• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.108-119
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• 2024

Objectives: Abrupt changes in air pollution levels associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak present a unique opportunity to evaluate the effects of air pollution on influenza risk, at a time when emission sources were less active and personal hygiene practices were more rigorous. Methods: This time-series study examined the relationship between influenza cases (n=22 874) and air pollutant concentrations from 2018 to 2021, comparing the timeframes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in and around Thailand's Khon Kaen province. Poisson generalized additive modeling was employed to estimate the relative risk of hospitalization for influenza associated with air pollutant levels. Results: Before the COVID-19 outbreak, both the average daily number of influenza hospitalizations and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 ㎛ or less (PM_2.5) concentration exceeded those later observed during the pandemic (p<0.001). In single-pollutant models, a 10 ㎍/m³ increase in PM_2.5 before COVID-19 was significantly associated with increased influenza risk upon exposure to cumulative-day lags, specifically lags 0-5 and 0-6 (p<0.01). After adjustment for co-pollutants, PM_2.5 demonstrated the strongest effects at lags 0 and 4, with elevated risk found across all cumulative-day lags (0-1, 0-2, 0-3, 0-4, 0-5, and 0-6) and significantly greater risk in the winter and summer at lag 0-5 (p<0.01). However, the PM_2.5 level was not significantly associated with influenza risk during the COVID-19 outbreak. Conclusions: Lockdown measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic could mitigate the risk of PM_2.5-induced influenza. Effective regulatory actions in the context of COVID-19 may decrease PM_2.5 emissions and improve hygiene practices, thereby reducing influenza hospitalizations.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.36 no.5_4
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• pp.1267-1276
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• 2020

To quantitatively predict the impacts of large-scale volcanic eruptions of Mt. Baekdu on air quality and damage around the Korean Peninsula, a three-dimensional chemistry-transport modeling system (Weather Research & Forecasting - Sparse Matrix Operation Kernel Emission - Comunity Multi-scale Air Quality) was adopted. A worst-case meteorology scenario was selected to estimate the direct impact on Korea. This study applied the typical worst-case scenarios that are likely to cause significant damage to Korea among worst-case volcanic eruptions of Mt. Baekdu in the past decade (2005~2014) and assumed a massive VEI 4 volcanic eruption on May 16, 2012, to analyze the concentration of PM_2.5 caused by the volcanic eruption. The effects of air quality in each region-cities, counties, boroughs-were estimated, and vulnerable areas were derived by conducting an exposure assessment reflecting vulnerable groups. Moreover, the effects of cities, counties, and boroughs were analyzed with a high-resolution scale (9 km × 9 km) to derive vulnerable areas within the regions. As a result of analyzing the typical worst-case volcanic eruptions of Mt. Baekdu, a discrepancy was shown in areas between high PM_2.5 concentration, high population density, and where vulnerable groups are concentrated. From the result, PM_2.5 peak concentration was about 24,547 ㎍/㎥, which is estimated to be a more serious situation than the eruption of Mt. St. Helensin 1980, which is known for 540 million tons of volcanic ash. Paju, Gimpo, Goyang, Ganghwa, Sancheong, Hadong showed to have a high PM_2.5 concentration. Paju appeared to be the most vulnerable area from the exposure assessment. While areas estimated with a high concentration of air pollutants are important, it is also necessary to develop plans and measures considering densely populated areas or areas with high concentrations of susceptible population or vulnerable groups. Also, establishing measures for each vulnerable area by selecting high concentration areas within cities, counties, and boroughs rather than establishing uniform measures for all regions is needed. This study will provide the foundation for developing the standards for disaster declaration and preemptive response systems for volcanic eruptions.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.363-370
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• 2007

Objectives: The principal objective of this study was to determine the relationship between maternal exposure to air pollution and low birth weight and to propose a possible environmental health surveillance system for low birth weight. Methods: We acquired air monitoring data for Seoul from the Ministry of Environment, the meteorological data from the Korean Meteorological Administration, the exposure assessments from the National Institute of Environmental Research, and the birth data from the Korean National Statistical Office between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2003. The final birth data were limited to singletons within $37{\sim}44$ weeks of gestational age. We defined the Low Birth Weight (LBW) group as infants with birth weights of less than 2500g and calculated the annual LBW rate by district. The air monitoring data were measured for $CO,\;SO_2,\;NO_2,\;and\;PM_{10}$ concentrations at 27 monitoring stations in Seoul. We utilized two models to evaluate the effects of air pollution on low birth weight: the first was the relationship between the annual concentration of air pollution and low birth weight (LBW) by individual and district, and the second involved a GIS exposure model constructed by Arc View 3.1. Results: LBW risk (by Gu, or district) was significantly increased to $1.113(95%\;CI=1.111{\sim}1.116)\;for\;CO,\;1.004(95%\;CI=1.003{\sim}1.005)\;for\;NO_2,\;1.202(95%\;CI=1.199{\sim}1.206\;for\;SO_2,\;and\;1.077(95%\;CI=1.075{\sim}1.078)\;\;for\;PM_{10}$ with each interquartile range change. Personal LBW risk was significantly increased to $1.081(95%\;CI=1.002{\sim}1.166)\;for\;CO,\;1.145(95%\;CI=1.036{\sim}1.267)\;for\;SO_2,\;and\;1.053(95%\;CI=1.002{\sim}1.108)\;for\;PM_{10}$ with each interquartile range change. Personal LBW risk was increased to $1.003(95%\;CI=0.954{\sim}1.055)\;for\;NO_2$, but this was not statistically significant. The air pollution concentrations predicted by GIS positively correlated with the numbers of low birth weights, particularly in highly polluted regions. Conclusions: Environmental health surveillance is a systemic, ongoing collection effort including the analysis of data correlated with environmentally-associated diseases and exposures. In addition. environmental health surveillance allows for a timely dissemination of information to those who require that information in order to take effective action. GIS modeling is crucially important for this purpose, and thus we attempted to develop a GIS-based environmental surveillance system for low birth weight.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.68-82
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• 2017

Strengthening surveillance, one of the most important factors in the crime prevention environment of cultural heritages, has difficulty in evaluating and diagnosing the site. For this reasons, surveillance enhancement has been assessed by modelling the shape of cultural heritage, topography, and trees digitally. The purpose of this study is to develop the evaluation method of crime prevention environment for cultural heritage by using the 3D visual exposure index (3DVE) which can quantitatively evaluate the surveillance enhancement in three dimensions. For the study, the evaluation factors were divided into natural, organizational, mechanical, and integrated surveillance. To conduct the analysis, the buildings, terrain, walls, and trees of the study site were modeled in three dimensions and the analysis program was developed by using the Unity 3D. Considering the working area of the person, it is possible to analyze the surveillance point by dividing it into the head and the waist position. In order to verify the feasibility of the 3DVE as the analysis program, we assessed the crime prevention environment by digitally modeling the Donam Seowon(Historic Site No. 383) located in Nonsan. As a result of the study, it was possible to figure out the problems of patrol circulation, the blind spot, and the weak point in natural, mechanical, and organizational surveillance of Donam Seowon. The results of the 3DVE were displayed in 3D drawings, so that the position and object could be identified clearly. Surveillance during the daytime is higher in the order of natural, mechanical, and organizational surveillance, while surveillance during the night is higher in the order of organizational, mechanical, and natural surveillance. The more the position of the work area becomes low, the more it is easy to be shielded, so it is necessary to evaluate the waist position. It is possible to find out and display the blind spot by calculating the surveillance range according to the specification, installation location and height of CCTV. Organizational surveillance, which has been found to be complementary to mechanical surveillance, needs to be analyzed at the vulnerable time when crime might happen. Furthermore, it is note that the analysis of integrated surveillance can be effective in examining security light, CCTV, patrol circulation, and other factors. This study was able to diagnose the crime prevention environment by simulating the actual situation. Based on this study, consecutive researches should be conducted to evaluate and compare alternatives to design the crime prevention environment.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.25-31
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• 2007

Characterizing the risk posed by a mixture of chemicals is a challenging task due to the chemical interactions of individual components that may affect their physical behavior and hence alter their exposure to receptors. In this study, cell tests that represent subsurface environment were carried out using benz[a]anthracene (BaA) and p-xylene focusing on phasetransforming interaction to verify increased mobility and risk of highly sorbed pollutants in the presence of less sorbed, mobile liquid pollutants. A transport model was also developed to interpret results and to simulate the same process on a field scale. The experimental results showed that BaA had far greater mobility in the presence of p-xylene than in the absence of that. The main transport mechanisms in the vadose zone were by dissolution to p-xylene or water. The transport model utilizing Defined Time Steps (DTS) was developed and tested with the experimental results. The predicted and observed values showed similar tendency, but the more work is needed in the future study for more precise modeling. The field-scale simulation results showed that transport of BaA to groundwater table was significantly faster in the presence of NAPL, and the oral carcinogenic risk of BaA calculated with the concentration in groundwater was 15${\sim}$87 times larger when mixed with NAPL than when solely contaminated. Since transport rate of PAHs is very slow in the subsurface without NAPL and no degradation of PAHs was considered in this simulation during the transport, the increase of risk in the presence of NAPL is expected to be greater for the actual contaminated site.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.653-659
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to measure the (air dose rate of radiation dose) the discharged patient who was administrated high dose $^{131}I$ treatment, and to predict exposure radiation dose in public person. The dosimetric evaluation was performed according to the distance and angle using three copper rings in 30 patients who were treated with over 200mCi high dose Iodine therapy. The two observer were measured using a GM surverymeter with 8 point azimuth angle and three difference distance 50, 100, 150cm for precise radion dose measurement. We set up three predictive simulations to calculate the exposure dose based on this data. The most highest radiation dose rate was showed measuring angle $0^{\circ}$ at the height of 1m. The each distance average dose rate was used the azimuth angle average value of radiation dose rate. The maximum values of the external radiation dose rate depending on the distance were $214{\pm}16.5$, $59{\pm}9.1$ and $38{\pm}5.8{\mu}Sv/h$ at 50, 100, 150cm, respectively. If high dose Iodine treatment patient moves 5 hours using public transportation, an unspecified person in a side seat at 50cm is exposed 1.14 mSv radiation dose. A person who cares for 4days at a distance of 1 meter from a patient wearing a urine bag receives a maximum radiation dose of 6.5mSv. The maximum dose of radiation that a guardian can receive is 1.08mSv at a distance of 1.5m for 7days. The annual radiation dose limit is exceeded in a short time when applied the our developed radiation dose predictive modeling on the general public person who was around the patients with Iodine therapy. This study can be helpful in suggesting a reasonable guideline of the general public person protection system after discharge of high dose Iodine administered patients.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.16 no.E
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• pp.1-17
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• 2000

In this study, the concentrations of particulate organic constituents of environmental tobacco smoke(ETS) were determined using an environmental smog chamber, where ETS is the sole source of target compounds. ETS was generated in a 30 ㎥ environmental chamber by a number of different cigarettes, including the Kentucky 1R4F reference cigarette and eight commercial brands. A total of 12 experimental runs was conducted, and target analytes included a group of ETS markers both in vapor and particulate phase and a class of polycylic aromatic hydrocarbos(PAHs) associated with ETS particles. The mass concentrations of PAH in ETS particles were also determined. The average contents of benzo(a) pyrene and benzo(a) anthracene in ETS particles for the commercial brands were 12.8 and 21.5$\mu\textrm{g}$/g, respectively, There values are all somewhat higher than those determined previously by other studies. Results form the chamber study are further used to estimate the average and variability of cigarette yields for target compounds associated with ETS. Finally, ratios of RSP to the surrogate standards of UVPM, FPM and solanesol were calculated for each sample. The average conversion factors factors for the eight commercial brands were 7.3, 38, and 41 for UVPM, EPM, and solanesol, respectively. The UVPM and FPM factors are in good agreement with the recently published values. Whereas there might be a substantial difference in the solanesol content among cigarettes produced in different countries, the variability is somewhat greater than those of UVPM and FPM, Unfortunately, comparison of the PAH yield data from this study with literature values was complicated by a lack of consistency in cigarette smoke generating methodology. Validation of the PAH yields was also difficult due to a lack of information on the ETS related PAH in the literature. From and engineering viewpoint , however, these data on the cigarette yields of ETS components may still provide useful information to studies on the mathematical modeling of indoor air quality management regarding tobacco smoke as a source of interest, or to studies on the assessment of human exposure to ETS.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2003

The degradation of reinforced concrete (RC) structures due to physical and chemical attacks has been a major issue in construction engineering. Deterioration of RC structures by chloride attack followed by reinforcement corrosion is one of the serious problems. An objective of this study is to develop a form of mathematical model of chloride ingress into concrete. In order to overcome some limits of the previous approaches, a chloride ingress model, consisting of chloride solution intrusion through the capillary pore and chloride ion diffusion through the pore water, was proposed. Moreover, the variability of chloride ion diffusivity due to the degree of hydration of cement, relative humidity in pore, exposure condition, and variation of chloride binding, was considered in the model. In order to verify the proposed model, the results predicted by the proposed model were compared with analysis results of Life-365, a computer program for predicting the service life of reinforced concrete structures exposed to chlorides. In conclusion, the proposed model would be promising to predict the chloride ion profile and to estimate the service life of RC structures.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.260-266
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• 2009

Non-revenue water reduction(NRW) technologies are implemented to evaluate and manage leakages scientifically in water distribution systems under local governments. A development of quantitative leakage indicator by measuring minimum night flow, pressure control policy by installation of PRV(pressure reducing valve) and the establishment of leakage prevention schemes by residual life modeling of deteriorated water pipes are reviewed and studied. Estimation models of allowable leakage are developed by measuring and analyzing minimum night flow at residential and commercial area in Nonsan city, which is suggested from UK water industry and can improve an existing leakage indicator for the evaluation of non-revenue water. Also, pressure control method is applied and analyzed to Uti distribution area in Sacheon city in the operation aspect. As results, $466\;m^3/day$ of leakage can be reduced and it is expected that 113million won of annual cost can be saved. In the part of corrosion velocity and residual life assessment, non-linear prediction models of residual thickness are proposed by assessment of corrosion velocity based on exposure years, soil and water quality etc., since the deteriorated water pipe play a major role to increase leakage. It is expected that collection data and analyzing results can be applied effectively and positively to reduce non-revenue water by accumulating surveying data and verifying the results in the business field of water distribution systems under local governments.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1138-1149
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• 2017

The use of microalgal biomass is an interesting technology for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions owing to its high metal-binding capacity, but the interactions with bacteria as a strategy for the removal of toxic metals have been poorly studied. The goal of the current research was to investigate the potential of Burkholderia tropica co-immobilized with Chlorella sp. in polyurethane discs for the biosorption of Hg(II) from aqueous solutions and to evaluate the influence of different Hg(II) concentrations (0.041, 1.0, and 10 mg/l) and their exposure to different contact times corresponding to intervals of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 h. As expected, microalgal bacterial biomass adhered and grew to form a biofilm on the support. The biosorption data followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, and the adsorption equilibrium was well described by either Langmuir or Freundlich adsorption isotherm, reaching equilibrium from 1 h. In both bacterial and microalgal immobilization systems in the co-immobilization of Chlorella sp. and B. tropica to different concentrations of Hg(II), the kinetics of biosorption of Hg(II) was significantly higher before 60 min of contact time. The highest percentage of biosorption of Hg(II) achieved in the co-immobilization system was 95% at pH 6.4, at 3.6 g of biosorbent, $30{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, and a mercury concentration of 1 mg/l before 60 min of contact time. This study showed that co-immobilization with B. tropica has synergistic effects on biosorption of Hg(II) ions and merits consideration in the design of future strategies for the removal of toxic metals.