• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.95-101
• /
• 2014

In order to investigate effects of elevated $CO_2$ concentration and temperature on the ecological niche of Quercus serrata in Korea. We divided experimental condition in the greenhouse that are control (ambient condition) and treatment with elevated $CO_2$ (approximately 1.6 above than control) and increased air temperature (approximately $2.2^{\circ}C$ above than control). We measured twenty kind characters of seedlings and calculated the ecological niche breadth. As a result, the ecological niche breadth, treatment was widened in the light gradient than the control, was narrowed in the moisture and nutrient gradient. This is may be predicted when the global warming progress, Q. serrata is increases resistance to light environment, and decrease resistance to moisture and nutrient environment. According to the principal component analysis (PCA), control and treatment were arranged based on factor 1 and 2 in each environment gradients. Ecological response is involved variety characters. Among them, indicating that Characters of production is involved in many a parts.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.286-292
• /
• 2016

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of chronical exposure to high-level dusts on cellular immune function. Methods: The subjects were 110 male workers, among whom 60 were chronically exposed to high-level dusts in mica, limestone and iron mines. The remaining 50 were office workers. Ambient total, respirable dust and crystalline silica in the workplace were sampled using personal air samplers and analyzed according to NIOSH method 0500. Serum levels of hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxide and superoxide misutase activity were measured using absorption chromatography. The subpopulations of CD4+, CD8+, natural killer cells (CD16+) and CD3+ T-lymphocytes were examined by two-color staining using monoclonal antibodies. Results: The concentration of hydrogen peroxide was significantly higher in exposed workers and superoxide dismutase activity was significantly higher in control workers. No significant difference in numbers of T-lymphocyte subpopulations were observed between exposed and control workers. A significant correlation in exposed workers was observed among total dusts, respirable dusts and crystalline silica. Hydrogen peroxide was significantly correlated with total dust (r=0.720, p<0.01), respirable dust (r=0.770, p<0.01) and crystalline silica (r=0.678, p<0.01). Concentration of hydrogen peroxide showed a significantly negative correlation with numbers of CD8+ cells (r=-0.274, p<0.01), CD3+ cells (r=-0.222, p<0.01) and natural killer cells (r=-0.556, p<0.01). Conclusions: These results suggest that chronical exposure to high-level dust affects cellular immune function and effects might mediate through reactive oxygen species and inflammatory response.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.195-199
• /
• 2008

Objectives : Malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation by-product, has been widely used as an indicator of oxidative stress. Urinary 2-naphthol, a urinary PAH metabolite, is used as a marker of ambient particulate exposure and is associated with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, the stability and intra-individual variation associated with urinary MDA and 2-naphthol have not been thoroughly addressed. The objective of this study was to assess the stability and intra-individual variation associated with urinary MDA and 2-naphthol. Methods : Urine samples were collected from 10 healthy volunteers (mean age 34, range $27{\sim}42$ years old). Each sample was divided into three aliquots and stored under three different conditions. The levels of urinary MDA and 2-naphthol were analyzed 1) just after sampling, 2) after storage at room temperature ($21^{\circ}C$) for 16 hours, and 3) after storage in a $-20^{\circ}C$ freezer for 16 hours. In addition, an epidemiological study was conducted in 44 Chinese subjects over a period of 3 weeks. The urinary MDA and 2-naphthol were measured by HPLC three times. Results : There was no difference in the levels of urinary MDA and 2-naphthol between the triplicate measurements (n=10, p=0.84 and p=0.83, respectively). The intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) for urinary MDA and 2-naphthol were 0.74 and 0.42, respectively. However, the levels of PM2.5 in the air were well correlated with the levels of both MDA and 2-naphthol in the epidemiological study. Conclusions : These results suggest that urinary MDA and 2-naphthol remain stable under variable storage conditions, even at room temperature for 16 hours, and indicate that these markers can be used in epidemiological studies involving various sample storage conditions. The intra-CC of urinary 2-naphthol and MDA were acceptable for application to epidemiological studies.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.30-37
• /
• 2016

Objectives: This study was performed to measure and evaluate the concentration, size distribution and fugitive emission of particulate matter from process operations at foundries. Methods: Particle matter was collected from three foundries, and samples were also collected from a background site for calculating the fugitive emission concentration of the foundries. For the collection of the samples, a Nanosampler cascade impactor was used. Results: The concentration of TSP in the samples collected from the three foundries was $0.675{\sim}1.222mg/m^3$, $PM_{10}$ was $0.525{\sim}1.018mg/m^3$ and $PM_{2.5}$ was $0.192{\sim}0.615mg/m^3$. The mass size distribution was bimodal or monomodal with maximum peak at two stage(size $2.5{\sim}10{\mu}m$). The mass median aerodynamic diameter(MMAD) was $1.80{\sim}3.98{\mu}m$. The fugitive emission concentration of TSP varies in the range of 0.65 to $1.21mg/m^3$, which exceeds the emission standard of fugitive dust($0.5mg/m^3$). Conclusions: Particle concentration and size is an important industrial hygiene factor to protect foundry workers. Furthermore, the presence of high emission of particulate pollutants has a significant negative impact on the ambient air of the study area. Therefore, it is important to improve both the process and prevention facility in oder to reduce particulate pollutants in foundries.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2011.02a
• /
• pp.20-20
• /
• 2011

It has been known that, under certain conditions, application of low-temperature atmospheric-pressure plasmas can enhance proliferation of cells. In this study, conditions for optimal cell proliferation were examined for various cells relevant for orthopaedic applications. Plasmas used in our experiments were generated by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) with a helium flow (of approximately 3 litter/min) into ambient air at atmospheric pressure by a 10 kV~20 kHz power supply. Such plasmas were directly applied to a medium, in which cells of interest were cultured. The cells examined in this study were human synoviocytes, rat mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow or adipose tissue, a mouse osteoblastic cell line (MC3T3-E1), a mouse embryonic mesenchymal cell line (C3H-10T1/2), human osteosarcoma cells (HOS), a mouse myoblast cell line (C2C12), and rat Schwann cells. Since cell proliferation can be enhanced even if the cells are not directly exposed to plasmas but cultured in a medium that is pre-treated by plasma application, it is surmised that long-life free radicals generated in the medium by plasma application stimulate cell proliferation if their densities are appropriate. The level of free radical generation in the medium was examined by dROMs tests and correlation between cell proliferation and oxidative stress was observed. Other applications of plasma medicine in orthopaedics, such as plasma modification of artificial bones and wound healing effects by direct plasma application for mouse models, will be also discussed. The work has been done in collaboration with Prof. H. Yoshikawa and his group members at the School of Medicine, Osaka University.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.767-778
• /
• 2006

This study was carried out to evaluate the temporal variations of VOCs at an urban site, and to compare the concentrations of VOCs at an urban site in Daegu with those at a suburban site in Gyeongsan. Three hourly VOC samples in the ambient air were collected using a sequential tube sampler (STS 25, Perkin Elmer) throughout two weeks during May and July representing spring and summer seasons, respectively. The VOC concentrations were determined by an automatic thermal desorption apparatus with GC/MS analysis. A total of 12 VOCs of environmental concern were determined, which are chloroform, benzene, trichloroethylene, toluene, tetra-chloroethylene, ethylbenzene, m+p-xylenes, o-xylene, styrene, 1,3,5- and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzenes. Among 12 target VOCs, the most abundant compound appeared to be toluene, being followed by xylenes. The mean concentrations at the urbn site were 1.2 pub for benzene and 20.4 ppb for toluene (n=221) while the mean levels at the suburban site were 0.9 ppb and 4.3 ppb for benzene and toluene (n=96), respectively. The urban site concentrations were typically several-fold higher than those measured at the suburban site. It was found that general trends of VOC levels were significantly dependent on traffic conditions at the sampling site since VOC concentrations were at their maximum during rush hours, i.e. $9{\sim}12a.m$ and $6{\sim}9p.m$. Statistical investigations were conducted to investigate any significant relationships between VOC concentrations and affecting factors. Calculated correlation coefficients among VOCs were positively significant at a level of 0.05 in most cases. Increased concentrations of toluene in the urban site were estimated to reflect the effect of large industrial sources, mainly from textile industry.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.100-108
• /
• 2006

Time-resolved current and voltage measurements for an inductive automotive spark system were made. Also presented are measurements of the total energy delivered to the spark gap. The measurements were made in air for a range of pressures from 1-18atm, at ambient temperatures. The measured voltage and current characteristics were found to be a function of many ignition parameters; some of these include: spark gap distance, internal resistance of the spark plug and high tension wire, and pressure. The voltages presented were measured either at the top of the spark plug or at the spark gap. The measurements were made at different time resolutions to more accurately resolve the voltage and current behavior throughout the discharge process. This was necessary because the breakdown event occurs on a time scale much shorter than the arc and glow phases. The breakdown, are, and glow voltages were found to be functions of spark plug resistance, gas density, and spark plug gap as expected from the literature. Spark duration was found to decrease as either pressure or gap was increased. The transition from the arc to glow phase is usually distinguished by a sudden rise in the voltage across the gap. At pressures above about 7atm this transition was not observed suggesting that a glow phase was not present. Energy delivered to the gap increased with increasing pressure. The effective resistance of the spark gap during discharge was about twice as large for the glow phase as the arc phase.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.241-249
• /
• 2005

In this study, instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to measure the concentrations of about 30 trace elements in airborne particulate (PM2.5) samples at urban area of Daejeon city located in the southwestern region of Korea. An inspection of the measurement data indicates that the distribution patterns of trace elements could clearly distinguish the elements with their concentrations ranging over five orders of magnitude. The mean values for Lu and Dy were found to be the lowest at values of 0.01 and $0.04ng/m^3$, while those for K and Fe showed the highest value of 671 and $653ng/m^3$, respectively. The results of correlation analysis showed that PM2.5 concentrations can exhibit much more enhanced correlations with the elements of earth crustal components. The results of factor analysis further indicated that there are no more than six factors with statistical significance, which may exert dominant roles in regulating the elemental concentration levels in the study area. Enrichment factor analysis supports explicit interpretation of results found by this factor analysis.

• Fire Science and Engineering
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.61-73
• /
• 2003

Most of the accidents occurred from the chemical plants are related to the catastrophic gas release events when the large amount of toxic materials is leaked from its storage tank or transmitting pipe lines. In this case, the greatest concerns are how the spreading behaviors of leakages are depended on the ambient conditions such as air stability and other environmental factors. Hence, we have focused on the risk assessments and consequential analysis for chlorine as an illustrative example. As appeared in the result, Fire & Explosion Index depicted it a bit dangerous with presenting the comprehensive degrees of hazard 90.7. And as a result of Phast6.0/ALOHA, the trends of each scenario appeared considerably identical although there are some differences in the resulting effects according to the input data for the Gas Model. The consequence analysis is performed numerically based on the dense gas mode. In the future, using more correct input data, material properties, and topographical configuration, the method of this research will be useful for the guideline of the risk assessment when the release of toxicants breaks out.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.414-417
• /
• 2014

LED scraps consisting of highly crystalline GaN and their leaching behavior are comprehensively investigated for hydro-metallurgical recovery of rare metals. Highly stable GaN renders the leaching of the LED scraps extremely difficult in ordinary acidic and basic media. More favorable state can be obtained by way of high temperature solid-gas reaction of GaN-$Na_2CO_3$ powder mixture, ball-milled thoroughly at room temperature and subsequently oxidized under ambient air environment at $1000-1200^{\circ}C$ in a horizontal tube furnace, where GaN was effectively oxidized into gallium oxides. Stoichiometry analysis reveals that GaN is completely transformed into gallium oxides with Ga contents of ~73 wt%. Accordingly, the oxidized powder can be suitably leached to ~96% efficiency in a boiling 4 M HCl solution, experimentally confirming the feasibility of Ga recycling system development.