• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.43-53
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• 2024

Background: Exposure assessment is an important part of risk assessment for consumer products. Exposure models are used when estimating consumer exposures by considering exposure routes, subjects, and circumstances. These models differ based on their tiers, types, and target populations. Consequently, exposure estimates may vary between models. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the results of different exposure models using identical exposure factors. Methods: Chemical exposure from consumer products was calculated using four consumer exposure assessment models: Targeted Risk Assessment 3.1, Consumer Exposure Model 2.1 (CEM), ConsExpo web 1.1.1, and the Korean Exposure Algorithm (primary and detailed) issued by the Ministry of Environment, No. 972 (MOE). The same exposure factors were used in each model to calculate inhalation and dermal exposures to acetaldehyde, d-limonene, and naphthalene in all-purpose cleaners, leather coating sprays, and sealants. Results: In the results, TRA provided the highest estimate. Generally, MOE (detailed), CEM and ConsExpo showed lower exposures. The inhalation exposure for leather coating spray showed the largest differences between models, with differences reaching up to 1.2×10⁷ times. Since identical inputs were used for the calculations, it is likely that the models significantly influenced the estimated results. Conclusions: Despite using the same exposure factors to calculate dermal and inhalation exposures, the results varied substantially based on the model's exposure algorithm. Therefore, selecting an exposure model for assessing consumer products should be done with careful consideration.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.532-540
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• 2013

Background: Exposure factors for consumer products have been developed since the 1980s. Such exposure factors are important in risk assessment. Since the exposure/use patterns of consumer products in a country may reflect its respective cultural, meteorological, and socio-economic circumstances, unique Korean exposure factors for consumer products are needed. Such exposure factors are required for newly-enacted chemical regulations in Korea. For this review, published papers and survey reports on exposure factors of consumer products were examined for their assessment methodologies. Results: Investigation into exposure factors for consumer products used a variety of methods: home visit, online, telephone, and mail surveys using questionnaires; face to face interviews; modeling using a constructed database; and direct measurement. To collect more accurate exposure information or to check the reliability of the sampling method, some studies were repeated using the same questionnaire, in-home observation, direct measurement of usage, and videotaping. In Korea, nationwide exposure surveys were conducted five times over five years to obtain Korean exposure factors. However, with the exception of the $5^{th}$-year study, the surveys were online questionnaires and only the $5^{th}$-year study validated the accuracy of exposure information by re-visits and direct measurement. Conclusion: Accurate exposure factors are an essential part of risk assessment to assure safe use of consumer products. For better and safer management of consumer products, accurate exposure factors in Korea should be assessed for various exposure pathways.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.266-271
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• 2022

Background: The selection of distributions of input parameters is an important component in probabilistic exposure assessment. Goodness-of-fit (GOF) methods are used to determine the distribution of exposure factors. However, there are no clear guidelines for choosing an appropriate GOF method. Objectives: The outcomes of probabilistic consumer exposure assessment were compared by using five different GOF methods for the selection of input distributions: chi-squared test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (K-S), Anderson-Darling test (A-D), Akaike information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian information criterion (BIC). Methods: Individual exposures were estimated based on product usage factor combinations from 10,000 respondents. The distribution of individual exposure was considered as the true value of population exposures. Results: Among the five GOF methods, probabilistic exposure distributions using the A-D and K-S methods were similar to individual exposure estimations. Comparing the 95th percentiles of the probabilistic distributions and the individual estimations for 10 CPs, there were 0.73 to 1.92 times differences for the A-D method, and 0.73 to 1.60 times differences (excluding tire-shine spray) for the K-S method. Conclusions: There were significant differences in exposure assessment results among the selection of the GOF methods. Therefore, the GOF methods for probabilistic consumer exposure assessment should be carefully selected.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.405-425
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• 2019

Objective: This study aimed to review the methodologies for evaluation of consumer spray products containing engineered nanomaterials (ENM), particularly focusing on inhalation exposure. Method: Literature on the evaluation methods for aerosolized ENM exposure from consumer spray products were collected through academic web searching. Common methodologies used in the literature, including research reports and academic articles, were also introduced. Results: The number of ENM-containing products have shown a considerable increase over recent years, from 54 in 2005 to 1,827 in 2018. Currently there is still discussion over the existing regulations with regard to product safety. Analysis of both ENM suspensions in the products and their aerosols is important for risk assessment. Comparison between the phases suggests how the size and concentration of particles change during the spray process. To analyze the ENM suspensions, dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy techniques, and inductively coupled plasma with mass spectrometry were used. In the aerosol monitoring, direct-reading instruments have been used to monitor the aerosols and conventional active sampling is used together to supplement the lack of real-time monitoring. There are also some models for estimating inhalation exposure. These models may be used to estimate mass exposure to nanomaterials contained in consumer products. Conclusion: Although there is no standardized method to evaluate ENM exposure from consumer products, many concerns about ENM have emerged. Every potential measure to reduce exposure to ENM from spray product use should be implemented through a precautionary recognition.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.23-36
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to investigate consumer competencies of urban wives an variables on it. The framework of this study was consumer socialization theory. The results were as follows; 1. There were significant differences in competencies of urban wives according to employment status, interaction with family members, interaction with peers and frequency of media exposure. 2. Employment status, interaction with family members and frequency of media exposure were independent influencing factors on consumer competencies of urban wives. 3. Reviewing a causal model, the results were as follows. Employment status, interaction with family members and frequency of media exposure had an effect on consumer competencies of urban wives directly. (Korean J Human Ecology 1(2):23～30, 1998)

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.206-215
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• 2022

Background: Fragrance substances in consumer products can cause adverse health effects such as contact allergy. In South Korea, consumer chemical products must list 26 known fragrance allergens on product labels when they contain more than 0.01%. Fragrance substances are mostly used in combination, so co-exposure can occur via use of a consumer chemical product. Co-exposure to fragrance allergens may show a synergistic effect on the human body. Objectives: The aims of the study were to analyze the characteristics of fragrance allergens in consumer chemical products available on public websites and to identify the co-occurrence patterns of fragrance allergens. Methods: The chemicals in 1,443 ingredient disclosures for consumer chemical products were collected through the Ecolife database. The 26 labelled fragrance allergens were identified by category of consumer chemical product. The co-occurrence patterns of the 26 labelled fragrance allergens were analyzed by frequent pattern mining. The unlabelled fragrance allergens presented by European Union Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety were also identified. Results: Consumer chemical products contained an average of 5.3±4.2 substances among the 26 labelled fragrance allergens. More than 85% of air fresheners, deodorizing agents, and fabric softeners contained at least one of the 26 labelled fragrance allergens. The most frequently contained fragrance allergens were limonene (50.5%), linalool (49.9%), hexyl cinnamal (34.0%), and citronellol (28.3%). 16.7% of consumer chemical products showed a co-occurrence of limonene, linalool, hexyl cinnamal, and citronellol. Thirty-eight unlabelled fragrance allergens were found in the consumer chemical products, with hexamethylindanopyran (25.2%) being the most frequently contained substance. Conclusions: The characteristics and co-occurrence patterns of 26 labelled fragrance allergens would be useful information for the management of co-exposure to fragrance allergens in consumer chemical products. It is necessary for attention to be paid to unlabelled fragrance allergens.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.1-12
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• 2011

Many pharmaceutical products are available through prescription (Rx) only status. As a result, access to physicians and insurance coverage play a key role in the use of these products, and therefore may affect the population to whom advertising is targeted at. The movement of pharmaceutical products from prescription (Rx) to Over-the-Counter (OTC), or Rx-to-OTC switch changes the cost of acquiring the drug and therefore may change the incentives manufacturers have at targeting particular population segments. This study examines whether Rx-to-OTC switch changes the frequency and the distribution of who is exposed to pharmaceutical advertising. Using an archive of pharmaceutical advertisements and National Consumer Survey, this study examines how individuals with particular demographic characteristics are exposed to pharmaceutical advertisements before and after drugs are moved from Rx to OTC. The results provide evidence that individual's advertising exposure increases after Rx-to-OTC switch. Moreover, the increase in advertising exposure is greater for the low socioeconomic status (SES) consumers which implies they may get more information about the disease, treatment and product after the Rx-to-OTC switch through advertising. If low SES consumers have more exposure to the advertising after products switched to OTC, then FDA policies regulating this switch should recognize the potential role of advertising providing access to health-related information.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.275-282
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• 2018

Objective: Since certain chemicals are widely applied in a variety of consumer products, exposure via simultaneous use of multiple consumer products can put human health at risk. For this reason, use patterns of consumer products are an important factor inhuman health risk assessment. The aim of this study is to investigate co-use patterns of air-fresheners and deodorizers in Korea in order to estimate potential cumulative exposure. Methods: To collect the information on use patterns of air-fresheners and deodorizers, ten air-fresheners and 14 deodorizers were selected. A total of 3,000 participants were recruited and asked through on line questionnaires whether they had simultaneously used the selected air-fresheners and deodorant products in their daily lives. Results: Among the 3,000 participants, 45.6% had used more than two air fresheners and 46.3% used more than two deodorizers. The most common types of air fresheners used concurrently include liquid and candle types for indoor environments, while those of deodorizers were fabric trigger sprays and refrigerator gels. In addition, 73.7% used more than two products without product categories. Fabric trigger sprays were contained in all of the high-ranking product combinations. Conclusions: This study showed that many consumers concurrently used air-fresheners and deodorizers in their daily routines. For accurate exposure assessment, co-use patterns of consumer products should be further investigated.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.1992-2005
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• 2010

Emotion directly affects consumer buying behavior. This study examines Chinese consumers' emotion elicitation process toward a U.S. apparel brand in the Chinese market. Employing a cognitive appraisal theory, this study proposed and tested a conceptual model incorporating three factors of consumer global orientation as antecedents of consumer emotion and purchase intention as a consequence of emotion. Among the ten proposed hypotheses, eight were supported. Of the three antecedents of consumer emotion, exposure to global mass media and cultural openness positively increased Chinese consumers' appraisals of a U.S. apparel brand. Unlike these two antecedents, the effects of exposure to mass migration on consumer appraisals were found to be non significant. The relationships between appraisal dimensions and positive emotion were all supported. Finally, this study confirmed that positive emotions increased Chinese consumers' purchase intentions of a U.S. apparel brand. Theoretical and managerial implications were discussed based on the findings.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.52-59
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• 2019

The present article covers a brief introduction on how repeated exposure design can be utilized for developing new food products. A generic consumer taste test which measures consumer acceptance in one trial may have limitation in predicting long-term acceptability of a product. The article describes the changes in food preference and choice during the course of life from infants to elderly. Then, several possible theories that proposes to delineate the underlying mechanisms for acquiring the liking for food is introduced. The article also discusses general experimental design, case studies which adopted repeated exposure design, the limitations and rapid test methods to predict long-term acceptance.