• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.425-431
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• 2021

The use of big data may facilitate the recognition and interpretation of causal relationships between disease occurrence and climatic variables. Considering the immense contribution of rhinoviruses in causing respiratory infections, in this study, we examined the effects of various climatic variables on the seasonal epidemiology of rhinovirus infections in the temperate climate of Cheonan, Korea. Trends in rhinovirus detection were analyzed based on 9,010 tests performed between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2018, at Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea. Seasonal patterns of rhinovirus detection frequency were compared with the local climatic variables for the same period. Rhinovirus infection was the highest in children under 10 years of age, and climatic variables influenced the infection rate. Temperature, wind chill temperature, humidity, and particulate matter significantly affected rhinovirus detection. Temperature and wind chill temperature were higher on days on which rhinovirus infection was detected than on which it was not. Conversely, particulate matter was lower on days on which rhinovirus was detected. Atmospheric pressure and particulate matter showed a negative relationship with rhinovirus detection, whereas temperature, wind chill temperature, and humidity showed a positive relationship. Rhinovirus infection was significantly related to climatic factors such as temperature, wind chill temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and particulate matter. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to find a relationship between daily temperatures/wind chill temperatures and rhinovirus infection over an extended period.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2021

Particulate matter (PM) is an air pollutant that causes serious environmental problems in Korea and other countries. The annual average PM10 concentration in Korea is around 40 ㎛/㎥, which is more than twice as high as the WHO recommended standard. When consumed with food, fine PM can pose a risk to humans. However, the risk of fine PM has been focused on the risk of fine PM introduced through the respiratory system. We investigated the quantitative measuring methods of PM10 on food surface to identify possible risk analysis of fine PM. The surfaces of food with artificially contaminated PM10 were observed with a scanning electron microscope(SEM). An automatic object-based image analysis was used to analyze the amount and size distribution of particulate matter contained in SEM micrographs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to compare the performance characteristics of Andersen and total suspended particulate (TSP) samplers in terms of particle size distribution (PSD) and mass sampling efficiency. In the present study, two Andersen and four TSP samplers were selected and tested to quantitatively estimate human exposure to fly ash representing industrial particulate matter (PM) in a carefully controlled chamber. The PSD characteristics, a mass median aerodynamic diameter and a geometric standard deviation, were found from the sampled PM of airborne samplers in the chamber. An Andersen sampler was compared with a TSP sampler quantified by a coulter counter multisizer, as a reference sampler, to describe the correlation of mass sampling efficiencies between two types of samplers. Overall results indicate that Andersen samplers overestimated small PM due to particle bounce phenomena between impaction stages. There was reasonably good correlation ($R^2$ = 0.89 and 0.91) between the mass sampling efficiencies of Andersen and TSP samplers during the two tests. However, the lower values of slope (0.71 and 0.72) in two tests showed that the Andersen sampler underestimated PM (> AD $10.1\;{\mu}m$) with sufficient inertia due to a relatively lower Andersen inlet velocity at 0.8 m/s comparing with the operating air velocity at 2.1 m/s in the sampling zone of a chamber.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.11-17
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• 2002

Diesel particulate matter (DPM) is known to be one of the major harmful emissions produced by diesel engines. The majority of diesel particles are in the range of smaller than $I{\mu}\textrm{m}$. Because of their tiny volume, ultrafine diesel particles contribute very little to the total mass concentration which is currently regulated for automobile emissions. Diesel particles are known to have deleterious effects upon human health because they penetrate human respiratory tract and have negative effects on the health. The measurement of the number distribution of nanometer size particles (nanoparticles) in the diesel exhaust emission is important in order to evaluate their environmental and health impact, and to develop new types of diesel particulate filters. In this study, we directly sampled particulate matters emitted from a diesel truck mounted on the chassis dynamometer by a flow separator and dilution system, and measured the nanoparticles using two types of differential mobility analyzers combined with a Faraday cup electrometer (FCE) and a condensation particle counter (CPC). The particle size distributions were analyzed by changing engine operation condition, i.e. ratio of engine loading. The total number concentration of particles were increased with the engine loading ratio and the nanoparticles (less than 50nm) were affected by hydrocarbon (HC) concentration in the diesel exhaust.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2009

In building demolition work, major dust-generating activities are blasting concrete and rock. The aim of this study was to find the characteristic of particle size of dusts which were generated during building demolition work using explosion. The DustMate of the Turnkey-Instruments Ltd. was used for particulate size-selective sampling of the four sites. TSP(Total Suspended Particle), PM10(Particle Matter $10{\mu}m$), PM2.5(Particle Matter $2.5{\mu}m$), and PM1.0(Particle Matter $1.0{\mu}m$) were measured during building demolition work using explosion. The large particulate (higher than the diameter $10{\mu}m$) showed to be higher than 50%. The particulate ranged from $10{\mu}m\;to\;2.5{\mu}m$ showed about 30-40%. PM2.5 was not scarcely detected in the samples collected for building demolition work using explosion. We conclude that the dust generated during building demolition work using explosion has not most respirable particulate.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.178-186
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• 2002

The mud deposit located to the south of Cheju Island, the East China Sea, is characterized by an upwelling system or, on occasions, a combined upwelling-downwelling system. The water mass here is associated with relatively high suspended matter concentrations. In the present study, a vertical I-D model is used to undertake numerical experiments for evaluating the upwelling and downwelling effects on the suspended particulate matter distribution patterns within the water column. The results show that: (1) because the upwelling or downwelling velocity tends to be of the same order of magnitude as the settling velocity of suspended particles, a number of different patterns of suspended matter concentration distribution are possible, depending on the relative importance of the velocities; (2) the presence of upwelling can enhance the suspended particulate matter concentration; and (3) in an upwelling-downwelling system, maximum concentrations may or may not lie in the middle of the water column, depending on, once again, the interrelationships between the opwelling/downwelling velocities and the settling velocity. Hence, the physical processes associated with upwelling/downwelling appear to be relevant to the suspended material distribution over shelf mud areas.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.79-88
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• 2024

This study employed field measurements and biogeochemical analysis to examine the effects of seasonal conditions (e.g., temperature and precipitation) and human intervention (e.g., dam or weir construction) on the chemical composition of dissolved organic matter, flocculation kinetics of suspended particulate matter, and formation of the fluid mud layer on riverbeds. The results indicated that a water environment with a substantial amount of biopolymers offered favorable conditions for flocculation kinetics during an algal bloom period in summer; a thick fluid mud layer was found to be predominated with cohesive materials during this period. However, after high rainfall, a substantial influx of terrigenous humic substances led to enhanced stabilization of the particulate matter, thereby decreasing flocculation and deposition, and the reduced biopolymer composition served to weaken the erosion resistance of the fluid mud on the riverbed. Moreover, a high-turbulence condition disaggregated the flocs and the fluid mud layer and resuspended the suspended particulate matter in the water column. This study demonstrates the mutual relationship that exists between biogeochemistry, flocculation kinetics, and the formation of the fluid mud layer on the riverine area during different seasons and under varying hydrological conditions. These findings are expected to eventually help inform the more optimal management of water resources, which is an urgent task in the face of anthropogenic stressors and climate change.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.194-194
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• 2003

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, 1989) has classified whole diesel exhaust as probably carcinogenic to humans. Diesel exhaust particulate matter (DPM) adsorbs different chemical substances including PAHs and nitroarenes. DPM is emphasized because it is a major component of diesel exhaust, it is suspected of contributing to a health hazard. Diesel exhaust is a complex mixture of carbon particles and associated organics and inorganics, and it is not known what fraction or combination of fractions cause the health effects [cancer effects, noncancer effects (respiratory tract irritation/inflammation and changes in lung function)] that have been observed with exposure to diesel exhaust. In order to identify which chemical classes are responsible for the majority of the observed biological activities, we performed a particular biological/chemical analysis. Respirable particulate matter (PM2.5: <2.5mm) was collected from diesel engine exhaust using a high-volume sampler equipped with a cascade impactor. Particulate oganic matter was extracted by the dichloromethane/sonication method and the crude extract was fractionated according to EPA recommended procedure into seven fractions by acid-base partitioning and silica gel column chromatography. We examined genotoxic potentials of diesel exhaust particulate matter using novel genotoxicity tests, which are rapid, simple and sensitive methods for assessing DNA-damage at the DNA and chromosomal level (comet assay, in vitro MN test and Ames test). Higher genotoxic potency was observed in non polar fractions and several PAHs were detected by GC-MS, such as 1,2,5,6 dibenzanthracene, chrysene, 1,2-benzanthracene, phenanthrene and fluoranthene.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 2017

Objectives: An on-site study was conducted in order to quantify indoor exposure levels and the emission rate of particulate matter for domestic poultry buildings. Materials and methods: Three types of poultry building (caged layer house, broiler house, and layer house with manure belt) as classified by mode of manure treatment and ventilation were investigated in this study. Nine sites per each poultry building were selected and visited for measuring exposure levels and emission rate of particulate matter. Total dust and respirable dust among the particulate matter were analyzed based on the weight method. Emission rates were estimated by dividing emission amount, which was calculated through multiplying indoor concentration ($mg/m^3$), by the ventilation rate ($m^3/h$), into indoor area ($m^2$) and number of poultry reared in the poultry building. Results: Mean exposure levels for total dust and respirable dust in the poultry buildings were $3.91({\pm}1.99)mg/m^3$ and $1.99({\pm}0.89)mg/m^3$, respectively. The emission rates of particulate matter in the poultry buildings were estimated as $4.75({\pm}1.22)mg\;head^{-1}h^{-1}$ and $64.39({\pm}24.95)g\;m^{-2}h^{-1}$ for total dust and $0.58({\pm}0.23)mg\;head^{-1}h^{-1}$ and $7.52({\pm}2.51)mg\;m^{-2}h^{-1}$ for respirable dust, respectively. The distribution patterns for total dust and respirable dust were similar regardless of poultry building type. Among poultry buildings, broiler house showed the highest exposure level and emission rate of total dust and respirable dust, followed by layer house with manure belt and caged layer house. Conclusions: The finding that the broiler house showed the highest exposure level and emission rate of particulate matter can be attributed to sawdust utilized as bedding material, which can be dispersed into the air by movements of the chickens. Thus, a work environmental management solution for optimally reducing dust concentrations is necessary for broiler houses.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.968-973
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• 2019

This study presents the characteristics of a pressure drop and uniformity index for a particulate matter reduction device with a perforated plate and mixer for marine diesel engines. The perforated plate and mixer equipped on the particulate matter reduction device induce an increase of exhaust gas reduction performance by increasing the uniformity index. Whereas, the perforated plate induces pressure drop increases in the particulate matter reduction device. Therefore to calculate the effect of the uniformity index and pressure drop of the perforated plates and mixer, this study combines several cases using five types of perforated plates and one type of mixer. Consequently, these results were analyzed to determine the optimized type and position of the perforated plate and mixer.