• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2001

Air pollution epidemiologic studies are intrinsically difficult because the expected effect size at general environmental levels is small, exposure and misclassification of exposure are common, and exposure is not selective to a specific pollutant. In this review paper, epidemiologic study designs and analytic methods are described, and two nationwide projects on air pollution epidemiology are introduced. This paper also demonstrates that possible confounding issues in time-series analysis can be resolved and the impact on the use of data from ambient monitoring stations may not be critical. In this paper we provide a basic understanding of the types of air pollution epidemiologic study designs that be subdivided by the mode of air pollution effects on human health (acute or chronic). With the improvements in the area of air pollution epidemiologic studies, we should emphasize that elaborate models and statistical techniques cannot compensate for inadequate study design or poor data collection.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.9 no.E
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• pp.397-400
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• 1993

The possible air pollution problems in a proposed underground highway are discussed using carbon monoxide (CO) as an indicator. Carbon monoxide concentrations in the underground highway depend on several factors, including the size of tunnel, the number of automobiles, the CO emission rate, and the tunnel ventilation rate. Using the estimated values, CO concentrations in the underground highway can be predicted. Without proper ventilation system, CO concentration in the underground highway can be dangerous level. However, the cost of operating the mandatory mechanical ventilation system may be tremendouslyy high and may be technically unrealistic to implement. If the underground highway is constructed with proper ventilation system, a continuous air pollution monitoring system with alarming function must be installed to alert personnel of serious air pollution built up in the underground highway. Traffic must be restricted, whenever the inside air pollution levels exceed agreed values. Short distances between evacuation exits are necessary for emergency situations or malfunction of ventilation system.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.83-117
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• 2004

This study investigates the spatial distributions of the ambient levels of air pollutants ($SO_2$, $NO_2$, $O_3$, CO, and PM) in Seoul metropolitan area using the data obtained by the air pollution observation stations. This study estimated a non-parametric kernel density function and two types of inequality indices, Gini and Entropy. Our estimation results show that the degree of inequality in spatial distribution of air pollution, in general, tends to be stable or slightly decreasing for the period of 1990~2001. In addition, we found that there are significant dynamics of air pollution levels in terms of spatial ranking.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2003

To estimate the annual WTP for risk reduction of environmental problems such as outdoor and indoor air pollution, and drinking water contamination, a questionnaire survey was conducted by dichotomous contingent valuation method in Seoul. Several covariate models based on Turnbull, Weibull and Spike models were developed and applied to WTP estimation with uncertainty analysis. WTP estimates for risk reduction of air pollution were 13,000 won, 12,000 won, and 10,000 won per month in low-bounded Turnbull, Weibull and Spike models, respectively. The estimates for indoor air pollution were 17,000 won,20,000 won and 21,000 won and these for drinking water contamination were 10,000 won, 13,000 won and 14,000 won in each model, respectively. Goodness of fit for Weibull model was better than those for other models. WTP estimates for indoor air pollution were higher than those for other pollution problems.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.737-744
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• 2006

Present study was designed to characterize the concentrations of major roadside air pollutants in Daegu and to compare with those of Seoul and Busan. Evaluated were the exceedance frequence of mean concentrations of target compounds(CO, NO$_2$, O$_3$, PM$_{10}$, SO$_2$) and the relationship for time variation. Two air pollution monitoring stations(one roadside station and one residential station) in Daegu were selected for this study. In addition, one roadside monitoring station from each of Seoul and Busan was chosen for the comparison of Daegu monitoring stations. The data analyzed in the current study were collected from 1998 to 2000 by Daegu Regional Environmental Management Office. The roadside concentrations of NO2 and PM to and the exceedance frequency of ambient air standard levels in Daegu were higher than those of Seoul and Busan. Except 03, the roadside concentrations of all target compounds showed following three distinguished patterns; first, possibly due to increased traffic density, the concentrations increased from 0500 to 0900(LST), second, the concentrations decreased from 0900 to 1700(LST) possibly due to the increased wind velocity and decreased traffic density, and finally, increased traffic density, the concentrations increased again from 1700 to 2100(LST). An implication was that major air pollution sources shifted from residential area to road-area during rush hours.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.4 s.59
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• pp.852-869
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• 1997

This study was conducted to develop and evaluate the reliability and the validity of a questionnaire in order to determine the applicability as a screening tool for estimating environmental exposure and health effects related to air pollution. The questionnaire was developed with adopting some items of others such as ISAAC or ATS-DLD. And then we performed test-retest to 89 middle school students and their mothers at interval of three months. Cohen's Kappa values, weighted Kappa values, Spearman's correlation coefficients, and Pearson's correlation coefficients for each item were computed as reliability coefficients. The validity coefficients and validity coefficient bounds were also obtained by simply using these reliability coefficients. As results, Kappa ranged broadly from 0.10 to 0.61 of the items 'diet', $0.52\sim0.79$ of the environmental tobacco smoke, $0.39\sim0.44$ of the functional categories of surrounding environment, and $0.39\sim0.44$ of the using transportation systems; these items were regarded as confounding factors. For items related to health outcomes, Kappa ranged from -0.02 to 0.37 in the respiratory system of past medical history, and from 0.11 to 0.55 in the current health status. But Kappa of the others were over 0.60. In conclusion, if some items can be corrected or modified, the questionnaire developed in this study can be used as a tool for evaluating environmental exposure and health effects associated with air pollution.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.19 no.1 s.19
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• pp.65-75
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• 1986

In order to assess the general health effect due to air pollution and to determine the critical pollutant which is meant by the worst effect to health among various pollutants in Seoul, air quality measurements at 10 sites during $1983{\sim}1984$ were analyzed using Pollutant Standards Index(PSI) : This index has been ultimately proposed to describe the comprehensive degree of the air pollution by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) since 1976. Total average of PSI in Seoul during the two years was 139 that is described in 'unhealthful' The highest PSI appeared in Winter 183 through the 2 years, the lowest in Summer 99, and Spring 129 and Fall 150 respectively, PSI in Deungchon dong and Seongsu dong which are industrial areas were very high in terms of 'very unhealthful', while shinlim dong was shown in low in terms of 'good'. TSP was a priority pollutant in Seoul as the most frequently occuring critical pollutant. Its frequency was 76.4% in Spring, 86.0% in Summer, 78.0% in Fall and 44.2% in Winter during the 2 years. In Winter, $TSP{\times}SO_2$ was an important term as the critical pollutant in Seoul. Oxidant was the most frequently occuring critical pollutant in Kwangwhamoon through the whole seasons. It was recommended that the PSI could be used to assess the air pollution administratively and legally in context with publich health.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.2 no.4 s.7
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• pp.40-47
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• 2002

Since it is important to understand the bio-climatic change in Seoul for ecological city planning in the future, this paper gives an overview on bio-climate analysis of urban environments at Seoul. We analyzed its characteristics in recent years using the observations of 24 of Automatic Weather Station (AWS) by Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). In urbanization, Seoul metropolitan area is densely populated and is concentrated with high buildings. This urban activity changes land covering, which modifies the local circulation of radiation, heat and moisture, precipitation and creating a specific climate. Urban climate is evidently manifested in the phenomena of the increase of the air temperature, called urban heat Island and in addition urban sqall line of heavy rain. Since a city has its different land cover and street structure, these form their own climate character such as climate comfort zone. The thermal fold in urban area such as the heat island is produced by the change of land use and the air pollution that provide the bio-climate change of urban eco-system. The urban wind flow is the most important climate element on dispersion of air pollution, thermal effects and heavy shower. Numerical modeling indicates that the bio-climatic transition of wind wake in urban area and the dispersion of the air pollution by the simulations of the wind variation depend on the urban land cover change. The winds are separately simulated on small and micro-scale at Seoul with two kinds of kinetic model, Witrak and MUKLIMO.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.265-274
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• 2018

Objectives: A positive association between air pollution and both the incidence and prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has been reported in some epidemiologic and animal studies, but little research has evaluated the relationship between air pollution and diabetic coma. Diabetic coma is an acute complication of DM caused by diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, which is characterized by extreme hyperglycemia accompanied by coma. We conducted a time-series study with a generalized additive model using a distributed-lag non-linear model to assess the association between ambient air pollution (particulate matter less than $10{\mu}m$ in aerodynamic diameter, nitrogen dioxide [$NO_2$], sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone) and emergency department (ED) visits for DM with coma in Seoul, Korea from 2005 to 2009. Methods: The ED data and medical records from the 3 years previous to each diabetic coma event were obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service to examine the relationship with air pollutants. Results: Overall, the adjusted relative risks (RRs) for an interquartile range (IQR) increment of $NO_2$ was statistically significant at lag 1 (RR, 1.125; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.039 to 1.219) in a single-lag model and both lag 0-1 (RR, 1.120; 95% CI, 1.028 to 1.219) and lag 0-3 (RR, 1.092; 95% CI, 1.005 to 1.186) in a cumulative-lag model. In a subgroup analysis, significant positive RRs were found for females for per-IQR increments of $NO_2$ at cumulative lag 0-3 (RR, 1.149; 95% CI, 1.022 to 1.291). Conclusions: The results of our study suggest that ambient air pollution, specifically $NO_2$, is associated with ED visits for diabetic coma.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.439-441
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• 2007

The seoul metropolitan subway has installed 8 lines and about 500 stations to transport 5 million passengers everyday. The underground air pollution level in the subway stations is very severe status, which is very harmful to the commutators and its personals. Although subway roles as such a massive and huge transportation system, the subway doesn't adapt yet any real-time air monitoring system. They have only some hand-held type detector equipments for monitoring air pollution. Therefore subway passengers are exposed to the harmful air pollution environment. The most harmful environmental parameters among the air pollution are known as the dust and sound noise dB level in the subway station. Because the dust is consisted of very small particles, we can't see them easily in dark condition on the platform, but it is very harmful. The monitoring system for air pollution is developed using embedded system attached with 6 different environmental sensors. This system monitors air pollution of dust sound noise, gas, temperature, humidity, inflammable gas, toxic gas in the subway ?station. The sensor unit of the ARM-CPU board and sensor transmits real time environmental data to the main server using Zigbee wireless communication module and TCP/IP network. The main control server receives and displays the real-time environmental data, and it send alarms to the personals when high level value.