• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.929-933
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• 2006

Indoor air quality is the dominant contributor to total personal exposure because most people spend a majority of their time Indoors. Especially when indoor environments have sources of contaminants, exposure to in-door air can potentially pose a greater threat than exposure to ambient air. In this study, estimations of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde omission rate in indoor environments of new apartments were carried out using mass balance model in indoor environment, because indoor air quality can be affected by source generation, outdoor air level, ventilation, decay by reaction, temperature, humidity, mixing condition and so on. Considering the estimated emission rate of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde, it Is suggested that new apartment should be designed and constructed in the aspect of using construction materials to emit low hazardous air pollutants.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.2_spc
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• pp.317-325
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• 2020

The Korea Radioactive Waste Agency plans to expand the storage capacity of radioactive waste by constructing a radioactive waste inspecting building to solve the problem of the lack of inspection space and drum-handling space in the radioactive waste receipt and storage building for the first-stage disposal facility. In this study, the exposure doses of radiation workers that handle new disposal containers for decommissioning waste in the storage areas of the radioactive waste inspecting building were calculated using the Monte Carlo N-particle transport code. The annual collective dose was calculated as a total of 84.8 man-mSv for 304 new disposal containers and an estimated annual 306 working hours for the radiation work. When the 304 new disposal containers (small/medium type) were stored in the storage areas, it was found that 25 radiation workers should be involved in acceptance/disposal inspection, and the estimated exposure dose per worker was calculated as an average annual value of 3.39 mSv. When the radiation workers handle the small containers in high-radiation dose areas, the small containers should be shielded further by increasing the concrete liner thickness to improve the work efficiency and radiation safety of the radiation workers. The results of this study will be useful in establishing the optimal radiation working conditions for radiation workers using the source term and characteristics of decommissioning waste based on actual measurements.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.227-234
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• 2007

Recent epidemiologic studies show that gestational exposure to air pollution adversely affects pregnancy outcomes including low birth weight in preform birth. In this study, we evaluated the effect of air pollutants on LBW (low birth weight) on firstborn fetus throughout the gestational period using the birth cohort between 1999 and 2003 in Seoul. Using birth cohort data from the National Statistics Office of Korea we identified 288,346 firstborn births (excluded missing data on lack of information for birth weight and discordance between residential and certificated address from a total of 316,451) during 1999 to 2003 with complete covariate (gender, parity, date of birth, gestational age, parental age and educational level, maternal occupation etc.) and maternal residential history data. Our subjects were defined as more than 37 weeks and less than 44 weeks of completed gestation and we identified 5,457 persons (1.89%) by low birth weight (<2.5 kg) in this study. Using logistic regression, we estimated the risk of mean (entire pregnancy and trimester period) air pollution concentrations for CO, $O_3,\;PM_{10},\;NO_2\;and\;SO_2$. In terms of trimester-specific exposure, we found that some air pollutants exposure in each trimester would increase the risk for LBW. Results also showed that the effect size of air pollutants exposure during the first and third trimester is higher than during the second trimester. In all trimester, the estimated risk of LBW was 1.831 (95% CI=1.573-2.132) with unit increase for CO, 1.139 (95% CI=1.107-1.172) for 50, and 1.009 (95% CI=1.001-1.017) for $O_3$. Our results suggest that exposure during the gestation period to relatively low levels of some air pollutants may be associated with a reduction in birth weight on first-born fetus. These findings implicate the effective risk management strategies should be applied to minimize the public health impacts for pregnant women.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.135-142
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• 1996

Prolonged in-plant personnel exposure to high noise levels results in permant hearing damage. There are no way to correct this hearing damage by treatment or use of hearing aids. Therefore, every employer is responsible for providing a workplace free of such hazards as excessive noise. This study was carried out to evalute and predict a given noise environment based on specific limit as the noise guarantee for a newly-founded petrochemical plant. The maximum total sound level should not exceed 85dBA in the work area, except where the area is defined as a restricted area and 70dBA at the plant boundary. Prediction of the noise levels within the plant area for a newly-founded petrochemical plant was achieved by dividing all plant area into 20m$\times$20m regular grid spaces and noise level inside the area or unit that in-plant personel exposure to high noise levels was estimated computed into 5m$\times$5m regular grid spaces. The noise level at the grid point that was propagated from each of the noise sources(equipments) computed using the methematical formula was defined as follows : $SPL_2$=$SPL_1-20log{\frac{r_2}{r_1}}$(dB) where $SPL_1$ =sound pressure level at distance $r_1$ from the source $SPL_2$=sound pressure level at distance $r_2$ from the source As a result, the equipments exceeded noise limit or irritaring noise levels were identified on the specific grid coordinates. As for equipments in the area that show high noise levels, appropriate counter-measures for noise control (by barriers, enclosure, silencers, or the change of equipments, for example) should be reviewed. Methods for identifying sources of noise applied in this study should be the model for prediction of the noise levels for any newly-founded plant.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.493-499
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• 2022

Background: The purpose of this study is to construct a job-exposure matrix for lead that accounts for industry and work processes within industries using a nationwide exposure database. Methods: We used the work environment measurement data (WEMD) of lead monitored nationwide from 2015 to 2016. Industrial hygienists standardized the work process codes in the database to 37 standard process and extracted key index words for each process. A total of 37 standardized process codes were allocated to each measurement based on an automated key word search based on the degree of agreement between the measurement information and the standard process index. Summary statistics, including the arithmetic mean, geometric mean, and 95th percentile level (X95), was calculated according to industry, process, and industry process. Using statistical parameters of contrast and precision, we compared the similarity of exposure groups by industry, process, and industry process. Results: The exposure intensity of lead was estimated for 583 exposure groups combined with 128 industry and 35 process. The X95 value of the "casting" process of the "manufacture of basic precious and non-ferrous metals" industry was 53.29 ㎍/m³, exceeding the occupational exposure limit of 50 ㎍/m³. Regardless of the limitation of the minimum number of samples in the exposure group, higher contrast was observed when the exposure groups were by industry process than by industry or process. Conclusion: We evaluated the exposure intensities of lead by combination of industry and process. The results will be helpful in determining more accurate information regarding exposure in lead-related epidemiological studies.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.166-174
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to provide temporal Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGL) for a hazardous substance as a pilot study. Methods: As one of the substances designated by the Korea Ministry of Environment as requiring preparations for potential accidents, formaldehyde was selected to estimate the AEGLs. The calculation was based on Haber's formula (Cn×t=k) using valid toxicity data (for humans/animals). A total of 96 points of AEGL levels were provided using an interval of five minutes over eight hours. Results: The AEGL-1 and 2 values were constant for the entire exposure duration at 0.9 ppm and 14 ppm, respectively. The values were obtained from clinical/animal tests, and the adaptation effect after a given exposure duration was also considered. AEGL-3 was based on animal toxicity data, and it was estimated from 127 ppm for the initial five minutes to 35 ppm for eight hours. Conclusions: More specific AEGL levels for formaldehyde could be obtained in this study using toxicity data with Haber's formula. Based on this methodology, it would be also possible to estimate AEGL levels that can be used at the scene of a chemical accident for other substances requiring preparation for potential accidents.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.595-601
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• 2018

Recently, as the fine dust level has risen rapidly, there is a great interest. Exposure to fine dust is associated with the development of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and has been reported to increase death rate. In addition, there exist damage to fine dusts continues at industrial sites. However, exposure to fine dust is inevitable in modern life. Therefore, predicting and minimizing exposure to fine dust is the most efficient way to reduce health and industrial damages. Existing fine dust prediction model is estimated as good, normal, poor, and very bad, depending on the concentration range of the fine dust rather than the concentration value. In this paper, we study and implement to predict the PM10 level by applying the Artificial neural network algorithm and the K-Nearest Neighbor algorithm, which are machine learning algorithms, using the actual weather and air quality data.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.153-157
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: The residue dissipation pattern of pesticides for agricultural products during the pre-harvest period after the final application is important to prevent the maximum residue limit (MRL) violations in domestic and export markets. The MRL violations of carbendazim are observed more often in chamnamul by pesticide residue management surveys by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The residue level at the pre-harvest interval (PHI) and the residue dissipation constant from the critical good agricultural practice (cGAP) trials could be estimated to meet the MRL and pose a health risk to consumers. METHODS AND RESULTS: Chamnamuls were harvested at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 days after application of carbendazim in accordance with critical GAP. The residue analysis in chamnanul was performed by HPLC-DAD with the C₁₈ column. The limit of quantitation of carbendazim was 0.04 mg/kg, and the recoveries were 74.4 - 95.8% at the two spiked levels (LOQ and 10LOQ) of carbendazim. The dissipation rates in chamnamul were calculated from the residues at the sampling days by statistical method at a 95% confidence level. The biological half-lives of residual carbendazim in the field trials 1 and 2 were 4.9 and 4.4 days, respectively. CONCLUSION(S): In this dissipation study, the residue concentrations at the recommended PHI were higher than the established MRL in Korea. Therefore, the MRL is proposed based on the residue data sets from the trials conducted at the same cGAP and the dietary exposure assessment.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.348-356
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• 2014

To understand the relationship between road-traffic noise and urban components such as population, building, road-traffic and land-use, the city of Cheongju that already has road-traffic noise maps of daytime and nighttime was selected for this study. The whole area of the city is divided into square cells of a uniform size and for each cell, the urban components are estimated. A spatial representative noise level for each cell is determined by averaging out population-weighted facade noise levels for noise exposure population within the cell during nighttime. The relationship between the representative noise level and the urban components is statistically modeled at the cell level. Specially, we introduce a spatial auto regressive model and a spatial error model that turns out to explain above 85 % of the noise level. These findings and modeling methods can be used as a preliminary tool for environmental planning and urban design in modern cities in consideration of noise exposure.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.402-413
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• 2022

Objectives: In this study, the scale of exceeding the extreme heat exposure standard at the construction site was estimated using the nationally approved statistical data and wet bulb globe temperature modeling method. By comparing and analyzing the modeling results with the existing work environment monitoring results, the risk of heat exposure at outdoor construction sites was considered. Methods: Using the coordinates of second level administrative districts and meteorological observatories as the key, the automated synoptic observing system data and building permit data for 2021 were matched. The wet-bulb temperature was obtained using Stull's formula, and the globe temperature was obtained using the Tg_KMA2006 model. WBGT was calculated using these. Excess rates were obtained compared to exposure limits for heavy work-continuous work and moderate work-25% rest. It was compared with the results of the work environment monitoring in 2020. Results: As a result, 1,827,536 cases were estimated for 11,052 workplaces in one year. This is much higher than the 5,116 cases of 3818 workplaces of the existing work environment monitoring results. It is confirmed that the exposure limit was exceeded in 10.6~24.0% of the entire period and 70.2~84.1% of the peak period of the heat wave. It is very high compared to 0.9% of the existing work environment monitoring result. Conclusions: It is necessary to improve the system of monitoring and statistics related to extreme heat. Additional considerations are needed regarding WBGT estimation methods, meteorological data, and evaluation time. Various follow-up risk assessment studies for other industries and time series need to be continued.