• Title/Summary/Keyword: Household chemical

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Searching for a Social Solution for the Humidifier Disinfectant Disaster in Korea (가습기살균제 참사에 대한 사회적 해법의 모색)

  • Lee, Young Hee
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.45 no.4
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    • pp.295-309
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    • 2019
  • Eight years have passed since the Korean government's medical agency officially reported that the fatal lung disease found in some hospitals in 2011 was caused by chemical disinfectants used in household humidifiers, marking the introduction of the humidifier disinfectant disaster. Over the past eight years, a medical-scientific approach has been taken by the Korean government in its efforts to solve the problems in terms of relief of and compensation for the potential victims. One of the unintended consequence of this approach has been the fact that the number of "official victims" recognized by the government is quite small compared to the total number of applicants who claim to be suffering from the humidifier disinfectant disaster. This is mainly due to the fact that the medical-scientific approach relies on excessively strict, rigid, and narrow medical-scientific criteria provided by medical experts for judging the degree of applicants' bodily damage from the use of humidifier disinfectants. As a result, this medical-scientific approach is becoming increasingly criticized by patients' organizations mainly composed of rejected applicants. Based on the analysis of the limits of this medical-scientific approach and after clarifying the social implications of the disaster from a sociological perspective, this paper proposes certain social approaches focused on participatory governance as a means of dealing with the current issue. Finally, the paper emphasizes that the act of taking social responses to the humidifier disinfectant disaster should also be considered a process of enlarging and deepening democracy in Korea.

Biogas Production from Vietnamese Animal Manure, Plant Residues and Organic Waste: Influence of Biomass Composition on Methane Yield

  • Cu, T.T.T.;Nguyen, T.X.;Triolo, J.M.;Pedersen, L.;Le, V.D.;Le, P.D.;Sommer, S.G.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.280-289
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    • 2015
  • Anaerobic digestion is an efficient and renewable energy technology that can produce biogas from a variety of biomasses such as animal manure, food waste and plant residues. In developing countries this technology is widely used for the production of biogas using local biomasses, but there is little information about the value of these biomasses for energy production. This study was therefore carried out with the objective of estimating the biogas production potential of typical Vietnamese biomasses such as animal manure, slaughterhouse waste and plant residues, and developing a model that relates methane ($CH_4$) production to the chemical characteristics of the biomass. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) and biomass characteristics were measured. Results showed that piglet manure produced the highest $CH_4$ yield of 443 normal litter (NL) $CH_4kg^{-1}$ volatile solids (VS) compared to 222 from cows, 177 from sows, 172 from rabbits, 169 from goats and 153 from buffaloes. Methane production from duckweed (Spirodela polyrrhiza) was higher than from lawn grass and water spinach at 340, 220, and 110.6 NL $CH_4kg^{-1}$ VS, respectively. The BMP experiment also demonstrated that the $CH_4$ production was inhibited with chicken manure, slaughterhouse waste, cassava residue and shoe-making waste. Statistical analysis showed that lipid and lignin are the most significant predictors of BMP. The model was developed from knowledge that the BMP was related to biomass content of lipid, lignin and protein from manure and plant residues as a percentage of VS with coefficient of determination (R-square) at 0.95.This model was applied to calculate the $CH_4$ yield for a household with 17 fattening pigs in the highlands and lowlands of northern Vietnam.

Sodium Chloride Decomposing Method in Food Waste Compost using Triple Salt (삼중염을 이용한 음식물 쓰레기 퇴비의 염분(NaCl) 분해방법)

  • Kim, Nam-Chean;Jang, Byung-Man
    • Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.86-94
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    • 2004
  • The characteristics of food waste in our country is high contents of water and sodium chloride(NaCl). Average water contents of household garbage was 80.0%, and those of wastes of restaurants and of wholesale market of agricultural products was 76.9% and 90.0%, respectively. The NaCl contents were high in household garbage and restaurant's waste as 3.36% and 4.84%, respectively. The NaCl contents of food waste composts made by various techniques known upto now were under the level of 1% by fresh weight basis. But these techniques has some problem that is environment pollution from treated water and high equipment cost. The application to agricultural land of food waste compost that is not sufficiently removed NaCl was considered to be improper due to salt accumulation in soils and plant growth inhibition by salt stress. The purpose of this study is to decompose NaCl in food waste compost using triple salt and this method is differ from existing chemical method. Also, reaction of NaCl with triple salt produced KCl that is basic material of potassium fertilizer. The experiment results of growing lettuce produced difference between food waste compost and treated food waste compost with triple salt. The latter got more high sprouting ratio and a growth rate.

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Component Analysis and Reproduction of a Brown Solid Cosmetic Excavated from Tomb of Princess Hwahyeop (화협옹주 출토 화장품(갈색 고체) 성분 분석 및 재현연구)

  • Lee, Chaehoon;You, Song-e;Lee, Hanhyoung;Kim, Hyoyun;Kim, Seongmi;Chung, Yongjae
    • Journal of Conservation Science
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    • v.36 no.5
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    • pp.430-439
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    • 2020
  • This study focused on analyzing solid brown cosmetic residues that were excavated from the tomb of the Hwahyeop princess. The cosmetics had been buried in 1752 in Cheonghwa Baekja (small porcelain jars) within a Huigwakham (a stone box sealed with lime). A literature search and chemical analyses of the relics were conducted at the National Palace Museum of Korea. Based on the results of these analyses, raw materials and manufacturing methods for reproduction of the cosmetic were selected and then cream-form cosmetics were prepared. Aging tests using heat, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and CO2 were carried out to emulate the deterioration of the excavated cosmetics. Further chemical analyses and functionality tests were performed to evaluate changes from the tests and the effect as a cosmetic. As heat aging progressed, among the reproduced cosmetics, the one which has a high proposition of oil showed a color difference value of 32; the oxidation of oils involved chemical changes in O-H and C=C groups. As the cosmetic cream deteriorated under UV aging, the pH value became acidic. The result of the functional coverage test of the reproduced cosmetic cream was lower than the standard coverage ratio of modern cosmetics.

Safety, Efficacy, and Physicochemical Characterization of Tinospora crispa Ointment: A Community-Based Formulation against Pediculus humanus capitis

  • Torre, Gerwin Louis Tapan Dela;Ponsaran, Kerstin Mariae Gonzales;de Guzman, Angelica Louise Dela Pena;Manalo, Richelle Ann Mallapre;Arollado, Erna Custodio
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.55 no.4
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    • pp.409-416
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    • 2017
  • The high prevalence of pediculosis capitis, commonly known as head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) infestation, has led to the preparation of a community-based pediculicidal ointment, which is made of common household items and the extract of Tinospora crispa stem. The present study aimed to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and physicochemical characteristics of the T. crispa pediculicidal ointment. The physicochemical properties of the ointment were characterized, and safety was determined using acute dermal irritation test (OECD 404), while the efficacy was assessed using an in vitro pediculicidal assay. Furthermore, the chemical compounds present in T. crispa were identified using liquid-liquid extraction followed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometric (UPLC-qTOF/MS) analysis. The community-based ointment formulation was light yellow in color, homogeneous, smooth, with distinct aromatic odor and pH of $6.92{\pm}0.09$. It has spreadability value of $15.04{\pm}0.98g{\cdot}cm/sec$ and has thixotropic behavior. It was also found to be non-irritant, with a primary irritation index value of 0.15. Moreover, it was comparable to the pediculicidal activity of the positive control $Kwell^{(R)}$, a commercially available 1% permethrin shampoo (P>0.05), and was significantly different to the activity of the negative control ointment, a mixture of palm oil and candle wax (P<0.05). These findings suggested that the community-based T. crispa pediculicidal ointment is safe and effective, having acceptable physicochemical characteristics. Its activity can be attributed to the presence of compounds moupinamide and physalin I.

A Study of Folk Costume Culture (II) -Field Research Around the Mt. Kumo Area- (서민복식문화에 관한 연구(II) -경북 금오산 주변지역의 민속조사 결과를 중심으로-)

  • Hong, Na-Young;Lee, Eun-Joo;Lim, Jae-Young
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.71-79
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    • 1995
  • Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles Vol. 19, No. 1 (199i) p. 71~79 The authors study on the traditional textile production and the formal dress through the field research concerning the folk attitude toward dress style around the Mt. Kumo area. In this area, people produced and wove hemp, cotton, and silk except ramie. Because of poor production of raw materials, they produced textiles only for self-sufficiency. Every household dealt with dyeing on a small scale. In the past, people dyed cloth natually using plants as material. Natural dyeing, however, gradually changed into chemical one since the Japanese rule. The formal dresses, which people wore on particular occasions such as the hundredth day after child's brith, the first birthday, and traditional holidays, were very meager due to poor living standards. People could not see the formal dresses with full decoration. Bride and bridegroom were the village.owned wedding dresses, and if they could not afford to, they simply put cloth on to remember the occasion. People around the Mt. Kumo area, however, provided fully-decorated shroud and ritual robes to the level of other better-off areas. It seemed to be the result of influence of deep-rooted Confucianism in Gyungbuk province. This Phenomenon could be found in the folk dress style in other regions as well as the Mt. Kumo area in Gyungbuk province.

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A Study on the Simple Piped Water Supply System in a Rural Area (일부 농촌지역의 간이 상수도 운영실태와 개선 방안에 관한 조사연구)

  • 정문호
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.17 no.1
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    • pp.57-66
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    • 1991
  • This study was carried out for 5 years between 1984 and 1986 and 1989 and 1990. This interviewers visited 292 households to evaluate the perception of the residents using .the. Simple Piped Water Supply (SPWS), and examined the pollution source surrounding 42 SPWS facilities and water quality by the chemical and microbiological method. The purpose of this study was to find out problems linked with SPWS and to investigate more efficient way of improvement in rural water supply. The results of the study are surmnarized as follows: 1) Approximately 55% of the sampled population have been served by simple piped water supply. 2) The drinking water was mostly taken from the springs in 16 sites and valley water in 26 sites. 3) Considering the type of distribution of the SPWS, there are 28 natural gravity systems and 14 pumping systems. 4) Out of the 180 SPWS in Chun Sung Area, 74% of the SPWS facilities were used more than ten years. In addition, 40% of residents expressed the need for repairs of old facilities. 5) 48% of the SPWS facilities are neighbored with pollution source. 6) 50% of the maintenance crews were not committed totheir job but instead, the facilities were operated by some residents or community leaders who were personally concerned about quality of the facilities. 7) About 85% of the residents answered that SPWS was convenient and helpful. 8) About 57% of the residents complaind that the amount of daily water supply is not adequate. 9) About 74% of the residents felt that the water quality is high for dringking water and therefore, 52% of the facilities were not properly chlorinated. But in contrast, the biochemical tests indicated that only 28% of the SPWS met the dringking water quality standards. 10) Maintenance cost per a household ranges form 500 to 2, 000Won (1 $ = 700 Won) a month. Most of the cost was to cover the power electric charge. For the effective maintenance and arrangement of the facilities, gorvermental financial support for the maintenance is strongly recommended.

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Evaluation of Exposure to Indoor Volatile Organic Compounds by Utilizing Emission Characteristics and Emission Factor of Household Mosquito Repellents (가정용 모기살충제의 배출 특성 및 배출계수를 이용한 실내 휘발성 유기화합물질 노출 평가)

  • Jo, Wan-Kuen;Lee, Jong-Hyo
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
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    • v.18 no.10
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    • pp.1123-1134
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    • 2009
  • This study was designed to evaluate qualitatively and quantitatively the pollutant compositions, which were emitted from three types of mosquito repellents(MRs)(mat-, liquid-vaporized, and coil-type) by utilizing a 50-L environmental chamber. A qualitative analysis revealed that 42 compounds were detected on the gas chromatography/mass spectrometer system, and that the detection frequency depended upon chemical types. Nine of the 42 compounds exhibited a detection frequency of 100%. Four aromatic compounds(benzene, ethyl benzene, toluene, and xylene) were detected in all test MRs. The concentration equilibriums in the environmental chamber were achieved within 180 min after sample introduction. The coil-type MR represented higher chamber concentrations as compared with the mat- or liquid-vaporized-type MR, with respect to the target compounds except for naphthalene. In particular, the chamber concentrations of ethyl benzene, associated with the use of coil-type MR, were between 0.9 and $65\;mg\;m^{-3}$ whereas those of mat- and liquid-vaporized-type MRs we~e between 0.5 and $2.0\;mg\;m^{-3}$and 0.3 and $1.4\;mg\;m^{-3}$, respectively. However, naphthalene concentrations in the chamber, where a liquid-vaporized-type MR was placed, were measured as between 17.8 and $56.3\;mg\;m^{-3}$, but not detected in the chamber, where a mat- or coil-type MR was placed. The empirical model fitted well with the time-series concentrations in the environmental chamber(in most cases, determination coefficient, $R^2$ ≿ 0.9), thereby suggesting that the model was suitable for testing emissions. In regards to the target compounds except for benzene, although they were emitted from the MRs, health risk from individual exposure to them were estimated not to be significant when comparing exposure levels with no observed adverse exposure levels or lowest observed adverse exposure levels of corresponding compounds. However, it was concluded that the use of MRs could be an important indoor source as regards benzene.

Improved Corrosion and Abrasion Resistance of Organic-Inorganic Composite Coated Electro-galvanized Steels for Digital TV Panels

  • Jo, Du-Hwan;Noh, Sang-Geol;Park, Jong-Tae;Kang, Choon-Ho
    • Corrosion Science and Technology
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    • v.14 no.5
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    • pp.213-217
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    • 2015
  • Recently, household electronic industries require environmentally-friendly and highly functional steels in order to enhance the quality of human life. Customers especially require both excellent corrosion and abrasion resistant anti-fingerprint steels for digital TV panels. Thus POSCO has developed new functional electro-galvanized steels, which have double coated layers with organic-inorganic composites on the zinc surface of the steel for usage as the bottom chassis panel of TVs. The inorganic solution for the bottom layer consists of inorganic phosphate, magnesium, and zirconium compounds with a small amount of epoxy binder, and affords both improved adhesion properties by chemical conversion reactions and corrosion resistance due to a self-healing effect. The composite solution for the top layer was prepared by fine dispersion of organic-inorganic ingredients that consist of a urethane modified polyacrylate polymer, hardener, silica sol and a titanium complex inhibitor in aqueous media. Both composite solutions were coated on the steel surface by using a roll coater and then cured through an induction furnace in the electro-galvanizing line. New anti-fingerprint steel was evaluated for quality performance through such procedures as the salt spray test for corrosion resistance, tribological test for abrasion resistance, and conductivity test for surface electric conductance regarding to both types of polymer resin and coating weight of composite solution. New composite coated anti-fingerprint steels afford both better corrosion resistance and abrasion properties compared to conventional anti-fingerprint steel that mainly consists of acrylate polymers. Detailed discussions of both composite solutions and experimental results suggest that urethane modifications of acrylate polymers of composite solutions play a key role in enhanced quality performances.

Odorous Emissions from Household-related Sources: A Case Study on a Sewage Treatment Plant (생활악취 배출원의 악취 배출 특성 연구: 하수처리장을 중심으로)

  • Jeon, E.C.;Sa, J.H.;Kim, S.T.;Hong, J.H.;Kim, K.H.
    • Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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    • v.22 no.3
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    • pp.337-351
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    • 2006
  • In this study, to describe the basic characteristics of strong odorous sources, the emissions of odorous compounds from a large-scale sewage treatment plant in K city were investigated. According to this study, the emission patterns of major odorous compounds were distinguished clearly by several factors such as treatment processing types, chemical compositions of odors released, and temporal changes (e.g., seasonal variations). For the purpose of this study, emission rates of odorous compounds were quantified using a dynamic flux chamber (DFC) method from three major treatment (T) processes including T1 (Grit sedimentation basin), T2 (Aeration tank), and T3 (Final sedimentation). When the relative strengths of each emission source were compared, the strongest one was seen from T1 with the maximum of $NH_{3}\;(34.5\;{\mu}g/m^{2}/min)$ followed by $H_{2}S\;(20.4\;{\mu}g/m^{2}/min)($. While the strongest emissions of most odorous compounds were seen commonly from T1, those seen from T2 and T3 were significantly reduced relative to the ones found in T1. Considering the general patterns of odorous emission, it is concluded that control of odors from T1 unit is most important because of its considerably high emission strengths.