• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.255-263
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• 2007

Indoor air quality is the dominant contributor to total personal exposure because most people spend a majority of their time indoors. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the alternative method for improvement of indoor air quality in house after coating titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) photocatalyst for interior part of the house using nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$) multiple measurements. To evaluate the alternative method in indoor environment, daily indoor and outdoor $NO_2$ concentrations of an apartment and a detached house were daily measured for consecutive 21 days in winter and summer, respectively, Another daily 21 measurements were carried out after $TiO_2$ coating on wall paper of interior part in houses. All $NO_2$ concentrations were measured by passive filter badges. Indoor air quality models using mass balance are useful tool to quantify the relationship between indoor air pollution levels, ambient concentrations, and explanatory variables. Using a mass balance model and linear regression analysis, penetration factor (ventilation rate divided by sum of ventilation rate and decay rate) and source strength factor (emission rate divided by sum of ventilation rate and decay rate) were calculated. Subsequently, the decay constants were estimated. In this study. magnitude of improvement of indoor air quality could be evaluated by decay constant.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.97-105
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• 2008

The purposes of this study were to determine the actual state of the indoor thermal environment in apartment units and to analyze the relationship between the living factors and indoor thermal elements. The field surveys consisted of measurements of physical elements and observations of living factors. In addition, the residents of 20 apartment units were interviewed to survey their subjective response. Field surveys were carried out from January to March 2007. Measuring elements were air temperature, globe temperature, and relative humidity. The results showed that the average of indoor temperature for the houses was $21.2{\sim}27.2^{\circ}C$, while 4 houses exceeded the comfort zone. The average of globe temperature for the houses was $21.3{\sim}27.5^{\circ}C$, while 6 houses exceeded the comfort zone. The mean relative humidity was $19.5{\sim}58.8%$, which is a relatively dry condition. The residents' average clothing value was $0.39{\sim}0.89$ clo(average 0.68 clo). The average thermal sensation vote on each room was $4.2{\sim}4.8$, which is 'neutral' to 'slightly warm'. Living factors had significant effect on indoor temperature in regression analysis were ventilation time(outdoor air exchange), opening time of door through balcony, and gas cooker use time.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.207-215
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to estimate the air quality of subway stations having underground platforms in Busan Metropolitan City, from September to November 2000, over seven times. The places of the investigation include Yonsan-dong station, Somyon station, Busan station, Nampo-dong station, and Dusil station. Samplings were conducted at three points in each station, i.e. gates, ticket gates, and platforms. CO, NO, $NO_2$, and $O_3$ were the main components of air for this analysis. In order to more fully understand station environments, we also measured an air temperature at each point. The results showed that the $O_3$ average concentration of Yonsan-dong station was higher than others with 38~51 ppb. The average concentration of NO was high at the ticket gate and platform at Somyon station (119 ppb, 122 ppb) and Nampo-dong station (102 ppb, 100 ppb). These results show that the air pollution of stations with underground shopping malls were higher than others. At Somyon station having a junction station, NO and $NO_2$ concentration levels of platform-2 (noncrowded) were higher than platform-1 (crowded). This is most likely due to the accumulation of air pollutants and inadequate ventilation systems. To find the relationship of the indoor (platform) and outdoor (gate), we analyzed the I/O ratio. The averages of CO and $O_3$ were both higher than one: 1.16 and 1.82, respectively. In the correlations between each material and the others, NO vs $NO_2$ was the highest with R=0.63. In the correlations between indoor and outdoor, $O_3$ was the highest with R=0.64.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.79-87
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• 2009

Residential Buildings should provide high-quality, comfortable environments to support the activities of their occupants. The indoor environment of residential buildings, which includes thermal, lighting, acoustic, and indoor air quality, has a significant impact on health and quality of life. The comfortable living environment in residential buildings result from appropriately combining these environmental quality factors, and the performance of building systems must be compatible with the activities of the occupants. The objective of this research is to investigate and analyze the relationship between physical environmental conditions and occupant responses for improving environmental quality (EQ) in apartment buildings with four different building orientations (i.e. E, W, S, N) in two different seasons (i.e. winter and summer). The occupant survey was conducted in actual apartment buildings. The Physical environmental conditions in apartment buildings differed substantially depending on space, outdoor weather conditions and building orientations. Each space within the same apartment building had different environmental conditions. Combinations of unbalanced physical environmental conditions in apartment building decrease occupants' satisfactions and their perceptions of overall residential quality. Occupants' satisfaction and their responses to physical characteristics of their residential environment is related to thermal, lighting, acoustic, and indoor air conditions in their buildings. The result from this research will help designers and researchers to identify problems and develop solutions for improving environmental quality from the occupants' point of view.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.81-91
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• 2000

Residents who live near petrochemical industrial areas are exposed to a variety of petrochemicals, including benzene or benzene-containing liquids. It is a serious concern because some VOCs are carcinogens naturally present in petroleum and gasoline. The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to VOCs, measured by personal/indoor/outdoor air sampling, and to estimate the relationship between the air samples and biological monitoring data. Through biological monitoring, we investigated VOCs in blood and s-phenylmercapturic acid (s-PMA) , minor urinary metabolites of benzene. The external benzene exposure of subjects was measured using passive dosimeters and urinary s-PMA and blood-benzene were determined by GC/MS. More than 80% of subjects were detected for m-xylene, ethylbenzene, and toluene in blood samples and not detected at all for chloroform, 1 , 1 , 1 -trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene. The mean concentration of benzene in the breathing zone of residents was 6.3 $\mu\textrm{g}$/m$^3$, personal, indoor and outdoor concentrations were strongly correlated to each other. s-PMA detected in all subject samples was affected by personal exposure (p< 0.05) and the level was different by age (p< 0.01). Blood benzene was not affected by external benzene during these periods .

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.160-169
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• 2000

Daily indoor and outdoor nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$) concentration for 30 days were measured in 28 houses with questionnaire of housing characteristics in Brisbane, Australia. Using mass balance equation and regression analysis, penetration factors and source strength factors were calculated. The penetration factors of 27 houses except one house were between zero and 1, though penetration factor should be between zero and 1 by means of mass balance equation. Relationship between indoor and outdoor concentrations in each 27 house was calculated using regression analysis. According to the obtained linear regression equation, the slope means penetration factor and the intercept means source strength factor. Calculated mean and standard deviation of coefficients of determination ($R^2$) in electric and gas range houses were $0.70{\pm}0.13$ and $0.57{\pm}0.21$, respectively. The source strength factors were more than zero in 27 houses. Mean and standard deviation of slopes in electric and gas range houses were $0.65{\pm}0.18$ and $0.56{\pm}0.12$, respectively. Mean and standard deviation of intercepts in electric and gas range houses were $1.49{\pm}1.25$ and $5.77{\pm}3.55$, respectively. Air exchange rate and source strength were calculated from penetration factor and source strength factor, respectively. Geometric mean and standard deviation of calculated air exchange rates in 27 houses were $1.1/hr{\pm}1.5$. Presence of gas range was the most significant factor contributing to indoor $NO_2$ level in house characteristics (p=0.003). In gas range houses, source strengths ranged from 4.1 to $33.1cm^3/hr{\cdot}m^3$ with a mean $12.7cm^3/hr{\cdot}m^3$ and a standard deviation 9.8. The source strengths of gas range houses were significantly different from those of electric range houses by t-test (p<0.001)

• Proceedings of the Korea Air Pollution Research Association Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.202-203
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• 2008

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.60-67
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• 2008

The spatial limitations of urban environments in general lead to invention and design of a wide range of underground transportation systems such as subways, underground roads and paths, etc. Among them, the application of subway systems in metropolitan cities is most commonly observed to ease those confronted difficulties on this purpose. It in turn leaves passengers and workers to be exposed to indoor air potentially polluted by various sources existing in this underground environment. Specifically when considering the IAQ in a subway station, there exist many IAQ-related parameters to be counted either as individual or as integrated exposures. In this study, a model system has been developed to manage the general IAQ in a subway station. Field survey and $CO_2$ measurements were initially conducted to analyze and understand the relationship between the indoor and outdoor air quality while considering the internal pollution sources such as passengers, subway trains, etc. The measurement data were then employed for the model development with other static information. For the model development, the algorithm of simple continuity was built and applied to model the subway IAQ concerned. In this paper, the recent updated draft version of model developed will be reported and demonstrated.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2016

Objectives: Personal exposure to air pollution is affected by contact over time and by location. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between personal exposure to $PM_{2.5}$ and the time-activity patterns of the elderly in urban and rural areas. Methods: A total of 44 elderly participants were recruited for a 24-hour $PM_{2.5}$ personal exposure measurement. Twenty-four were from Seoul (urban area) and 20 were from Asan (rural area). Energy expenditure and spatiotemporal positioning were monitored through $PM_{2.5}$ measurement. Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between $PM_{2.5}$ and time-activity pattern. Results: Daily average $PM_{2.5}$ personal exposures were $19.1{\pm}9.7{\mu}g/m^3$ in Seoul and $29.1{\pm}16.9{\mu}g/m^3$ in Asan. Although outdoor exposure was higher in Seoul than in Asan, residential indoor exposure was higher in Asan than in Seoul. Higher $PM_{2.5}$ personal exposure in Asan could be explained by longer time in residential indoor environments and higher indoor $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations. Seoul elderly had higher energy expenditure, which may be due to the use of mass transportation. Conclusion: Personal exposure to $PM_{2.5}$ was higher among Asan elderly than Seoul elderly because of high residential indoor concentrations and longer residential time. Lack of energy spent and higher personal exposure to $PM_{2.5}$ might have led to higher risk among the Asan elderly.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.445-454
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• 2002

Material exposure experiments were performed to evaluate the relationship between air pollution and material corrosion rates based on collaboration with researchers in China, Japan, and Korea. Qualitative and quantitative atmospheric corrosion was estimated from damage caused to bronze, copper, steel, marble, cedar, cypress, and lacquer plates exposed to outdoor and indoor conditions in certain East Asian cities. The effects of atmospheric and meteorological factors on the damage to the copper plates and marble pieces were estimated using a regression analysis. The results indicated that sulfur dioxide produced the most destruction of the materials, especially in South Korea and China. In Japan, the copper plates were damaged as a result of natural conditions and sea salt. Copper was also found to be damaged by the surface deposition of sulfur and chlorine. Meanwhile, marble was substantially degraded by gaseous sulfur dioxide, yet sulfate ions in rain had no effect. Accordingly, the analysis of air pollution from the perspective of material damage was determined to be very useful in evaluating and substantiating the intensity of air pollution in East Asia.