• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.73 no.2
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• pp.84-92
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• 2012

Background: Asian dust storms can be transported across eastern Asia. In vitro, Asian dust particle-induced inflammation and enhancement of the allergic reaction have been observed. However, the fibrotic effects of Asian dust particles are not clear. Production of transforming growth factor ${\beta}_1$ (TGF-${\beta}_1$) and fibronectin were investigated in the bronchial epithelial cells after exposure to Asian dust particulate matter (AD-PM10). Methods: During Asian dust storm periods, air samples were collected. The bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to AD-PM10 with and without the antioxidant, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). Then TGF-${\beta}_1$ and fibronectin were detected by Western blotting. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by the measurement of dicholorodihydrofluorescin (DCF), using a FACScan, and visualized by a confocal microscopy. Results: The expression of TGF-${\beta}_1$, fibronectin and ROS was high after being exposed to AD-PM10, compared to the control. NAC attenuated both TGF-${\beta}_1$ and fibronectin expression in the AD-PM10-exposed the bronchial epithelial cells. Conclusion: AD-PM10 may have fibrotic potential in the bronchial epithelial cells and the possible mechanism is AD-PM10-induced intracellular ROS.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.145-157
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• 1999

Wood dust is created when machines are used to cut or shape wood materials. Industries of high risk of wood dust exposure are sawmills, dimension mills, furniture industries, and carpenters, etc. Health effects associated with wood dust exposure includes dermatitis, allergic respiratory effects and cancer. Health effects of wood dus t are mainly depend on the concentration, dust size and exposure time. This study were carried out to evaluate the concentration and particle size distribution of wood dust during working processes. The subjects of this study were 53 workers exposed to wood dust in 7 furniture factories and 5 musical instruments, and 5 sawmill factories. The average total wood dust concentrations measured by personal cascade impactor were $1.82{\pm}2.31mg/m^3$ in primary manufacture, $3.59{\pm}1.72mg/m^3$ in s econdary manufacture, $5.09{\pm}1.46mg/m^3$ in sanding operation. Mass median diameters of hardwoods dust were $3.36{\mu}m$ in primary manufacture, $4.25{\mu}m$ in secondary manufacture, $4.21{\mu}m$ in sanding operation. softwoods dust were $3.39{\mu}m$ in primary manufacture, $4.34{\mu}m$ in secondary manufacture. Particle size distributions showed a nearly the same pattern in each working processes. The sample concentration of all hardwood dust exceeded the Threshold Limit Value(TLV) and 20.8% of the softwood dust exceeded the Threshold Limit Value. The range of size distribution were $0.5-10{\mu}m$ in the soft and hardwood dust. The respirable dust of soft and hardwood took up 59% and above. Therefore new threshold limit value for wood dust should be needed in Korea. Also, it should be done for various studies on health effects related to occupational exposure of wood dust.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.21-35
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• 2009

The Asian dust storms which originated in the deserts of Mongolia and China transported particles to Korea and led to a high concentration of atmospheric particulate matters (PM) of more than $1000{\mu}g/m^3$ throughout the country in the spring, of 2007. Public concern, in Korea, about the possible adverse effects of these dust events has increased, as these dust storms can contain various air pollutants emitted from heavily industrialized eastern China. The objectives of this study were to understand the concentration characteristics of PM as a function of particle size between the Asian dust storm episodes and non-Asian dust period and to consider the mass size distribution of PM in the Asian dust storms and their water soluble ion species on the potential, possible effects on deposition levels in the three regions (nasopharyngeal, tracheobronchial, and alveolar) of the human respiratory system. The size distribution of PM mass concentration during the Asian dust storms showed a peak in the coarse particle region due to the long-range transport of soil particles from the deserts of Mongolia and China, which was identified by HYSPLIT-4 model for backward trajectory analysis of air arriving in the sampling site of Iksan. During the non-Asian dust period, there were two different types in PM size distribution: bimodal distribution when low concentrations of $PM_{2.5}$ were observed, while unimodal distribution having a peak in fine particle region when high concentrations of $PM_{2.5}$ were showed. This unimodal distribution with high concentrations of fine particulate and secondary air pollutants such as ${SO_4}^{2-}$, ${NO_3}^-$, ${NH_4}^+$ was found to be due to the long-range transport of air pollutants from industrialized eastern China. During the Asian dust storms, the mean concentrations of PM that can be deposited in the nasopharyngeal, tracheobronchial, and alveolar region were $128.8{\mu}g/m^3$, $216.5{\mu}g/m^3$, and $89.6{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. During the non-Asian dust period, the mean concentrations of PM that can be deposited in the nasopharyngeal, tracheobronchial, and alveolar region were $8.4{\mu}g/m^3$, $9.5{\mu}g/m^3$ and $38.5{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.6
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• pp.528-535
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• 2009

Background: Dust clouds blown by the wind from the arid deserts of Mongolia and Northeast China are known as Asian dust storms. Ambient particulate matter with a diameter <10 ${\mu}m$ ($PM_{10}$) is associated with the exacerbation of respiratory diseases and increased mortality of heart and lung disease patients. The fibrotic effects of $PM_{10}$ of Asian dust to pulmonary fibroblast cells are unknown. This study examined the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), TGF-${\beta}$, NF-${\kappa}B$, PDGF-$\alpha$ and Fibronectin in fibroblasts exposed to Asian dust particles. Methods: Air samples were collected using a high volume air sampler (Sibata model HV500F) with an air flow of 500 L/min for at least 6 hours. The MRC-5 cells were exposed to 0, 50 and 100 ${\mu}g/mL$ of $PM_{10}$ for 24 hours. ROS was detected by measuring the level of oxidized DCF using FACS. TGF-$\beta$, NF-${\kappa}B$, PDGF-$\alpha$ and fibronectin were detected by western blotting. Results: There was no increase in the ROS, TGF-$\beta$ and PDGF-$\alpha$ levels in the MRC-5 cells exposed to $PM_{10}$. The NF-${\kappa}B$ level was higher in the MRC-5 cells exposed to 50 and 100 ${\mu}g/mL$ of $PM_{10}$ for 24 hours. The fibronectin level in the MRC-5 cells after 24 hours incubation with 50 ${\mu}g/mL$ $PM_{10}$ was significantly higher than the control group ($PM_{10}$ 50 ${\mu}g/mL$ 113.27${\pm}$8.65 of control, p=0.005). Conclusion: $PM_{10}$ from Asian dust increases the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ and fibronectin expression in MRC-5 fibroblast cells.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.27 no.2 s.46
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• pp.274-285
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• 1994

The effects of resin on the respiratory health have been investigated in 309 workers from four iron and steel foundries and the results compared with those from 122 workers who were not significantly exposed to resin gas and silica dust at the same industries. Phenol-formaldehyde resin was used in the core making and molding processes and workers were exposed to their decomposition products as well as to silica dust containing particulates. The subjects were grouped according to formaldehyde, dust and other gas exposures, and smoking habits were considered also in thi analysis. Standardized respiratory symptom questionnaire was administered by trained interviewers. Chest radiograph, pulmonary funtion tests, and methacholine challenge tests were done. Environmental measurements at the breathing zone were carried out to determine levels of formaldehyde, respiable dust and total dust. Foundry workers had a higher prevalence of symptoms of chronic bronchitis with chronic phlegm and chronic cough when exposed to dust. Exposure to gas was significantly associated with lowered $FEV_1$ and obstructive pulmonary function changes. Exposure to formaldehyde and phenol gas was associated with wheezing symptom among workers, but $FEV_1$ changes after methacholine challenge were not significantly different among different exposure groups. When asthma was defined as the presence of bronchial hyperreactivity with more than 20% decrease in $FEV_1$ after methacholine challenge, 17 workers out of 222 tested had asthma. Fewer asthmatic welters were found among groups exposed to formaldehyde, gas and dust, which indicates a healthy worker effects ill a cross-sectional study. The concentration of formaldehyde gas ranged from 0.24 to 0.43 ppm among studied foundries. The authors conclude that formaldehyde and phenol gas from combusted resin is probably the cause of asthmatic symptoms and also a selection force of those with higher bronchial reactivity away from exposures.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2019.05a
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• pp.184-185
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• 2019

Korea has defined fine dust as a social disaster as the problem of fine dust and air pollution becomes serious. Fine dust is classified as class one carcinogens because it is harmful to human body. When fine dusts enter the human body, they cause bronchial and skin diseases such as respiratory allergies, irritable pneumonia, asthma and atopy. As the air pollution becomes serious, the government is demanding measures to reduce fine dust. The polluted air in the outdoor is introduced into the room, thereby increasing the pollution degree of the indoor air quality. In this study, an adsorption type matrix for the improvement of indoor air quality was produced. Magnesium oxide and magnesium chloride were used as binders and diatomaceous earth was used as a adsorption material.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2018.11a
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• pp.89-90
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• 2018

In recent years, harmful substances and fine dust in the air are caused by respiratory and cardiovascular diseases through various mechanisms when they are introduced into the human body through respiration, thereby exacerbating human health and causing cancer by prolonged exposure do. In order to prevent such fine dust from being introduced into the room and to improve indoor air quality, improvement of air quality has attracted attention. Among indoor air pollutants, fine dust and CO₂ are pollutants that are directly affected by indoor number and activity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the basic performance of cement matrix using photosynthetic bacteria as a basic study of fine dust and CO₂ adsorption type matrix to suppress indoor air pollution and improve air quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.574-579
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• 2005

Optimal management of indoor air quality in a confined pig house, especially in winter, is indispensable for preventing infectious respiratory disease to workers and animals. This study was performed to elucidate the correlation of aerial contaminants and climate factors in a confinement. It was observed that indoor air contaminants ion in the confinement was the highest at 2:00-5:00 pm in a day, followed by 8:00-11:00 pm and 8:00-11:00 am. This was attributed to the increase of pig activities in the afternoon. The concentration of total dust and total airborne bacteria was found to have a significant correlation with temperature and relative humidity (p<0.05). Correlation of total dust and total airborne bacteria, total dust and ammonia, and total dust and odor were shown statistically significant at 95% confidence level. In conclusion, temperature and total dust concentration correlated significantly with all the parameters except for hydrogen sulfide ($H_2S$). This could be explained by the fact the dryness of pig feces by increase of interior temperature and resuspension of feed deposited on the floor by the pig activity, resulted in high generation of dust which adsorbed and carried the airborne bacteria and odor compounds in a confined pig house. It was proved that the adsorptive capacity of dust with ammonia ($NH_3$) was higher than that with hydrogen sulfide ($H_2S$).

• Journal of Korean Society for Geospatial Information Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.55-62
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• 2016

Economic and social damages are expected due to yellow dust, occurring every year in Korea and risk of citizens is getting higher accordingly. This study acquired tweet data for yellow dust, which had been the greatest since 2009 for 11 days before and after February 23, 2015. After that, it conducted an analysis on the issue words and association rule. Regarding acquired tweet data, the results of analyzing issue words by using open source R, statistics language shows that 'Mask' was ranked to be the highest, followed by health-related issue words. This indicates that people put the priority in the use of mask for keeping their health, as a result of the occurrence of yellow dust, and subsequently, they showed an interest in diseases, caused by yellow dust. In addition, yellow dust-related diseases, 'cold', 'rhinitis', 'flu', 'asthma', 'bronchitis' were found as issue words, revealing that people had a high concern on the disease occurrence of the respiratory system. The analytical results are judged to reflect the citizen's thought effectively in the process of establishing measures for the prevention of yellow dust.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2020.06a
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• pp.68-69
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• 2020

Recently, the problem of air pollution is drawing attention as a social problem worldwide. Particularly, fine dust is the biggest issue among air pollutants, and it is analyzed that fine dust is generated from air pollutants such as burning fossil fuels such as petroleum or coal, or exhaust gases from automobiles. In addition, yellow dust originating from China adjacent to Korea flows into the Korean Peninsula in a western wind, causing the concentration of fine dust to deteriorate. Fine dust is a harmful substance to the human body such as asthma or respiratory disease, and awareness of the risk is also increasing to a degree designated as a primary carcinogen. In this study, as a method for improving the indoor air quality, the Properties of the matrix according to the mixing ratio of powdered activated carbon based on blast furnace slag are reviewed. The flexural strength and compressive strength were measured, and a fine dust concentration measurement experiment will be conducted later.