• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.83-95
• /
• 2012

China has been a top producer and exporter of refined lead products in the world since the year 2000. After the phasing-out of leaded gasoline in the late 1990s, non-ferrous metallurgy and coal combustion have been identified as potential major sources of aerosol lead in China. This paper presents the single particle analytical results of ambient aerosol particles collected near a lead smelter using a scanning electron microscopy- energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). Aerosol particle samples were collected over a 24-hour period, starting from 8 pm on 31 May 2002, using a high volume TSP sampler. For this near source sample, 73 particles among 377 particles analyzed (accounting for 19.4%) were lead-containing particles mixed with other species (S, Cl, K, Ca, and/or C), which probably appeared to be from a nearby lead smelter. Lead-containing particles of less than $2{\mu}m$ size in the near source sample were most frequently encountered with the relative abundances of 42%. SEM-EDX analysis of individual standard particles, such as PbO, PbS, $PbSO_4$, $PbCl_2$, and $PbCO_3$, was also performed to assist in the clear identification of lead-containing aerosol particles. Lead-containing particles were frequently associated with arsenic and zinc, indicating that the smelter had emitted those species during the non-ferrous metallurgical process. The frequently encountered particles following the lead-containing particles were mineral dust particles, such as aluminosilicates (denoted as AlSi), $SiO_2$, and $CaCO_3$. Nitrate- and sulfate-containing particles were encountered frequently in $2-4{\mu}m$ size range, and existed mostly in the forms of $Ca(NO_3,SO_4)/C$, $(Mg,Ca)SO_4/C$, and $AlSi+(NO_3,SO_4)$. Particles containing metals (e.g., Fe, Cu, and As) in this near source sample had relative abundances of approximately 10%. Although the airborne particles collected near the lead smelter contained elevated levels of lead, other types of particles, such as $CaCO_3$-containing, carbonaceous, metal-containing, nitrates, sulfates, and fly-ash particles, showed the unique signatures of samples influenced by emissions from the lead smelter.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.269-280
• /
• 2018

This paper reports the results of field evaluation to determine the levels of heavy metals in major industrial complexes in Korea over a seven year period (2007~2013). The measurement of heavy metal was conducted using quartz fiber filter sampling and ICP-AES analysis. In order to validate the analytical performance of these methods, studies were also carried out to investigate data quality control(QC) parameters, such as the method detection limit (MDL), repeatability, and recovery efficiencies. The average concentrations of total suspended particulates (TSP) for the nine industrial complexes in Korea were $104{\sim}169{\mu}g/m^3$, which was higher than other industrial complexes and urban areas. The Sihwa and Banwol industrial complexes were shown to be the biggest contributing sources to high TSP emission ($159{\mu}g/m^3$ and $169{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively). The concentrations of heavy metals in TSP were higher in the order of Fe>Cu>Zn, Pb, Mn>Cr, Ni, As and Cd. It was observed that Fe was the highest in the Gwangyang and Pohang steel industrial complexes. The concentrations of Zn and Pb were high in Onsan, Sihwa and Banwol industrial complexes, and this was attributed to the emission from the nonferrous industry. Additionally, Cr and Ni concentrations were high in the Sihwa and Banwol industrial complexes due to plating industry. On the other hand, Ulsan and Onsan industrial complexes showed high Cr and Ni concentrations as a response to the emission of metal industry related to automobile. The correlation analysis revealed the high correlation between Cr and Ni in plating industry from Sihwa and Banwol industrial complexes. Adding to this, components related to coal combustion and road dust showed high correlation in Pohang and Gwangyang industrial complexes. Then Onsan and Ulsan industrial complexes showed high correlation among components related to the nonferrous metals.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.117-123
• /
• 2022

Recently, due to COV ID-19, many people are spending most of their time indoors. So, there is a rising interest on the indoor air quality in the field of building construction. The main sources for the indoor air pollution are human indoors activity, building materials, living supplies and the polluted air from outdoor. The Korean government has designated 17 indoor air pollutants including fine dust, total airborne bacteria, fungi and carbon dioxide, etc.. Most people are always exposed to assorted bacteria and molds in our daily life, because indoor environment for human, moderate temperature are humidity, it is favourable to the growth of most of bacteria and fungi. Pine needles have an antibacterial effect against bacteria and fungi. In this study, the antibacterial activity against bacteria and fungi was tested by cement matrix using pine needle extract. As a result, the cement matrix using pine needle extract showed antibacterial activities against bacteria, but in the case of fungi, it did not show antifungal activity.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.196-209
• /
• 2009

Occurrences of sandstorms in the deserts and loess of Mongolia and northern China and associated dustfall episodes in the Korean Peninsula were monitored during the period January through December, 2005. False colour images were made by directly receiving the NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data, and the distribution and transport of sandstorms were analyzed. The ground concentrations for PM10, PM2.5 and visibility of the dustfall episodes (PM10 concentration over $190{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$) were analyzed at Cheongwon, located midway in South Korea, and in the leeward direction of the place of origin of the sandstorms. Variations in the concentrations of $O_3,\;NO_2$, CO and $SO_2$ were also compared with dust concentrations in the dustfall episodes. Fewer occurrences of strong sandstorms in the place of origin were observed in 2005, due largely to the accumulation of snow and mild fluctuations of high and low pressure systems in the place of origin, thereby accounting for a low frequency of dustfall episodes in Korea, compared with those during the period 1997-2005. A total of 7 dustfall episodes were monitored in Korea in 2005 that lasted 11 days. In summer, sandstorms occurred less frequently in the source region in 2005 due to high humidity and milder winds, thereby causing no dustfall episodes in Korea. In case the sandstorms occurring at the place of source head directly to Korea without passing through large cities and industrial areas of China, the PM2.5 concentrations were measured at 20% or lower than the PM10 concentrations. However, when the sandstorms headed to Korea via the industrial areas of eastern China, where they pick up anthropogenic air pollutants, the PM2.5 concentrations were at least 25% higher of the PM10 concentrations. On the other hand, over 5 cases were observed and analyzed in 2005 where the PM10 concentrations of sand dust originating from the deserts were measured at $190{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$ or lower, falling short of the level of a dustfall episode.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.25-30
• /
• 1981

A measurement has been made for the radioactivities (or concentrations) of radon daughters, i.e., RaA, RaB and RaC in airborne dust by means of single filtering method. This is to evaluate the radioactivities in terms of Ci or WL (working level) from gross alpha counts measured in the selected-time intervals after an air sample is taken from a membrane filter paper with a mean pore size of $0.8{\mu}m$. This work involves determinations of standard deviation in radioactivities, radioactive equilibrium factor and ratio. It appears that a concentration of total radon daughters is $0.30{\sim}2.36pCi/l\;or\;0.89{\times}10^{-3}{\sim}6.57{\times}10^{-3}WL$, depending on the sampling time. Generally the highest concentration was observed around nine o'clock in a day while the lowest value was obtained around seventeen o'clock. Standard deviations based on counting statistics of RaA's, RaB's and RaC's concentrations are ${\pm}57.75%,\;{\pm}22.32%\;and\;{\pm}31.29%$, respectively. It is revealed that the radioactive equilibrium factor is 0.322 while the radioactive equilibrium ratio is of pattern $C_1>C_2>C_3$ in general. Here $C_1,\;C_2\;and\;C_3$ stand for concentrations of RaA,RaB and RaC, respectively.

• International Journal of Ocean System Engineering
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.185-194
• /
• 2012

A Macroscopic combination of two or more distinct materials is commonly referred to as a "Composite Material", having been designed mechanically and chemically superior in function and characteristic than its individual constituent materials. Composite materials are used not only for aerospace and military, but also heavily used in boat/ship building and general composite industries which we are seeing increasingly more. Regardless of the various applications for composite materials, the industry is still limited and requires better fabrication technology and methodology in order to expand and grow. An example of this is that the majority of fabrication facilities nearby still use an antiquated wet lay-up process where fabrication still requires manual hand labor in a 3D environment impeding productivity of composite product design advancement. As an expert in the advanced composites field, I have developed fabrication skills with the use of machinery based on my past composite experience. In autumn 2011, the Korea government confirmed to fund my project. It is the development of a composite sanding machine. I began development of this semi-robotic prototype beginning in 2009. It has possibilities of replacing or augmenting the exhaustive and difficult jobs performed by human hands, such as sanding, grinding, blasting, and polishing in most often, very awkward conditions, and is also will boost productivity, improve surface quality, cut abrasive costs, eliminate vibration injuries, and protect workers from exposure to dust and airborne contamination. Ease of control and operation of the equipment in or outside of the sanding room is a key benefit to end-users. It will prove to be much more economical than normal robotics and minimize errors that commonly occur in factories. The key components and their technologies are a 360 degree rotational shoulder and a wrist that is controlled under PLC controller and joystick manual mode. Development on both of the key modules is complete and are now operational. The Korean government fund boosted my development and I expect to complete full scale development no later than 3rd quarter 2012. Even with the advantages of composite materials, there is still the need to repair or to maintain composite products with a higher level of technology. I have learned many composite repair skills on composite airframe since many composite fabrication skills including repair, requires training for non aerospace applications. The wind energy market is now requiring much larger blades in order to generate more electrical energy for wind farms. One single blade is commonly 50 meters or longer now. When a wind blade becomes damaged from external forces, on-site repair is required on the columns even under strong wind and freezing temperature conditions. In order to correctly obtain polymerization, the repair must be performed on the damaged area within a very limited time. The use of pre-impregnated glass fabric and heating silicone pad and a hot bonder acting precise heating control are surely required.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.727-736
• /
• 2022

Ice wedges are subsurface ice mass structures that formed mainly by freezing precipitation with airborne dust and surrounding soil particles flowed through the active layer into the cracks growing by repeating thermal contractions in the deeper permafrost layer over time. These ice masses characteristically contain high concentrations of solutes and solids. Because of their unique properties and distribution, the possibility of harnessing ice wedges as an alternative archive for reconstructing paleoclimate and paleoenvironment has been recently suggested despite limited studies. It is imperative to preserve the physicochemical properties of the ice wedge (e.g., solute concentration, mineral particles) without any potential alteration to use it as a proxy for reconstructing the paleo-information. Thawing the ice wedge samples is prerequisite for the assessment of their physicochemical properties, during which the paleo-information could be unintentionally altered by any methodological artifact. This study examined the effect of thawing conditions and procedures on the physicochemical properties of solutes and solid particles in ice wedge samples collected from Cyuie, East Siberia. Four different thawing conditions with varying temperatures (4 and 23℃) and oxygen exposures (oxic and anoxic) for the ice wedge sample treatment were examined. Ice wedge samples thawed at 4℃ under anoxic conditions, wherein biological activity and oxidation were kept to a minimum, were set as the standard thawing conditions to which the effects of temperature and oxygen were compared. The results indicate that temperature and oxygen exposure have negligible effects on the physicochemical characteristics of the solid particles. However, the chemical features of the solution (e.g., pH, electric conductivity, alkalinity, and concentration of major cations and trace elements) at 4℃ under oxic conditions were considerably altered, compared to those measured under the standard thawing conditions. This study shows that the thawing condition of ice wedge samples can affect their chemical features and thereby the geochemical information therein for the reconstruction of the paleoclimate and/or paleoenvironment.