• 대한환경공학회지
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• 제36권8호
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• pp.528-533
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• 2014

현재 사람들은 환경오염에 대한 관심이 많으며 각종 오염물질로 오염된 실내의 공기질을 향상시키고자 노력한다. 건강하고 쾌적한 생활환경을 조성하는 것은 매우 중요한 문제다. 본 연구에서는 공기정화분야에서 최초로 녹색기술 인증을 받은 기술을 사용하여 실내공기오염의 주범인 악취물질의 제거 효율을 향상시키고자 하였다. 이 녹색기술은 광촉매를 사용한 기존의 공기정화 시스템에 적외선램프를 사용하여 오염원인 물질들과 OH라디칼의 반응성을 높여 산화반응이 보다 쉽게 일어나도록 한 기술이다. 기존의 공기정화기와 비교하여 적외선램프를 부착한 녹색기술의 효율을 평가하였을 때, 오염원인물질의 초기 농도와 원인물질 종류에 따라 분해 효율의 차이가 나타났다. 저농도의 경우 16.9%의 제거효율 향상이 관찰되었고, 고농도의 경우 13.2%의 제거효율이 향상되었다.

• 분석과학
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• 제30권6호
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• pp.329-337
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• 2017

A major concern regarding most auto-repair shops in residential areas is the emission of odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the local atmosphere, especially during painting operations. VOCs contribute to poor local air quality and are responsible for the perceived odor and discomfort experienced by local residents. Sixteen major VOCs (6 aromatic hydrocarbons and 10 aliphatic carbonyl compounds) were selected as potential target compounds. The site was an auto-repair shop located in a central region of Seoul, South Korea, where the air quality of the site has been a subject of residents' complaints. The sampling points were as follows: 1) in the painting booth with new (NB) or old (OB) removal system, (2) in the exhaust duct after new (ND) or old (OD) odor removal filter, and (3) 2 m below the discharge vent (4 m above the ground) (outdoor air, OA). Each sample was coded: (1) before painting (BP), (2) during painting (DP), and (3) after painting (AP). The toluene level in the duct with the new removal filter during painting (ND-DP) was 1.5 ppm (v/v), while it was 3.8 ppm (v/v) in the right duct with an old removal filter during painting (OD-DP). Accordingly, the effect of filter replacement was reflected by differences in VOC levels. Therefore, accurate monitoring of odorous VOCs is an important step to reduce odor nuisance from local sources.

• 설비공학논문집
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• 제21권12호
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• pp.715-732
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• 2009

This article reviews the papers published in the Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering during 2008. It is intended to understand the status of current research in the areas of heating, cooling, ventilation, sanitation, and indoor environments of buildings and plant facilities. Conclusions are as follows. (1) Research trends in thermal and fluid engineering have been surveyed in the categories of general fluid flow, fluid machinery and piping, new and renewable energy, and fire. Well-developed CFD technologies were widely applied in developing facilities and their systems. New research topics include fire, fuel cell, and solar energy. Research was mainly focused on flow distribution and optimization in the fields of fluid machinery and piping. Topics related to the development of fans and compressors had been popular, but were no longer investigated widely. Research papers on micro heat exchangers using nanofluids and micro pumps were also not presented during this period. There were some studies on thermal reliability and performance in the fields of new and renewable energy. Numerical simulations of smoke ventilation and the spread of fire were the main topics in the field of fire. (2) Research works on heat transfer presented in 2008 have been reviewed in the categories of heat transfer characteristics, industrial heat exchangers, and ground heat exchangers. Research on heat transfer characteristics included thermal transport in cryogenic vessels, dish solar collectors, radiative thermal reflectors, variable conductance heat pipes, and flow condensation and evaporation of refrigerants. In the area of industrial heat exchangers, examined are research on micro-channel plate heat exchangers, liquid cooled cold plates, fin-tube heat exchangers, and frost behavior of heat exchanger fins. Measurements on ground thermal conductivity and on the thermal diffusion characteristics of ground heat exchangers were reported. (3) In the field of refrigeration, many studies were presented on simultaneous heating and cooling heat pump systems. Switching between various operation modes and optimizing the refrigerant charge were considered in this research. Studies of heat pump systems using unutilized energy sources such as sewage water and river water were reported. Evaporative cooling was studied both theoretically and experimentally as a potential alternative to the conventional methods. (4) Research papers on building facilities have been reviewed and divided into studies on heat and cold sources, air conditioning and air cleaning, ventilation, automatic control of heat sources with piping systems, and sound reduction in hydraulic turbine dynamo rooms. In particular, considered were efficient and effective uses of energy resulting in reduced environmental pollution and operating costs. (5) In the field of building environments, many studies focused on health and comfort. Ventilation. system performance was considered to be important in improving indoor air conditions. Due to high oil prices, various tests were planned to examine building energy consumption and to cut life cycle costs.

• KIEAE Journal
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.77-82
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• 2012

This study conducted the experiment of reduction of Volatile Organic Compounds(VOCs) and Formaldehyde concentration by Native plants, Fatsia japonica and Ardisia pusilla. The two plants are advantageous in that they are highly available as they grow wild, and being easy to get. Fatsia japonica is a plant of its wide and large leaf diverged 7 or 8 parts, which is thought to have a high effect of air purification. Ardisia pusilla has a smaller leaf than Fatsia japonica, which is characterized by more leaves and beautiful. Field measurements were performed using Fatsia japonica and Ardisia pusilla which were verified as air-purifying plants in Korea. The effect of reducing the concentration of VOCs and Formaldehyde by plant studied in a full scale mock-up model. The dimensions of the two models were equal. The concentration of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylene, Stylene, Formaldehyde were monitored, since they were known as most toxic materials. The concentration of VOCs was monitored three hours after the plants were placed and three days after the plants were placed. Field measurements were performed in models where the plants were placed and were not. As a result, they had all an effect of reducing pollution. In all cases of experiment of planting and growing volume, the more planting volume, the more excellent the effect. Toluene was more effective in Fatsia japonica and Ardisia pusilla planted, Formaldehyde was more effective in Fatsia japonica planted respectively. In planting and growing and placing experiment, the placement at sunny spot was more effective than that at scattered growing. When Fatsia japonica was placed at sunny spot, the reduction effect of Formaldehyde was the most excellent, and when Ardisia pusilla was placed at sunny spot, the reduction effect of Toluene was the most effective.

• 대한환경공학회지
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• 제27권6호
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• pp.606-613
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• 2005

본 연구에서는 실내공기 중 포름알데히드를 측정하기 위해 세 가지 다른 반응의 흡광광도법(비색분석)을 응용한 뱃지형 확산측정기를 평가하였다. 흡수여지의 세척방법을 비교한 결과 사용된 세척용액의 종류에 관계없이 세척하지 않은 경우 보다 양호한 세척효과가 나타났다. 각 측정방법에서 사용될 흡수액의 농도는 시료채취율을 기준으로 정하였다. 평가된 공시험 값은 측정방법별로 15% 이내의 편차를 가진 것으로 나타나 대체적으로 안정적인 것으로 나타났다. 확산측정기의 재현성은 MBTH법이 상대표준편차 10% 이내로 가장 양호하며, 채취된 포름알데히드 양과 시간가중평균농도와의 상관관계는 세 가지 측정방법 모두 양호한 것으로 나타났다. 검출한계 및 정량한계는 시료채취율이 가장 좋은 MBTH법이 다른 측정방법과 비교하여 가장 낮게 나타나 시료채취율이 가장 크고 정량한계가 낮은 측정방법일수록 포름알데히드 측정에 요구되는 측정시간이 감소되는 것으로 나타났다.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제37권5호
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• pp.369-375
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• 2011

Objectives: Exposure to hazardous chemicals during pregnancy may result incritical reproductive health outcomes. Indoor residential levels are significant component of personal exposure. The collection of residential exposure data has been hampered by the cost and participant burden of health studies of indoor air pollution. This study utilized a participant-based approach to collect volatile organic compounds concentration from homes. Methods: Four hundred thirteen women were recruited from three major hospitals in Seoul and Gyeongi Provence and 411 agreed to participate. A passive sampler (OVM 3500, 3M, USA) with instructions were given to the participants, as well as a questionnaire. They were asked to deploy the sampler in their homes for three to five days and return them viapre-stamped envelope. Results: Three hundred forty six participants returned the sampler. Among the returned samplers, three hundred samplers satisfied our monitoring quality criteria. The success rate of the monitoring method was 73%. The geometric mean of TVOC level was 429(2) ${\mu}g/m^3$. The TVOC guideline of 500 ${\mu}g/m^3$ was exceeded in 38% of the houses. The residential VOC levels were significantly associated with remodeling of the house. Conclusions: The results suggested that a participant-based sampling approach may be a feasible and costeffective alternative to exposure assessment involving home visits by a field technician.

• 실내환경 및 냄새 학회지
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.277-286
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• 2017

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of $PM_{10}$ and $O_3$ concentration on the symptoms of allergic diseases. The questionnaire was used to determine whether or not symptoms of allergic diseases were present from September to October 2012. The air pollution concentration data used was the corresponding point CEM (continuous emission monitoring) data. The average concentration of $PM_{10}$ was $56.09{\mu}g/m^3$ in the control area, and the concentration in the exposed area was $40.44{\mu}g/m^3$. In the two areas, concentration of $O_3$ was 28.73 ppb and 28.74 ppb, respectively. The total average concentrations of $PM_{10}$ and $O_3$ were $45.66{\mu}g/m^3$ and 28.73 ppb in the Gwangyang area. The rate of asthma diagnosis was higher in the control area (9.6%) than in the exposed area (4.1%), but the rate of allergy eye disease was higher in the exposed area (23.9%) than in the control area (16.5%). There was a significant difference in the symptoms of some allergic diseases when the relative concentration of $PM_{10}$ and $O_3$ were high and low.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.218-227
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• 2023

Background: Since 2019, the Ministry of Environment has implemented a seasonal fine dust management system from December to March, targeting high PM_2.5 levels with the aim of reducing PM_2.5 concentrations and protecting public health. The focus of improving the seasonal management system lies in the atmospheric PM_2.5 levels. Considering the primary goal of protecting public health, it is necessary to analyze the policy effects from an exposure perspective rather than a concentration-based approach. Objectives: This study aims to quantitatively assess the improvement of indoor PM_2.5 levels and the health impacts of the seasonal management system by comparing the periods before and during its implementation in residential environments. Methods: PM_2.5 concentrations within residential environments in a metropolitan area were measured using an optical particle counter (IAQ-C7, K-weather, Ltd, Korea) at one-minute intervals during the pre-implementation period (November 21~25, 2022) and during the implementation period (December 19~23, 2022). Based on the measured PM_2.5 concentrations, a quantitative evaluation of cancer and mortality risks was conducted according to age and gender. Results: The results of comparing indoor and outdoor PM_2.5 concentrations before and during the implementation of the seasonal management system showed a decrease of approximately 56.6% and 47.9%, respectively. Health risk assessments revealed that both the safety-limit-based and safety-target-based Hazard Quotients (HQ) exceeded the threshold of 0.1 for children under 19 years of age, both before and after the implementation. The mortality risk decreased by approximately 47.9% after the implementation, with children aged 0-9 showing the highest mortality risk at 0.9%. Conclusions: The findings of this study confirmed the positive health impacts of the seasonal management system across all age groups, particularly children under 19 who are more vulnerable to fine dust exposure.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.241-246
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• 2016

This paper discusses the influence of organic matter contained in aggregate on the emission characteristic of ammonia ($NH_3$) from cement mortar. $NH_3$ can be released to indoor-outdoor environment through diffusion in mortar (or concrete) and have resulted in the increasing air pollution, and especially well known as a harmful gas for the human body. The concentration of $NH_3$ released from cement concrete was then compared to the contents of organic matter contained in the aggregate. The result indicates that the contents of organic matter in the aggregate significantly differ with types of aggregate from different areas of production. The organic matter becomes organic nitrogen through the process of microbial breakdown for a certain period and pure ammonium ion ($NH_4{^+}$) is produced from the organic nitrogen. The $NH_4{^+}$ was reacted with alkaline elements in the cement and released as $NH_3$ from cement concrete through a volatile process. The released $NH_3$ was proportional to the contents of $NH_4{^+}$ adsorbed in the aggregate from different areas of production and the concentrations of $NH_3$ emission from cement mortar according to the aggregate differ by more than 4 times.

• 한국환경생물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경생물학회 2004년도 학술대회
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• pp.1-15
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• 2004

Higher plants can be valuable genetic assay systems for monitoring environmental pollutants and evaluating their biological toxicity. Two assays are considered ideal for in situ monitoring and testing of soil, airborne and aqueous mutagenic agents; the Tradescantia stamen hair assay for somatic cell mutations and the Tradescantia micronucleus assay for chromosome aberrations. Both assays can be used for in vivo and in vitro testing of mutagens. Since higher plant systems are now recognized as excellent indicators and have unique advantages over in situ monitoring and screening, higher plant systems could be accepted by regulatory authorities as an alternative first-tier assay system for the detection of possible genetic damages resulting from the pollutants or chemicals used and produced by industrial sectors. It has been concluded that potential mutagen and carcinogen such as the heavy metals among indoor air particulates, volatile compounds in the working places, soil, and water pollutants contribute to the overall health risk. This contribution can be considerable under certain circumstances. It is therefore important to identify the level of genotoxic activity in the environment and to relate it to the biomarkers of a health risk in humans. The results from the higher plant bioassays could make a significant contribution to assessing the risks of pollutants and protecting the public firom agents that can cause mutation anuor cancer. The plant bioassays, which are relatively inexpensive and easy to handle, are recommended for the scientists who are interested in monitoring pollutants and evaluating their environmental toxicity to living organisms.