• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.346-353
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• 2013

Objectives: The goal of this study is to identify the distribution of the foliar fluorine content of vegetation surrounding the area where hydrofluoric acid was accidently released in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do on September 27, 2012. In addition, it also aims to estimate the concentration of hydrogen fluoride in the air on the day of the accident. Methods: Samples of plant leaves were collected on October 7, 2012 within 1 km from the site where the accident occurred. These samples were analyzed for soluble fluorine ion with an ion selective electrode. The ambient concentration of hydrogen fluoride was calculated using the fluoride content in the plant via the dose-rate equation (${\Delta}F$=KCT). Results: The arithmetic and geometric means of the concentrations were 2158.2 and 1183.7mg F $kg^{-1}$ for leaves and, 2.4 and 1.1 ppm HF for the air, respectively. The highest concentration of hydrogen fluoride in the air was 14.7 ppm, which is higher than the maximum concentration reported by the government (1 ppm) and the exposure limit (ceiling, 3 ppm). The concentrations of both fluorine and hydrogen fluoride decreased with increasing distance from the accident site and showed a significant decrease outside of a 500m radius from the site (p <0.05). Conclusions: The area around the accident site was highly polluted with hydrogen fluoride according to the results of this study. Considering the persistency of hydrogen fluoride in the environment, long-term monitoring and environmental impact assessment should be pursued.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.248-255
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• 2016

The leaves of three plant species, such as soybean, raspberry, and kudzu, exposed to hydrogen fluoride was collected in an area surrounding an emission source where the release accident occurred. The ultrasonic-assisted extraction and analysis of fluoride by ion chromatography was carried out. The mean concentration of fluoride in the leaves of three plant species exposed to hydrogen fluoride was $5,409{\pm}1,198mg\;F/kg\;dry\;wt$ and $788{\pm}339mg\;F/kg\;dry\;wt$, respectively. The mean fluoride concentration in ambient air were estimated to be $2.36{\pm}0.65mg/m^3$ ($2.89{\pm}0.79ppm$) and $0.35{\pm}0.15mg/m^3$ ($0.43{\pm}0.19ppm$) in exposed and unexposed sites, respectively. It seems likely that the passive monitoring using plant leaves could identify with respect to plant risk by fluoride in atmosphere.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.121-123
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• 2018

Fluoride is one of most important atoms for both clinical and pharmaceutical usage. Associated with such a strong need, $^{18}F$-fluoride has been widely used as an essential radioisotope. The fluoride always suffers from strong solvation effects through strong hydrogen bonding, which reduce the reactivity of fluoride anion. To enhance the reactivity, the concept of naked fluoride was introduced in the fluorination field. In this essay, I will briefly describe the history of naked fluoride concept and development of naked fluoride sources.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.375-380
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• 2011

This study evaluated whether fluoride treatment can affect recovery of the irregularity of enamel surface after tooth whitening with a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide (HP) activated by plasma arc light. A total of 36 bovine teeth stained with coke were used in this experiment. The specimens were classified into following three groups (two different commercial plasma arc groups and a control group without light curing source): (1) 35% HP gel only, (2): 35% HP gel and Plasma arc A, and (3) 35% HP gel and Plasma arc B. To measure color changes and surface morphologies before and after the bleaching, colorimeter and scanning electron microscopy were used, respectively. When the specimens were bleached with hydrogen peroxide and plasma arc lights, the bleaching effect was greater than when only hydrogen peroxide gels were used (Kruskal-Wallis test, p<0.05). In addition, plasma arc B showed the more color changes than plasma arc A (Bonferroni post-hoc test, p<0.05). The surfaces of the teeth treated with fluoride gel after the whitening treatment came to be smooth. Therefore, the results of this study suggested that the fluoride application for patients who got tooth whitening therapy with a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide gels activated by plasma arc light will be effective to recover rough enamel surfaces.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.255-266
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• 2024

The purpose is to evaluate evacuation safety by simulating the toxic effects of hydrogen fluoride leaks in areas surrounding national industrial complexes and to suggest alternatives for areas that do not satisfy evacuation safety. For human casualties caused by hydrogen fluoride leakage accidents, Available Safe Egress Time (ASET) is calculated by the toxic effects quantified with the Areal Locations of Hazardous Atmospheres (ALOHA), an off-site consequence assessment program. The Required Safe Egress Time (RSET) is calculated through Pathfinder, an evacuation simulation program. Evacuation safety is assessed by comparing ASET and RSET. The ALOHA program was used to evaluate the time to reach AEGL-2 concentration in 12 scenarios. The Pathfinder program was used to assess the total evacuation time of the high school among specific fire-fighting objects. Of the 12 accident scenarios, ASET was larger than RSET in the worst-case scenarios 1 and 9. For the remaining 10 accident scenarios, the ASET is smaller than the RSET, so we found that evacuation safety is not guaranteed, and countermeasures are required. Since evacuation safety is not satisfactory, we proposed to set up an evacuation area equipped with positive pressure equipment and air respirators inside specific fire-fighting objects such as the high school.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.190-196
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• 2016

The objective of this study is to obtain the optimal conditions to remove hydrogen fluoride (HF) generated from a variety of F-gas treatment processes. First, we selected $Ca(OH)_2$ and $CaCO_3$ as a reactant among the various alkali salts which have a high removal efficiency and a competitive price by forming a calcium fluoride precipitate. Additionally, various factors were investigated to improve the removal efficiency of HF. The conditions such as the settling time, agitating time and intensity, reaction temperature, and pH were considered as main factors. As a result, in the treatment process to remove HF through Ca-based alkali salts, the optimal conditions were a 120 min settling time, 30 min of agitation at 100 rpm, a pH of 4-8, and a reaction temperature of $40^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.702-708
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• 2012

Tetrafluoromethane ($CF_4$) has been used as etching and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) gases for semiconductor manufacturing processes. These gases need to be removed efficiently because of their strong absorption of infrared radiation and long atmospheric lifetimes which cause the global warming effect. Also, the wastewater including the fluorine is caused by of the ground water pollution. Long-term consumption of water containing excessive fluoride can lead to fluorosis of the teeth and bones. The wastewater including the fluorine among the by-product which is generated by using the waterjet plasma after destroying $CF_4$ by HF is generated. The system which can remove the hydrogen fluoride among the wastewater by using the electrocoagulation using this wastewater the aluminum electrode was developed. The operating condition such as initial pH, electrocoagulation time, wastewater flow rate, current density were investigated experimentally using a electrocoagulation. Through the parametric studies, the highest hydrogen fluoride destruction of 85% was achieved at 3.5 initial pH, 10 min electrocoagulation time, 10 mL/min wastewater flow rate and $159A/m^2$ current density.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.534-541
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence rate of multiple chemical sensitivity/idiopathic environmental intolerance(MCS/IEI) among workers in the Gumi industrial complex around the region of accidental release of hydrogen fluoride in 2012. Materials: We evaluated MCS/IEI using the Korean version of the Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory(QEESI). A total of 535 workers at six manufacturing companies in the Gumi industrial complex were investigated using self-administered questionnaires from February to March 2015. After exclusion of incompletely answered questionnaires, 271 were analyzed. Results: The prevalence rate and proved positive rate of MCS/IEI were 5.9%(16 out of 271) and 3.7%(10 out of 271), respectively. The scores of chemical intolerance, other intolerance, symptom severity and life impact were significantly higher(p<0.05) in females than those of males. In terms of masking index scores, males showed significantly higher(p=0.003) than female. The self-reported MCS/IEI prevalence rate, 7.7%, of workers exposed to hydrogen fluoride in 2012 was higher than no-exposure group(5.6%), but not statistically significant(p=0.815). Conclusions: Although the prevalence rate of MCS/IEI symptoms of workers exposed to hydrogen fluoride gas in 2012 was not significantly higher than no-exposure group, it is necessary to conduct follow-up study on the exposure group of hydrogen fluoride.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.56 no.12
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• pp.878-884
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• 2018

In the present work, we selected a polymer, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), as an additive to improve the hydrogenation and dehydrogenation properties of Mg. 95 wt% Mg + 5 wt% PVDF (designated Mg-5PVDF) samples were prepared via milling in hydrogen atmosphere (reactive milling), and the hydrogenation and dehydrogenation characteristics of the prepared samples were compared with those of Mg milled in hydrogen atmosphere. The dehydrogenation of magnesium hydride formed in the as-prepared Mg-5PVDF during reactive milling began at 681 K. In the fourth cycle (n=4), the initial hydrogenation rate was 0.75 wt% H/min and the quantity of hydrogen absorbed for 60 min, $H_a$ (60 min), was 3.57 wt% H at 573 K and in 12 bar $H_2$. It is believed that after reactive milling the PVDF became amorphous. The milling of Mg with the PVDF in hydrogen atmosphere is believed to have produced defects and cracks. The fabrication of defects is thought to ease nucleation. The fabrication of cracks is thought to expose fresh surfaces, resulting in an increase in the reactivity of the particles with hydrogen and a decrease in the diffusion distances of hydrogen atoms. As far as we know, this investigation is the first in which a polymer PVDF was added to Mg by reactive milling to improve the hydrogenation and dehydrogenation characteristics of Mg.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.792-799
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• 2019

The present study aims to investigate the fluorination of thorium oxide ($ThO_2$) by ammonium hydrogen difluoride ($NH_4HF_2$). Fluorination was performed at room temperature by mixing $ThO_2$ and $NH_4HF_2$ at different molar ratios, which was then left to react for 20 days. Next, the mixtures were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) at the intervals of 5, 10, 15, and 20 days, followed by the heating of the mixtures at $450-750^{\circ}C$ with argon gas flow. The characterization of $ThF_4$ was established using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy-dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). In this study, ammonium thorium fluoride was synthesized through the fluorination of $ThO_2$ at room temperature. The optimum molar ratio in synthesizing ammonium thorium fluoride was 1.0:5.5 ($ThO_2:NH_4HF_2$) with 5 days reaction time. In addition, the heating of ammonium thorium fluoride at $450^{\circ}C$ was sufficient to produce $ThF_4$. Overall, this study proved that $NH_4HF_2$ is one of the fluorination agents that is capable of synthesizing $ThF_4$.