Although a few billiard rooms installed a smoking room, indoor $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations were still higher than those of outdoor $PM_{2.5}$ or atmospheric $PM_{2.5}$. Stricter enforcement of the smoke-free policy should be achieved to prevent secondhand smoke exposure.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.4815-4821
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• 2014

Background: This study aimed to examine the relationship between respiratory health of Malaysian adolescents with secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and smoke-free legislation (SFL) implementation. Materials and Methods: A total of 898 students from 21 schools across comprehensive- and partial-SFL states were recruited. SHS exposures and respiratory symptoms were assessed via questionnaire. Prenatal and postnatal SHS exposure information was obtained from parental-completed questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of respiratory symptoms was: 11.9% ever wheeze, 5.6% current wheeze, 22.3% exercise-induced wheeze, 12.4% nocturnal cough, and 13.1% self-reported asthma. SHS exposure was most frequently reported in restaurants. Hierarchical logistic regression indicates living in a comprehensive-SFL state was not associated with a lower risk of reporting asthma symptoms. SHS exposure in public transport was linked to increased risk for wheeze (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 16.6; 95%confidence interval (CI), 2.69-101.7) and current wheezing (AOR 24.6; 95%CI, 3.53-171.8). Conclusions: Adolescents continue to be exposed to SHS in a range of public venues in both comprehensive- and partial-SFL states. Respiratory symptoms are common among those reporting SHS exposure on public transportation. Non-compliance with SFL appears to be frequent in many venues across Malaysia and enforcement should be given priority in order to reduce exposure.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.62-69
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• 2003

The smoke control system in subway platform is not only using for smoke exhaust facility but also using ventilation system. For this reason, smoke vent effectiveness is depending on its position, ventilating volume capacity and the vent method. In this study, the passenger's evacuation time was calculated for the case of fire on sloped subway train vehicle in subway platform. In order to recommend the mechanical smoke exhaust operation mode, SES (Subway Environmental Simulation) was used to predict the airflow of the inlet and outlet tunnel for the subway station. Fire dynamics Simulator(FDS) was used the SES's velocity boundary conditions to calculate the smoke density and temperature under the condition of fire on stopped subway train vehicle at the platform. We compared smoke density and temperature distributions for each 6 types of smoke exhaust systems to clarify the characteristics of smoke and hot air exhaust effectiveness from the result of fire simulation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.476-482
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• 2014

In this study, the characteristics of emulsified fuel and engine emissions were studied with engine dynamometer. Microexplosion took place in the combustion chamber. While combustion, emulsion fuel scattered to micro particles and it caused to smoke reduction. The heat produced from water vapour reduce the temperature of internal combustion chamber and it caused to inhibition of NOx production. It can be verified by the lower exhaust temperature of each ND-13 mode using emulsion fuel than that of MDO fuel. The NOx and smoke concentration were reduced by increasing water content in emulsion fuel. The power also decreased according to the increment of water content of emulsion fuel because emulsion fuel has low calorific value due to high water content than MDO. As a result of ND-13 mode test with 17% moisture content, it was achieved 24% reduction in NOx production, 76% reduction in smoke density, 11% reduction of $SO_2$ and 13% reduction in power loss.