• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.23-30
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• 2016

This study analyzed the characteristics of chemical accidents, including the accidents occurring each year according to status, type of accident, accident cause for chemical substance transporting accidents. The major aim of this study was to provide information on the chemical accidents that occurred involving chemical substance transporting accidents from 2013 to July - 2016. The total incidence of chemical transporting accidents was 77 cases; 74 cases occurred by the spill & leakage type. The main cause of the accidents analyzed was traffic accidents (41 cases). Forty-six accidents were related to hazardous chemical substances. Among the 46 hazardous chemical substances involved in transporting chemical accidents, 46% of the accident substances were hydrogen chloride. For the prevention and response to accidents occurring during the transportation of chemicals, it is necessary to complement the precautions for chemical accidents caused by transportation accidents and chemical spills and leaks of chemicals. In addition, when the chemical transport of an accident occurs, it is necessary to apply a chemical transport safety system for chemical transfer.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.60-69
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• 2023

Objectives: Business operators handling hazardous chemicals regulated under the Chemical Substances Control Act (CSCA) must receive permits to operate their business from the Ministry of Environment. This study analyzed the status of recent legal violation in chemical handling workplaces in Ulsan where a large volume of chemicals is handled for industrial use. Methods: A total of 557 corporations have been granted legal status as business operators in Ulsan. For all business operators, legal violations in regard to the CSCA that were discovered by the environmental office in the last five years (2018~2022) were thoroughly analyzed. Results: A total of 225 violations of the CSCA have been discovered at 165 corporations, with the violation rate accounting for approximately 27% of all business operators. In particular, 22% of the 165 violators (36 corporations) were discovered to have violated twice or more, and some business operators (6%) even violated in consecutive years. Non-compliance of facility inspection was the most frequent violation (45 cases, 20.1%), followed by non-reporting of important changes in the permitted matters (23 cases, 10.3%), non-completion of legal safety education (19 cases, 8.5%), failure to secure permission for modification in the permitted matters (18 cases, 8.0%), and failure to submit chemical transport plans (16 cases, 7.1%). Conclusions: Most of the violations could have been prevented if the field personnel had paid sufficient attention. Thus, it is fundamentally necessary to create an environment for spontaneous safety management for themselves and to strengthen individual capabilities.

• Korean Journal of Hazardous Materials
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2014

There have been frequent chemical leaks over the past 10 years. Particularly, inorganic acids like sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and hydrogen chloride take up 37 % of the total chemical accidents which took place for the past 10 years. When an acid chemical leak happens, fume is generated, diffusing into the air, which might cause serious damage to health of local residents and the environment. However, most of the acid-based chemicals, detecting and analysis methods have not been settled considering the frequency of accidents. In this study, we investigated detection and analysis methods to quickly analyze accident sites and evaluate the impacts on environments. Reviewing local and international test analysis methods of acids suggested that nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride can be analyzed with IC. It was also found that UV is better for the analysis of hydrogen fluoride and GC/MS for acrylic acid. The analytical methods suggested in the official test methods basically have limitations of consuming much time at stages of preparation and analysis. Considering prompt responses to chemical accidents, further studies should be done to compare the applicability of rapid monitoring methods such as FT-IR, IMR-MS and SIFT-MS.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.470-479
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• 2020

Objectives: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused the death of 740,000 people around the world as of August 12, 2020. Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Avian Influenza, and African Swine Fever are serious livestock diseases. Government agencies in Korea have provided ingredient information and usage instructions for disinfectants used to counter those infectious diseases. The purpose of this study was to provide information on the chemical ingredients in disinfectant products used against COVID-19 and certain livestock diseases. Methods: We collected information from the Korean government. The Central Disaster Management Headquarters and Central Disease Control Headquarters provided information on disinfectant products used against COVID-19. The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency of Korea provided information on efficacy-certified disinfectant products for use against selected livestock diseases. Health hazard and environmental hazard information on the ingredients in the disinfectants was collected from the Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency's Material Safety Data Sheets, and toxicity value information was collected from United States Environmental Protection Agency's CompTox Chemicals Dashboard. Results: There were 76 COVID-19 disinfectant products in use, and the most common ingredients were benzalkonium chloride (51%), alkylbenzyl dimethyl ammonium (30%), and ethanol (3%). There were 216 livestock disease disinfectant products comprised of 89 acidic, 88 oxidic, 30 aldehydic, three alkaline, and six other products. Among the 49 active ingredients used in the disinfectants that were investigated, health and environmental hazard information was provided for many of them, but only 20 chemicals had official toxicological information. Conclusion: Since the disinfectants included numerous chemicals, an understanding of their chemical characteristics could be critical to prevent unintended human or environmental exposure.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 2011

Objectives: Industrial development in Korea results in a rapid increase in the number of chemicals, some of which may be responsible for toxicity to aquatic ecosystems. In addition, the types of hazardous chemicals included in industrial effluents have gradually increased. Therefore, chemical analysis alone is not enough to assess ecological effects of toxic chemicals in wastewater. Methods: In response to new regulations as whole effluent toxicity (WET) tests for effluent discharge of 15 publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) and 25 industrial effluent treatment plants in Gyeonggi-do, which will be effective from 2011, a necessity of studies emerges that investigates toxicity levels. Results: In case of the public treatment plants, none of them had exceeded the criteria for ecotoxicity. As for individual wastewater discharge facilities, on the other hand, two types were found to exceed the criteria: pulp and paper manufacturing facilities and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. For the pulp and paper manufacturing facilities, monitoring results could not help determine the exact toxicant identification. However, Daphnia magna inhibition effect or death was found to leave white plums, suggesting that suspended solids treated and the polymer used in coagulant dose. In case of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, the general water quality parameters cannot affect Daphia magna. However, conductivity and salinity can have an effect to be 14,000 ${\mu}s/cm$, 8.1‰ by salts, respectively. Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) and Toxicity Reduction Evaluation (TRE) procedures results appeared to be effective for identifying toxic compounds in $Cl^{-}$ and $SO_4^{2-}$. Conclusions: It is necessary to develop control measures for water treatment chemicals and salts used for processes such as coagulation in individual wastewater discharge facilities in order to achieve the goal to protect aquatic ecosystems in public waters.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.74-85
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• 1997

To investigate the perception and consumption of imported and organic produce, a survey was conducted using a questionnaire in Seoul, Taejon and Cheongju from February to March in 1995. The responses of 350 housewives were analyzed. Most of the subjects (96.8%) know an increase of imported produce, and 86.3% thought that imported produce was not safe. Ninety-two percent of the subjects preferred domestic produce to imported produce. The reasons were for the support of domestic farming (36.7%), hazardous chemicals in imported produce (25.0%), good taste (24.1%) and high quality of domestic produce (13.1%). Seventy-eight percent of the subjects had purchased imported produce. The reasons for purchase were cheap price (67.7%), high quality (16.2%), and good taste (5.4%). Imported produce were purchased in the following order ; fruits such as banana, kiwi, orange and grapefruit, seasonings such as garlic and sesame, vegetables such as onion, braken and green onion, and beans and grains such as soybean, red bean, and barley. Most of the subjects (94.3%) had been informed on organic produce. Among these, 45.2% obtained the information by TV or radio. However, son for purchase was low residual chemicals (64.6%). The reasons against purchase were inconvenience of purchase (42.3%), high price (25.4%), and disbelief of low residual chemicals (19.7%). Therefore, domestic produce should be good in quality and taste, and be safe without residual chemicals in order to compete with imported produce with cheap price. Informations on organic and imported produce should be provided to consumers, and the distribution system of organic produce should be improved for consumers convenience.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.83-96
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• 2005

Brominated flame retardants have the market share of 40%, comparing others because of their low cost and highly effective retardation against the flame. However, their toxic effects in human and properties of the accumulation in the environments have been issued among the international organization such as EU, OECD and etc. It, therefore, was surveyed the classification, toxic effects, and the usage of Brominated flame retardants, the trends for their managements in the world and Korea, and their contaminated levels in Korean Peninsula. In addition, the management directions for them were proposed. Penta, octa, and deca-BDE among brominated retardants will seem to be prohibited by the regulation as a flame retardants for plastics in Europe because of their toxic effects. Although Penta and Octa BDEs was used marginally in Korea, deca-BDE was 27% of brominated flame retardants (49,050 ton) which had been used in 2002. However, risk assessment for brominated retardants might not launched in Korea, yet. These reports demonstrate that toxic brominated retardants such as PBDEs will be assessed for their usage and the level of contamination in the environment in the area of the point sources like the industrial areas, incinerators and etc. However, the law to regulate the hazardous chemicals seems not to be dictated the monitoring of their contamination in the environment. We, therefore, suggest how to evaluate and to monitor the toxic contaminants with EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) system. Further, to establish the management system of BFRs (such as the monitering of contamination levels in environments, life cycle assessment, and risk assessment for the toxic chemicals), It can be recommended the law to deal with the method analyzing chemicals will be established, which contains QA/QC (Quality Assurance and Quality Control) to evaluate the analytic capability of the companies to prepare EIS (Environment Impact Statement) or other institutes for analyzing chemicals.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.223-228
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• 2010

Neocaridina denticulata is a small freshwater shrimp indigenous to Korea. As an indigenous species has long-adapted to particular water environments, the species can be a suitable indicator to assess environmental risks caused by hazard chemicals in the particular site. Thus Neocaridina denticulata, a small freshwater shrimp indigenous to Korea, is worth considering for a test species for such purpose. N. denticulata were exposed to pentachlorophenol sodium salt, sodium azide and potassium dichromate using automatic flow-through system for 96 hours. The 96 hr lethal concentrations ($LC_{50}$) of these chemicals were calculated as $0.53{\pm}0.09\;mg/L$, $2.40{\pm}0.61\;mg/L$ and $1.21{\pm}0.09\;mg/L$ respectively and showed relatively small deviation from repetitive test results. When compared with the toxicity values of other species for each chemical, N. denticulata had moderate or high sensitivity to the toxicity of these chemicals. It can be concluded that N. denticulata is a good test species to evaluate acute toxicity of various hazardous chemicals.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to calculate the worker-DNEL (Derived No Effect Level) values using the REACH guidance and compare the calculated DNELs with existing Korea occupational exposure limits (KOELs) for evaluation of the applicability of the worker-DNELs as provisional occupational exposure limits for chemicals that are not established KOELs in the workplace. Methods: The worker-DNELs for 46 chemicals among 113 hazardous substance requiring management were calculated using the REACH guidance, and a paired t-test was performed to see if there is any statistical difference between two lists (worker-DNELs vs KOELs). The ratios of KOELs over worker-DNELs were also calculated to compare the overall levels of two lists using the geometric means method. Results: The calculated worker-DNELs for 46 chemicals ranged from 0.001 to $329mg/m^3$ (GM= 6.9, GSD = 10.8), and appeared to be a significant difference between the worker-DNELs and the KOELs (p < 0.01). In addition, the ratios of KOELs over worker-DNELs ranged from 0.3 to 394 times (GM = 10.2, GSD = 3.9), indicating that the worker-DNELs were, on average, 27 times lower than the KOELs. Conclusions: Therefore, the study results show that the calculated worker-DNELs can be applied and used as provisional occupational exposure limits in the workplace in order to reduce worker exposures to chemicals and health risks, and manage potential worker exposures based on the precautionary principle through comprehensive chemical risk assessment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.119-140
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• 2019

Objectives: This study was based on the occurrence of a coffee roasting process-related disorder(bronchiolitis obliterans; published by NIOSH in the US) among workers exposed to chemicals called diacetyl in a coffee processing facility. Flavorings added to coffee contain diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione, all of which are subject to exposure in a number of food manufacturing processes, including coffee roasting, grinding, and packaging. Therefore, this study aims to review the toxicity to workers related to food processing and food additive manufacturing to prevent occupational diseases. Methods: We surveyed the related literature, domestic and international references, and the status of relevant domestic and foreign professional organizations. The present situation of workers was investigated by reviewing literature on the safety and health of workers in the coffee roasting process using domestic and foreign literature and presentations. Expert advisory opinions were reflected, and experts were consulted by participating in domestic and overseas academic conferences. Results: Most of the fragrance materials for coffee were harmful and hazardous substances according to the GHS classification, and research was carried out through a second external consultation. A literature review on the measurement of air pollutant emissions from coffee roasters and the estimation of air pollutant emissions during coffee roasting examined the characteristics of pollutants emitted during coffee roasting. Conclusions: Two chemicals identified as causing bronchiolitis obliterans in the coffee roasting process are believed to explain why the disease is difficult to treat. This information can be used effectively in the future prevention of this disease. Future studies should clearly identify the potential for toxicity of alpha-diketones and the bases of OELs in relation to the occurrence of obstructive bronchiolitis, including measurement of various organic compounds and alpha-diketones from ground coffee, as well as various coffee grinds and coffee bean varieties. In particular, it is necessary to clarify the current understanding of the dose-response relationship between alpha-diketone and lung disease in workers involved in coffee roasting.