• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.13 no.1 s.28
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• pp.9-20
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• 2007

PAHs(Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) are widespread contaminants in the marine environment. They are of mainly anthropogenic origin from urban runoff, oil spill and combustion of fossil fuels. Some PAHs are potentially carcinogenic and mutagenic to aquatic organism The contamination of PAHs in the coastal environments has not been well known yet in Korea. This study was carried out to survey the contamination of PAHs in sediments around Gwangyang bay. The Yeosu petrochemical industrial complex, POSCO(Pohang steel company) and Gwangyang container harbor are located around the bay. PAHs in sediment samples were extracted in soxhlet extractor and were identified and quantified by GC-MS(Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) TOC(Total Organic carbon) and textural parameters in sediment samples were also analyzed 13 species of PAHs were detected at all of the surface sediments. Total PAHs concentrations in the surface sediments ranged from 171.40 to $1013.54{\mu}g/kg$ dry wt.. In most of the surface sediments, Naphthalene was the highest in the range of 14.08 to $691.39{\mu}g/kg$ dry wt. and Anthracene was the lowest in the range of 0.49 to $22.66{\mu}g/kg$ dry wt.. The correlation coefficients between individual PAHs and Total PAHs in the surface sediments were relatively higher in the low molecular compounds such as Naphthalene and Phenanthrene. In the relationship of the P/A(Phenanthrene/Anthracene) ratio and F/P(Fluoranthene/Pyrene) ratio, P/A ratio was generally above 10 and F/P ratio was shown to be above 1 in all sediment samples. These data indicate that PAHs in sediments around Gwangyang bay seem to be of both pyrolytic and petrogenic origin. Total PAHs in the surface sediments were correlated with TOC and textural parameters. The values of PAHs in the surface and core sediments were lower than the biological effect guidelines.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.257-266
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• 2008

PAHs are of mainly anthropogenic origin from urban runoff, oil spill and combustion of fossil fuels. Some PAHs are potentially carcinogenic and mutagenic to aquatic organisms. This study was carried out to survey the contamination of PAHs in the column sediments around Gwangyang bay. Yeosu petrochemical industrial complex, POSCO(Pohang steel compony) and Gwangyang container harbor are located near the bay. The column sediments were collected at 4 stations(A, B, C and D) and fractionated at intervals of two-centimeter depth on July 29, 1999. PAHs in colmn sediment samples were extracted in soxhlet extractor and were identified and quantified by GC-MS. PAHs compounds were analyzed and found to be 13 species. Total PAHs concentrations in the column sediments ranged from 275.04 to 2,838.64${\mu}g/kg$ dry wt. Naphthalene had the highest concentration in the range of 40.60 to 2,294.06${\mu}g/kg$ dry wt. and Anthracene had the lowest concentration in the range of 2.63 to 11.30${\mu}g/kg$ dry wt. The correlation coefficients between individual PAHs and total PAHs in the column sediments were relatively higher in the low molecular compounds such as Naphthalene, Acenaphthylene and Phenanthrene. The relationship between the P/A(Phenanthrene/Anthracene)ratio and F/P(Fluoranthene/Pyrene)ratio showed that P/A ratio was generally above 10 and F/P ratio was above 1 in all sediment samples. These data indicate that PAHs in the column sediments around Gwangyang bay seem to be of both pyrolytic and petrogenic origin The values of PAHs in the column sediments were lower than the biological effect guidelines.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.219-228
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• 2001

Surface sediments (0- 5 cm), mussels (Mytilus coruscus and M. edulis) and oysters (Crassostrea gigas) were sampled at 20 stations in Korean coast during a period of February to July 2000. Samples were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) content using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer detector (GC/MSD). The sediment $\sum PAH$ concentration varied from 7 to 1,214 ng/g dry weight and the level of carcinogenic PAHs of six species ranged from 1 to 563 ng/g dry weight in surface sediments. In organisms, the levels of $\sum PAH$ were in the range of 63-876 ng/g dry weight and the concentrations of carcinogenic PAHs of six species were in the range of 4-582 ng/g dry weight. The highest PAH concentrations in sediments and organisms were in samples from Station 5 in Pohang coast and Station 8 in Jinhae coast, respectively. $\sum PAH$ concentrations in sediments and organisms collected from Korean coast were slightly low or comparable to those in other countries. The contribution of ring aromatic groups to sum of 16 PAHs in sediments and organisms showed a similar pattern for most stations. In sediments, the predominant contributions were four and five ring aromatics like fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene. In the organisms, four ring aromatics like fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene and chrysene were predominant PAH species. Several molecular indices such as phenanthrene/anthracene, fluoranthene/pyrene and LMW/HMW ratio were used to identify the origin of PAH contamination in sediments. The results indicate that PAHs of Korean coast were mainly of pyro1ytic contaminants with slight petrogenic input. A high correlation within individual PAH compound in marine sediments was observed, while correlation in organisms showed a highly significant relationship for heavier molecular weight PAHs.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.187-195
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• 2010

To assess health risk for the intake among residents after the Hebei Spirit oil spill, 16 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seafood samples from oil contaminated bay were determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MSD) and samples were personally collected and purchased by residents. Samples were hydrolyzed with KOH and extracted with methylene chloride. The extracted solution were cleaned up using silica/florisil column and 16 PAHs were eluted by methylene chloride : n-hexane (1:9) mixture and determined by GC-MSD in Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) mode. The mean recoveries for 16 PAHs ranged from 79% to 85%. The 16 PAHs levels in 126 samples ranged from 0.17 to $6.04\;{\mu}g$/kg and the TEQBaP (Toxic EQuivalents) levels in 126 samples were calculated using benzo(a)pyrene toxic equivalency factor for individual 16 PAHs and ranged from 0 to $0.91\;{\mu}gTEQ$/kg. The average Benzo(a)pyrene dietary exposure of residents was $5.5{\times}10^{-8}\;mg/kg$ bw/day and the average PAHs chronic dietary exposure was $1.3{\times}10^{-5}\;mg$ TEQ/kg bw/day. The margin of exposure (MOE) and the excess cancer risk and were $1.8{\times}10^6$ and $9.8{\times}10^{-8}$, respectively. Therefore, the assessment result was considered as low concern for health risk.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.35-47
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• 2014

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the pollution level (gaseous and particle phase) in the public facilities for the PAHs, non-regulated materials, forecast the risk level by the health risk assessment (HRA) and propose the guideline level. PAH assessments through sampling of particulate matter of diameter < 2.5 ${\mu}m$ ($PM_{2.5}$). The user and worker exposure scenario for the PAHs consists of 24-hour exposure scenario (WIES) assuming the worst case and the normal exposure scenario (MIES) based on the survey. This study investigated 20 PAH substances selected out of 32 substances known to be carcinogenic or potentially carcinogenic. The risk assessment applies major toxic equivalency factor (TEF) proposed from existing studies and estaimates individual Excess Cancer Risk (ECR). The study assesses the fine dusts ($PM_{2.5}$) and the exposure levels of the gaseous and particle PAH materials for 6 spots in each 8 facility, e.g. underground subway stations, child-care facilities, elderly care facilities, super market, indoor parking lot, terminal waiting room, internet caf$\acute{e}$ (PC-rooms), movie theater. For internet caf$\acute{e}$ (PC-rooms) in particular, that marks the highest $PM_{2.5}$ concentration and the average concentration of 10 spots (2 spots for each cafe) is 73.3 ${\mu}g/m^3$ (range: 6.8-185.2 ${\mu}g/m^3$). The high level of $PM_{2.5}$ seen in internet cafes was likely due to indoor smoking in most cases. For the gaseous PAHs, the detection frequency for 4-5 rings shows high and the elements with 6 rings shows low frequency. For the particle PAHs, the detection frequency for 2-3 rings shows low and the elements with 6 rings show high frequency. As a result, it is investigated that the most important PAHs are the naphthalene, acenaphthene and phenanthrene from the study of Kim et al. (2013) and this annual study. The health risk assessment demonstrates that each facility shows the level of $10^{-6}-10^{-4}$. Considering standards and local source of pollution levels, it is judged that the management standard of the benzo (a)pyrene, one of the PAHs, shall be managed with the range of 0.5-1.2 $ng/m^3$. Smoking and ventilation were considered as the most important PAHs exposure associated with public facility $PM_{2.5}$. This study only estimated for inhalation health risk of PAHs and focused on the associated cancer risk, while multiple measurements would be necessary for public health and policy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1879-1887
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• 2013

To investigate the level of genotoxicity over Bangkok atmosphere, $PM_{10}$ samples were collected at the Klongchan Housing Authority (KHA), Nonsree High School (NHS), Watsing High School (WHS), Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), Chokchai 4 Police Station (CPS), Dindaeng Housing Authority (DHA) and Badindecha High School (BHS). For all monitoring stations, each sample covered a period of 24 hours taken at a normal weekday every month from January-December 2006 forming a database of 84 individual air samples (i.e. $12{\times}7=84$). Atmospheric concentrations of low molecular weight PAHs (i.e. phenanthrene, anthracene, pyrene and fluoranthene) were measured in $PM_{10}$ at seven observatory sites operated by the pollution control department of Thailand (PCD). The mutagenicity of extracts of the samples was compared in Salmonella according to standard Ames test method. The dependence of the effects on sampling time and on sampling location was investigated with the aid of a calculation of mutagenic index (MI). This MI was used to estimate the increase in mutagenicity above background levels (i.e. negative control) at the seven monitoring sites in urban area of Bangkok due to anthropogenic emissions within that area. Applications of the AMES method showed that the average MI of $PM_{10}$ collected at all sampling sites were $1.37{\pm}0.10$ (TA98; +S9), $1.24{\pm}0.08$ (TA98; -S9), $1.45{\pm}0.10$ (TA100; +S9) and $1.30{\pm}0.09$ (TA100; -S9) with relatively less variations. Analytical results reconfirm that the particulate PAH concentrations measured at PCD air quality monitoring stations are moderately low in comparison with previous results observed in other countries. In addition, the concept of incremental lifetime particulate matter exposure (ILPE) was employed to investigate the potential risks of exposure to particulate PAHs in Bangkok atmosphere.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2000

Although shipbuilding workers were exposed to a variety of genotoxic compounds including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), limited number of studies were conducted to evaluate the biomarkers related to PAH exposure in painting workers in shipbuilding industry. One hundred and thirty three workers including 73 employees using coal tar paints were recruited from a shipbuilding company located in South Korea. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide (1-OHPG), as internal dose of PAH exposure, were measured by synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy after immunoaffinity purification using monoclonal antibody 8E11. Glutathione S-transferase (GST)M1 and GSTT1 genotypes were assessed by multiplex PCR. Information on demographic characteristics, smoking gabit, diet, job title, use of personal protective equipments were collected by self-administered questionnaire. Urinary 1-OHPG were higher in workers using coal tar paints than in workers using general paints, however, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.20, Mann-Whitney U test). Urinary 1-OHPG levels in smokers were higher than in non-smokers (p<0.05 by Mann-Whitney U test) and there was a significant increase in urinary 1-OHPG levels with the numbers of cigarettes consumed per day (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.28, p=0.02). Genetic polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1 did not influence the level of 1-OHPG in study subjects. Multiple regression analysis show that smoking is the only significant predictor for lon-transformed 1-OHPG (overall model R2=0.1). These results suggest that workers using coal tar paints were exposed to significant amount of PAHs and individual difference in xenobiotic metabolism might affect the levels of internal dose of PAHs.

• Journal of ILASS-Korea
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.175-184
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• 2018

Emission characteristics of regulated (NOx, PM, CO, NMHC) and unregulated (VOCs, aldehydes, PAHs) air pollutants were investigated for diesel heavy duty buses equipped with different after-treatment systems (DPF+EGR and SCR) under urban driving cycle. The combustion temperature and the working temperature of SCR catalysts were important to make impact on NOx emissions, whereas PM emissions were low. The alkane groups dominated NMVOCs emissions, making 42.6~59.4% of sum of the NMVOCs emissions. Especially, alkane emissions of DPF+EGR-equipped vehicle included DOC had 14.9~15.5% higher than those of SCR-equipped vehicle due to low efficiency of oxidation catalyst. In the case of individual NMVOCs, n-nonane and propylene emissions highly occupied for DPF+EGR and SCR, respectively. Formaldehyde emissions among aldehydes were the highest and PAHs emissions were hardly detected except naphthalene and phenanthrene. The NMHC speciation has been shown to be the highest of the formaldehyde ranged 20.8~21.5%. The results of this study will be contributed to establish Korean HAPs emission inventory for automobile source.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.135-139
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• 2017

We have performed systematic studies of the properties of dust in various environments of nearby galaxies with AKARI. The unique capabilities of AKARI, such as near-infrared (near-IR) spectroscopy combined with all-sky coverage in the mid- and far-IR, enable us to study processing of dust, particularly carbonaceous grains includings polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), for unbiased samples of nearby galaxies. In this paper, we first review our recent results on individual galaxies, highlighting the uniqueness of AKARI data for studies of nearby galaxies. Then we present results of our systematic studies on nearby starburst and early-type galaxies. From the former study based on the near-IR spectroscopy and mid-IR all-sky survey data, we find that the properties of PAHs change systematically from IR galaxies to ultraluminous IR galaxies, depending on the IR luminosity of a galaxy or galaxy population. From the latter study based on the mid- and far-IR all-sky survey data, we find that there is a global correlation between the amounts of dust and old stars in early-type galaxies, giving an observational constraint on the origin of the dust.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1865-1877
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• 2013

Vertical variations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in $PM_{10}$ were investigated in order to assess the factors controlling their behavior in the urban atmosphere of Bangkok City, Thailand. Air samples were collected every three hours for three days at three different levels at Bai-Yok Suit Hotel (site-1 and site-2) and Bai-Yok Sky Hotel (site-3) in February $18^{th}-21^{st}$, 2008. The B[a]P concentration showed a value 0.54 fold, lower than the United Kingdom Expert Panel on Air Quality Standard (UK-EPAQS; i.e. 250 pg $m^{-3}$) at the top level. In contrast, the B[a]P concentrations exhibited, at the ground and middle level, values 1.50 and 1.43 times higher than the UK-EPAQS standard respectively. PAHs displayed a diurnal variation with maximums at night time because of the traffic rush hour coupled with lower nocturnal mixing layer, and the decreased wind speed, which consequently stabilized nocturnal boundary layer and thus enhanced the PAH contents around midnight. By applying Nielsen's technique, the estimated traffic contributions at Site-3 were higher than those of Site-1: about 10% and 22% for Method 1 and Method 2 respectively. These results reflect the more complicated emission sources of PAHs at ground level in comparison with those of higher altitudes. The average values of incremental individual lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for all sampling sites fell within the range of $10^{-7}-10^{-6}$, being close to the acceptable risk level ($10^{-6}$) but much lower than the priority risk level ($10^{-4}$).