• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.569-579
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• 2011

This study evaluated the indoor air quality of 26 government offices located in Seoul. The pollutant samples were taken from Jan. 13th to Jan. 29th and Feb. 20th to Feb. 23rd, 2010 in the offices. The target indoor pollutants for this study were $PM_{10}$, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, total bacteria counts, total volatile organic compounds, radon, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and asbestos which were controlled by the indoor air quality law for the multiple-use facilities management. The results of this study showed that some pollutants of the 38.5% offices exceeded the standards of the air quality guideline. The correlation analysis of the same pollutants between indoor and outdoor represented that $NO_2$ (r=0.629, p<0.05) and $O_3$ (r=0.459, p<0.01) were significant, however, $PM_{10}$ and CO were not. The correlation analysis between different pollutants showed that CO and TVOC (total volatile organic compounds: r=0.724; p<0.01), CO and $NO_2$ (r=0.674; p<0.01), HCHO and humidity (r=0.605; p<0.01), $CO_2$ and TVOC (r=0.534; p<0.01), TBC (total bacteria counts) and Asbestos (r=0.520; p<0.01) were significant. The energy-saving system of government buildings in winter caused under-ventilated and poor air quality. This study suggests that the concentrations of radon and $CO_2$ should be used as an indicator for monitoring indoor air quality and maintaining effective ventilations.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.43-48
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• 1996

Indoor air quality(IAQ) in museum is very important for protection of cultural properties. In our study, we measured air pollutants($NO_x, NH_3, SO_2, O_3$, CO, $CO_2$, TSP), temperature and humidity to evaluate IAQ of national central museum. Indoor carbon dioxide and TSP concentrations were higher than outdoor concentrations. Temperature, huinidity and TSP had large deviation depending on air conditioning operates or not. Indoor gas phase pollutants except $CO_2$ were lower than outdoor concentrations, but $SO_2$ concentration was high in storage. $CO_2$ and TSP were influenced by the number of spectators.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.11-18
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• 2010

The aims of this study were to grasp the real condition state and clarify the characteristics and influence of pollutants on the indoor air pollution in occupied apartment units. The research method was to measure the pollution levels of indoor air pollution, and investigate characteristics of the pollutants such as the outdoor environment, elapsed time after construction, finished materials, temperature, relative humidity, space extension, purchase with furniture and electric appliances, built-in closets, and method for cleaning the air. And these were made a comparition between industrial and residential area. The VOCs and formaldehyde concentration in indoor air were measured the 6 household in residental area and 5 household in industrial area. In conclusion, the concentration such as benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylene, styrene showed the pollution state within permissible levels, however formaldehyde concentration has need a lot of attention as ever. And it turned out that the influence with reference to emission from building materials on indoor air pollution lessened under 18 months elapsed time after construction.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.468-476
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to investigate actual air quality in newly-constructed multi-family houses and to improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). The field measurement was conducted in four different newly-constructed multi-family house complexes in Seoul and one existing multi-family house complex in Kyong-gi province. The result of the measurement shows that indoor concentrations of Formaldehyde and TVOC in newly-constructed multi-family houses are much higher than the foreign standards. To establish a proper process for reducing indoor air pollutants, various experiments have been conducted; application of natural materials, bake-out practice, closure of all openings without ventilation, and use of mechanical ventilation system. The result indicates that three practices (natural materials, bakeout, mechanical ventilation) can reduce the level of indoor air pollutants almost in half during the experiments. However, each practice has its limitation and is insufficient to satisfy IAQ standards. Therefore, the study proposes a proper reduction process of indoor air pollutants which combines four different practices in time sequence.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.1-9
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of aquatic plant as a botanical air purification on the indoor air pollution by formaldehyde. Three aquatic plants such as Eichhornia crassipes, Cyperus alternifolius, Echinodorus cordifolius, were selected for this study and they were placed in the artificially contaminated chamber under laboratory condition. The results showed that all three plants could remove the formaldehyde from the contaminated air system effectively. Reduction in the formaldehyde levels by Eichhornia crassipes, which is the floating plant, might be associated with the factors of plant and water. Reduction in the formaldehyde levels by Cyperus helferi and Echinodorus cordifolius, which were emergent plant, was due to the complex effect of plant, soil medium and water. In aquatic plant system, dissolution, microbial degradation in rhizosphere, uptake through root and shoot, sorption to soil and shoot, hydrolysis are known as the main mechanisms of water soluble pollutants in the given system. The advantages of indoor air quality control system using aquatic plants can be; 1) various purifying mechanisms than foliage plants, 2) effective for decontamination of water soluble pollutants; 3) easy for maintenance; 4) diverse application potential. Therefore it was suggested from the results that indoor air control system of aquatic plants should be more effective for reduction of indoor air pollutants.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.343-360
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• 1998

In this study, comprehensive air quality monitoring was undertaken with a variety of objectives to collect data on the levels of various indoor and ambient air quality parameters in the urban areas of Seoul and Taegu. The sampling sites were comprised of six offices, six residences and six restaurants in each city. The ambient air adjacent to the indoor sites was also simultaneously sampled for the same constituents. The sampling was conducted in two phases: summer of 1994 and winter of 1994/95. A range of air quality parameters were measured simultaneously, which include RSP, CO, COB, NOB, a range of VOC, airborne microbials, temperature, and relative humidity. The indoor and ambient levels of the pollutants measured in this study varied widely between the three types of environments studied. Comparison of median values for the three groups revealed that restaurants had higher indoor levels of most pollutants than homes or offices. There was also a clear pattern of the indoor levels of target pollutants being higher than those outdoors, particularly in restaurants. Concentrations of CO and most of the VOC were found to be significantly higher in the commercial districts, indicating the influence of vehicle exhaust emissions. A very wide range of VOC levels was documented in this study. Although median indoorloutdoor ratios indicated a generally increasing level of VOC indoors when compared to those outdoors, no statistically significant differences were found between indoor and outdoor VOC levels in homes and offices, implying the importance of ambient air quality in determining the quality of indoor air for homes and offices in urban areas. In addition, there was a general pattern of increasing concentrations from summer to winter, and similarly from outdoor to indoor air for nearly all target compounds. The seasonal differences in median levels were very clearly seen for fuel combustion related pollutants such as RSP, CO and VOC, this being attributed to the effects of increased fuel consumption during the cold season and to meteorological factors.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.445-460
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• 2018

Exposure to indoor air pollution is an emerging world-wide problem, with growing evidence that it is a major cause of morbidity worldwide. Whilst most indoor air pollutants are of outdoor origin, these combine with a range of indoor sourced pollutants that may lead to high pollutant levels indoors. The pollutants of greatest concern are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM), both of which are associated with a range of serious health problems. Whilst current buildings usually use ventilation with outdoor air to remove these pollutants, botanical systems are gaining recognition as an effective alternative. Whilst many years research has shown that traditional potted plants and their substrates are capable of removing VOCs effectively, they are inefficient at removing PM, and are limited in their pollutant removal rates by the need for pollutants to diffuse to the active pollutant removal components of these systems. Active botanical biofiltration, using green wall systems combined with mechanical fans to increase pollutant exposure to the plants and substrate, show greatly increased rates of pollutant removal for both VOCs, PM and also carbon dioxide ($CO_2$). A developing body of research indicates that these systems can outperform existing technologies for indoor air pollutant removal, although further research is required before their use will become widespread. Whilst it is known that plant species selection and substrate characteristics can affect the performance of active botanical systems, optimal characteristics are yet to be identified. Once this research has been completed, it is proposed that active botanical biofiltration will provide a cheap and low energy use alternative to mechanical ventilations systems for the maintenance of indoor environmental quality.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2015

It is important thing that air quality affects human health. And It is more important thing that Indoor Air Quality more affects human health than Outdoor Air Quality. The cause of that is indoor air pollutants are more absorbed than outdoor air pollutants. By the way, in case of Multi-use facility for example office, department store, school etc., it has a feature that there are more people than any other buildings. therethrough, effects of Indoor Air Quality of Multi-use facility affect more people's health than Indoor Air Quality of any other buildings. However, in multi-use facility, specifically retail store, chemical treated materials are used for interior finishing, showcase finishing and product finishing because esthetic element is more added for detention of customer. Consequently, in place where demands brisk sales, possibility that indoor air is polluted by VOCs is high. This study considered retail store's Indoor Air Quality. as result of experiment, figure of department store's air pollution exceed about 5~20 times in guideline of multi-use facility's Indoor Air Quality in any kind of shop of department store (guideline : $500{\mu}g/m^3$).

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.35-45
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• 2008

In order to recommend criteria for the administration law on indoor air quality, this study was conducted to examine the distribution and the concentration of indoor air pollutants ($PM_{10},\;CO_2$, CO, HCHO, TBC, $NO_2$, Rn, VOCs, asbestos, $O_3$) in public facilities in the Chung-Nam area. The concentrations of indoor air pollutants were obtained from sixty seven public facilities such as a cinema, an office, a restaurant, a theater and an academy. This study was performed from August to December, 2005. The results of this study showed that the concentrations of indoor air pollutants such as $PM_{10},\;CO_2$, CO, HCHO, TBC, Rn and $O_3$ were less than the recommended limits. However, the average concentration of VOCs was $521.73{\mu}g/m^3$ (GM : $221.69{\mu}g/m^3$), which was higher than the recommended limit of $400{\mu}g/m^3$. Moreover, the average concentration of $NO_2$ was 345.66ppb (GM : 69.95ppb), which was higher than the recommended limit of 50 ppb. The correlation between the concentrations of indoor air pollutants and the type of facilities with respect to $CO_2$, TBC and Rn was statistically low (p<0.05). However, the correlation was high in terms of the CO and $O_3$ concentrations (p<0.01). No relationship between the indoor air pollutants and the type of facilities was observed for $PM_{10}$, VOCs and $NO_2$. The year of construction was compared to the concentrations of indoor air pollutants. Specifically, when the construction date was less than 3 years, the HCHO, VOCs and TBC concentrations were $44.75{\mu}g/m^3,\;555.07{\mu}g/m^3$ and $337.79CFU/m^3$, respectively. These concentrations were $120{\mu}g/m^3$ and $211.84CFU/m^3$ higher for VOCs and TBC than the concentrations obtained from the facilities more than 3 years. However, the concentration of HCHO was similar between the facilities older and younger than 3 years of age. Year, temperature, humidity and indoor air pollutant correlation analyses showed that temperature and humidity, temperature and TBC, temperature and $O_3,\;PM_{10}$ and $NO_2$, HCHO and VOCs, $CO_2$ and Rn had positive relationships. However temperature and Rn, humidity and $CO_2,\;CO_2$ and $O_3,\;O_3$ and Rn had negative relationships. Accordingly, it will be necessary to manage the factors affecting indoor air quality so that the residents can have a more comfortable and healthier living environment. Ultimately, the results of this study are expected to be utilized as baseline data.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.315-322
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• 1996

Recently, hospital acquired infections have an increase interest as a public problems, which are caused of indoor pollutants in hospital. Microorganisms, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, and anesthetic gases are main hazardous pollutants in hospital. The possible pathways of the infection are a respiratory channel as well as a blood channel. The blood channel is concerned since these pollutants might be dissolved into the Ringer's solution. The objective of this research was to evaluate the removal efficiencies of adsorption trap for formaldehyde and microorganisms as indoor pollutants which permeated into the Ringer's solution. Dissolved formaldehyde in the solution was increased with the injection dose time. The amount of dissolved formaldehyde was 67.5 $\pm$ 9.5% in Ringer's solution when injection dose time was controlled about 7hrs. An adsorption trap was designed for preventing formaldehyde and microorganisms to be permeated into Ringer's solution. The adsorption trap was packed with 0.4g of active carbon (60/80 mesh) in a sterilized plastic tube (7.79 cm length, 0.46 cm i.d.) and both ends were packed with glass wool. Devised infusion set equipped with the adsorption trap showed 99.9% of removal efficiency for formaldehyde. Microorganism numbers detected on sterilized water for injection and 5% dextrose infusion used in the hospital were 2,695 $\times 10^3$ cells/l and 4,190 $\times 10^3$ cells/l, respectively. Removal efficiency by the adsorption trap was 92.3 $\pm$ 8.5% as for microorgnisms.