• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.8
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• pp.1010-1020
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• 2014

Ballast water effluent treated by an electrolytic method contains reactive chlorine species and disinfection by-products (DBPs). In this study, we conducted whole effluent toxicity (WET) testing and ecological risk assessment (ERA) to investigate its ecotoxicological effects on marine environment. WET testing was carried out for three marine pelagic organisms, i.e., diatom Skeletonema costatum, rotifer Brachionus plicatilis and fish Paralichthys olivaceus. The biological toxicity test revealed that S. costatum was the only organism that showed apparent toxicity to the effluent; it showed no observed effect concentration (NOEC), lowest observable effect concentration (LOEC) and effect concentration of 50% (EC50) values of 12.5%, 25.0% and 83.3%, respectively, at brackish water condition. In contrast, it showed insignificant toxicity at seawater condition. B. plicatilis and P. olivaceus also showed no toxicities to the effluent at the both salinity conditions. Meanwhile, chemical analysis revealed that the ballast water effluent contained total residual oxidants (TROs) below $0.03{\mu}g/L$ and a total of 20 DBPs including bromate, volatile halogenated organic compounds (VOCs), halogenated acetonitriles (HANs), halogenated acetic acids (HAAs) and chloropicrin. Based on ERA, the 20 DBPs were not considered to have persistency, bioaccumulation and toxicity (PBT) properties. Except monobromoacetic acid, the ratio of predicted environmental concentration (PEC) to predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) of the other 19 DBPs did not exceed 1. Thus, our results of WET testing and ERA indicated that the ballast water effluent treated by electrolysis and subsequently neutralization was considered to have no adverse impacts on marine environment.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2017.11a
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• pp.236-236
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• 2017

Effluent treated by an NaDCC injection method in Ballast water management system (BWMS) contains reactive chlorine species and disinfection by-products (DBPs). In this study, we conducted whole effluent toxicity (WET) testing and ecological risk assessment (ERA) to investigate its ecotoxicological effects on marine environment. WET testing was carried out for four marine pelagic and freshwater organisms, i.e., diatom Skeletonema costatum, Navicula pellicuosa, chlorophyta Dunaliella tertiolecta, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, rotifer Brachionus plicatilis, Brachionus calyciflorus and fish Cyprinodon variegatus, Pimephales promelas. The biological toxicity test revealed that algae was the only biota that showed apparent toxicity to the effluent; it showed no observed effect concentration (NOEC), lowest observable effect concentration (LOEC) and effect concentration of 50% (EC50) values of 25-50%, 50-100% and >100%, respectively, at three water condition, but did not show any significant toxicities on other biota. Meanwhile, chemical analysis revealed that the BWMS effluent contained total residual oxidants (TROs) below $0.03{\mu}g/L$ and a total of 25 DBPs such as bromate, volatile halogenated organic compounds (VOCs), halogenated acetonitriles (HANs), halogenated acetic acids (HAAs), chloropicrin and Isocyanuric acid. Based on ERA, the 25 DBPs were not considered to have persistency, bioaccumulation and toxicity (PBT) properties. The ratio of predicted environmental concentration (PEC) to predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) of the other DBPs did not exceed 1 for General harbor environment. However, four substances (Isocyanuric acid, Tribromomethane, Chloropicrin and Monochloroacetic acid) were exceed 1 for Nearship environment. But observed toxicity in the test water on algal growth inhibition would be mitigated by normal dilution factor of 5 applied for nearship exposure. Thus, our results of WET testing and ERA showed that the BWMS effluent treated by NaDCC injection method would have no adverse impacts on marine environment.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.477-491
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• 2014

This study was carried out to evaluate the concentration variations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the office environments located in a large urban area with respect to seasonality, smoking status, types of ventilation and heating. Indoor air sampling was undertaken in 37 and 30 offices in Daegu city during summer and winter, respectively. The VOC samples were collected using adsorbent tubes, and were determined by thermal desorption coupled with GC/MS analysis. The analytical method was validated for repeatability, method detection limits (MDL), and duplication precision. A total of 34 VOCs of environmental concern were determined, including 15 aromatics and 19 halogenated hydrocarbons. Average concentrations of BTEX appeared to 1.91 ppb, 22.98 ppb, 3.44 ppb, and 3.70 ppb, respectively. These values were relatively higher levels than those measured at homes and outdoor roadsides reported by other researches. In general, the concentrations of VOCs were higher in winter than summer, in smoking offices than non-smoking offices, in forced ventilation type than natural ventilation type, and in combustion heating than non-combustion heating offices. However, such differences were not always significant at a level of 0.05 by statistical tests (t-test and/or Mann-Whitney test) with some exceptions for BTEX and styrene. This study demonstrated that smoking status, ventilation type and presence of combustion sources indoors could be important factors on the elevated concentrations of some VOCs in the office environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.88-101
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• 2013

The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship's Ballast Water and Sediments was adopted at 2004 and then various BWMS (ballast water management system) have been developed. In this study, WET (whole effluent toxicity) test with algae (diatom) Skeletonema costatum as primary producer, invertebrate (rotifera) Brachionus plicatilis as 1st consumer and fish (olive flounder) Paralichthys olivaceus as predator, chemical analysis and ERA (environmental risk assessment) were conducted to assess the unacceptable effect on marine ecosystem by emitting the discharge water treated with AquaStar$^{TM}$ BWMS using electrolysis as main treatment equipment for removing the marine organisms in the ship's ballast water. The most sensitive test organism on discharge water treated with AquaStar$^{TM}$ BWMS was S. costatum that gave the NOEC value of 25.00%, LOEC value of 50.00% and 72hr-$EC_{50}$ value of 69.97% from WET test result for 20 psu salinity treated discharge water. NOEC and LOEC value of B. plicatilis and P. olivaceus exposed at 20 psu salinity treated discharge water were 50.00% and 100.00%, respectively. In the chemical analysis results, total number of substances produced by AquaStar$^{TM}$ BWMS was 18 which were bromate, 7 volatile halogenated organic compounds, 7 halogenated acetic acids, 3 halogenated acetonitriles and chloropicrin. Eighteen substances did not consider as persistence and bioaccumulative chemicals. Uncertainty of toxic property of 18 substances was high. PECs of 18 substances calculated by MAMPEC model were ranged from $4.58{\times}10^{-4}$ to $4.87{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$, PNECs of them were ranged from $1.6{\times}10^{-2}$ to $3.2{\times}10^2{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$. And, the PEC/PNEC ratio of 18 substances did not exceed 1. Therefore, ERA for produced substances indicate that the discharge water treated with AquaStar$^{TM}$ BWMS does not pose unacceptable effect on marine life. And $EC_{50}$ value of S. costatum on discharge water treated by BWMS using the electrolysis had positive correlation with initial TRO concentration, concentration and kind & level of HAAs.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.393-405
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• 2018

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are representative air pollutants due to their detrimental effects on human health and their role in formation of secondary organic aerosols. Assessments and monitoring programs of VOCs using periodic grab sampling like Tedlar bags, canisters, and sorbent traps provide limited information, often with delay times of days or weeks. Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) is an emerging analytical technique for the real-time quantification of VOCs in air. It relies on chemical ionization of the VOCs molecules in air introduced into helium carrier gas using $H_3O^+$, $NO^+$, and $O_2{^+}$ precursor ions. Real-time monitoring method of 60 VOCs in the ambient air was developed using TO-15 standard gas mixture. Calibration curves, method detection limit, and quantitation reproducibility of the target compounds were tested. Dynamic dilution system was used to dilute standard gas from 0.174 ppbv to 100 ppbv, where calibration curves showed good linearity with $r^2$> 0.95 in all target analytes. Limit of detection (LOD) all compounds were sub ppbv, and some halogenated compounds showed pptv levels. Seven consecutive analyses of target compounds showed good repeatability with relative standard deviation of less than 10%. One day monitoring of VOCs in ambient air was conducted in Geoje. Average concentration of target VOCs in Geoje were relatively lower than other regions, among which formaldehyde showed the highest concentration ($15.4{\pm}5.78ppbv$). SIFT-MS provided good temporal resolution data (1 data per 3.2 minute), which can be used for identifying ephemeral short-term event. It is expected that SIFT-MS will be a versatile monitoring platform for VOCs in ambient air.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.553-556
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• 2006

A cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-DCE)-degrading anaerobic bacterium, Clostridium sp. strain KYT-1, was isolated from a sediment sample collected from a landfill site in Nanji-do, Seoul, Korea. The KYT-1 strain is a gram-positive, endospore-forming, motile, rod-shaped anaerobic bacterium, of approximately $2.5{\sim}3.0\;{\mu}m$ in length. The degradation of cis-DCE is closely related with the growth of the KYT-1 strain, and it was stopped when the growth of the KYT-1 strain became constant. Although the pathway of cis-DCE degradation by strain KYT-1 remains to be further elucidated, no accumulation of the harmful intermediate, vinyl chloride (VC), was observed during anaerobic cis-DCE degradation. Strain KYT-1 proved able to degrade a variety of volatile organic compounds, including VC, isomers of DCE (1,1-dichloroethylene, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, and cis-DCE), trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and 1,1,2-trichloroethane. Strain KYT-1 degraded cis-DCE at a range of temperatures from $15\;to\;37^{\circ}C$, with an optimum at $30^{\circ}C$, and at a pH range of 5.5 to 8.5, with an optimum at 7.0.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.384-397
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• 2021

Background: With volatile organic compounds (VOCs) containing aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, and xylene that can adversely affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems when a certain concentration is reached, it is important to accurately evaluate the source and the corresponding health risk effects. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to provide scientific evidence for the city of Seoul's VOC reduction measures by confirming the risk of each VOC emission source. Methods: In 2020, 56 VOCs were measured and analyzed at one-hour intervals using an online flame ionization detector system (GC-FID) at two measuring stations in Seoul (Gangseo: GS, Bukhansan: BHS). The dominant emission source was identified using the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model, and health risk assessment was performed on the main components of VOCs related to the emission source. Results: Gasoline vapor and vehicle combustion gas are the main sources of emissions in GS, a residential area in the city center, and the main sources are solvent usage and aged VOCs in BHS, a greenbelt area. The risk index ranged from 0.01 to 0.02, which is lower than the standard of 1 for both GS and BHS, and was an acceptable level of 5.71×10^-7 to 2.58×10^-6 for carcinogenic risk. Conclusions: In order to reduce the level of carcinogenic risk to an acceptable safe level, it is necessary to improve and reduce the emission sources of vehicle combustion and solvent usage, and eco-car policies are judged to contribute to the reduction of combustion gas as well as providing a response to climate change.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.182-187
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• 2008

The environmental significance of indoor air quality is gaining more attention. Especially, the contamination of indoor air by volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) has become a serious environmental concern. We investigated the VOCs emissions from some interior materials used in the conventional railway passenger cabin. The seat cover and the flooring of cabins were used as testing materials, and they were put in a clean environmental chamber. The temperature and relative humidity was kept at $25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ and $50{\pm}5%$, respectively. It was found that these interior materials emitted significant amount of VOCs under constantly ventilated condition. The flooring emitted more halogenated VOCs than the seat cover, because it is made of PVC, which contains many chlorine atoms. However, the emission gradually decreased over time. Because the VOCs emission from interior materials may threaten the health of passengers in the cabin, interior materials emitting less VOCs should be used.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.6 s.169
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• pp.613-629
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• 2004

Contamination of groundwater by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was investigated for 168 groundwater wells in Ulsan area to study the natural attenuation of organic compounds in the aquifers. As groundwater contamination by VOCs is closely related to land use, 168 groundwater samples were classified into 4 different groups; agricultural, forestry, industrial, and residential & business. From analysis 65 out of 168 groundwater samples contained more than one VOC. Analysis of samples were performed fir 36 halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons and 25 petroleum hydrocarbons set up by NAWQA of US geological survey. Twelve petroleum hydrocarbons were detected in 26 groundwater wells, but their concentrations were less than 1.5 g/L except for MTBE. Twenty three chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, composed of 11 methanes, 6 ethanes and 6 ethenes, were detected in 63 groundwater samples. The range of methanes concentration was $ND\~330\;/gL,\;ethanes\;ND\~84\;gL$, and PCE and their derivatives $ND\~62\;g/L$. As the study area was comprised of the aerobic/denitrification zones and $Fe^{+3}$ redox condition, most of petroleum hydrocarbons were degraded well, while halogenated hydrocarbons were slowly biodegradation.

• Clean Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.191-199
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• 2012

In order to reduce or remove off-flavor and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from Laminaria japonica effectively, continuous treatment process by supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-$CO_2$) was applied. After freeze-drying, Laminaria japonica powdered with $710{\mu}m$ was used. Experiments were carried out at temperature range from 35 to $55^{\circ}C$, and pressure range from 10 to 25 MPa for evaluation of SC-$CO_2$ treatment effect. Flow rate of carbon dioxide used in this reseach was constantly fixed at 26.81 g/min. Before and after treatment of SC-$CO_2$, off-flavor and VOCs from Laminaria japonica were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detector (GC-MSD). Total 47 VOCs emitted from Laminaria japonica were identified before treatment of SC-$CO_2$, major components of seaweed smell (ordor) in Laminaria japonica were identified as alcohols, aldehydes, ester and acids, ketone, halogenated compounds and hydrocarbon. Off-flavor and VOCs in all experimental conditions was reduced or removed after SC-$CO_2$ treatment. Among the experimental conditions, the highest removal yield was at 25 MPa and $55^{\circ}C$.