• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.73-81
• /
• 1991

To assess biological air quality, concentrations of viable airborne microbes were determined in hospital home and outdoor air from August 25 to October 18, 1990. Bacteria, fungi and thermophilic bacteria were sampled using gravitational and suctional sampling method. In bacteria groups, the Staphylococcus spp. was identified by microscopic examination and biochemical tests. Results of the study are as follows. 1. Results using the gravitational sampling method indicated that average numbers of airborne microbes in hospital home and outdoor air were 21.5, 12.2 and 17.6 CFU/plate, respectively. These levels are well within an appropriate standard of 50 CFU/plate suggested by Endo. 2. Results using the suctional sampling method indicated that total airborne microbe concentrations in hospital, home and outdoor air were 1,998, 1,363 and $1,880CFU/m^3$, respectively. All of the results were within the recommended remedial action level, $10,000CFU/m^3$ of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists(ACGIH). 3. Concentration of thermophilic bacteria in hospital and outdoor air were 79 and $111CFU/m^3$, respectively. Thermophilic bacteria were not detected in the home air. These results were within the remedial action level, $500CFU/m^3$. 4. Concentrations of Gram negative bacilli in holpital home and outdoor air were 20.3, 23.6 and $16.8CFU/m^3$, respectively. all were within the remedial action level, $500CFU/m^3$, recommended by ACGIH. 5. Concentrations of Staphylococcus spp. in hospital, home and outdoor air were 34.8, 14.7, and $22.4CFU/m^3$. respectively. all were within the remedial action level, $75CFU/m^3$, recommended by ACGIH. The percentages of Staphylococcus spp. in total bacteria in hospital, home and outdoor air were 19.0, 10.2 and 14.5%, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.324-332
• /
• 2017

Objectives: Much scientific evidence indicate a positive association between moldy environments and respiratory illnesses and/or symptoms. However, few comprehensive assessments of mold have been performed for such settings. Spore counts or microscopic enumeration only may not be sufficient for evaluating fungal exposure. Recently, Mold Specific QPCR technology developed by the US EPA (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index, ERMI) has been widely used worldwide and great performance for assessing fungal exposure has been shown. Methods: We aimed to develop a Korean version of ERMI suitable for the distribution of fungal flora in Korea. Thirty dwellings in the Seoul and Incheon area were selected for sampling, and each was classified as 'Flooded, 'Water-damaged' or 'Non-water-damaged'. Results: Dust on the floor and airborne sampling were collected using an MAS100 and a 'Dustream' collector. Samples were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction(QPCR) for the 36 molds belonging to ERMI. Student t-test and ANOVA tests were carried out using SAS software. The median ERMI values of flooded, water damaged, and non-water damaged dwellings were 8.24(range: -5.6 to 27.9), 5.47(-25. 4 to 32.7), and -15.30(-24.6 to 14.8), respectively. Significant differences were observed between flooded and non-water damaged dwellings (P=0.001) and between water-damaged and non-water damaged dwellings (P=0.032). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that ERMI values attributed to dust samples in Korea could be applicable for the identification of flooded or water damaged buildings. However, much data is needed for continuously developing the Korean version of ERMI values.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.9-15
• /
• 2020

As of 2018, total yield of lettuce and strawberry amounted to 93,543 tons (representing 1.0 percent) and 183,639 tons (2.0 percent), respectively, among total yields worth 9,185,889 tons in South Korea. Lettuce is affected by a combination of numerous elements such as varieties, cultivation methods and pests during each growth phase (Lee et al., 1999). It is mainly cultivated in spring and fall. Especially due to respiration rate after harvest leading to reduced quality and poor storage, maintaining annual supply is unavailable (Jang et al., 2018). With the distribution of new varieties, forcing culture and indoor insulated facilities for plant cultivation during winter, strawberries are produced every year except for late summer and early fall. Due to active respiration, transpiration, soft flesh and high water content, the fruit is vulnerable to go bad and got rotten compared to other fruits. Furthermore, it is difficult to maintain freshness due to the possibility of softening, discoloration and fungi (Lee et al., 2012). In this regard, developing improved storage and package techniques is needed to ensure maintaining quality and safety even just two to three days after harvest. In order to ensure improved quality and safety of strawberries and lettuce after harvest, the present study applied a modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technology (Mostofi et. al., 2008). Going forward, it compared the quality and safety of the two products while being stored in a way that put them in an MAP-applied container and a plastic container at room temperature and 4 degree Celsius.

• Journal of Urban Science
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.29-37
• /
• 2021

The number of old buildings older than 30 years in Korea continues to increase from 29.9% in 2005 to 38.8% in 2020. Considering the growing urban regeneration projects, urban maintenance projects, the suppression of urban expansion, and the lack of idle land in the city, the dismantling of old buildings is expected to increase further in the future. As major accidents at building dismantling sites continue to occur, related agencies are also strengthening safety management of building dismantling works. While physical safety management such as collapse and fall is strengthened, there is a relative lack of interest in the health of workers at dismantling sites due to environmental hazards. Since relevant laws stipulate that construction waste should be separated and discharged, old buildings need to be considered for environmental hazards such as fine dust, floating bacteria, and floating molds when dismantling. In this study, we intend to find important safety management elements in the management of building dismantling sites, measure environmental factors harmful to dismantling workers, and present basic data for the management of dismantling sites in the future. "Safety management" was the highest priority, followed by "dust," "vibration," "noise," "bacteria," and "smell." The perception of the importance of "physical damage prevention" with workers working on dismantling and managers managing the site came out similar, but the perception of "work efficiency" and "health disorder prevention" through environmental hazard management showed different priorities. In the process of dismantling, floating bacteria and floating mold were collected, cultured, and measured the concentration in the indoor air. The measurement was measured by dividing it into pre-dismantling and during dismantling.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.142-149
• /
• 2015

Bioaerosols are comprised of particles 0.02-100 μm in size that originate in natural and artificial environments, and as a result of human activities. They consist of microorganisms including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa; fungal spores; microbial toxins; pollen; plant or animal material; expectorated liquid from humans; and glucans (peptidoglycan and β-glucan). Bioaerosols can cause respiratory and other diseases in humans and animals. In this study, bioaerosol samples acquired from agricultural sources, livestock, a sewage treatment plant, a beach, and a pristine area were analyzed to identify and phylogenetically characterize culturable microorganisms. The isolated bacteria exhibited regional differences, with different species dominating. However, Bacillus cereus was isolated in all samples, with a total of 31 strains isolated from all areas, and Acinetobacter baumannii was isolated from an indoor poultry farm. In addition, bacteria determined to be of novel genus or species of the genera Domibacillus, Chryceobacterium, Nocardioides and family Comamonadaceae were isolated from the agricultural, livestock and beach environments.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.279-284
• /
• 2006

Photo-catalytic products have been widely used at home and hospital to prevent bacteria, virus and fungus. Activities of anti-bacteria, anti-viruses and anti-fungi are based upon direct contact of crystals and particles of titanium dioxide with pathogens, into which titanium is catalyzed by photo. Those antimicrobial activities of the photo-catalytic titanium dioxide have been proved in vitro. However, in vivo tests of those activities have not been carried out on dog skin. Aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of the catalytic titanium dioxide in vivo. Ten beagle dogs were divided into two groups. One group was sprayed with 10ml of titanium dioxide(1 mg/ml) whereas the other was not. The treated dogs were exposed under the sunlight for 120 min. A set of three hairs was taken 15, 30, 60 and 120 min after the exposure and the bacteria contaminated in hairs were amplified in, Muller Hilton broth at $35^{\circ}C{\pm}1$ for 3 h. The supernatant of the bacterial culture was diluted 1 : 10 in phosphafe-buffered saline. One milliliter of the diluents was transferred into triphenyltetrazolium medium(TTC) and incubated at $35^{\circ}C{\pm}1$ for 2 days. The number of bacteria was counted. The number of bacteria colonies was decreased compared to control group. To further investigate the longevity effect of titanium dioxide, the dogs were kept in indoor without sun light for 6 and 12 h, 1, 2, 3, 7, 14 days after exposure of the chemical during each 15, 30, 60 min. The number of bacteria colony in 1ml was counted. The number of bacterial colonies was decreased. Treated group is exposured by sun light during 15 min, the longevity effect of titanium dioxide is continued by 1 week. Treated group is exposured by sun light during 30, 60 min, the longevity effect of titanium dioxide is continued over 2 weeks. These data indicated that the photo-catalytic titanium dioxide may be used for prevent bacteria on dog skin.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.112-121
• /
• 2015

In this study, Copper Azole (CuAz), a domestically available wood preservative for pressure treatment, was employed to perform an experimental research on its infiltration and decay properties in Japanese Red Pine. Test specimens were pressure-injected with CuAz-2 preservative to measure its preservative effectiveness, and then its impact on weight and mass losses. Furthermore, wood specimens were treated with CuAz-2 preservatives of various concentration levels before they were decayed with brown-rot-fungi in order to observe decay properties on light microscope (LM) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). As a result, untreated specimen by Fomitopsis palustris showed the mass loss of more than 40%, and the value of preservative effectiveness of CuAz-2 by indoor decay was $1,73-3.32kg/m^3$. The concentration levels of CuAz-2 preservative were shown to cause significant variations in terms of decay progresses in the cross section, radial section, and tangential section. By contrast, untreated specimens had underwent serious decays in early wood, late wood, longitudinal resin canals, and ray, which led to vertical destruction of wood texture. As for the radial section, ray tracheid, ray parenchyma cell, and window like pits were decayed and destroyed. In the case of tangential section, uniseriate rays and vertical resin canals were seriously decayed. In conclusion, this study indicates that the adequacy of the current CuAz injection amount should be reviewed in the domestic environment because there are significantly different decays at different decay conditions.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.283-294
• /
• 2004

Air quality in the livestock waste compost pilot plant at the Colligate Livestock Station was assessed to quantity the emissions of aerial contaminants and evaluate the degree of correlation between them for different operation strategies; with the ventilation types and agitation of compost pile, in this study. The parameters analyzed to reflect the level of air quality in the livestock waste compost pilot plant were the gaseous contaminants; ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and odor concentration, the particulate contaminants; inhalable dust and respirable dust, and the biological contaminants; total airborne bacteria and fungi. The mean concentrations of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and odor concentration in the compost pilot plant without agitation were 2.45ppm, 19.96ppb, and 15.8 when it was naturally ventilated, and 7.61ppm, 31.36ppb, and 30.2 when mechanically ventilated. Those with agitation were 5.50ppm, 14.69ppb, and 46.4 when naturally ventilated, and 30.12ppm, 39.91ppb, and 205.5 when mechanically ventilated. The mean concentrations of inhalable and respirable dust in the compost pilot plant without agitation were 368.6${\mu}g$/$m^3$ and 96.0${\mu}g$/$m^3$ with natural ventilation, and 283.9${\mu}g$/$m^3$ and 119.5${\mu}g$/$m^3$ with mechanical ventilation. They were also observed with agitation to 208.7${\mu}g$/$m^3$ and 139.8${\mu}g$/$m^3$ with natural ventilation, and 209.2${\mu}g$/$m^3$ and 131.7${\mu}g$/$m^3$ with mechanical ventilation. Averaged concentrations of total airborne bacteria and fungi in the compost pilot plant without agitation were observed to 28,673cfu/$m^3$ and 22,507cfu/$m^3$ with natural ventilation, and 7,462cfu/$m^3$ and 3,228cfu/$m^3$ with mechanical ventilation. They were also observed with agitation to 19,592cfu/$m^3$ and 26,376cfu/$m^3$ with the natural ventilation, and 18,645cfu/$m^3$ and 24,581cfu/$m^3$ with the mechanical ventilation. It showed that the emission rates of gaseous pollutants, such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and odor concentration, in the compost pilot plant operated with the mechanical ventilation and with the agitation of compost pile were higher than those with the natural ventilation and without the agitation. While the concentrations of inhalable dust and total airborne bacteria in the compost pilot plant with the natural ventilation and with the agitation, the concentrations of respirable dust and total airborne fungi in the compost pilot plant with the mechanical ventilation and agitation were higher than those with the natural ventilation and without the agitation of compost pile. It was statistically proved that indoor temperature and relative humidity affected the release of particulates and biological pollutants, and ammonia and hydrogen sulfide were believed primary malodorous compounds emitted from the compost pilot plant.