• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.233-240
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• 2010

This research is designed to study the residence environment of the elderly residing in three different types of residence - the local community, silver towns and nursing homes and compare their level of social support and life satisfaction of the residents. The subjects of the study was those aged 65 and older who live single and couple 68 residing in the local community, 32 in silver town and 32 in nursing homes. The result of analysis is as follows; 1) the residence environment is different in the three types of residence in terms of number of children, living with a spouse, subjective economic status, and participation in group activities; 2) as for social support, emotional support is the highest among the elderly residing in the local community and declines among those in silver town and the lowest in nursing homes, which suggests that the local community still maintain the support system for the elderly, however it declines in silver town and drop further in nursing homes. But in terms of instrumental support, there is no meaningful difference in the three types of residence. The result shows that the elderly residing in nursing homes are supported by systematic medical and residence service which make up for instrumental support Similar to those in the local community and silver town; 3) life satisfaction is the highest among those residing in nursing homes, however there was little meaningful difference. The result means quality of living is similar among three different types of residence. What is interesting is those living in nursing homes has similar level of life satisfaction despite their lowest emotional support.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.971-981
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• 2010

The objectives of this study were to measure ambient total gaseous mercury (TGM) concentrations in Seoul, to analyze the characteristics of TGM concentration, and to identify of possible source areas for TGM using back-trajectory based hybrid receptor models like PSCF (Potential Source Contribution Function) and RTWC (Residence Time Weighted Concentration). Ambient TGM concentrations were measured at the roof of Graduate School of Public Health building in Seoul for a period of January to October 2004. Average TGM concentration was $3.43{\pm}1.17\;ng/m^3$. TGM had no notable pattern according to season and meteorological phenomena such as rainfall, Asian dust, relative humidity and so on. Hybrid receptor models incorporating backward trajectories including potential source contribution function (PSCF) and residence time weighted concentration (RTWC) were performed to identify source areas of TGM. Before hybrid receptor models were applied for TGM, we analysed sensitivities of starting height for HYSPLIT model and critical value for PSCF. According to result of sensitivity analysis, trajectories were calculated an arrival height of 1000 m was used at the receptor location and PSCF was applied using average concentration as criterion value for TGM. Using PSCF and RTWC, central and eastern Chinese industrial areas and the west coast of Korea were determined as important source areas. Statistical analysis between TGM and GEIA grided emission bolsters the evidence that these models could be effective tools to identify possible source area and source contribution.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.459-471
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• 2009

Air Monitoring Network(11 urban stations) is operated to measure ambient air quality in Daegu city. The urban air monitoring stations include 6 in residence area, 3 in industrial area, 1 in commercial area, and 1 in green area. In this study, hourly data (2006. 1. 1~2008. 12. 31) of $PM_{10}$ were measured at 11 urban air monitoring stations. $PM_{10}$ mean concentrations were high in fall and winter because of low wind speed and many haze days. The number of exceeding the daily standard of $PM_{10}$ in industrial area was approximately twice as many as that in residence area. $PM_{10}$ concentrations and visibility were influenced significantly by wind speed. Wind speed and visibility were below 1.8 m/s and 10 km, respectively when $PM_{10}$ concentrations were over $120{\mu}g/m^3$. $PM_{10}$ concentrations were high when haze was observed. The mean concentrations of $PM_{10}$ were $104{\pm}41.3{\mu}g/m^3$, $63{\pm}35.1{\mu}g/m^3$, and $49{\pm}26.9{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively when haze, mist and clear were observed.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.189-201
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• 1999

Lead (Pb) is ubiquitous in the urban environment and is a well-known toxic element. It may cause adverse health effects on hematopoietic system, peripheral and central nervous systems, kidney functions, and others. In recent decades, lead concentration in blood has been widely used one of indicators for lead exposure and risk evaluation. In this study, we determined the blood-lead levels in general populations of Korea, and investigated the relationship among blood-lead levels, sociobehavioral factors, and lead concentrations in the contacted environments such as ambient air, drinking water, and foods. The study subjects consisted of volunteers who had lived in the residential or industrial area in Korea. Information about gender, age, living area, occupation, smoking, heat system, and dietary habits, etc was collected using a self-reported questionnaires. The lead concentrations of environments were collected by literature search to the study area. Participated subjects in industrial area were 726 and their blood-lead levels were 8.58 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dl for males and 6.26 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dl for female in average. The other subjects in residential area were 317 and their blood-lead levels were 4.58 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dl for males and 3.49 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dl for female in average. The distribution of blood-lead level in the industrial subjects was well fitted to the log -normal distribution and that in the residential subjects was well fitted to the normal distribution. Blood-lead levels in both area were affected by gender, smoking habit, age and residence duration except age in industrial area and residence duration in residential area. It was identified that 30% of blood-lead level was contributed from the inhalation of ambient air in the industrial area, and 8.4% of blood-lead level was from that in the residential area. from this study, it would be suggested for the health risk assessment and management of lead pollution concerns in urban, industrial and rural areas.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.487-494
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• 2009

We compared spatial and temporal variations of water chemistry between high-flow year ($HF_y$) and low-flow year ($LF_y$) in an artificial lentic ecosystem of Daechung Reservoir. The differences in the rainfall distributions explained the variation of the annual inflow and determined flow characteristics and water residence time and modified chemical and biological conditions, based on TP, suspended solids, and chlorophylla, resulting in changes of ecological functions. The intense rainfall and inflow from the watershed resulted in partial disruption of thermal structure in the metalimnion depth, ionic dilution, high TP, and high suspended solids. This condition produced a reduced chlorophyll-a in the headwaters due to low light availability and rapid flushing. In contrast, reduced inflow and low rainfall by drought resulted in strong thermal difference between the epilimnion and hypolimnion, low inorganic solids, high total dissolved solids, and low phosphorus in the ambient water. The riverine conditions dominated the hydrology in the monsoon of $HF_y$ and lacustrine conditions dominated in the $HF_y$. Overall data suggest that effective managements of the flow from the watershed may have an important role in the eutrophication processes.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2006

Background: A number of studies have reported associations between the ambient air pollution concentrations and various health outcomes. Especially, ozone is well known for primary risk factor of asthma attacks. The results of a recent study indicate that the size of the effect on health outcomes due to air pollution varied according to several conditions, including age, gender, race and the socioeconomic status. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the associations of ozone with the childhood asthma hospitalizations as stratified by the socioeconomic status (SES) at the community level in Seoul, Korea, 2002. Methods: SES at aggregated levels was measured on the basis of average regional health-insurance rate per citizen in the area. We applied the generalized additive model to analyze the effect of ozone on asthma after controlling for the potential confounding variables that were capable of influencing the results. Results: Our analysis showed that the number of children who were hospitalized for asthma increased as the SES of the residence area decreased. The estimated relative risks of hospitalization for asthma, as stratified by the SES of the community level, were 1.12 (95% confidence interval 1.00-1.25) in districts with the highest SES levels, 1.24 (95% CI=1.08-1.43) within the moderate SES levels, and 1.32 (95% CI=1.11-1.58) in the districts with the lowest SES levels. Conclusions: Our analysis showed that exposure to air pollution did not equally affect the health status of individuals. This suggests that not only the biological-sensitivity markers, but also the SES of the subjects should be considered as potentially confounding factors.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.675-688
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• 2007

To characterize organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) contents, daily $PM_{2.5}$ measurements were performed in August 2006 (summer) and Jan $11{\sim}Feb$ 12 2007 (winter) at an urban site of Gwangju. Daily size-segregated aerosol samples were also collected for WSOC analysis. No clear seasonal variations in EC and WSOC concentrations were observed, while seasonal differences in OC concentration, and OC/EC and WSOC/EC ratios were shown. The WSOC/OC ratio showed higher value in summer (0.56) than in winter (0.40), reflecting the greater enhancement of secondary WSOC formation at the site in summer. Secondary WSOC concentrations estimated using EC tracer method were in the range $0.0{\sim}2.1\;{\mu}g/m^3$ (average $0.42\;{\mu}g/m^3$) and $0.0{\sim}1.1\;{\mu}g/m^3\;(0.24\;{\mu}g/m^3)$, respectively, accounting for $0{\sim}51.6%$ (average 16.8%) and $0{\sim}52.5%$ (average 13.1 %) of the measured WSOC concentrations in summer and winter. Sometimes higher WSOC/OC ratio in winter than that in summer could be attributed to two reasons. One is that the stable atmospheric condition often appears in winter, and the prolonged residence time would strengthen atmospheric oxidation of volatile organic compounds. The other is that decrease of ambient temperature in winter would enhance the condensation of volatile secondary WSOC on pre-existing aerosols. In summertime, atmospheric aerosols and WSOC concentrations showed bimodal size distributions, peaking at the size ranges $0.32{\sim}0.56\;{\mu}m$ (condensation mode) and $3.2{\sim}5.6\;{\mu}m$ (coarse mode), respectively. During the wintertime, atmospheric aerosols showed a bimodal character, while WSOC concentrations showed a unimodal pattern. Size distributions of atmospheric aerosols and WSOC with a peak in the size range $0.32{\sim}0.56\;{\mu}m$ were observed for most of the measurement periods. On January 17, however, atmospheric aerosols and WOSC exhibited size distributions with modal peaks in the size range $1.0{\sim}1.8\;{\mu}m$, suggesting that the aerosol particles collected on that day could be expected to be more aged, i.e, longer residence time, than the aerosols at other sampling periods.

• 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 Families and Better Life
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• v.23 no.6 s.78
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• pp.39-51
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to find the preferences on development and management of senior congregate housing according to the preferred developer type. For social survey research, survey was conducted from December 1-20, 2004 in seoul Metropolitan area. The data were collected from m people in 40s-60s using questionnaire which distributed only to those having at least $60\%$ of positive interest in developing the senior congregate housing.'rho results were as follows: First, since majority of respondents wanted to have their old age from mid-60's after retirement more independently, the housing should be designed in a way for them to stay in the m's length of friends and community people. Residential spaces should be individually partitioned and various services should be provided in a semi-dependent manner. The location should be where the medical services were systematically available and ambient environment was agreeable. Second, the cohousing type developers preferred to develop the housing in a form of joint investment with the Potential residents, while the individual developers would like to sell or rent the housing thus would ask for the locations at the outskirts of big cities. In conclusion, most respondents had comparatively similar opinions in terms of the preferred types of development, residential aspects and cost features of the senior congregate housing.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.3 s.117
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• pp.390-401
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• 2006

This study was conducted to understand the phytoplankton-zooplankton trophic linkage in Lake Paldang ecosystems (Paldang Dam and Kyungan Stream) from April to December 2005. Zooplankton were filtered as two size groups (microzooplankton (MICZ): 60{\sim}20\;{\mu}m$, macrozooplankton (MACZ): >$200\;{\mu}m$), and their clearance rates and C-fluxes on phytoplankton were measured. Grazing experiments were performed in the laboratory with the different zooplankton densities (0, 2, 4, 8x of ambient density, n=2). Diatoms, such as Aulacoseira and Cyclotella were dominant phytoplankton taxa at both sites. Among phytoplankton communities, total carbon biomass of phyflagellates was much higher than others at both sites. Rotifers numerically dominated zooplankton community, while cladocerans dominated carbon biomass. Both phytoplankton and zooplankton density and biomass were high in spring, but decreased markedly after summer monsoon season. plankton biomass at Kyungan Stream was significantly higher than that of Paldang Dam. Zooplankton clearance rate and amount of C-flux were relatively high in the spring and then decreased after summer at both sites. Seasonal change of C-flux was similar to that of zooplankton biomass (P<0.001, n=7). MACZ clearance rate and C-flux were higher than those of MICZ. Water residence time and physical disturbance in summer appeared to affect zooplankton grazing on phytoplankton at the study sites. Our results indicate phytoplankton were an important energy source for zooplankton in Lake Paldang ecosystem. Furthermore, C-flux of plankton food web is affected by not only biological components but also physical parameters.