• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.517-533
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• 2018

We utilize the CAMx (Comprehensive Air Quality Model with eXtensions) system and the PSAT (Particulate Source Apportionment Technology) diagnostic tool to determine the $PM_{2.5}$ concentration and to perform its source apportionment in the southeastern region of South Korea. For a year-long simulation, eight local authorities in the region such as Pohang, Daegu, Gyeongju, Ulsan, Busan-Gimhae, Gosung-Changwon, Hadong, and all remaining areas in Gyeongsangnam-do, are selected as source areas based on the emission rates of $NO_x$, $SO_x$, VOC, and primary PM in CAPSS (Clean Air Policy Support System) 2013 emissions inventory. The CAMx-PSAT simulation shows that Pohang has the highest $PM_{2.5}$ self-contribution rate (25%), followed by Hadong (15%) and Busan-Gimhae (14%). With the exception of Pohang, which has intense fugitive dust emissions, other authorities are strongly affected by emissions from their neighboring areas. This may be measured as much as 1 to 2 times higher than that of the self-contribution rate. Based on these estimations, we conclude that the efficiency of emission reduction measures to mitigate $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations in the southeastern region of South Korea can be maximized when the efforts of local or regional emission controls are combined with those from neighboring regions. A comprehensive control policy planning based on the collaboration between neighboring jurisdictional boundaries is required.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.27
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• pp.12.1-12.8
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• 2012

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the health and environmental risk factors of air contaminants that influence environmental and respiratory diseases in Gyeongju, Pohang and Ulsan in South Korea, with a focus on volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Methods: Samples were collected by instantaneous negative pressure by opening the injection valve in the canister at a fixed height of 1 to 1.5 m. The sample that was condensed in $-150^{\circ}C$ was heated to $180^{\circ}C$ in sample pre-concentration trap using a 6-port switching valve and it was injected to a gas chromatography column. The injection quantity of samples was precisely controlled using an electronic flow controller equipped in the gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. Results: The quantity of the VOC emissions in the industrial area was 1.5 to 2 times higher than that in the non-industrial area. With regards to the aromatic hydrocarbons, toluene was detected at the highest level of 22.01 ppb in Ulsan, and chloroform was the halogenated hydrocarbons with the highest level of 10.19 ppb in Pohang. The emission of toluene was shown to be very important, as it accounted for more than 30% of the total aromatic hydrocarbon concentration. Conclusions: It was considered that benzene in terms of the cancer-causing grade standard, toluene in terms of the emission quantity, and chloroform and styrene in terms of their grades and emission quantities should be selected for priority measurement substances.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.290-297
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• 2011

In present, evaluation method for car cabin air quality has been developed in ISO, China, Japan. Also The management standard for new produced car has been applied since 1, July, 2010. To manage car cabin air quality, It is important to evaluate VOC emitted from interior material. In this study, complete component of door trim armrest was evaluated in accordance with ISO 12219-5, cut component was evaluated in accordance with ISO 12219-3. The vapour gas was collected with stainless tube packed with Tenax TA and analyzed with TD-GC/MS. It was confirmed that emission rate of each compounds was difficult in each evaluation method. As a result, to evaluating each components composing door trim armrest, main sources of emitting VOCs in door trim armrest were PP substrate and adhesive.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.708-726
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• 2018

In this study, we examined the contribution of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds emitted from China and Japan to ozone concentrations over Gwangyang-bay, South Korea. We used a chemical transport model, Community Multi-scale Air Quality model, and its instrumented sensitivity tool, High-order Decoupled Direct Method. Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment-Phase B 2006 for East Asia and Clean Air Policy Support System 2007 emissions inventories for South Korea were used for the ozone simulation. During the study period, May 2007, the modeled maximum daily 8-hr average ozone concentration among seven air quality monitors in Gwangyang-bay was 68.8 ppb. The contribution of $NO_x$ emissions from China was 19.5 ppb (28%). The highest modeled ozone concentrations and Chinese contributions appeared when air parcels were originated from Shanghai area. The observed 8-hr average ozone concentrations in Gwangyang Bay exceeded the national ambient air quality standard (60 ppb) 203 times by daytime and 56 times by nighttime during the period. It was noticed that many exeedances happened when contribution of Chinese emissions to ozone concentrations over the area increased. Sensitivity analysis shows that a reduction in Chinese $NO_x$ and VOC emissions by 15% could lessen the total exceedance hours by 24%. This result indicates that high ozone concentrations over Gwangyang-bay are strongly enhanced by Chinese emissions.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.34-46
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• 2008

Emissions inputs for use in air quality modeling of Korea were generated with the emissions inventory data from the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER), maintained under the Clean Air Policy Support System (CAPSS) database. Source Classification Codes (SCC) in the Korea emissions inventory were adapted to use with the U.S. EPA's Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE) by finding the best-matching SMOKE default SCCs for the chemical speciation and temporal allocation. A set of 19 surrogate spatial allocation factors for South Korea were developed utilizing the Multi-scale Integrated Modeling System (MIMS) Spatial Allocator and Korean GIS databases. The mobile and area source emissions data, after temporal allocation, show typical sinusoidal diurnal variations with high peaks during daytime, while point source emissions show weak diurnal variations. The model-ready emissions are speciated for the carbon bond version 4 (CB-4) chemical mechanism. Volatile organic carbon (VOC) emissions from painting related industries in area source category significantly contribute to TOL (Toluene) and XYL (Xylene) emissions. ETH (Ethylene) emissions are largely contributed from point industrial incineration facilities and various mobile sources. On the other hand, a large portion of OLE (Olefin) emissions are speciated from mobile sources in addition to those contributed by the polypropylene industry in point source. It was found that FORM (Formaldehyde) is mostly emitted from petroleum industry and heavy duty diesel vehicles. Chemical speciation of PM2.5 emissions shows that PEC (primary fine elemental carbon) and POA (primary fine organic aerosol) are the most abundant species from diesel and gasoline vehicles. To reduce uncertainties in processing the Korea emission inventory due to the mapping of Korean SCCs to those of U.S., it would be practical to develop and use domestic source profiles for the top 10 SCCs for area and point sources and top 5 SCCs for on-road mobile sources when VOC emissions from the sources are more than 90% of the total.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.277-285
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• 2007

The adsorption characteristics of multi-component solvent vapors including poorly-adsorbable chemicals such as toluene-xylene-MEK and toluene-MEK-IPA on the activated carbonaceous adsorbents were investigated in a stainless steel fixed bed of 10.2 cm ID and 50 cm in height in order to identify those carbons for eliminating and recovering solvent vapors from industrial emission sources. The used activated carbonaceous adsorbents were pelletized commercial activated carbons and activated carbon fiber. Breakthrough curves and adsorption capacity at atmospheric pressures were obtained. It has been found that non-polar and larger molecules have been adsorbed better than polar and smaller molecules. In special, alcohols and ketones were poorly adsorbed caused by competitive adsorbability in multi-component mixture system. However, it could be overcome by profitable employment of organization of cooperative system which was composed of different porosity activated carbonaceous adsorbents appropriately.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Urban Environment
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.503-509
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• 2018

In this study, a Proton-Transfer Reaction-Time-of-Flight Mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF-MS) was used for the continuous monitoring of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted from semiconductor workplace such as photolithography (PHOTO), flat panel display (FPD), organic light emitting diode (OLED), etching (WET) process. The averaged VOCs mixing ratio in the such workplace, PHOTO was 6.5 ppm, FPH was 6.4 ppm, WET was 2.0 ppm and OLED was 1.3 ppm, respectively. The abundance of VOCs in the workplace were methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) with 2.8 ppm (69%) and acetaldehyde with 0.5 ppm (13.2%). Depending on the semiconductor process characteristics, various VOCs have been observed in the workplace. The VOCs mixing ratio are lower than the workplace regulation standard (TWA), it is necessary to continuously monitor and effectively manage these VOCs.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.236-245
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• 2015

Recently, candles have been widely used to create a romantic atmosphere and to heat tea. In this study, a small combustion chamber for candle was designed using an 0.008 m³ bell jar. The emission factors of combustion products were then measured. The combustion chamber includes a glass dish, which prevents candle flame from affecting the composition of the gas emitted through the exhaust outlet. The outlet in the combustion chamber was designed as a cone shape, and it was lengthened to prevent flow from the outside, which could affect the homogeneous composition of the exhaust gas. The temperature at the outlet of the chamber was 34 ℃~41℃. The major combustion products of the candle, such as such aldehydes and acids, contained oxygen. The mass specific emission rates of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and TVOC were 0.04 μg/g, 0.01 μg/g, 0.02 μg/g, and 3.81, respectively. The mass specific emission rates of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and benzaldehyde were 4.48 μg/g, 1.09 μg/g, and 0.67 μg/g, respectively. Considering the different compositions of the candle samples, their mass specific emission rates were similar to those obtained by using a large chamber 0.17 m³~50 m³ in size.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.540-547
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• 2021

Background: Indoor air pollutants are caused by a number of factors, such as coming in from the outside or being generated by internal activities. Typical indoor air pollutants include nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide from household items such as heating appliances and volatile organic compounds from building materials. In addition there is carbon dioxide from human breathing and bacteria from speaking, coughing, and sneezing. Objectives: According to recent research results, most indoor air pollution is known to be greatly affected by internal factors such as burning (biomass for cooking) and various pollutants. These pollutants can have a fatal effect on the human body due to a lack of ventilation facilities. Methods: We fabricated a polydopamine (PDA) layer with Ti substrates as a coating on supported glass fiber fabric to enhance its photo-activity. The PDA layer with TiO₂ was covalently attached to glass fiber fabric using the drop-casting method. The roughness and functional groups of the surface of the Ti substrate/PDA coated glass fiber fabric were verified through infrared imaging microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The obtained hybrid Ti substrate/PDA coated glass fiber fabric was investigated for photocatalytic activity by the removal of ammonia and an epidermal Staphylococcus aureus reduction test with lamp (250 nm, 405 nm wavelength) at 24℃. Results: Antibacterial properties were found to reduce epidermal staphylococcus aureus in the Ti substrate/PDA coated glass fiber fabric under 405 nm after three hours. In addition, the Ti substrate/PDA coated glass fiber fabric of VOC reduction rate for ammonia was 50% under 405 nm after 30 min. Conclusions: An electron-hole pair due to photoexcitation is generated in the PDA layer and transferred to the conduction band of TiO₂. This generates a superoxide radical that degrades ammonia and removes epidermal Staphylococcus aureus.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.149-163
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• 2021

In this study, the changes in ozone (O3) concentrations due to the removal of power plant emissions were analyzed using a community multi-scale air quality (CMAQ) model. Two different CMAQ model simulations, one considering the emissions from the Hadong power plant and one without considering the emissions, were conducted to investigate the effect of the emissions on the changes in the O3 concentrations in the surrounding areas. Subsequently, the CMAQ simulations exhibited an increase in the O3 concentration (25.24%) despite a decrease in the NOx (-18.87%) and volatile organic carbon (VOC, -11.27%) concentrations, which are major O3 precursors. The changes in the NO and O3 concentrations due to the removal of power plant emissions presented a strong negative correlation (r= -0.72). This indicated that the increase in the O3 concentration was mainly attributed to the significantly decreased NO concentration, thus, mitigating the O3 titration reaction (NO+O3→NO2+O2). Additionally, due to the VOC-limited (i.e., NOx-saturated) conditions in the study region, NO affected the O3 concentration, indicating that the O3 concentrations in a particular region are not only proportional to the increase or decrease in emissions. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the chemical O3 production and loss in a particular region is necessary to accurately evaluate the effect of emission control on the changes in the O3 concentration.