• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.329-341
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• 2016

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate the short-term effect of ambient air pollution on emergency department (ED) visits in Seoul for asthma according to patients' prior history of allergic diseases. Methods: Data on ED visits from 2005 to 2009 were obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. To evaluate the risk of ED visits for asthma related to ambient air pollutants (carbon monoxide [CO], nitrogen dioxide [$NO_2$], ozone [$O_3$], sulfur dioxide [$SO_2$], and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <$10{\mu}m$ [$PM_{10}$]), a generalized additive model with a Poisson distribution was used; a single-lag model and a cumulative-effect model (average concentration over the previous 1-7 days) were also explored. The percent increase and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for each interquartile range (IQR) increment in the concentration of each air pollutant. Subgroup analyses were done by age, gender, the presence of allergic disease, and season. Results: A total of 33 751 asthma attack cases were observed during the study period. The strongest association was a 9.6% increase (95% CI, 6.9% to 12.3%) in the risk of ED visits for asthma per IQR increase in $O_3$ concentration. IQR changes in $NO_2$ and $PM_{10}$ concentrations were also significantly associated with ED visits in the cumulative lag 7 model. Among patients with a prior history of allergic rhinitis or atopic dermatitis, the risk of ED visits for asthma per IQR increase in $PM_{10}$ concentration was higher (3.9%; 95% CI, 1.2% to 6.7%) than in patients with no such history. Conclusions: Ambient air pollutants were positively associated with ED visits for asthma, especially among subjects with a prior history of allergic rhinitis or atopic dermatitis.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.36 no.2_1
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• pp.121-137
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• 2020

Data from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) satellite and national emission inventories were used in this study to analyze air quality in East Asia and estimate the impact of domestic and foreign emissions on South Korea's air quality, based on which future emissions were predicted. The concentration trends of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) in East Asia from 2005 to 2015 showed that both substances were highest in North East China (NEC), followed by South East China (SEC) and Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA). The average SO₂ concentration was 1.63 times higher in NEC than in SMA. Analysis on the ratios of NO₂/SO₂ and NO_x/SO_x provides an indirect picture of the effect of transboundary air pollutants on atmospheric composition in Korea. The concentration ratio of NO₂/SO₂ in all study areas peaked in 2013 and SMA's emission ratio of NO_x/SO_x increased in 2015 by over 22% from 2013. Despite the reduction in domestic emissions, the concentration-to-emission ratios (NO₂/NO_x, SO₂/SO_x) rose gradually, which implies that other factors besides domestic emissions (e.g., foreign sources, lifetime, etc.) influence air quality in SMA. We estimated future emissions of NO_x and SO_x in SMA to be 296.2 and 39.0 ktons in 2025 and 284.4 and 33.8 ktons in 2035, respectively. Application of the inter-comparison techniques of this study to the data from the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Instrument (GEMS) is expected to provide concrete information which can be used to improve national emission inventories and figure out factors and sources that affect domestic air quality.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.400-407
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• 2003

In microbial coal desulfurization process (MCDP) by using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, the effect of process variables on pyritic sulfur removal efficiency has been investigated. The inhibitory effect of toxic materials contained in coal matrix on the activity of desulfurizing bacteria have been evaluated in coal extracts, and the results showed that the method was useful to evaluate the applicability of a coal which is to be desulfurization to MCDP. The removal efficiency increased with decreasing particle size and decreases with increasing pulp density, but has no significant influence of particle size and pup densities at high pulp densities over 20 wt%. The mass transfers of gaseous nutrients such as oxygen and carbon dioxide into coal slurry with various pulp densities and coal particle size has been studied in an airlift bioreactor. Mass transfer coefficient was independent of pulp density in coal slurry with fine particle below 175 $\mu\textrm{m}$, but significantly decreased with increasing pulp density over 225 $\mu\textrm{m}$. The coal particles over 575 $\mu\textrm{m}$ were significantly settled to the bottom of bioreactor resulting in poor mixing. Considering mass transfer, pulp density and coal mixing, an optimal size of coal particle for the microbial coal desulfurization process seems to be about 500 $\mu\textrm{m}$.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2019

We investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of Pyunkang-tang extract (PGT), a complex herbal extract based on traditional Chinese medicine that is used in Korea for controlling diverse pulmonary diseases, on cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary pathology in a rat model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The constituents of PGT were Lonicerae japonica, Liriope platyphylla, Adenophora triphilla, Xantium strumarinum, Selaginella tamariscina and Rehmannia glutinosa. Rats were exposed by inhalation to a mixture of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and sulfur dioxide for three weeks to induce COPD-like pulmonary inflammation. PGT was administered orally to rats and pathological changes to the pulmonary system were examined in each group of animals through measurement of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) at 21 days post-CSE treatment. The effect of PGT on the hypersecretion of pulmonary mucin in rats was assessed by quantification of the amount of mucus secreted and by examining histopathologic changes in tracheal epithelium. Confluent NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with PGT for 30 min and then stimulated with CSE plus PMA (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate), for 24 h. The MUC5AC mucin gene expression was measured by RT-PCR. Production of MUC5AC mucin protein was measured by ELISA. The results were as follows: (1) PGT inhibited CSE-induced pulmonary inflammation as shown by decreased TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 levels in BALF; (2) PGT inhibited the hypersecretion of pulmonary mucin and normalized the increased amount of mucosubstances in goblet cells of the CSE-induced COPD rat model; (3) PGT inhibited CSE-induced MUC5AC mucin production and gene expression in vitro in NCI-H292 cells, a human airway epithelial cell line. These results suggest that PGT might regulate the inflammatory aspects of COPD in a rat model.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.429-439
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• 1996

A comprehensive air quality monitoring was carried out in this study to investigate the concentrations of criteria air pollutants in indoor and outdoor air of public facilities in Taegu area. Four different kinds of public facilities were seleced as sampling sites, which are underground stores, stations & terminals, general hospitals, and department stores. Each group of the public facilities was consisted of three different sampling sites. As a consequence, a total of 12 different sampling sites were surveyed throughout this study. Sampling was conducted simultaneously indoors, three times per day (in the morning, afternoon, and evening) and four times per year (spring, summer, fall, and winter) at each sampling site during the period of October 1994 to July 1995. A range of criteria pollutants were measured in order to obtain a broad profile of indoor and ambient air quality, including total suspended particles (TSP), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), formaldehyde (HCHO), sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$), and nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$). In addition, temperature, relative humidity, and air current were measured on site together with those air pollutants. Results of this study indicated that the indoor levels of TSP, CO, $SO_2, and NO_2$ appeared to be generally higher in stations/terminals and underground stores than those in department stores and hospitals. However, HCHO and $CO_2$ were found to have higher levels in the department stores and hospitals than other places, indicating that the effects of indoor sources for these pollutants are significantly different from other combustion related pollutants such as TSP, CO, and $SO_2$. It was also found that there are marked seasonal and daily variations both in indoor and outdoor air quality. In general, combustion related pollutants such as CO, $SO_2$ and $NO_2$ showed a typical pattern of higher levels in winter than insummer, and also higher in the morning and/or in the evening than in the afternoon. However, the seasonal and daily patterns of HCHO appeared to be opposite to the combustion related pollutants, i.e., higher both in summer and in the afternoon, implying the effect of temperature on the volatilization from indoor sources of HCHO. Results of correlation analyses between indoor and outdoor air quality also indicated that the effects of outdoor sources on the indoor levels of TSP, $SO_2$, CO, and $NO_2$ and much significant, whilst no significant correlations between indoor and outdoor levels were found for HCHO and $CO_2$.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.303-314
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiment for measuring chemical reaction rate by precipitate formation and to develop experiments applying small-scale chemistry. For this study, the experimental method for measuring the effect of concentration and temperature on chemical reaction rates presented in the 10 high school science textbooks were classified by their experimental methods of confirming production. Subsequently, problems observed in carrying out the experiments for measuring chemical reaction rates by precipitate formation frequently presented in the 10 high school science textbooks were analyzed. Experiments applying small-scale chemistry were developed measuring chemical reaction rate by precipitate formation. According to the result of this study, there were some problems in the experimental method of precipitate formation for measuring chemical reaction rates presented in the high school science textbooks. Those problems in the science textbook experiments were insufficient specification of mixing methods of reaction solutions, obscurity of knowing when the character letter X disappeared, time delay in collecting the experimental data, formation of hazardous sulfur dioxide, uneasiness of fixing water bath container, controlling the reaction temperature, and low reproducibility. Those problems were solved by developing experiments applying smallscale chemistry. Presenting the procedure of mixing reaction solutions on the A4 reaction paper sheet made the experimental procedure clearly, using well plates and stem pipette shortened the reaction time and made it possible to continuously collect the experimental data. Furthermore, the quantity of hazardous sulfur dioxide was reduced 1/7 times and the time when the character letter X disappeared could be observed clearly. Since experiments for measuring the effect of concentration and temperature on chemical reaction rates could be performed in 30 minutes, the developing experiments applying SSC would help students understand the scientific concepts on the effect of concentration and temperature on chemical reaction rates with enough time for experimental data analysis and discussion.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.32 no.4 s.91
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• pp.304-315
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• 2006

This study is performed to reexamine the association between ambient air pollution and daily mortality in seven major cities of Korea using a method of meta-analysis with the data filed for the period 1998-2001. These cities account for half of the Korean population (about 23 million). The observed concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO, mean=1.08 ppm), ozone ($O_3$, mean=33.97 ppb), particulate matter less than 10 ${\mu}m$ ($PM_{10},\;mean=57.11\;{\mu}g/m^3$), nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$, mean=25.09 ppb), and sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$, mean=9.14 ppb) during the study period were at levels below Korea's current ambient air quality standards. Generalized additive models were applied to allow for the highly flexible fitting of seasonal and long-term time trends in air pollution as well as nonlinear associations with weather variables, such as air temperature and relative humidity. Also, we calculated a weighted mean as a meta-analysis summary of the estimates and its standard error. In city-specific analyses, an increase of $41.17{\mu}g/m^3(IQR)\;of\;PM_{10}$ corresponded to $1{\sim}12%$ more deaths, given constant weather conditions. Like most of air pollution epidemiologic studies, this meta-analysis cannot avoid fleeing from measurement misclassification since no personal measurement was taken. However, we can expect that a measurement bias be reduced in district-specific estimate since a monitoring station is better representative of air quality of the matched district. Significant heterogeneity was found for the effect of all pollutants. The estimated relative risks from meta-like analysis increased compared to those relative risks from pooled analysis. The similar results to those from the previous studies indicated existence of health effect of air pollution at current levels in many industrialized countries, including Korea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2020

In this research, we investigate the effect of microwave pretreatment on the recovery of gold from the gold concentrates by thiourea leaching. The changes in mineral phases by decomposition of pyrites in the gold concentrates using microwave were observed, and the result of microwave irradiation showed that the temperature of the irradiated sample increases with increasing irradiation time. With the reaction of temperature increases, Sulfur (S) in pyrites was converted to sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and then the content of S in the sample was reduced. The analytical results of XRD and SEM-EDS showed that pyrites are converted to magnetite and hematite, and its surfaces are changed to a porous shape where micro-cracks are developed. The Au leaching efficiency from the irradiated gold concentrates using thiourea-mixed solvent increased with the increases of irradiation time and solvent concentration. The experimental results considering leaching parameters indicate that the mechanism of microwave irradiation increases the maximum leaching efficiency and leaching rate of the gold concentrates, and the solvent does a role for the increasing of leaching rate constant.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.347-361
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• 2003

Sulfur dioxide (SO$_2$), ozone, total suspended particulates (TSP) and PM$_{2.5}$ were measured at Deokjeok Island in the Yellow Sea during April 1999 to June 2000. Although the emission amount of air pollutants is quite low in this small island of 36 km$^2$ with 1.4 thousand inhabitants, there are pollutant sources such as an oil -firing power plant and a wharf for ferryboat. The island is also influenced from the emissions from the greater Seoul area in the east and from China in the west. In order to characterize the pollutant variations due to interactions between transport and local emissions. the correlation between variations of SO$_2$ and ozone was investigated. Mass and ion concentrations of TSP and PM$_{2.5}$ were examined on selected episode days of positive and negative correlations between the two gaseous species in spring and winter. The effects of transport were pronounced on the days of positive correlation in spring with higher concentrations of ozone and PM$_{2.5}$. TSP concentrations were also high on these days because of high wind speeds. On the days of negative correlation in spring, frequent fog associated with low wind speeds facilitated SO$_2$ oxidation and increased sulfate accompanied with decrease in nitrate in PM$_{2.5}$ and chloride in TSP. This latter phenomena was noticeable since it showed that chemical composition of fine particles could be significantly altered not only during the transport but also by local environment.ronment.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 1986

This study is carried out to determine the concentration of the ozone and the factors affecting the variation of ozone concentration in the ambient air in Seoul. The one-hour average concentration of ozone $(O_3)$, sulfur dioxide $(SO_2)$, nitrogen oxides (NO and $NO_2$), suspended particulate (TSP), carbon monoxide (CO) and non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) at 5 sites in Seoul measured from September to October in 1983 and 1984 were analysed statistically along with meteorological data for the same period. The results were as follows; 1. The average concentrations of ozone at 5 sites during the period ranged from 3.3 to 9.1 ppb, they were below 20 ppb of the ambient air quality standard of Korea. 2. The maximum hourly concentration of ozone occurred between 2 and 3 p.m. in a day and concentration at night were very low but higher concentrations were observed at around 4 a.m. 3. The concentration ratio between NO and $NO_2$ in Seoul was relatively lower than that for the cities of foreign countries reported so far. 4. The ozone concentration has negative correlationships with the concentration of other primary pollutants$(SO_2, NO, NO_2, CO and NMHC)$ in simple regression analyses. 5. The ozone concentration was positively correlated to wind speed, temperature and insolation intensity but negatively correlated to relative humidity. 6. Stepwise multiple regression analysis of the ozone concentration to the pollutants and meteorological factors indicate that insolation intensity and $[NO_2]/[NO]$ were the primary influencing factors. 7. The three factors of insolation intensity, $[NO_2]/[NO] and NO_2$ concentration had a significant combined effect on the ozone concentration $(r^2 = 0.47-0.57)$.