• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.617-636
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• 2015

The Mokpo coastal waters receive discharges from three artificial lakes(Youngsan, Youngam, Geumho) and other terrigenous freshwater inflows(streams, sewage treatment effluent, fresh groundwater), which exhibit very high concentrations of nutrients and/or organic matters. To understand spatial distributions of nutrients(DIN, DIP, DSi) and other water quality parameters(Chl-a, water temperature, salinity, DO, COD, SS), field surveys were conducted at 10 stations in the Mokpo harbor and adjacent estuaries on May, July, September, and November 2008 within 10 days following discharge events from artificial lakes. In this study, the freshwater flow rate influxed by the operation of sea dike sluice had significant influence on water qualities of the Mokpo coastal waters, although nutrient concentrations in other freshwater sources such as streams, sewage treatment effluent, and fresh groundwater were much higher. As a result of statistical analysis, DIN, COD, and Chl-a had a negative correlation with salinity. Therefore it was shown that discharge extents, time, and nutrients from the Youngsan lake were major impact factors dominating the spatial characteristics of nutrients and other water quality parameters in the Mokpo harbor and adjacent waters. However, despite non-discharge from the Youngsan Lake on September of this investigated period, it was observed that the nutrient addition was taking place in the lower layer of the estuary suggesting nutrient supply through different pathways. This result has emphasized the need to implement the combined assessment about the cumulative impacts on the Youngsan Estuary environment and ecosystem due to freshwater inputs derived from the artificial lakes as well as other terrigenous inflows, or benthic releases.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

The effect of sediments in a waste dumping area on marine organisms was evaluated using sediment toxicity tests with a benthic amphipod (Monocorophium acherusicum) and bioluminescent bacterium (Vibrio fischeri) in accordance with the Korean Standard Method for Marine Wastes (KSMMW). Nine sites in the East Sea-Byeong, East Sea-Jeong, and Yellow Sea-Byeong areas were sampled from 2016 to 2019. The test results showed that the relative average survival rate (benthic amphipods) and relative luminescence inhibition rate (luminescent bacteria) were below 30%, which were judged to be "non-toxic." However, in the t-test, a total of 12 benthic amphipod samples (6, 1, 1, and 4 in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively) were significantly different (p<0.05) from the control samples. To identify the source of toxicity on benthic amphipods, a simple linear regression analysis was performed between the levels of eight heavy metals (Cr, As, Ni, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Hg) in sediments and the relative average survival rate. The results indicated that Cr had the highest contribution to the toxicity of benthic amphipods (p = 0.000, R2 = 0.355). In addition, Cr was detected at the highest concentration at the DB-85 station and exceeded the Marine Environment Standards every year. Although the sediments were determined as "not toxic" according to the ecotoxicity criteria of the KSMMW, the results of the statistical significance tests and toxicity identification evaluation indicated that the toxic effect was not acceptable. Therefore, revising the criteria for determining the toxic effect by deriving a reference value through quantitative risk assessment using species sensitivity distribution curves is necessary in the future.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.395-401
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• 2010

This research was carried out as a survey on the contents of Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) in 5 type agricultural products unestablished safety guideline in Korea. The average levels of Pb: onion 0.010 mg/kg, cucumber 0.018 mg/kg, garlic 0.012 mg/kg, green pepper 0.027 mg/kg, sesame 0.029 mg/kg. The average levels of Cd: onion 0.006 mg/kg, cucumber 0.002 mg/kg, garlic 0.008 mg/kg, green pepper 0.011 mg/kg, sesame 0.024 mg/kg. The present result of this study showed that Pb and Cd contents in the whole samples were less than the maximum residual levels of the codex standard. The levels of exposure assessment for Pb and Cd by intake from vegetables and sesame were merely at $1.3{\times}10^{-4}$(mean) ~ $5.1{\times}10^{-4}$($95^{th}$ percentiles) ${\mu}$g/kg bw/day for Pb, $7.5{\times}10^{-5}$(mean) ~ $3.6{\times}10^{-4}$($95^{th}$ percentiles) ${\mu$}g/kg bw/day for Cd. The data from this research will be valuable source for database construction for science-based safety control and management for the trace metal contamination in food including agricultural products.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.176-184
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• 2004

This study was conducted to compare and estimate the daily PAHs dietary intake from both home-cooking and dining-out, through approach of model diet used in exposure assessment of food contaminants. Food commodities reflecting in model diet were selected from the KHIDI report and were analysed in cooked or uncooked edible forms using HPLC-Fluorscence Detector. The PAHs dietary intake comparison between home-cooking and dining-out was based on one meal intake suggested in model diet and PAHs dietary intake was estimated by using food consumption rate and body weight of the Korean adult group. The daily PAHs dietary intake was calculated by permutation and combination method with assumption that a person consumed 2 meals from home-cooking menu and 1 meal from dining-out menu. The total PAHs levels in 36 food commodities with 200 samples were ranged from 2.00 ug/kg to 141.28 ug/kg and a food showing the highest PAHs level was the stir-fried anchovy. The $TEQ_{BaP}$ levels of PAHs were calculated using benzo(a)pyrene equivalents individual congener level and corresponding TEF value and the $TEQ_{BaP}$ level were ranged from $0.03\;ugTEQ{BaP}$ to $1.31\;ugTEQ_{BaP}$ and a food showing the highest $TEQ_{BaP}$ level was the hamburger. The PAHs dietary intakes per one meal from home-cooking and dining-out were $2.4\times10^{-3}\;ugTEQ_{BaP}/kg/meal\;and\;4.0\times10^{-3}\;ugTEQ_{BaP}/kg/meal$, respectively. This data showed the PAHs dietary intake from dining-out was about 1.7 times higher than from the home-cooking. The daily PAHs dietary intakes of general Korean adult having two meals from home-cooking and one meal from dining-out per a day were ranged between $8.0\times10^{-3}\~9.7\times10^{-3}\;ugTEQ_{BaP}/gg/day$ and mean value as $8.9\times10^{-3}\~9.7\times10^{-3}\;ugTEQ_{BaP}/gg/day$.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2004

This study was executed to determine the cumulative dietary risk of PAHs exposed by food ingestion. Food samples including barbecued beef, barbecued pork, grilled chicken, ham, bacon and vegetable oil which were collected from food markets. These samples were saponified, extracted and cleaned up to purify PAHs, and then the purified sample solutions were analyzed by HPLC-FL. Generally, the levels of total PAHs in barbecued beef (0.2 ppb), bacon (0.3 ppb), barbecued pork (0.7 ppb), ham (0.8 ppb), and vegetable oil (1.2 ppb) were low, whereas the level of total PAHs in grilled chicken (9.3 ppb) was significantly high. For the exposure assessment of PAHs due to food ingestion, PAHs levels converted into TEQ$_{BaP}$, the average body weight for 20-73 age group and consumed levels of food proposed from report on the National Health and Nutrition Survey were used. The estimated lifetime average daily intake of dietary PAHs was 4.32${\times}$10$^{-4}$ $\mu\textrm{g}$-TEQ$_{BaP}$kg/day as the mean value. The dietary risk adjusted to cancer potency of benzo(a)pyrene as 7.3 (mg/kg/day)$^{-1}$ was 3.44${\times}$10$^{-6}$ based on current data.ata.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.217-246
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• 2018

During the selection and characterization of target formations in the Small-scale Offshore $CO_2$ Storage Demonstration Project in the Pohang Basin, we have carefully investigated the possibility of induced earthquakes and leakage of $CO_2$ during the injection, and have designed the storage processes to minimize these effects. However, people in Pohang city have a great concern on $CO_2$-injection-intrigued seismicity, since they have greatly suffered from the 5.4 magnitude earthquake on Nov. 15, 2017. The research team of the project performed an extensive self-investigation on the safety issues, especially on the possible $CO_2$ leakage from the target formation and induced earthquakes. The target formation is 10 km apart from the epicenter of the Pohang earthquake and the depth is also quite shallow, only 750 to 800 m from the sea bottom. The project performed a pilot injection in the target formation from Jan. 12 to Mar. 12, 2017, which implies that there are no direct correlation of the Pohang earthquake on Nov. 15, 2017. In addition, the $CO_2$ injection of the storage project does not fracture rock formations, instead, the supercritical $CO_2$ fluid replaces formation water in the pore space gradually. The self-investigation results show that there is almost no chance for the injection to induce significant earthquakes unless injection lasts for a very long time to build a very high pore pressure, which can be easily monitored. The amount of injected $CO_2$ in the project was around 100 metric-tonne that is irrelevant to the Pohang earthquake. The investigation result on long-term safety also shows that the induced earthquakes or the reactivation of existing faults can be prevented successfully when the injection pressure is controlled not to demage cap-rock formation nor exceed Coulomb stresses of existing faults. The project has been performing extensive studies on critical stress for fracturing neighboring formations, reactivation stress of existing faults, well-completion processes to minimize possible leakage, transport/leakage monitoring of injected $CO_2$, and operation procedures for ensuring the storage safety. These extensive studies showed that there will be little chance in $CO_2$ leakage that affects human life. In conclusion, the Small-scale Offshore $CO_2$ Storage Demonstration Project in the Pohang Basin would not cause any induced earthquakes nor signifiant $CO_2$ leakage that people can sense. The research team will give every effort to secure the safety of the storage site.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.479-495
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• 2018

This study was carried out to research the multimedia fate modeling, concentration distribution and impact assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from automobiles, which are known as carcinogenic and mutation chemicals. The amount of emissions of PAHs was determined based on the census data of automobiles at a target S-city and emission factors of PAHs, where multimedia fugacity modeling was conducted by the restriction of PAHs transfer between air-soil at the impervious area. PAHs' Concentrations and their distributions at several environmental media were predicted by multimedia fugacity model (level III). The residual amounts and the distributions of PAHs through mass transfer of PAHs between environment media were used to assess the health risk of PAHs at unsteady state (level IV), where the sensitivity analyses of the model parameter of each variable were conducted based on Monte Carlo simulation. The experimental result at S-city showed that Fluoranthene among PAHs substances are the highest residual concentrations (60%, 53%, 32% and 34%) at all mediums (atmospheric, water, soil, sediment), respectively, where most of the PAHs were highly accumulated in the sediment media (more than 80%). A result of PAHs concentration changes in S-city over the past 34 years identified that PAHs emissions from all environmental media increased from 1983 to 2005 and decreased until 2016, where the emission of heavy-duty vehicle including truck revealed the largest contribution to the automotive emissions of PAHs at all environment media. The PAHs concentrations in soil and water for the last 34 years showed the less value than the legal standards of PAHs, but the PAHs in air exceeded the air quality standards from 1996 to 2016. The result of this study is expected to contribute the effective management and monitoring of toxic chemicals of PAHs at various environment media of Metropolitan city.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.345-350
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• 2012

To investigate the exposure and health risk assessment for the residents near the D-asbestos mine in Chungbuk, Korea. We analyzed asbestos in the 20 ambient air and 23 activity based samples near the mine. The airborne sample results are showed that 8 of 20 samples ranged between 0.0025 to 0.0029 f/cc (fiber per cubic centimeter) and the others were below the detection limit by phase contrast microscopy (PCM). In addition, asbestos fibers were under the detection limit or not being by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Based on interview and survey targeting the local residents, we made the activity based sampling (ABS) scenarios fit to the conditions of field. At the same time, we calculated the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) of these ABS scenarios according to the ELCR average value and 95% upper confidence limit (UCL). At the case of weed whacking, soil digging and sweeping yard scenario, 95% UCL of ELCR exceeded the $1{\times}10^{-4}$, acceptable risk range for exposure. Based on our study results, it is necessary safety measures such as risk communication, abatement or management of naturally occurring asbestos (NOA).

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.247-257
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• 2014

Assessment for operator's dermal and inhalation exposure to acetamiprid during cultivation of water melon in greenhouse was carried out. For dermal exposure measurement, whole body dosimetry (WBD) was performed as the first trial in Korea. WBD consists of cotton/polyester outer clothes and cotton inner clothes. Hand exposure was measured by washing of nitrile gloves and hands while head exposure was monitored by face/neck wipe technique. Inhalation exposure was monitored with personal air sampling pumps and IOM sampler (glass fiber filter). Analytical limit of quantitation was 2.5 ng/mL. Good reproducibility (C.V < 8.7%), linearity ($R^2$ > 0.99) and recovery (70~119%) were obtained. Field recovery of acetamiprid was 77~95%. During mixing/loading, hand exposure of acetamiprid was about 10 times ($229.7{\mu}g$) more than that of application case ($20.9{\mu}g$). During application, total dermal exposure was $1207.4{\mu}g$. Exposure of lower legs was $1132.1{\mu}g$, which is 93.8% of the total dermal exposure. Inhalation exposure during mixing/loading and application was not detected. Margin of safety (MOS) was calculated for risk assessment using male Korean average body weight (70 kg) and acceptable operator exposure level ($124{\mu}g/kg/day$) to give 140, suggesting that health risk of operator during treatment of acetamiprid for water melon in greenhouse could be safe.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.111-123
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• 2011

A Ubiquitous-Ecological City (U-Eco City) is the new urban paradigm integrated with ubiquitous-city (U-City) connecting the high-tech IT technology to the urvan space with the concept of the sustainable eco-city. As a U-Eco City is attempted for the first time domestically and internationally, there is insufficient discussions for its develoment goal, planned design proposal, technology and service element and others. Even if there are plans to build up it, policy and technology, service structuring business and others, it is difficult to assess how it would bring the efficacy. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to present the indicators system to assess a U-Eco City. The results of this study revealed the following; First, the conceptual framework, which was established to achieve sustainable urban quality, can be suggested by establishing its notion of the U-Eco City. The concept of a U-Eco City as established in this study suggests that the economic development in growth-oriented level has to be conducted not only quality of urban environment but also in terms of sustainable to consider the complex impact of various development; Secondly, the developed assessment system has heightened the completeness as the evaluation index through the attitude survey. As a result of questionnaire survey with the subject of specialists and interested party of this study, the urban qualitative aspect is formulated for the stability as a relatively important aspect. For the urban continuity aspect, society, environment and economy have all similar importance, but the environment element was shown to be highest. And finally, subject area was selected on the basis of the evaluation system and the analysis was made on the basis of the implementation design plan of the area. As a result of the assessment, safety and economy have shown to be high. This is indirectly indicated for the priority in economic growth driven development plan unlike the importance of environmental continuity obtained through the attitude survey. When planning on urban development, there is a need for supplementing the environment part and it has to present the connection plan between the economic growth and environmental continuity.