• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.228-235
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• 2015

In order to clarify the thermal and hygroscopic properties of indoor particulate matter (PM) in a semiclosed subway space, which is critically important for understanding of the distinctive particle formation processes as well as the assessment of their health effects, the size-resolved PMs (i.e., $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10-2.5}$) were intensively collected on the platform of Miasageori station on the Seoul Subway Line-4. The elemental concentrations in soluble and insoluble fractions were determined by PIXE from the bulkily pretreated $PM_{2.5}$. The thermal and hygroscopic characteristics of individual particles were investigated via a combination of the unique pretreatment techniques (i.e., the high-temperature rapid thermal process and the water dialysis) and SEM-EDX analysis. Iron and calcium were unequaled in insoluble and soluble $PM_{2.5}$ fractions, respectively, with overwhelming concentration. The SEM-EDX's elemental net-counts for the pre- and post-pyrolyzed PMs newly suggest that magnesium and several elements (i.e., silica, aluminum, and calcium) may be readily involved in the newly generated subway fine PM by a high-temperature thermal processing when trains are breaking and starting. Through the water dialysis technique, it turned out that calcium has meaningful amount of water soluble fraction. Furthermore, the concentrations of the counter-ions associated with the calcium in subway $PM_{10-2.5}$ were theoretically estimated.

• 응용통계연구
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.83-92
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• 2015

고농도 미세먼지($PM_{10}$)에 노출되는 것은 호흡기 질환 뿐만 아니라 피부, 안구, 심혈관계 질환 등을 야기한다. 따라서 미세먼지 농도를 정확히 예측하는 방법을 개발하는 것은 국민건강과도 깊은 관련이 있다. 현재 국립환경과학원에서는 미세먼지 농도가 높은 "나쁜날씨"를 예측하기 위해 의사결정나무 모형을 사용하고 있다. 그러나 모형 자체의 불안정성은 차치하더라도 의사결정나무는 전체 데이터의 9%밖에 차지하지 않는 "나쁜날씨"를 예측하기에 적합하지 못하다. 본 논문에서는 국립환경과학원에서 사용하는 모형의 부정확성과 부적절성을 제시하는 한편, 분위수 손실 함수를 적용한 새로운 모형의 유용성을 제시한다. 그리고 새로운 모형의 성능을 여러 ${\tau}$ 값에 대해 평가하고 비교를 통해 기존 모형 교체의 타당성을 보인다.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.203-212
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• 2019

처분 부적합 폐기물이란 원전운영이나 해체 시 처리, 고화 및 포장이 요구되는 방사성폐기물 등을 일컬으며, 대표적으로 분산 특성을 갖는 입자성 방사성폐기물을 예로 들 수가 있다. 이들 폐기물에는 원전 운영과정에서 발생되는 농축폐액의 건조분말, 슬러리 및 슬러지, 향후 원전 해체과정에서 발생되는 온갖 분말 상태의 폐기물(콘크리트 파쇄물, 제염 슬러지 등), 그리고 제염이 용이치 못한 미세 크기의 방사능오염 토양 등이 있다. 입자성 폐기물을 기존의 고화방식으로 처리할 경우에는 최종 폐기물의 부피가 증가하는 단점을 갖게 되어 처분 비용의 증가 및 처분장의 수용성을 감소하는 결과를 야기할 수가 있다. 따라서 이들 문제를 해결하고자 본 연구에서는 최종 폐기물 부피의 감용화를 위해 롤 압축 기술을 이용하여 분말의 펠렛화 연구를 수행하였다.

• 청정기술
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.301-306
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• 2018

최근 미세먼지의 증가로 인해 디젤 자동차로부터 발생되는 PM에 대한 규제가 강화되고 있다. 디젤 자동차의 배기가스를 제거하는 후처리 장치인 매연여과장치(diesel particulate filter, DPF)에 대한 관심이 급증하고 있다. 따라서 DPF 효율 향상의 하나로 DPF 내의 압력강하를 줄여서 필터 및 재생(Regeneration)의 효율을 증가시키고 있다. 본 연구에서는 ANSYS FLUENT를 이용하여 5.66" SiC와 Cordierite DPF의 셀 밀도, 채널 형상, 벽두께, 입 출구 채널 비에 따른 압력강하 영향을 시뮬레이션했다. 실험결과로서 200 CPSI보다 300 CPSI에서 압력강하가 작게 나타났으며, Anisotropy과 O/S 셀이 Isotropy보다 약 1,301 Pa 작은 압력강하를 나타냈다. 공극률은 10% 증가할 때 마다 압력강하가 약 300 Pa씩 작아졌고, 벽 두께에 따른 영향은 0.05 mm 두꺼워질수록 약 500 Pa 씩 커지는 경향을 나타냈다.

• 생물환경조절학회지
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.237-245
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• 2022

복숭아는 대표적인 여름 과일이자 알레르기를 유발하는 식품으로 밀폐되고 집약적인 생산환경으로 인해 시설 내 유기분진, 농약, 복숭아털이 발생하기 때문에, 열악한 작업환경으로 인한 작업자들이 어려움을 많이 겪고 있다. 본 연구에서는 복숭아 선별작업장에서 발생하는 미세먼지를 위치별, 작업별, 입경별로 모니터링함으로써 저감 및 대책 마련을 위한 기초자료를 확보하고자 하였다. 미세먼지 모니터링 결과 지역별로는 선별과정에서 미세먼지의 발생이 높은 것으로 나타났으며, 주로 기계적인 과정을 통하여 발생하는 10㎛ 이상의 미세먼지로 나타났다. 본 연구를 바탕으로 향후 작업환경의 개선을 위해서 공정 중 미세먼지가 주로 발생하는 지역 및 미세먼지의 물리적 특성을 고려하여 저감시설 및 개인보호구의 착용이 요구된다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.162-169
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• 2024

Particulate matter (PM) constitutes a hazardous blend of organic and inorganic particles that poses health risks. Inhalation of fine airborne PM with a diameter of ≤ 2.5 ㎛ (PM_2.5) can lead to significant lung impairments. (+)-afzelechin (AZC), a natural compound sourced from Bergenia ligulata, boasts a range of attributes, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, and cardiovascular effects. However, knowledge about the therapeutic potential of AZC for patients with PM_2.5-induced lung injuries remains limited. Thus, in this study, we investigated the protective attributes of AZC against lung damage caused by PM_2.5 exposure. AZC was administered to the mice 30 min after intratracheal instillation of PM_2.5. Various parameters, such as changes in lung tissue wet/dry (W/D) weight ratio, total protein/total cell ratio, lymphocyte counts, levels of inflammatory cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), vascular permeability, and histology, were evaluated in mice exposed to PM_2.5. Data demonstrated that AZC mitigated lung damage, reduced W/D weight ratio, and curbed hyperpermeability induced by PM_2.5 exposure. Furthermore, AZC effectively lowered plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines produced by PM_2.5 exposure. It reduced the total protein concentration in BALF and successfully alleviated PM_2.5-induced lymphocytosis. Additionally, AZC substantially diminished the expression levels of Toll-like receptors 4 (TLR4), MyD88, and autophagy-related proteins LC3 II and Beclin 1. In contrast, it elevated the protein phosphorylation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Consequently, the anti-inflammatory attribute of AZC positions it as a promising therapeutic agent for mitigating PM_2.5-induced lung injuries by modulating the TLR4-MyD88 and mTOR-autophagy pathways.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.205-219
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• 2016

Objectives: No children-specified review and meta-analysis paper about the short-term effect of fine particulate matter ($PM_{2.5}$) on hospital admissions and emergency department visits for asthma has been published. We calculated more precise pooled effect estimates on this topic and evaluated the variation in effect size according to the differences in study characteristics not considered in previous studies. Methods: Two authors each independently searched PubMed and EMBASE for relevant studies in March, 2016. We conducted random effect meta-analyses and mixed-effect meta-regression analyses using retrieved summary effect estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and some characteristics of selected studies. The Egger's test and funnel plot were used to check publication bias. All analyses were done using R version 3.1.3. Results: We ultimately retrieved 26 time-series and case-crossover design studies about the short-term effect of $PM_{2.5}$ on children's hospital admissions and emergency department visits for asthma. In the primary meta-analysis, children's hospital admissions and emergency department visits for asthma were positively associated with a short-term $10{\mu}g/m^3$ increase in $PM_{2.5}$ (relative risk, 1.048; 95% CI, 1.028 to 1.067; $I^2=95.7%$). We also found different effect coefficients by region; the value in Asia was estimated to be lower than in North America or Europe. Conclusions: We strengthened the evidence on the short-term effect of $PM_{2.5}$ on children's hospital admissions and emergency department visits for asthma. Further studies from other regions outside North America and Europe regions are needed for more generalizable evidence.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.21-35
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• 2009

The Asian dust storms which originated in the deserts of Mongolia and China transported particles to Korea and led to a high concentration of atmospheric particulate matters (PM) of more than $1000{\mu}g/m^3$ throughout the country in the spring, of 2007. Public concern, in Korea, about the possible adverse effects of these dust events has increased, as these dust storms can contain various air pollutants emitted from heavily industrialized eastern China. The objectives of this study were to understand the concentration characteristics of PM as a function of particle size between the Asian dust storm episodes and non-Asian dust period and to consider the mass size distribution of PM in the Asian dust storms and their water soluble ion species on the potential, possible effects on deposition levels in the three regions (nasopharyngeal, tracheobronchial, and alveolar) of the human respiratory system. The size distribution of PM mass concentration during the Asian dust storms showed a peak in the coarse particle region due to the long-range transport of soil particles from the deserts of Mongolia and China, which was identified by HYSPLIT-4 model for backward trajectory analysis of air arriving in the sampling site of Iksan. During the non-Asian dust period, there were two different types in PM size distribution: bimodal distribution when low concentrations of $PM_{2.5}$ were observed, while unimodal distribution having a peak in fine particle region when high concentrations of $PM_{2.5}$ were showed. This unimodal distribution with high concentrations of fine particulate and secondary air pollutants such as ${SO_4}^{2-}$, ${NO_3}^-$, ${NH_4}^+$ was found to be due to the long-range transport of air pollutants from industrialized eastern China. During the Asian dust storms, the mean concentrations of PM that can be deposited in the nasopharyngeal, tracheobronchial, and alveolar region were $128.8{\mu}g/m^3$, $216.5{\mu}g/m^3$, and $89.6{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. During the non-Asian dust period, the mean concentrations of PM that can be deposited in the nasopharyngeal, tracheobronchial, and alveolar region were $8.4{\mu}g/m^3$, $9.5{\mu}g/m^3$ and $38.5{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.300-310
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• 2008

In order to further determine the mass concentration and ion composition of size-segregated particulate matter (PM) during the non-Asian dust storm of spring, $PM_{2.5}$ (fine particle), $PM_{10-2.5}$ (coarse particle), and $PM_{over-10}$ (PM with an aerodynamic diameter larger than $10{\mu}m$) were collected using a MCI (multi-nozzle cascade impactor) sampler of a three-stage filter pack in the spring season of 2007 in the Iksan area. During the sampling period from 5 April to 21 April, a total of 34 samples for size-segregated PM were collected, and then measured for PM mass concentrations by gravimetric measurements and for water-soluble inorganic ion species by using ion chromatography. Average mass concentrations of $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_{10-2.5}$, $PM_{over-10}$ were $35.4{\pm}11.5{\mu}g/m^3$, $13.3{\pm}5.5{\mu}g/m^3$ and $9.5{\pm}4.7{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. On average, $PM_{2.5}$ accounted for 74% of $PM_{10}$. Compared with the literature from other areas in Korea, the measured concentration of $PM_{2.5}$ were relatively high. Water-soluble inorganic ion fractions in $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_{10-2.5}$, and $PM_{over-10}$ were found to be 47.8%, 28.5%, and 14.7%, respectively. Among the water-soluble inorganic ion species, $SO_4^{2-}$, $NO_3^-$ and $NH_4^+$ were the main components in $PM_{2.5}$, while $NO_3^-$ dominantly existed in both $PM_{10-2.5}$ and $PM_{over-10}$. Non-seasalt $SO_4^{2-}$ (nss-$SO_4^{2-}$ and $NO_3^-$ were found to mainly exist as the neutralized chemical components of $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ and $NH_4NO_3$ in fine particles.

• 대한원격탐사학회지
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• 제37권6_2호
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• pp.1881-1890
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• 2021

미세먼지는 인체에는 물론 생태계, 날씨 등에도 많은 영향을 끼치며, 인구와 건물, 차량 등이 밀집된 대도시에서의 미세먼지의 예측과 모니터링은 중요하다. 특히 자동차, 연소 등에서 발생하는 PM_2.5 농도는 독성 물질을 포함할 수 있어 체계적인 관리가 필요하다. 따라서 본 연구는 화학 인자, 위성 기반의 aerosol optical depth (AOD), 기상 인자 등을 입력 자료로 하여 수도권PM_2.5 농도를 예측하고자 한다. PM_2.5 농도 예측을 위해 기계 학습 모델 중 PM 농도 예측에 우수한 성능을 보이는 random forest (RF) 모델을 선정하였으며, 모델 평가를 위해 통계 지표인 R², RMSE, MAE, MAPE를 산출하였다. RF 모델의 모델 정확도는 R², RMSE, MAE, MAPE는 각각 0.97, 3.09, 2.18, 13.31로 나타났으며, 예측 정확도는 각각 0.82, 6.03, 4.36, 25.79로 본 연구에서 사용한 인자들을 이용하여 PM_2.5를 예측 시 높은 정확도와 상관성을 나타내었다. 따라서 향후 학교 미세먼지 예측 및 범주화를 위해 본 연구에서 사용한 인자들을 RF 모델에 적용하였을 때 신뢰할만한 결과를 도출할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.