• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.747-757
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• 2014

Since the air contamination by air pollutants from indoor construction materials and daily supplies has been increased in recent decades, the public interest of using environmentally friendly products and improving indoor air quality also attracted much attention. As known as effects of phytoncide, it has been used in construction materials and daily supplies with various method. In this study, hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) was used because of its high contents of phytoncide. The leaves of hinoki cypress (C. obtusa), which generated by pruning, were extracted by steam distillation, and then used as humidification water source. Volatile organic compound (VOC) from C. obtusa were characterized by GC-MS (Gas chromatograph-Mass spectrophotometry) in order to evaluate effects and risks of using C. obtusa extracts. Total 86 types and 116 types of VOC were detected from distilled water (DI water) and C. obtusa extracts, respectively. Aromatic compounds (DI water: 13 types, 53%; C. obtusa extracts: 13 types, 38%) and terpenoids (DI water: 16 types, 23%; C. obtusa extracts: 23 types, 33%) were detected more diverse types and higher amount than other compound categories. No additional aromatic compounds were found from C. obtusa extracts, so C. obtusa extracts did not affect on aromatic compounds emission. However, in terpenoids, total amount of emission from C. obtusa extracts increased to 33% from 23% (DI water) and 7 more types of compounds were found from C. obtusa extracts. Especially, from C. obtusa extracts, terpinen-4-ol was emitted 71 times higher than DI water. During the humidification with C. obtusa extracts, emitted terpenoid compounds were well known for higher anti-bacterial, anti-insect, and anti-septic functions, but also these had anti-hypertensive and anti-cancer activities. Therefore, terpenoids from C. obtusa extracts can help to improve public health by using humidifier.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.23-33
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• 2008

After the concept of apartments was introduced in 1960s in Korea, on account of the development of architectural technology and science, high-rise residences in Korea are getting higher, and these residences have been becoming high-rise commercial/residential buildings since 1990. Nowadays, as the construction of high-rise commercial residential building complex is booming, the difference between these complex and high-rise apartments is getting smaller, and these two kind of high-rise residences are becoming new residential style in Korea. And these high-rise residences are considered the symbol of wealth owing to the marketing strategy emphasizing high quality, refined interior, a fair view, and the protection of privacy. However, high-rise residences bring about many problems related to health and psychology caused by the consumption of a large amount of energy, pollutant emission, the deterioration of the quality of indoor air, and vibration. For this reason, in this study, we tried to emphasize the necessity of environment-friendly access to provide healthy living environment and to reduce the negative effect of housing life in high-rise residences, and find the method to improve environment-friendly quality and health of residents in interior space. Therefore, this study aims to detect the problems and the items to be improved of interior spaces of high-rise residences by quantitative, qualitative analysis of the evaluation elements and the floor planning elements deduced from environment-friendly architectural certification in Korea and the other countries, and suggest the guideline to improve the environment-friendly quality of these interior spaces.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2014

Since airborne bacteria have been known to aggravate indoor air quality, studies on reducing bacteria particles increase recently. In this study, a chamber(0.8m x 0.8m x 1.56m) system was built in order to simulate real conditions for reducing airborne bacteria, and evaluated by a simple aerosol reduction test. A method utilizing CFD(Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation was used to detect the horizontal cross-sectional area which represents particle distribution in the chamber. Then an air-cleaner with HEPA filter and Carbon Fiber Ionizer was located on that area for aerosol reduction test. The CFD result found the area was located at 0.2m height from the bottom of the chamber, and the test showed aerosol reduction efficiencies using measurements of number concentration and CFU(colony forming unit) per each case. At the measurement of number concentration, the reduction efficiency of air-cleaner with filter and ionizer(Case 3) was about 90% after 4 minutes from the stop of the bacteria injection, and that with only filter(Case 2) was about 90% after 8 minutes from the beginning. Lastly, that without filter and ionizer(Case 1) was about 30% after 10 minutes. At the measurement of CFU, it shows similar results but it is related to viability of bio-aerosol.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.207-218
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• 2014

A ventilation model was developed for predicting the air change per hour(ACH) in buildings and the airflow rates between zones of a multi-room building. In this model, the important parameters used in the calculation of airflow are wind velocity, wind direction, terrain effect, shielding effect by surrounding buildings, the effect of the window type and insect screening, etc. Also, the resulting set of mass balance equations required for the process of calculation of airflow rates are solved using a Conte-De Boor method. When this model was applied to the building which had been tested by Chandra et al.(1983), the comparison of predicted results by this study with measured results by Chandra et al. indicated that their variations were within -10%~+12%. Also, this model was applied to a building with five zones. As a result, when the wind velocity and direction did not change, terrain characteristics influenced the largest and window types influenced the least on building ventilation among terrain characteristics, local shieldings, and window types. Except for easterly and westerly winds, the ACH increased depending on wind velocity. The wind direction had influence on the airflow rates and directions through openings in building. Thus, this model can be available for predicting the airflow rates within buildings, and the results of this study can be useful for the quantification of airflow that is essential to the research of indoor air quality(temperature, humidity, or contaminant concentration) as well as to the design of building with high energy efficiency.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.12 no.4
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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.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.715-727
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• 2004

This study was carried out to evaluate non-smoker's exposure levels to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in the air of offices in urban areas. A total of 65 offices were selected from two large cities, i.e. Daegu and Daejeon. The field sampling was conducted repeatedly in summer (1999) and winter (1999～2000). The measured ETS markers included respirable suspended particles (RSP as PM$_{40}$ ), vapor and particulate phase ETS markers, including nicotine, 3-ethnyl pyridine (3-EP), ultraviolet absorbing particulate matter (UVPM), fluorescing particulate matter (FPM), and solanseol in ETS particles (SolPM). RSP was measured gravimetrically by a microbalance. The particle samples were then used for the determination of particulate ETS markers by HPLC, while vapor phase markers determined by GC/NPD. The analytical methods were validated for repeatability, linearity, detection limits, and duplication precision. The concentrations of RSP and other ETS markers were significantly higher in smoking offices than non-smoking offices. Despite the similar smoking strength in each office for different seasons, the concentration levels of ETS components appeared to be higher in winter than summer. The contributions of ETS to RSP concentrations based on SolPM, FPM, and UVPM methods were estimated to be in the range of 15.2 ～ 25.3% in smoking offices, whereas 2.4 ～ 15.9% in non-smoking offices. The cooling and heating types did not affect significantly the concentrations of RSP and other ETS markers. Finally, further research issues were suggested to obtain more scientific information on the non-smoker's exposure to ETS with respect to the frame of risk assessment..

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.5045-5050
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• 2015

As modern houses are constructed with high-density and high-insulation, there is benefit to reduce energy consumption, but there are many side effects raised from polluted air. To solve the problem, a ventilation system is used to improve a indoor air quality. In this study, we tested the parallel flow type heat exchanger used in a heat exchanger of an automotive air conditioner. And we experimentally estimate ventilation performance of HRV(heat recovery ventilator) with heat-pipe according to working fluid filling quantity and ventilation. The working fluid was R22, which was filled from 40 to 60 (%vol.) by 10(%vol.). Ventilation based on the front velocity was measured from 0.3 m/s to 1.5 m/s by 0.3 m/s intervals. Refrigerant filling quantity with the highest efficiency was found to depend on the ventilation. From this study the optimal refrigerant filling quantity in accordance with the ventilation of the detachable heat pipes was found experimentally.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.9-21
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• 2022

In this study, a novel antiviral coating method for the air filtration system of subway station was investigated. Using dry aerosol coating process, we developed a high-performance antiviral air filter with spark discharger and carbon brush type ionizer. Silver nanoparticles were produced by a spark discharge generation system with ion injection system and were used as antiviral agents coated onto a medium grade air filter. The pressure drop, filtration efficiency, and antiviral ability of the filter against aerosolized MS2 virus particles as a surrogate of SARS-CoV-2 virus were tested with dust contamination. Dust contamination caused the increase of the filtration efficiency and pressure drop, while the antiviral agents (in this study, silver nanoparticles) coating did not have any significant effect on the filtration efficiency and pressure drop. Using these properties, we suggested a novel method to maximize the antiviral performance of the antiviral air filter that was contaminated by dust particles. Moreover theoretical analysis of antiviral ability with dust contamination and re-coated antiviral agents was carried out using a mathematical model to calculate the time-dependent antiviral effect of the filter under actual conditions of subway station. Our model can be used to apply on antiviral air filtration system of subway station for prevention of pandemic diffusion, and predict the life cycle of an antiviral filter.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.5
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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.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.692-697
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• 2006

Deodorization of natural zeolites have been improved not only for polar but also for non-polar pollutants by sucessive ion exchanges of H and Ag ions starting from Korean natural zeolite with high adsorption capacity. The modified zeolites with $TiO_2$ coating on the surface revealed high deodorization and photocatalytic decomposition effects. Further modification was made with $10{\sim}20nm$ silica nano particles coating on the surface, the resulting composite particles of $SiO_2/TiO_2/modified$ natural zeolite revealed not only comparable deodorization but also better durability and resisatnce to color change compared to the $TiO_2$/modified natural zeolite without much compensation of photocatalytic decomposition effect, when the composite particles were exposed to the polypropylene non-woven fiber coated with organic binder. It is expected for the composite particle prepared here to be used as indoor building materials for indoor air quality control.