• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.504-515
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• 2012

Groundwater is widely used as drinking water supplies around the world. However, microbial contamination of groundwater is a serious environmental problem that degrades drinking water quality and poses a great threat to human health. Among the pathogenic microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, viruses are not readily removed during transport through soils, having high mobility in groundwater environment due to their smaller size compared to bacteria and protozoa. Studies regarding the fate and transport of viruses in soils and aquifers are necessary to determine the vulnerability of groundwater to microbial contamination and to secure safe drinking water sources. Also, these studies provide important information to establish the regulations and policies related to public health. This review paper presented the field and laboratory studies conducted for the fate and transport of viruses in subsurface environments. Also, the paper provided the factors affecting the fate and transport of viruses, the characteristics of bacteriophages used for virus studies, and virus transport model/colloid filtration theory. Based on this review work, future researches should be performed actively to set up the viral protection zone for the protection of groundwater from viral contamination sources. Especially, the researches should be focused on the development of mathematical models to calculate the setback distance and travel time for the viral protection zone along with the accumulation of information related to the model parameters.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.230-238
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• 2003

Objectives : To estimate the value of statistical life (VSL) and health damage cost on theoretical mortality estimates due to environmental pollution. Methods : We assessed the health risk on three environmental problems and eight sub-problems. Willingness to pay (WTP) was elucidated from a questionnaire survey with dichotomous contingent valuation method and VSL (which is the division of WTP by the change of risk reduction) calculated from WTP. Damage costs were estimated by multiplying VSL by the theoretical mortality estimates. Results : VSLs from death caused by air pollution, indoor air pollution and drinking water contamination were about 0.3, 0.5 and 0.3 billion won, respectively. Damage costs of particulate matters ($PM_{10}$) and radon were higher in the sub-problems and were above 100 billion won. Because damage cost depends on theoretical mortality estimate and WTP, its uncertainty is reduced in the estimating process. Conclusion : Health damage cost or risk benefit should be considered as one scientific criterion for decision making in environmental policy.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.79-88
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• 1983

There has been some evidence concerning the fact that trihalomethanes(THMs), toxic chlorinated compounds, may be present in drinking water. One of the important methodologies to evaluate the toxicity of THMs is to determine enzyme alteration in experimental animal tissues after treatment. This study was intended to investigate how lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) of rat tissues is affected by administration of chloroform($CHCl_3$) and dichloromonobromomethane($CHCl_2\;Br$). THMs, high dose(1/10 LD50) or low dose(1/50 LD50) of $CHCl_3$ or $CHCl_{2}Br$ were administered orally to experimental rats for 4 or 8 weeks. The treated groups of rats were sacrificed to determine LDH specific activity and isozyme pattern in various organs which were liver, thigh muscle, kidney and brain. The conclusions were obtained as follows: 1. Alteration of LDH activities and isozyme patterns were revealed before morphologic changes in tissues. 2. The LDH specific activities were increased significantly in liver and brain after administration of high concentrations of $CHCl_3$ and $CHCl_{2}Br$ for 4 weeks respectively. Otherwise, they were decreased significantly in liver, muscle and kidney after administration for 8 weeks. 3. The isozyme activities of LDH-4 and LDH-5 were increased in muscle, brain, and especially the liver. 4. It was more distinct for the decrement of LDH H-type isozyme than the increment of M-type isozyme in muscle.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.199-210
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• 2024

Objectives: Few studies have examined the impact of healthy sleep among general workers on individuals and society. Therefore, the status and risk factors of sleep disturbances among general workers were investigated. In addition, this study assessed the degree to which cold and heat symptoms are associated with sleep disturbances. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted through an online questionnaire focused on sleep disturbances of the general public in 2021. The degree of cold-heat pattern Identification (CHPI) of the general public was also surveyed. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression were used to derive the study results. Results: Data from 2,822 workers out of 3,900 valid questionnaires were analyzed. Approximately half of the respondents (49.93%) had sleep disturbances. Among the types of work, self-employed, two-shift work, and working more than 53 hours were associated with sleep disturbances. Sleep disturbances were positively associated with six cold and heat symptoms: three cold symptoms (coldness of the abdomen, coldness of body, and pale face) and three heat symptoms (body feverishness, feverishness of the limbs, and drinking cold water). Conclusion: Customized policies to maintain healthy work are needed for self-employed work, two-shift work, and long working hours, which are risk factors for workers' sleep disturbances. In addition, medical personnel can effectively diagnose and treat sleep disturbances considering the worker's cold and heat symptoms.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.344-353
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• 2017

Cambodia is a typical country that a very famous tourist destination in South Asian regions, but water has some serious problems. As a public hygiene point of view, water problems in Cambodia can be roughly classified into two categories. A numbers of the report revealed that thermotolerant coliform(TTC) bacteria and arsenic(As) pollution representative species as a representative pollutant for surface water and ground water problems, respectively. In recent years, home water purifier systems for various filter systems including BSF(Bio-Sand Filter), MF and RO have been spread and adopted in rural areas. However, BSF and composite membrane processes are recognized as an undesirable and representative method due to unreliable efficiency, high cost and maintenance issues. In order to develop a small-scale ceramic filter as a home water purifier, the applicability of two types of gravity ceramic filter using clay and red soil in the part of the Northwest was made and compared in this research.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.99-107
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• 1995

Various humic substances are widely distributed in natural water body, such as rivers and lakes and cause the yellowish or brownish color to water. The evidence that humic substances are precursors of THMs formation in chlorinated drinking water has been reported m the Jiteratures. For the reason of public health as well as aesthetics, needs for humic substances removal have been increased in the conventional water treatment processes. In this research, the characteristics of aluminium coagulation of humic acids and humic acids were investigated. The optimum pH and coagulants dosage to remove these materials simultaneously by coagulation were alto studied. The results are as followed; 1. UV-254 absorptiometry for measuring the concentration of aquatic humic acids showed good applicability and stable results. 2. The optimal pH range for humic acids removal by aluminium coagulation was 5 to 5.5, however, an increase in aluminium coagulant dosage could enhance the removal rate of humic acids in the wide pH range. 3. Coprecipitation of humic acids in the typical pH range of 6.5 to 8 in water treatment processes may require the sweep coagulation mechanism with the excess aluminium coagulant dosage. 4. Using PAC(poly aluminium chloride) or PASS(poly aluminium silica sulfate) as coagulants was able to expand the operating range for removing humic acids. 5. From the coagulation of humic substances(UV-254) and turbidity at pH range of 5.5 - 6.0 and alum dose of 86 ppm, the removal efficiency of turbidity from the reservoir water was above 90% and that of UV-254 was above 70%. 6. By using the reservoir water, the optimum condition of rapid mixing for simultaneous removal of turbidity and UV-254 absorbance was pH of 5.8 and LAS dose of 86 ppm, in this study.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.361-369
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• 2010

Objectives: An outbreak of norovirus occurred at a high school in Gyeongju city in 2009. An epidemiological investigation was carried out to examine the infection source and the transmission route of norovirus, and to prevent a recurrence. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted for 520 male students and 8 food handlers. Rectal swabs were examined in 21 symptomatic students and the 8 food handlers by Gyeongsangbukdo Government Public Institute of Health & Environment, and an environmental investigation was performed. A case-control study was used to evaluate the association between risk factors and disease. Results: The attack rate was 21.3% (111/520) between January 29 and February 10, and norovirus GII was isolated from 12 of 21 students. Food handlers had no symptoms and their stool samples were negative. The case-control study revealed that seasoned soy bean sprouts {odds ratio (OR): 2.542, 95% CI=1.315-4.915} and drinking water from the purifiers in the cafeteria (OR: 2.854, 95% CI=1.107-7.358) supplied on February 3 were significant risk factors for the outbreak. Water pipes and waste pipes were located in the same place where was filled with some water and trace of high water level was detected. Conclusions: The major risk factors for this norovirus outbreak were presumed to be the contaminated seasoned soy bean sprouts and drinking water from the purifiers in the cafeteria. More strict personal and environmental hygiene need to be enforced to prevent such outbreaks.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3183-3188
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• 2015

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of skin lesions, which is a health effect of chronic arsenic (As) exposure, and determine the hair/blood arsenic concentrations of people living in Kutahya villages who are using and drinking tap water with a high concentration of arsenic. Materials and Methods: A total of 303 people were included in the present cross-sectional study. A prepared questionnaire form was used to collect the participants' information and environmental history. Skin examination was performed on all participants. Hair, blood and water samples were analyzed using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The cumulative arsenic index (CAI) was calculated for all participants. Results: Villages were divided into two groups according to the arsenic level (<$20{\mu}g/L$, Group I; >$20{\mu}g/L$, Group II) in their water. The prevalence of skin lesions, hair and blood arsenic level, and CAI were found to be higher in the Group II participants. There was a positive association between body arsenic levels and CAI in the participants of each group. Conclusions: The number of skin lesions and arsenic concentrations in body samples were found to increase with the water arsenic level and exposure time. We hope that sharing this study's results with local administrators will help accelerate the rehabilitation of water sources in Kutahya.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.139-146
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• 1978

The annual variations of some heavy metal concentrations, Al, Mn, Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Hg were determined on tile day of spring tides in every month from May 1977 to April 1978 at eight stations in the Nagdong River downstream. Samples were taken at intervals of one or two hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at each station. Annual ranges and means of concentrations of the heavy metals are as follows : aluminium 40.7-3700 ppb, 286 ppb; manganese 10.3-261.5 ppb, 80.8 ppb; iron ND-1237 ppb, 147.7 ppb; copper ND-30.9 ppb, 2.49 ppb; lead ND-29.9 ppb, 1.10 ppb; zinc ND-156.8 ppb, 5.61 ppb; cadmium ND-1.22 ppb, 0.09 ppb; mercury ND-0.37 ppb, 0.02 ppb respectively. In general, the contents of heavy metals except managanese and mercury were higher at the stations above station one, Kupo, though the ranges of the contents showed remarkable difference according to the sampling stations. Annual means of the concentrations of iron and manganese were exceeded already the desirable standards for industrial water and closed to the criteria of raw water for public supply. The values that over the criteria of raw water were sometimes found. Mercury concentration showed comparative high level such as ND-0.37 ppb in annual range but it was not over the environment criterion, 0.5 ppb. Aluminium, iron and mercury showed generally high values in summer period and other metals in winter period, through the patterns of seasonal variations were difference depending on the sampling stations and the kind of metals.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.286-295
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• 2011

Bacteria resistant to various antibiotics have recently become an issue of the utmost importance. Resistant strains are not uncommon, even in municipal drinking water sources. The health threat posed by resistant, pathogenic bacteria has serious ramifications for both public health and agriculture. In this study, we isolated antibiotic resistant bacteria from water samples from the Han River, Korea, which is contaminated by the wastewater from many industrial complexes, hospitals, agricultural and animal husbandry estates, and from wastewater treatment facilities. We determined the degrees of resistance to various antibiotics exhibited by the isolated strains. The similarities between the isolated $E.$ $coli$ strains were examined, using the pulsed field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing, in order to trace their origins and to explore the syntechnic adaptations and pathogenicity of the various strains and relate these to their genetic sequence. A total of 25 $E.$ $coli$ strains were isolated from six stations along the Han River. All the 25 strains exhibited resistance to ampicillin. We also investigated resistance to amoxicillin, clavulanic acid, cefazolin, cofoxitin, cefotaxime, cefpodoxime, ceftriaxone, cefepime, nalidixic acid, aztreonam, ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol and imipenem. Based on the ESBL detection, 14 strains belonged to the ESBL producing strains. The number of the clonal complex producing strains was 5 among the 14 isolated strains. The 5 strains were included in the 168, 23, 38, 469, 156 clonal complex, respectively. The rest 9 strains were not included in the clonal complex, but showed independent STs.