• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.111-125
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• 2013

Among the hazardous air pollutions(HAPs), characteristics of secondary organic aerosols are not well understood. In this study, the current state for the measurement and analysis of representative secondary PAHs such as oxy-PAHs and nitro-PAHs are presented with the discussion of their toxicity. Also, further research directions for the secondary PAHs are suggested. It was found that the chemical reaction mechanisms and products of PAHs in the air are poorly identified and their toxicities are not well studied. Moreover ambient concentrations of those secondary PAHs are not well documented. Sampling methodologies of those secondary PAHs are similar with PAHs but the analytical protocols for those secondary PAHs are more complicated than PAHs. Future management directions are suggested along with future research directions.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.277-289
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• 2019

Herein, a case study discussing the effect of carbonaceous aerosol pollution, which is emitted during the charcoal kiln manufacturing processes or carbonization processes, on the atmospheric environment is presented . In South Korea, in situ analysis of different charcoal production plants specialized in the production of charcoal sauna indicate that the emitted organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) aerosols are significantly influenced by the nature of the biomass and technological processes, i.e., treatment or emissions abatement systems for the exhaust effluent gases. In detail, total carbon (TC), which is calculated as the sum of OC and EC emission factors, varied widely from a charcoal production site to another ranging from 21.8 to 35.8 gTC/kg-oak, where the mean value for the considered production sites was approximately 28 gTC/kg-oak (N = 7 and sum = 196.4). Results indicate that the emission factors from a modern charcoal production process in South Korea are quantitatively lower in comparison with the traditional kiln. This study aims to propose advanced wood processes for the production of charcoal from the viewpoint of environmental protection policy and green engineering.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.498-510
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• 2022

Cloud-aerosol interactions are one of the paramount but least understood forcing factors in climate systems. Generally, an increase in the concentration of aerosols increases the concentration of cloud droplet numbers, implying that clouds tend to persist for longer than usual, suppressing precipitation in the warm boundary layer. The cloud lifetime effect has been the center of discussion in the scientific community, partly because of the lack of cloud life cycle observations and partly because of cloud problems. In this study, the precipitation susceptibility (S_o) matrix was employed to estimate the aerosols' effect on precipitation, while the non-aerosol effect is minimized. The S_o was calculated for the typical coupled, well-mixed maritime stratocumulus decks and giant cloud condensation nucleus (GCCN) seeded clouds. The GCCN-artificially introduced to the marine stratocumulus cloud decks-is shown to initiate precipitation and reduces S_o to approximately zero, demonstrating the cloud lifetime hypothesis. The results suggest that the response of precipitation to changes in GCCN must be considered for accurate prediction of aerosol-cloud-precipitation interaction by model studies

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.217-235
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• 2012

We evaluated the geochemical characteristics and their potential pollution of Asian Dusts in Daejeon, Korea during spring 2007. Compared with the chemical compositions of soils in source area of Asian Dust, those of aerosols in Daejeon were enriched with trace elements (ten to hundred fold), inferring that pollutants from China have affected on local environment in adjoining country such as Korea. Chemical analysis of aerosols during Asian dust showed that fine particles ($PM_{2.5}$) contained high contents of trace elements such as Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, V, S, As, Cd, Co, Ni, Mo, Sb, Cs, Rb, Th, Sc and Y. In the case of TSP (Total Suspended Particle), Zr, Sr, Ba, Li, Th and U were contained much more than other trace elements. The contents of some elements (i.e. Li, Cs, Co, U, Cr, Ni, Rb, V, Th, Y, Sr and Sc) in aerosols collected in Asian Dust period, which are not likely enriched by air pollutants, were higher (2 - 4.2 fold) than those in Non Asian Dust period, indicating that these elements could be used as indicator elements for determining the occurrence of Asian Dust phenomena (especially, Sr, V, Cr & Li). In the case of Asian Dust coming through the big cities and/or industrial areas of China, the domestic aerosols had higher contents of trace elements (such as S, Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu, Mo and As) than those from Northeastern China via North Korea, indicating that the transportation courses of air mass are very important to determine the pollution degrees. Using the enrichment factors of trace elements in aerosols during Asian Dust and Non Asian Dust, we identified that some elements (i.e. S, Zn, Cu, Pb, As, Mo and Cd) were most problematic in terms of environmental hazard aspects, and these elements could affect adverse effects on human health as well as ecosystem and surface environment (soil and water) through long-lived precipitation.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.71-77
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• 2011

Pork belly meat and mackerel are popular meals in Korea. Although a lot of people enjoy cooking these food, there have been some reports that generated organic particles during cooking could be thereas on of lung cancer of nonsmoking housewives. In addition, some experiments show that carcinogens may be included in meat and fishes which we eat usually. For this reason, particle size and concentration in formation during cooking are necessary to figure out the relationship between particles and the diseases. Thus, we identify number concentrations and size distributions of generated nano aerosol in cooking with respect to time, hood operation, and distance between cooking and measurement locations. The maximum concentrations of nano aerosol(diameter sizes are between 10 to 700nm)are decreased after the cooking from $8{\times}10^6{\sharp}/cm^3$ to zeroth order in pork belly meat cooking, and from $3.5{\times}{\times}10^6{\sharp}/cm^3$ to zeroth order in mackerel cooking respectively. When it comes to hood operation during cooking, the detected concentrations of generated aerosols are decreased as in taking flow rate of the hood increases. In cooking pork belly meat, the reduced amount of concentration is about $3{\times}10^6{\sharp}/cm^3$ compared to no hood operation, when hood in taking flow rate is $610m^3/hr$ In mackerel cooking, reduced concentration is $6{\times}10^5{\sharp}/cm^3$ in the same condition. Also, Naphthalene and Fluorene, which are known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are detected in the generated aerosols during cooking.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.289-304
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• 2016

The $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ aerosols were collected at the Gosan site of Jeju Island in 2013 and analyzed, in order to examine the variation characteristics of the chemical compositions in relation to the haze, Asian dust, and mixed haze-Asian dust episodes. Volume concentrations obtained from the Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS) were high in the range of $0.6{\sim}1.0{\mu}m$ particles for haze event, and in the range of $2.0{\sim}10.0{\mu}m$ particles for Asian dust event. For the haze event, nitrate concentrations increased highly as 8.8 and 25.1 times for $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$, respectively, possibly caused by the inflow of air mass stagnated in eastern parts of China into Jeju area. For the Asian dust event, the concentrations of nss-$Ca^{2+}$, $NO_3{^-}$ and nss-$SO_4{^{2-}}$ increased 6.0, 1.5, 1.8 times for $PM_{10}$, and 2.3, 1.3, 1.6 times for $PM_{2.5}$, respectively. Meanwhile, for the mixed haze-Asian dust event, the concentrations of nss-$Ca^{2+}$ and $NO_3{^-}$ increased 13.4 and 3.2 times for $PM_{10}$, and 1.8 and 3.4 times for $PM_{2.5}$, respectively. The $NH_4NO_3$ content was higher than that of $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ during the haze event, however it was relatively low during the mixed haze-Asian dust event. The aerosols were acidified mostly by inorganic acids, and especially the nitric acid contributed highly to the acidification during both the haze and the mixed haze-Asian dust events. Meanwhile, the neutralization by ammonia was noticeably high during haze event when the stagnated air mass moved from China.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2013

Nanotoxicological research has shown toxicity of nanomaterials to be inversely related to particle size. However, the contribution of agglomeration to the toxicity of nanomaterials has not been sufficiently studied, although it is known that agglomeration is associated with increased nanomaterial size. In this study, we prepared aerosols of nano-sized carbon black by 2 different ways to verify the effects of agglomeration on the toxicity and deposition of nano-sized carbon black. The 2 methods of preparation included the carbon black dispersion method that facilitated clustering without sonication and the carbon black dispersion method involving sonication to achieve scattering and deagglomeration. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to carbon black aerosols 6 hr a day for 3 days or for 2 weeks. The median mass aerodynamic diameter of carbon black aerosols averaged $2.08{\mu}m$ (for aerosol prepared without sonication; group N) and $1.79{\mu}m$ (for aerosol prepared without sonication; group S). The average concentration of carbon black during the exposure period for group N and group S was $13.08{\pm}3.18mg/m^3$ and $13.67{\pm}3.54mg/m^3$, respectively, in the 3-day experiment. The average concentration during the 2-week experiment was $9.83{\pm}3.42mg/m^3$ and $9.08{\pm}4.49mg/m^3$ for group N and group S, respectively. The amount of carbon black deposition in the lungs was significantly higher in group S than in group N in both 3-day and 2-week experiments. The number of total cells, macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, and the number of total white blood cells and neutrophils in the blood in the 2-week experiment were significantly higher in group S than in normal control. However, differences were not found in the inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-$1{\beta}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, etc.) and protein indicators of cell damage (albumin and lactate dehydrogenase) in the BAL fluid of both group N and group S as compared to the normal control. In conclusion, carbon black aerosol generated by sonication possesses smaller nanoparticles that are deposited to a greater extent in the lungs than is aerosol formulated without sonication. Additionally, rats were narrowly more affected when exposed to carbon black aerosol generated by sonication as compared to that produced without sonication.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.80-86
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• 1995

To investigate the background concentration of air pollutants (SO_2,\;CO,\;NO_2,\;O_3,\;TSP)$ and the composition of atmospheric aerosols, air samplings using teflon bags and a high volume air sampler were accomplished from 7 to 8 lune 1991 (first time) and from 25 to 26 June 1992 (second time) at the top of Dokdo island, Korea. During observation periods, mean concentrations of $SO_2,\;CO'\;NO_2\;and\;O_3$ gases were 2.3 ppb, 5.57 ppm, 6 ppb and 7 ppb, respectively, and mean concentration of TSP using a high volume air sampler was $153{\mu}g/m^3$. The composition of atmospheric aerosols by SEM-EMAX analyses were mostly Na, Cl and Si, and their sizes were more than $1{\mu}m$ diameter. From the results, it is found that atmospheric background values at Dokdo island is influenced by oceanic water quality evaporated from sea surface water, and this island has to be used as a stationary observation site for meteorological and air quality data.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.675-687
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• 2005

In this study, the cyclone/denuder/filter pack sampling system was used to measure the daily concentrations of water soluble inorganic compounds of fine ($D_{p}< 2.5\;{\mu}m$) and coarse ($D_{p}<10{\mu}m$m) size fractions of aerosol and related gases at Gosan super site during ABC-EAREX 2005. The mean concentrations for $HNO_{3},\;HNO_{2},\;NH_{3}$, were 0.39, 0.08, and $0.29\;{\mu}g/m^3$. respectively. Average concentrations of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium in $PM_{2.5}$ were 3.39, 1.06, and $1.04\;{\mu}g/m^3$, which occupied about $26\%$ of total $PM_{2.5}$ mass. In particular, more than half of these ionic species were found in size of less than $2.5\;{\mu}m$. Gas phase nitric acid concentrations have shown high correlation coefficient with $HNO_{2}$(R=0.80) and $O_{3}$(R=0.78), implying the active photochemical reactions from its precursors. Equivalent molar ratios between major ion components, $NH_{4}\;^{+}/nss\;SO_4\;^{2-},(0.83\;for\;PM_{2.5},\;0.86\;for\;PM_{10})$, revealed that the existing forms of the secondary aerosols were probably $(NH_{4})_{2}SO_{4}\;and\;(NH_{4})_{3}H\;(SO_{4})_{2}$. Especially, $(NH_{4}\;^{+}+K^{+}+Ca^{2+}+Mg^{2+})/(NO_{3}\;^{-}+nss\;SO_{4}\;^{2-}) (0.99\;for\;PM_{2.5},\;1.05\;for\;PM_{10})$ indicated that some of them existed not only as $NH_{4}NO_{3}$ but also as $CaSO_{4}\;or\;KNO_{3}$, which pointed out the probability of influences from the abundant soil components during Asian dust (AD) periods. These neutralized types of secondary aerosols showed that pollutants could be aged and transported from a distance.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.157-167
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• 2020

Removing radioactive concrete is crucial in the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. However, this process generates radioactive aerosols, exposing workers to radiation. Although large amounts of radioactive concrete are generated during decommissioning, studies on the internal exposure of workers to radioactive aerosols generated from the cutting of radioactive concrete are very limited. In this study, therefore, we calculate the internal radiation doses of workers exposed to radioactive aerosols during activities such as drilling and cutting of radioactive concrete, using previous research data. The electrical-mobility-equivalent diameter measured in a previous study was converted to aerodynamic diameter using the Newton-Raphson method. Furthermore, the specific activity of each nuclide in radioactive concrete 10 years after nuclear power plants are shut down was calculated using the ORIGEN code. Eventually, we calculated the committed effective dose for each nuclide using the IMBA software. The maximum effective dose of ¹⁵²Eu constituted 83.09% of the total dose; moreover, the five highest-ranked elements (¹⁵²Eu, ¹⁵⁴Eu, ⁶⁰Co, ²³⁹Pu, ⁵⁵Fe) constituted 99.63%. Therefore, we postulate that these major elements could be measured first for rapid radiation exposure management of workers involved in decommissioning of nuclear power plants, even if all radioactive elements in concrete are not considered.