• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.346-354
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• 2023

Objectives: Chemical accidents cause extensive human and environmental damage. Therefore, it is important to prepare measures to prevent their recurrence and minimize future damage through accident investigation. To this end, it is necessary to identify the accident occurrence process and analyze the extent of damage. In this study, the development process and damage range of actual chemical leakage accidents were analyzed using CFD. Methods: For application to actual chemical leakage accidents using FLACS codes specialized for chemical dispersion simulation among CFD codes, release rate calculation and 3D geometry were created, and scenarios for simulation were derived. Results: The development process of the accident and the dispersion behavior of materials were analyzed considering the influencing factors at the time of the accident. In addition, to confirm the validity of the results, we compared the results of the actual damage impact investigation and the simulation analysis results. As a result, both showed similar damage impact ranges. Conclusions: The FLACS code allows the detailed analysis of the simulated dispersion process and concentration of substances similar to real ones. Therefore, it is judged that the analysis method using CFD simulation can be usefully applied as a chemical accident investigation technique.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.794-801
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• 2021

Purpose: The effectiveness of the transport vehicle management system of the Chemical Substances Control Act will be studies and used as basic data for future system improvement plans. Method: After the enforcement of the Chemical Substances Control Act, the effectiveness for the transport vehicle management system was studies by comparing the transport plan, guidance and inspection status, safety training completion management, ect., and the reduction rate of chemical accidents. Results: The average number of chemical accidents in transport vehicles nationwide is 20 each year. And It is decreasing with the stabilization of the Chemical Substances Control Act('15.1.1). The first reason for the decrease in chemical accidents is the increase in submission of transport plans. Second, as the guidance and inspection rate increased every year, the shipper company's management of transport companies was naturally strengthened. Finally, it is judged that chemical accident caused by transport vehicles decrease through safety education. Conclusion: The current tranport vehicle management system of the Chemical Substances Control Act is effective. However, further research is needed to improve the practical and efficient transport vehicle management system.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.132-137
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• 2018

Although the number of chemical accidents has been declining since the Chemical Control Act of 2015, there have been repeated occurrences of similar types of accidents at printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing facilities. These accidents were caused by the overflow of hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide, which are toxic chemicals used in the printed circuit board manufacturing process. An analysis of the $Cl^-$ content to identify the cause of the accident showed that in the mixed route of hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide, which are accidental substances, the $Cl^-$ concentration was 66.85 ppm in the hydrogen peroxide sample. Through reaction experiments, it was confirmed that the deformation of a PVC storage tank and generation of chlorine gas, which is a toxic gas, occurred due to reaction heat occurring up to $50.5^{\circ}C$. This paper proposes a facility safety management plan, including overcharge, overflow prevention, leak detection device, and separation tank design for mixing prevention in printed circuit board manufacturing facility etch process. To prevent the recurrence of accidents of the same type, the necessity of a periodic facility safety inspection and strengthening of the safety education of workers was discussed.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.80-86
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• 2019

In Korea, a total of 556 chemical accidents occurred from 2012 to 2018 caused by adverse reactions of two or more chemicals, which required significant amounts of time to identify the causative chemicals. Rapid analysis is required for effective incident response and probing. In this study, a quantum transition time-of-flight mass spectrometer was used to identify the causative agents of chemical accidents caused by adverse reactions. The analyzer enabled fast real-time analysis without the need for sample collection and pretreatment. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of most volatile organic compounds with high hydrogen affinity was performed to investigate the cause of the chemical accidents. In fact, in the month of 201◯, methanol and toluene were detected as causative agents of the accident using a quantum transition time mass spectrometer, and were also the cause of the reported odor.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.60-66
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• 2020

This paper presents a method for improving the selection of boundary areas suitable for Korea's situation based on domestic and foreign case studies on the establishment of boundary areas to protect people and the environment from chemical substances in response to chemical accidents and chemical terrorism. Currently, various related ministries are divided into hot zones, warm zones, and cold zones in common, but in specific areas, they are used in different ways in terms of terminology utilization. Therefore, it was suggested that the boundary areas be divided into four zones: hot zone, warm zone, cold zone, and safety zone. In addition, the terms warm zone and safety zone should be re-established. The existing ERPG acute exposure standard does not take into account various exposure times. Therefore, it is unsuitable for long-term exposure, so the priority of application should be AEGL, ERPG, PAC, and IDLHs. The CARIS information provision method is classified into substances that can or cannot be diffused or classified as indoor leaks. In addition, the wind direction trust line and the ERG's initial separation distance and protective action distance are expressed together so that they can be used for accident responses.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2019

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen fluoride is one of the 97 accident preparedness substances regulated by the Ministry of Environment (Republic of Korea) and chemical accidents should be managed centrally due to continual occurrence. Especially, hydrogen fluoride has a characteristic of rapid diffusion and very toxic when leaking into the environment. Therefore, it is important to predict the impact range quickly and to evaluate the residual contamination immediately to minimize the human and environmental damages. METHODS AND RESULTS: In order to estimate the accident impact range, the off-site consequence analysis (OCA) was performed to the worst and alternative scenarios. Also, in order to evaluate the residual contamination of hydrogen fluoride in crop, the samples in accident site were collected from 15-divided regions (East direction from accident sites based on the main wind direction), and the concentration was measured by fluoride ($F^-$) ion-selective electrode potentiometer (ISE). As a result of the OCA, the affected distance by the worst scenario was estimated to be >10 km from the accident site and the range by the alternative scenario was estimated to be about 1.9 km. The residual contamination of hydrogen fluoride was highest in the samples near the site of the accident (E-1, 276.82 mg/kg) and tended to decrease as it moved eastward. Meanwhile, the concentrations from SE and NE (4.96~28.98 mg/kg) tended to be lower than the samples near the accident site. As a result, the concentration of hydrogen fluoride was reduced to a low concentration within 2 km from the accident site (<5 mg/kg), and the actual damage range was estimated to be around 2.2 km. Therefore, it is suggested that the results are similar to those of alternative accident scenarios calculated by OCA (about 1.9 km). CONCLUSION: It is difficult to estimate the chemical accident-affecting range/region by the OCA evaluation, because it is not possible to input all physicochemical parameters. However simultaneous measurement of the residual contamination in the environment will be very helpful in determining the diffusion range of actual chemical accident.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.36 no.10
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• pp.857-864
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• 2012

Reviewing the statistics of harbor shipment of hazardous and noxious substance and the past spill accidents of HNS enabled us to assess the potential risks of transportation of HNS through the major harbors in Korea. Ulsan, Yeosu, Daesan port are relatively evaluated high risk in fire, health and environment disaster. Through the analysis of domestic preparedness to HNS accidents, the supplement of expertise resource to respond the vulnerability of the explosion, the fire and the physiological hazard, is required. Based on this risk assessment and review of the advanced case of Japan in building up HNS response system, a resource model at a national level was proposed which differentiates the sea areas for the proper allocation of resources to respond effectively to HNS accidents in the future.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.6-12
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• 2014

We reviewed literature focusing on the amounts of domestic production, distribution, and consumption of strong acids and their spill cases. In particular, we investigated the chemistry and toxicity of four strong acids classified as "accident preparedness substances," including hydrochloric, nitric, sulfuric, and hydrofluoric acid. We recommend sulfuric and hydrofluoric acid as the chemicals of priority control based on the amounts used and toxicity. An advanced prevention/response system needs to be established along with an improved human and social infrastructure to prevent and efficiently respond to chemical accidents. Understanding the behavior and transport of spilled strong acids in the soil and groundwater environments requires a multi-disciplinary approach since they go through a variety of chemical and biogeochemical reactions with complex geomedia. However, no such research has been done in this area in Korea to the best of our knowledge. We expect the results of this study to contribute as basic data to future research.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.337-345
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• 2011

In order to provide an effective preparedness for a nuclear or radiological emergency happening in the domestic or neighborhood countries and to solve the vague fear of the people for the ingestion of radioactive livestock products, the establishment of national guideline level for radionuclides in feed is urgently necessary. This is because it is important to secure the safety and to manage the crisis in the agricultural, fishery and food sector by performing the effective safety control during and after nuclear incident. This study was performed to investigate the report cases of international organizations and foreign countries to set up a domestic control standard for managing radioactive substances that may be contaminated in animal feeds due to the nuclear power plant incident. In addition, an attempt was made to provide a useful reference that can help prepare a domestic control standard, using a coefficient that can consider the transfer into livestock through the intake of radioactive contaminated animal feeds. The standard radioisotopes investigated were confined to radioactive cesium ($^{137+134}Cs$) and iodine ($^{131}I$). Guideline level for the radionuclides was calculated by using the transfer coefficient factor and the maximum daily intake of animal feed provided by IAEA. For example, the maximum daily intake of animal feed was set as $25kg\;d^{-1}$ for dairy cows, $10kg\;d^{-1}$ for beef cattle, $3.0kg\;d^{-1}$ for pigs and $0.15kg\;d^{-1}$ for chickens. The result values for radioactive cesium were calculated as $8,696Bq\;kg^{-1}$, $4,545Bq\;kg^{-1}$, $1,667Bq\;kg^{-1}$ and $2,469Bq\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. The results for radioactive iodine showed the ranges between $741Bq\;kg^{-1}$ and $76,628Bq\;kg^{-1}$. These data can be utilized as a scientific reference for the preparation of a crisis management manual for the emergency control due to nuclear power plant accident in Korea and neighboring country. These results will contribute to establish the safe feed management system at national level as manual for responding the radioactive exposure of agricultural products and animal feeds, which are currently not established.