• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.150-158
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• 2019

Soil contaminated with heavy metals from artisanal gold mining in Anka Local Government Area in Northwestern Nigeria was investigated to evaluate the human health risk as a result of heavy metals. Measured concentration of heavy metals and exposure parameters were used to estimate human carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk. GIS-based Kriging method was utilized to create a prediction maps of human health risks and probability maps of heavy metals concentrations exceeding their threshold limits. Hazard index calculation showed that 21 out of 23 locations are posing non-cancer risk for children. Adults and children are at high cancer risk in all locations as the total cancer risk exceeded $1{\times}10^{-6}$ (the lower limit CTR value). Kriging model showed that only a very small area in Anka has a hazard index of less than unity and cumulative target risk of less than $1{\times}10^{-4}$, indicating a significant carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks for children. The probability of heavy metals to exceed their threshold concentrations around the study area was also found to be high.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.284-291
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• 2024

Background: This study aimed to identify the prevalence of workplace hazards and organizational protection resources according to the size of the enterprise in the manufacturing industry of the Republic of Korea. Methods: We analyzed data of waged workers (weighted N = 5,879) from the Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (2017). Enterprise sizes were categorized as "micro enterprises" (less than five employees), "small enterprises" (5-49 employees) and "medium-large enterprises" (50 or more employees). Self-reported exposure to 18 physical, chemical, ergonomic, and psychological hazards were measured. The presence of organizational protection resources such as a labor union, a safety delegate working at the company, designated spaces to deal with safety, and the provision of health and safety information was evaluated. Results: Compared to workers in medium-large enterprises, those in micro enterprises showed a higher proportion of exposure to most of physical, chemical, ergonomic, and psychological hazards, except for exposure to solvents, prolonged sitting, and experiencing a state of emotional unrest. On the other hand, workers in micro enterprises had the lowest proportion of access to organizational protection resources. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that manufacturing workers at the micro enterprise in the Republic of Korea are exposed to the most hazardous work environment and yet have access to the fewest organizational protection resources.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.41-55
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• 2010

The aims of this study were to develop the suitable "system software" in chemical ranking and scoring (CRS) for the food hazardous chemicals associated with environmental emission and to suggest the priority lists of food contamination by environmental-origined pollutants. Study materials were selected with reference to the priority pollutants list for environment and food management from domestic and foreign research and the number of study materials is 103 pollutants (18 heavy metals, 10 PBTs, 10 EDs, and 65 organic compounds). The Food-CRS-Korea system consisted of the environmental fate model via multimedia, transfer environment to food model, and health risk assessment by contaminated food intake. We have established that health risks of excess cancer risks, hazard quotients (HQs) by chronic toxicity and HQs by reproductive toxicity convert to score, respectively. The creditable scoring system was designed to consider uncertainty of quantitative risk assessment based on VOI (Value-Of-Information). The predictability of the Food-CRS-Korea model was evaluated by comparing the presumable values and the measured ones of the environmental media and foodstuffs. The priority lists based on emissions with background-level-correction are 15 pollutants such as arsenic, cadmium, and etc. The priority lists based on environmental monitoring date are 17 pollutants including DEHP, TCDD, and so on. Consequently, we suggested the priority lists of 13 pollutants by considering the several emission and exposure scenarios. According to the Food-CRS-Korea system, arsenics, cadmium, chromes, DEHP, leads, and nickels have high health risk rates and reliable grades.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.95-103
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was conducted in order to better understand the conceptual model and Stoffenmanager nano module and apply it to the synthesis and packing processes of nanomaterials. Methods: Site visits were conducted to five nanomaterial production processes. Product and exposure variables were investigated in these workplaces. Hazard banding and exposure classification of the synthesis and packing processes of nanomaterials were conducted using documents and the website of Stoffenmanager Nano. Results: The five sites featured different products, packing tasks, ventilation and local exhaust, and others. The hazards for nano-nickel and copper were classified as E. The hazards for both fumed silica and indium tin oxide were classified as D. The hazard for spherical silica was classified as C. The exposure classes in the synthesis process of nanomaterials ranged from 2 through 4. The exposure classes in the packing process of nanomaterials ranged from 1 through 4. Conclusions: Application of Stoffenmanager nano to the synthesis and packing processes of nanomaterials helped to better understand the control level of the work environment and to suggest appropriate actions. The comparison of each process showed the effect of the production process and handling of solids and ventilation on exposure class.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.320-328
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• 2004

A number of health hazards are generated in welding processes. In this paper, the characteristics of fumes and some other hazardous agents in welding are reviewed. Fumes in welding are generated by complex mechanism like physical ejection of particles, oxidation-enhanced vaporization, vaporization-condensation-oxidation, and spatter contribution. Fume generation rates could be described as a power function in a given process. Most of fume constituents was originated from consumables rather than base metal. The mass distribution for the welding fumes is unimodal and very small to penetrate respiratory system. So, almost fractions of fumes are classified into the respirable particulate mass. Total chromium contents in FCAW were similar to those from SMAW whereas hexavalent chromium concentrations in fume were similar to those produced from MIG welding fume. Hexavalent chromium was mostly soluble which was similar to the characteristic solubility of fume hexavalent chromium from SMAW.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.25-39
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• 1978

Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the most serious health problems in Korea. In this review, the author made a intensive reference review on the causes of carbon monoxide poisoning, the patterns of carbon monoxide poisoning and the prospects of CO poisoning. Following findings were induced through the review. 1. Carbon monoxide poisoning is influenced by variable social factors than any other diseases or accidents and is more closely related with the economical and cultural parameters of the community. 2. The increase of risk in the populatlon is expected by National Energy Policy and the hazards of CO poisoning will rather be increasing as long as no radical control measure will be taken. 3. More practical control measure, including extensive public relation service, should be established to eradicate this serious health hazard in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.175-183
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• 2012

Objectives: This study developed a harmonized method for risk assessment based on the Hazard & Risk Evaluation of Chemicals (HREC) according to the Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA). Methods: Three preliminary studies, performed during 2010 and 2011 by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute and three academic research groups, were compared. The differences in risk assessment, especially in the dose-response assessment method, were analyzed. A new harmonized method for dose-response assessment was suggested and its applicability for the HREC was examined. Results: Considering the various steps of each dose-response assessment, the equivalent steps in quantitative correction, uncertainty factor 2 (UF2) for intra-species uncertainty, and UF3 for the experimental period in the uncertainty correction were relatively high. Using our new method, the total correction values (quantitative correction plus uncertainty correction) ranged from 72~15,789 to 30~60, and the ratio of the threshold limit value (TLV) to the reference concentration decreased from 12.8~1900 to 5.4~11.8. Furthermore, when we performed risk characterization by our new method, hazard quotient (HQ) values for chloroethylene, epichlorohydrin, and barium sulfate became 3.0, 14.1, and 1.13 respectively, whereas three previous studies reported HQ values of 7.1, 4580, and 87.3 considering reasonable maximum exposure (RME) conditions. HQs of the three chemicals were calculated to be 0.6, 2.4, and 0.1 respectively, when compared to their TLVs. Conclusions: Our new method could be applicable for the HREC because the total correction values and the ratio of TLVs were within reasonable ranges. It is also recommended that additional risk management measures be applied for epichlorohydrin, for which the HQ values were greater than 1 when compared with both reference values and the TLV. Our proposed method could be used to harmonize dose-response assessment methods for the implementation of risk assessment based on the HREC according to ISHA.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.413-427
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• 2006

It is necessary to study and develop guidelines for providing comfort and health indoor air quality for office workers since air-tight envelope system of current office building may cause poor indoor air quality. The purpose of this study is to propose guideline for volatile organic compounds in office base on the field study, human health risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis. The field study was conducted to survey the concentrations of volatile organic compounds in indoor air of 69 offices from June to September, 2005 in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. The rate of excess to guideline of volatile organic compounds in indoor air of new apartment on the Ministry of Environment in Korea(MOE) was surveyed 37.6% for benzene, 6.8% for toluene, and 1.5% for ethylbenzene. As the result of human health risk assessment, mean cancer risk did not exceed 10-6 which is guideline of US.EPA. Also, total hazard index did not exceed 1 which is guideline of US.EPA. Through the cost-benefit analysis of angle on the social-economics to verify the necessary to establish the standards of volatile organic compounds for improvement and development of indoor air quality in office, the present value of benefit was higher than the present value of cost. With the above considerations in mind, it is suggested that the field study for indoor air quality in offices should be expanded and human health risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis be performed th offer scientific data for decision-making of policy for improvement and management of indoor air quality in office.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.211-221
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• 2001

Recognizing interaction between the environment and humans, the EIA(environmental impact assessment) movement has sought to promote more environmentally sound and informed decisions for the sake of human welfare. Therefore, most EIA programs require the consideration of human health impacts. Yet relatively few EIA documents adequately address those impacts. This study was carried out to investigate the role of EIA for reuniting the environment and human health, for preventing and reducing significant health risks, and for improving human health impact assessment by means of risk assessment. Risk assessment consists of 4 components; hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment and risk characterization. Since most people spent their times in indoor, indoor air quality modelling can be used in exposure assessment and risk assessment. In this study, indoor $NO_2$ concentration and personal $NO_2$ exposure were estimated by Box Model using mass balance equation and time weighted average, respectively. The estimated indoor $NO_2$ concentration and the personal $NO_2$ exposure were compared by those measured, respectively. Subsequntly, health effect was assessed with these results. Consequently, exposure assessment and risk assessment using indoor air quality model may be considered to be applicable to EIA.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.32 no.5 s.92
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• pp.398-403
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• 2006

Indoor air quality can be affected by indoor sources, ventilation, decay and outdoor levels. Understanding the effectiveness of indoor air quality control depends on knowledge of the characteristics of air pollutants in indoor air, especially their quantities and persistence, and the relevance of indoor sources to these factors. Toluene within new and established houses has been determined and factors significant to its presence have been identified. A total of 30 selected houses in Seoul, Asan and Daegu areas that were constructed within 4 years and over 4 years of construction were measured the concentration of toluene from July to September in 2004. Toluene emission decay of double-exponential model exhibited good fit of $Y=276.37e^{-1.21x}(R^{2}=0.34,\;P=0.06)$ for 2 years and then $Y=51.54e^{-0.11x}(R^{2}=0.40,\;P=0.0)$ from 23 years in new houses. In case of living in new houses, noncarcinogenic health effects of exposure to toluene was 1.38 of hazard quotient (HQ) comparing to toluene reference dose of 0.13 mg/kg-day.