• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.17 no.E2
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• pp.43-51
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• 2001

A report by the national research council in the United States suggested that many lung cancer deaths each year be associated with breathing radon in indoor air. Most of the indoor radon comes directly from soil beneath the basement of foundations. Recently, radon released from groundwater is found to contribute to the total inhalation risk from indoor air. This study presents the quantitative assessment of human exposures to radon released from the groundwater into indoor air. At first, a three-compartment model is developed to describe the transfer and distribution of radon released from groundwater in a house through showering, washing clothes, and flushing toilets. Then, to estimate a daily human exposure through inhalation of such radon for an adult. a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic(PBPK) model is developed. The use of a PBPK model for the inhaled radon could provide useful information regarding the distribution of radon among the organs of the human body. Indoor exposure patterns as input to the PBPK model are a more realistic situation associated with indoor radon pollution generated from a three-compartment model describing volatilization of radon from domestic water into household air. Combining the two models for inhaled radon in indoor air can be used to estimate a quantitative human exposure through the inhalation of indoor radon for adults based on two sets of exposure scenarios. The results obtained from the present study would help increase the quantitative understanding of risk assessment issues associated with the indoor radon released from groundwater.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.51-65
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• 2015

Indoor inhalation of vapors intruded into buildings is an important exposure pathway in volatile organic compoundscontaminated sites. Site-specifically measured indoor air concentration is preferentially used for risk assessment. However, when indoor air concentration of VOC is not measured, the indoor air concentration needs to be estimated from soil concentration or measured soil gas concentration of the VOC. Some risk assessment guidance (e.g., Korea Ministry of Environment (KMOE) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International guidance) estimate the indoor air concentration from soil concentration while other guidances (e.g., United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and Dutch National Institute for Public Health (RIVM)) estimate it from measured soil gas concentration. This study derived indoor inhalation risks of intruded benzene in two benzene-contaminated residential areas with four different risk assessment guidances (i.e., KMOE, USEPA, ASTM, and Dutch RIVM) and compared the derived risks. The risk assessment results revealed that indoor air estimation approach from soil concentration could either underestimate (when the contaminant is not detected in soil) or overestimate (when the contaminant is detected in soil even at negligible concentration) the indoor air inhalation risk. Hence, this paper recommends to estimate indoor air concentration from soil gas concentration, rather than soil concentration. Discussions about the various indoor air concentration estimation approaches are provided.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.324-333
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• 2023

Background: Human exposure to phthalates in indoor environments occurs via dermal absorption, oral ingestion of indoor dust, and inhalation of indoor air. However, systematic studies to investigate the exposure rate to phthalates among the three exposure routes in indoor environments are currently limited. Objectives: A theoretical exposure ratio between inhalation and oral exposure was calculated based on the total amount of di(2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate (DEHP) emitted into indoor air and deposited into floor dust in a test house. Methods: Flooring and wallpaper containing DEHP were installed in a test house and the concentration of DEHP in both indoor air and floor dust were monitored for five months. Based on the measured DEHP concentrations, the theoretical total amount ratio of DEHP that could be exposed through inhalation and oral ingestion was calculated. Results: Considering the period of operation in the test house, the theoretical total amount of DEHP through inhalation and oral ingestion exposures in the entire test house space was calculated to be 0.014 mg and 5.5 mg, respectively. The exposure ratio of the two routes between inhalation and oral exposure corresponding to the total DEHP amount in flooring and wallpaper was 6.0×10^-7% and 2.3×10^-4%, indicating that theoretical oral exposure to DEHP is approximately 380 times higher than inhalation. Conclusions: Monitoring results from a test house has shown that oral exposure is the main exposure route for DEHP in indoor environments. The experimental design employed in this study and theoretical exposure ratio obtained can be applied to investigate actual exposure to DEHP and to determine the exposure characteristics of various types of semi-volatile organic compounds.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.241-249
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• 2001

A report by the National Research Council in the United States suggested that many lung cancer deaths each year are associated with breathing radon in indoor air. Most of the indoor radon comes directly from soil beneath the basement of foundation. Recently, radon released from groundwater is found to contribute to the total inhalation risk from indoor air. This study presents the assessment of a exposure to radon released from the groundwater into indoor air. At first, a 3-compartment model is describe the transfer and distribution if radon released from groundwater in a house through showering, washing clothes, and flushing toilets. The model is used to estimate a daily human exposure through inhalation of such radon for adults based on two sets of exposure scenarios, Finally, a sensitivity analysis is used to identify important parameters. The results obtained from the study would help to increase the understanding of risk assessment issues associated with the indoor radon released from groundwater.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 2002

Volatile disinfection by-products (DBPs) contained in chlorinated tap water are released into household air during indoor activities (showering, cooking, dish -washing, etc.) associated with tap water uses and may cause adverse health effects on humans. Twenty seven subjects were recruited and their homes were visited during the winter of 2002. Tap water, household air, and exhaled breath samples were collected and analyzed for five volatile DBPs (chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dichloroacetonitrile, 1,1 -dichloropropanone and 1,1,1 trichloropropanone). Chloroform was a major DBP found in most samples. Tap water chloroform concentrations were not statistically correlated with its household air concentrations, probably due to individual variability in indoor activities such as showering, cooking, and dish - washing as well as household ventilation. Correlation of breath chloroform concentration with household air chloroform concentration showed its possible use as a biomarker of exposure to household air chloroform. Exposure estimates suggested that inhalation during household stay be a major route of exposure to volatile DBPs and that ingestion of tap water be a trivial contributor to the total exposure in Koreans.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.373-381
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• 2002

Benzene, Ethyl-benzene, Toluene and Xylene (BTEX) can be released to a groundwater in case of the oil leakage from underground storage tank of a gas station. These chemicals are found to contribute to the total inhalation risk from contaminated indoor air. This study presents the assessment of a human exposure to such chemicals released from the groundwater into indoor air. At first, a 2-compartment model is developed to describe the transfer and distribution of the chemicals released from groundwater in a house through showering, washing clothes, and flushing toilets. The model is used to estimate a daily human exposure through inhalation of such BTEX for adults based on two sets of exposure scenarios. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is used to identify important parameters. The results obtained from the study would help to increase the understanding of risk assessment issues associated with the indoor pollution by BTEX released from contaminated groundwater.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.327-334
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• 2002

The work presents sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of 2-compartment model for the evaluation of indoor radon pollution in a house. Effort on the development of such model is directed towards the prediction of the generation and transfer of radon in indoor air released from groundwater. The model is used to estimate a quantitative daily human exposure through inhalation of such radon based on exposure scenarios. However, prediction from the model has uncertainty propagated from uncertainties in model parameters. In order to assess how model predictions are affected by the uncertainties of model inputs, the study performs a quantitative uncertainty analysis in conjunction with the developed model. An importance analysis is performed to rank input parameters with respect to their contribution to model prediction based on the uncertainty analysis. The results obtained from this study would be used to the evaluation of human risk by inhalation associated with the indoor pollution by radon released from groundwater.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.627-635
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• 2004

Evaluated were household THMs exposure associated with the use of municipal tap water treated with chlorine and with ozone-chlorine. The current study measured the THMs concentrations in the tap water and indoor and outdoor air in the two types of household, along with an estimation of THMs exposure from water ingestion, showering, and the inhalation of indoor air. Chloroform was the most abundant THMs in all three media, yet no bromoform was detected in any sample. Contrary to previous findings, the fall water THMs concentrations exhibited no significant difference between the chlorine and ozone-chlorine treated water. However, the spring median chloroform concentration in the tap water treated with chlorine (17.6 ppb) was 1.3 times higher than that in the tap water treated with ozone-chlorine (13.4 ppb). It is suggested that the effects of the water parameters should be considered when evaluating the advantage of ozone-chlorine disinfection for THMs formation over chlorine disinfection. The indoor air THMs concentration trend was also consistent with the water concentration trend, yet the outdoor air THMs concentrations did not differ significantly between the two types of household. The indoor to outdoor air concentration ratios were comparable with previous studies. The THMs exposure estimates from water ingestion, showering, and the inhalation of indoor air suggested that, for the residents living in the surveyed households, their exposure to THMs in the home was mostly associated with their household water use, rather than the indoor air. The THMs exposure estimates from tap water ingestion were similar to those from showering.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2001

This study presents the quantitative exposure assessment of indoor radon released from groundwater. Most of the Indoor radon comes directly from soil beneath the basement or foundation. Recently, radon in groundwater releases to indoor air whenever the water is used and contributes to the total inhalation risk from indoor air. This study first develops a mathematical model to describe the transfer and distribution of radon released from groundwater in a house. Then, daily human exposures through inhalation or such radon are estimated with the model for an male adult based on two sets of exposure scenarios. The results obtained from the study would help increase the understanding of risk assessment issues associated with the indoor radon released from groundwater.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.75-85
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• 2022

Background: Various types of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) exist in the public's living environment. They occur in different forms in terms of their physical and chemical properties and partition coefficients. As a consequence, indoor exposure to SVOCs occurs via various routes, including inhalation of air and airborne particles, skin contact, and dust intake. Objectives: To propose a method for assessing human exposure to the SVOCs occurring in the air of an indoor environment, the concentrations of SVOCs in house dust and organic films measured in a real residential environment were estimated in terms of gas-phase concentration using the partition coefficient. Assessment of inhalation exposure to SVOCs was performed using this method. Methods: Phthalates were collected from samples of house dust and organic films from 110 households in a real residential environment. To perform an exposures assessment of the phthalates present in organic films, gas-phase concentration was calculated using the partition coefficient. The airborne gas-phase concentrations of phthalates from the house dust and organic films were estimated and exposure assessment was performed based on the assumption of inhalation exposure from air. Results: As a result of the exposure assessment for gas-phase phthalates from house dust and organic films, preschool children showed the highest level of inhalation of phthalates, followed by school children, adults, and adolescents. Conclusions: This study includes the limitation of not considering different SVOCs exposure pathways in the health impact assessment, including those of phthalates in the indoor living environment. However, this study has the significance of performing exposure assessment based on exposure to SVOCs present in indoor air that originated from organic films in the indoor residential environment. Therefore, the results of this study should be useful as basic data for exposure and health risk assessments of SVOCs associated with organic films in the indoor environment.