• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제12권7호
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• pp.825-833
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• 2003

The emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generated from painting and coating processes is a worldwide problem as contributing factors to the development of photochemical smog and other environmental problems. Common methods of reducing VOC emissions are adsorption on activated carbon, membrane separation, absorption, incineration, or catalytic oxidation. In this article, the environmental issues caused by VOC emissions and the trend of legislation against such emissions will be surveyed first. Several conventional control technologies will then be summarized and the characteristics of each process will be introduced. Lastly, some examples will be described to show the hybrid processes which have been industrially applied for the recovery of VOC.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.221-229
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• 1997

Wax is a protectant for floors that is used widely in Korea and is considered an emission source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the indoor environment. This study examined the concentration change of indoor VOCs due to waxing and also due to wiping the floor with an oiled dustcloth. VOCs were identified using a cryogenic concentration/thermal desorption system with capillary GC that utilized a liquid nitrogen cryostat and induction heating. The major components emitted from the waxing were nonane, decane, undecane, $C_2$-benzene, and $C_3$-benzene. The concentrations of nonane were 1,276 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ an hour after wax applications, 832 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ after 3 days, and less than 10$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥) after 15 days. Another emission source of VOCs in indoor was the oiled dustcloth used for cleaning the floor. The oiled dustcloth gave VOCs concentrations three times higher than the normal undusted floor.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.73-77
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• 1998

In this study, a total of 10 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including BTEX were determined in the inside and outside of a highway thnnel in order to evaluate the emission profile of automobile exhaust with respect to the concentrations, relative ratio and correlation coefficient of target analytes. In addition to VOCs, CO $CO_2 and NO_2$ were measured simultaneously. The results of this study indicated that the most abundant compound was toluene followed by benzene and m+p-xylenes, and the correlation coefficients between VOCs except styrene were higher than 0.96. The concentration ratio of toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes with respect to benzene measured in the inside of tunnel was 1.5, 0.13, 0.74, respectively. Such ratios were found to be very similar to those measured in tunnels in the USA.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• 제6권3호
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• pp.137-146
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• 2012

Poor indoor air quality is now worldwide concern due to its adverse impacts on our health and environment. Moreover, these impacts carry a significant burden to the economy. Various technical approaches (e.g., biological, activated carbon fiber (ACF), photocatlytic oxidation (PCO), etc.) have gained popularity in controlling indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This is because removing indoor VOC sources or increasing ventilation rates is often not feasible or economical. This review provides an overview of the various air purification technologies used widely to improve indoor air quality. Although most of these technologies are very useful to remove indoor VOCs, there is no single fully satisfactory method due to their diversity and presence at the low concentration. To achieve technical innovations and the development of specific testing protocols, one should possess a better knowledge on the mechanisms of substrate uptake at VOC concentrations.

• KIEAE Journal
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.53-58
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• 2008

With architectural technology, a building has been a far dense and close. So the thermal environment of the building has become pleasant, but the quality of indoor air has been degraded. Using synthetic products for construction materials and furniture indoors escalates the concentration of volatile organic compounds(VOCs) at indoor air, threatening the health of the residents. To reduce the concentration of volatile organic compounds at indoor air, many methods are designed, and of late, concern has been increased about the effect of air purification using air purifying plants. Field measurements were performed using Aglaonema brevispathum, Pachira aquatica and Ficus benjamiana, which were verified as air-purifying plants by NASA. The effect of reducing the concentration of air contaminants by plant studied in a full scale mock-up model. The variations of concentration of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Formaldehyde were monitored. In most cases, the effect was excellent in Toluene and formaldehyde in summer.

• 대한설비공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한설비공학회 2009년도 하계학술발표대회 논문집
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• pp.762-767
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• 2009

Some types of semi-Volatile organic compounds (SVOC) that are emitted from plastics used in building materials and household appliances have associated health risks, even at low concentrations. In this study, micro chamber method for measuring SVOC is introduced and SVOC such as di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and butylated hydroxyltoluene emitted a flooring material were measured using a micro chamber method. Airflow characteristics in a micro test chamber deeply depended on air exchange rate. From the evaluation using an index of air change efficiency, such as the air age and the coefficient of air change performance, a fixed air exchange rate of $1.5\;h^{-1}$ in the micro chamber is desirable.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제11권12호
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• pp.1321-1326
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• 2002

A numerical model is investigated to predict a behavior of the gaseous volatile organic compounds and a subsurface contamination caused by them in the unsaturated zone. Two dimensional advective-dispersion equation caused by a density difference and two dimensional diffusion equation are computed by a finite difference method in the numerical model. A laboratory experiment is also carried out to compare the results of the numerical model. The dimensions of the experimental plume are 1.2m in length, 0.5m in height, and 0.05m in thickness. In comparing the result of 2 methods used in the numerical model with the one of the experiment respectively, the one of the advective-dispersion equation shows better than the one the diffusion equation.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.805-812
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• 1999

Adsorption characteristics of volatile organic compounds(VOCs) by activated carbon fiber(ACF) were investigated using a continuous system for benzene, toluene, xylene(BTX) generation. Studied characteristics for adsorption were equilibrium capacity, accumulative adsorption, and breakthrough curve. Operating variables were adsorption temperature(25~45$^{\circ}C$) and partial pressure(1.2~12 mmHg) of BTX. The experimental results show that the adsorption equilibrium capacity increases with increasing partial pressure of BTX and decreases with increasing temperature. It was also found that the break point was decreased with increasing partial pressure, temperature and gas flow rate due to an effect of mass transfer of adsorbate.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.63-71
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• 2002

The thermal desorption-gas chromatographic (TD-GC) system has been constructed for the measurement of volatile organic compounds. The thermal desortion unit is composed of four major parts: 1) the control part; 2) the thermal desorption part; 3) the focusing part; and 4) the injection part. The peltier element was introduced to the focusing part for the temperature of the focusing tube to reach-35$^{\circ}C$. The system was tested for the linearity of the calibration curves and reproducibility of instrumental analyses using some disinfection by-products (DBPs) and BTXs (benzene, toluene and p-xylene). The coefficients of determination (r$^2$) for all the calibration curves made were higher than 0.998, and the coefficients of variation (CV) for triplicate measurements were all within 10％. The system also has been tested for field applicability. The analysis of field samples showed that there was no breakthrough problem in the sampling system and that the system could be applied to field measurements.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.103-110
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• 2012

This study was performed mainly to examine whether a city with a metal industrial presence presents different characteristics in ambient volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations compared to residential (RES) and commercial/residential combined (CRC) areas of another city by using long-term monitoring data (from January 2006 to February 2009). For most target VOCs, ambient concentrations in the metal-industrialized city were lower than for the RES and CRC areas. Aromatic compounds were the predominant VOC groups for the metal industry city as well as for other land uses. The ambient concentrations of aromatic VOCs were higher in the winter and spring seasons than in the summer and fall seasons, whereas those of chlorinated VOCs did not show any distinctive variations. In addition, higher concentrations were observed during daytime hours. The correlations between the ambient target compounds were statistically significant, except for the correlation between benzene and ozone.