• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.449-457
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• 2015

Objectives: In Korea, the system of management of medical waste largely relies on the incineration method. Our study aimed to identify any regional imbalances between the generation and treatment of medical waste, and provide reference data for future policy in Korea. Methods: We analyzed data on the amount of medical waste from 2,000 hospitals in 2012, 2013, and 2014 obtained from the Korea Environment Corporation. In the Arc GIS program (version 10.2.3), the addresses of hospitals and incinerators were transformed into map coordinates. The amount of waste generated by each hospital and the amount incinerated were represented by density and size of a triangle symbol, respectively. Results: As of 2014, the total amount of medical waste from the top 2,000 hospitals was 136,073 tons, out of which about half (49%) was generated in the capital area. Eleven incineration companies (three in the capital area, two in the Chungcheong Provinces area, one in the Jeolla Provinces area, and five in the Gyeongsang Provinces area) treated this waste. For the years 2012, 2013, and 2014, about 60% of the medical waste generated from the hospitals in the capital area was treated within the capital area and about 40% was transported to other areas, especially the Gyeongsang Provinces area, for treatment. On the other hand, about 90% of the medical waste incinerated in the capital area originated from the capital area. Conclusion: Our results suggest a spatial imbalance between the generation and treatment of medical waste in Korea and warrants multilateral policies, including the expansion of on-site treatment, strengthening regulation of the containment of medical wastes, promoting reductions in medical waste and more.

• Journal of Korea Society of Waste Management
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.670-682
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• 2018

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) can be released to humans and the environment through the generation of waste containing engineered nanomaterials (WCNMs) and the use and disposal of nano-products. Nanoparticles can also be introduced intentionally or unintentionally into waste streams. This study examined WCNMs in domestic industries, and target nanomaterials, such as silicon dioxide, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, nano silver, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), were selected. We tested 48 samples, such as dust, sludge, ash, and by-products from manufacturing facilities and waste treatment facilities. We analyzed leaching and content concentrations for heavy metals and hazardous constituents of the waste. Chemical compositions were also measured by XRD and XRF, and the unique properties of nano-waste were identified by using a particle size distribution analyzer and TEM. The dust and sludge generated from manufacturing facilities and the use of nanomaterials showed higher concentrations of metals such as lead, arsenic, chromium, barium, and zinc. Oiled cloths from facilities using nano silver revealed high concentrations of copper, and the leaching concentrations of copper and lead in fly ash were higher than those in bottom ash. In XRF measurements at the facilities, we detected compounds such as silicon dioxide, sulfur trioxide, calcium oxide, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide. We found several chemicals such as calcium oxide and silicon dioxide in the bottom ash of waste incinerators.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.86-95
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• 2006

This study was carried out to estimate leaching characteristics of incineration residues from municipal solid waste incinerators, and determine organic compounds in raw ash, leaching water and leaching residue. A total of 44 organic compounds, which were analyzed by GC/MSD and identified by wiley library search, were contained in bottom ashes. A total of 17 organic compounds were contained in fly ashes. Bottom ash and fly ash were found to contain a wide range of organic compounds such as aliphatic compounds and aromatic compounds. Organic compounds such as Ethenylbenzene, Benzaldehyde, 1-Phenyl-Ethanone and 1,4-Benzenedicarboxylic acid dimethyl ester were detected in raw ash, leaching water and residues (from bottom ash). Organic compounds such as Naphthalene, Dodecane, 1,2,3,5-Tetrachlorobenzene, Tetradecane, Hexadecane and Pentachlorobenzene were detected in raw ash, leaching water and residues (from fly ash). Through the leaching characteristics of incineration residue, it was represented that the open dumping of incineration residue can contaminate the soil and undergroundwater. In order to prevent environmental contamination that derived from extremely toxic substances in the incineration residues, it is particularly important that the incineration residues should be treated before disposal the incineration residues. Further study and proper management about leaching characteristics of organic compounds might be required.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.51-58
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• 1993

The integrated solid waste management for Seoul Metropolitan city can be established on the basis of the following hierarchy of priorities: 1. Efforts for source reduction should be propelled by both government and citizens to achieve the effects of resource conservation. The adequate production and consumption which are environmentally amenable and sustainable can be induced by the reasonable imposition of deposit money for waste treatment to one-time use products. To accomplish source reduction effectively, the induction of legal and institutional regulation of producer and consumer participation is requisite. 2. For resource recovery, wastes generated should be recycled as far as practicable. Community residents are responsible to separate discharge, the authorities concerned have responsibility of separate collection, and recycling industry should be assissted through tax reduction and financing. Resource separation facilities can be constructed at Kimpo Metropolitan landfill site for wastes not separately collected due to some unavoidable circumstances. 3. Garbage should be composted. Garbage is uneconomical for incineration, because it has high moisture content and low calorie, thus there is no reason for the incineration of garbage even though garbage is classified into combustibles. Composting facilities can be located at sites which are not densely populated and easily accessible to transportation, for example, Kimpo Metropolitan landfill site. Compost produced can be managed by the authorities for the use of fertilizer to a green tract of suburban land and farms. 4. Nonhazardous combustible wastes not recyclable can be utilized for thermal recovery at the incinerators which are completely equipped with pollution control devices. According to the trend of local autonomy and the equity principle of local autonomous entities, incineration facilities of minimal capacity required can be constructed at each districts of Seoul Metropolitan city which have organized local assembly. In case of Yangcheon district, the economically combustible waste quantity is about 260 tons/day which exceeds 150 tons/day, the incineration capacity of existing facility. But, from now on, waste quantity can be reduced substantially by the intensive efforts of citizens for source reduction and recycling and the institutional support of administrative organizations. Especially, it is indispensable for the government to constitute institutional and technological bases that can recycle paper and plastics form 43% of waste generated. A good time for constructing of incineration facilities for municipal solid waste can be postponed to the time that pollution control technologies of domestic enterprises are fully developed to satisfy the standards of air pollution prevention, because the life expectancy of Kimpo Metropolitan landfill site is about 25 years. Within this period, institutional improvements and technological advancements can be attained, while the air qual. ity of Seoul Metropolitan city can be ameliorated to the level to afford incineration facilities. 5. For final disposal, incombustibles and ash are landfilled sanitarily at Kimpo Metropolitan landfill site.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2018

The energy recovery rate estimation method proposed through the Waste Control Act does not take into account the energy used in practice. In addition, the method for measuring a lower heating value, which is the main factor of the energy recovery rate, was carried out through a small sampling amount, and thus the representative value of the waste was not reflected. With the revised estimation method (Notification No. 2015-215 of the Ministry of Environment), the energy recovery rate should be estimated based on the actual amount of energy used, and a heat balance method was proposed as a way to estimate the lower heating value. In this study, the lower heating value was estimated for seven industrial waste incineration facilities according to the revised estimation method. All data used in the estimations were achieved from measurement instruments applied to each of the incinerators and through direct measurements taken by the operators for the purposes of calculation. As a result, the lower heating value was estimated to be about 3,404.7 kcal/kg for the seven industrial waste incineration facilities.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.27-33
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• 2003

This survey was performed to investigate the NOx emission factors at 3 Municipal Solid Waste Incinerators(MSWI) and 5 Power generation boilers in Seoul. The NOx concentrations were measured before and after control systems. The results were as follows. 1) The NOx reduction efficiencies of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) using ammonia as reducing agent ranged from 53.7% to 89.9%. The NOx reduction efficiencies of SCR using methanol as reducing agent, Non- Selective Catalytic Reduction (NSCR) using ethanol as reducing agent and low-NOx burner were 20.8%, 29.1% and 24.7%, respectively. 2) The NOx emission factors at A-1, A-2 and A-3 facilities of MSWI were 0.786, 0.127 and 0.594 kg Nox/ton fuel, respectively. The factors of A-1 and A-3 facilities were higher than the average value of Korea. 3) The NOx emission factors at B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4 and B-5 facilities of Power generation boiler were 2.109, 0.726, 4.106, 8.378 and 5.168 kg Nox/ton fuel, respectively. The factors of B-4 and B-5 facilities were higher than the average value of Korea.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers A
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• v.51 no.11
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• pp.544-550
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• 2002

This paper describes a strategy of a daily optimal operational scheduling on the industrial cogeneration system. The cogeneration system selected to establish the scheduling consists of three units and several auxiliary devices which include three auxiliary boilers, t재 waste boilers and three sludge incinerators. One unit generated electrical and thermal energy using the back pressure turbine. The other two units generate the energy using the extraction condensing turbine. Three auxiliary devices operate to supply energy to the loads with three units. The cogeneration system is able to supply enough the thermal energy to the thermal load, however it can not sufficiently supply the electric energy to the electrical load. Therefore the insufficient electric energy is compensated by buying electrical energy from utility. In this paper, the evolutionary algorithms was applied to establish the optimal scheduling for the cogeneration systems. Also the GUI System was developed using established mathematics medeling and evolutionary algorithms in order that non-experts are able to establish operational scheduling. This results revel that the proposed modeling and strategy can be effectively applied to cogeneration system for paper mill.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers A
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• v.49 no.10
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• pp.494-501
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• 2000

This paper describes a strategy of a daily optimal operational scheduling in cogeneration system for paper mill. The cogeneration system selected to establish the scheduling consists of three units and several auxiliary devices. One unit generates electrical and thermal energy using the back pressure turbine. The rest two units generate the energy using the extraction condensing turbine. Three auxiliary boilers, two waste boilers and three sludge incinerators operate to supply energy to the loads with three units. The cogeneration system is able to supply enough the thermal energy to the thermal load, however it can not sufficiently supply the electrical power to the electrical load. Therefore the insufficient electric energy is compensated by buying electrical energy from utility. When the operational scheduling is performed considering the environmental problem. This paper shows the simulation results for daily operational scheduling obtained using the evolutionary algorithm. This results reveal that the proposed modeling and strategy can be effectively applied to cogeneration system for paper mill.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.363-370
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• 2010

This study was performed to validate reference materials (RMs) for proficiency testing (PT) in waste inter-laboratories. Dioxin RMs were prepared from fly ash in industrial incinerators. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of analytical results were 2.6~15.7% for the dioxin RMs in 10 replicates (between and withinbottles). Data were collected and statistical analysis was performed by the One-way ANOVA test. The combined uncertainties of target isomers in dioxin analysis were 0.114~7.091.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.4 s.55
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• pp.337-347
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• 2006

이 연구의 목적은 자원회수시설 근로자 및 인근 지역 거주 주민의 혈중다이옥신류 농도를 평가하고, 혈중 다이옥신류 농도에 영향을 미치는 요인을 평가하는 것이다. $2002{\sim}2004$년까지 대상 자원회수시설에 3년 이상 근무한 근로자 31명과 시설로부터 300 m이내 지역에서 3년 이상 거주한 주민 68명을 선정하여 혈액을 채취하였다. 참고 자료로 대상 자원회수시설에 영향을 받지 않는 도시 지역에 거주하는 일반 주민 11명을 함께 평가하였다. 혈액 채취 시 개인 특성에 대한 설문조사도 함께 실시하였다. 시설 근로자의 혈중 다이옥신류 농도는 평균 $2.09{\sim}66.67pg/g$ lipid, 인근 거주 주민은 $1.00{\sim}29.33pg/g$ lipid, 일반 도시 주민은 $5.29{\sim}35.93pg/g$ lipid로 측정되었다. 시설 인근 지역 거주 주민 및 일반 도시 주민 중 비 흡연자의 인체 부하량은 각각 3.0 ng TEQ/g lipid와 4.5 ng TEQ/g lipid로 평가되었다. 대상군의 특성에 따른 혈중 다이옥신류 농도 차이는 관찰되지 않았으며, 연령과 유의한 양의 상관성이 있었다.