• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.187-195
• /
• 2007

Long-term passive diffusive samplers(PDS) have been used to measure $NO_2\;and\;SO_2$ concentrations at 21 sampling sites in Daejeon, Korea during the period of January 2000 - December 2002. The spatial distributions of annual $NO_2\;and\;SO_2$ concentrations were mapped. Average annual $NO_2$ concentration over the sampling period was $28.5{\pm}12.5\;ppb$, ranging from 1.2 to 81.7 ppb. Average annual $SO_2$ concentration over the sampling period was $7.7{\pm}4.8\;ppb$, ranging from 0.6 to 26.8 ppb. On average, $NO_2$ concentration was approximately 5.8%(1.6 ppb) larger in 2002. $SO_2$ concentration was decreased by 13%(1.1 ppb) during the sampling period. The seasonal variation of $NO_2\;and\;SO_2$ concentration was observed with a tendency to be higher in fall and winter. $NO_2\;and\;SO_2$, concentrations measured at different site types(patterns of land use) show significant difference. The observed difference in concentration was associated with difference in emissions of $NO_2$ from motor vehicles and $SO_2$ by non-traffic fuel consumption for heating.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.143-152
• /
• 2008

This study investigates the variation and spatial distribution of nitrogen dioxide($NO_2$) concentrations measured with passive diffusive samplers at 40 curbside points in Daejeon. Average $NO_2$ concentration was $39.8{\pm}18.0\;ppb$ (n=1,127) and the significant difference in concentrations by regional groups (Dong-gu, Jung-gu, Seo-gu, Daedeok-gu, Yuseong-gu) was not observed. The frequency distribution of $NO_2$ concentration was found to be a normal distribution with the high frequency in the concentration range of 30 to 40 ppb (20 to 25%). Average $NO_2$ concentration measured during the rainy periods was lower than that measured during the non-rainy periods and the decrease of concentration by rainfall was about 16% (7 ppb). The variation of $NO_2$ concentrations measured by passive diffusive samplers during the sampling period was similar to that continuously measured at the air quality monitoring station.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.606-613
• /
• 2005

The badge-type diffusive sampler for the measurement of formaldehyde in indoor air using three types of colorimetric methods such as chromotrophic acid(CTA), 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone(MBTH), and 4-amino-3-hydrazino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole(AHMT) method. The washing of the collection filter with several cleaning solution was effected with satisfactory results, regardless of the types of cleaning solutions. The concentrations of absorbance solution in each colorimetric method were experimentally determined by considering the sampling rates. The variation blank values in each colorimetric method was below 15%. As compared with CTA and AHMT methods, the reproducibility of MBTH method was excellent and was below 10% relative standard deviation. The collected formaldehyde mass and time-weighted concentration had a good correlation (correlation coefficient > 0.93). The limit of detection and limit of quantitation, and minimum sampling time were closely correlated to the sampling rates for the measurement of formaldehyde in each method.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.34-41
• /
• 2001

Passive samplers have been used for personal, indoor, and outdoor air monitoring of VOCs at ppb concentrations in community and office environments. The path length of modified passive sampler was shortened, so it was intended to increase an uptake rate. The performance of the modified 3M 3500 organic vapor monitor(OVM) as a tool for assessing exposures to toxic air pollutants in nonoccupational community environments was evaluated using combined controlled test atmospheres of six selected target volatile organic compounds(VOCs): benzene, methyl tert-butyl ether(MTBE), chloroform, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, tetrachloroethylene, and toluene. The experiments were conducted by exposing the dosimeters to concentrations of $50{\sim}100{\mu}g/m^3$ on six face velocity(0.00, 0.02, 0.06, 0.12, 0.20, 0.30 m/sec) for 24 hours. If the uptake rate was increased, that means that we could use the passive sampler more effectively. The uptake rates were increased linearly according to reduce the path length. Although the diffusion path length was shortened, the change of uptake rate was within ${\pm}25%$ of theoretical value, indicating that the modified passive sampler(TM) can be effectively used over the range of concentrations and environmental conditions tested with a 24-h sampling period if the face velocities were over 0.12 m/s for 6 components of VOCs. But when the face velocities were less than 0.12 m/s, uptake rates were reduced more than expected values. So, the passive sampler with the shortened path length should be used at indoor or outdoor environment where the face velocity should be over about 0.10 m/s. If the path length was shortened more, the uptake rate was more effected by starvation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.33-48
• /
• 1997

Korean diffusive sampler (KDS) and charcoal tube (CT) were used for sampling n-hexane, trichloroethylene and toluene in air KDS was made by Department of Environmental Health, SNU-SPH in 1995. Surveys were conducted at ten industrial plants with organic solvents. The relationship between two sampling methods was examined by linear regression analysis, and concentrations by two sampling methods were compared using paired t-test. The results are as follows: 1. The geometric means by CT and KDS methods were 3.26ppm and 3.32ppm for n-hexane, 5.07ppm and 6.34ppm for toluene, and 7.18ppm and 7.90ppm for toluene, respectively. There was no significant difference between results by CT and KDS methods in three organic vapors (p>0.05). When linear regression analysis was performed, two sampling methods were highly related ; correlation coefficients were 0.98, 0.90 and 0.96 for n-hexane, toluene and trichloroethylene, respectively. 2. Airborne concentrations of n-hexane (n=21) were below 0.5 TLV level. The GM by two methods were almost same (3.09 ppm). And there was no significant difference between results by two methods (p>0.05). 3. Since toluene and trichloroethylene concentrations showed several levels, appropriate sampling rates were applied for each level. The GM of toluene concentrations by two methods at 0.5 TLV level were 3.75ppm and 5.48ppm. The KDS method overestimated the toluene concentrations at 0.5 TLV level (p<0.05). The GM values of toluene concentrations at 1 TLV level were 31.80ppm and 25.38ppm and at 2 TLV level were 64.13 ppm and 51.37 ppm. The KDS method underestimated concentration at both level (p<0.05). For trichloroethylene, the GM at 0.5 TLV level were 4.97 ppm and 7.11ppm. The KDS method overestimated the concentration of trichloroethylene (p<0.05). In conclusion, concentrations of three organic vapors measured by CT and KDS were not significantly different and results by two methods were highly related. But at contain concentrations, the levels by method were significantly different. Therefore, it is suggested that sampling rate of KDS should be studied simultaneously using CT method for organic vapors.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.97-108
• /
• 1996

A new type of passive samplers were designed and produced by authors. After evaluating the quality of activated carbon by measuring recovery rate of organic vapors and steadiness of sampling rate, activated carbon with 30 - 35 mesh produced by Company S in Korea was selected. In each passive sampler, an amount of 400 mg of the activated carbon was filled in 25-mm cassette and covered by fixed screen (or wire screen with 100 mesh). In addition to the fixed screen, a wind screen (or wire screen with 300 mesh) was also attached at outer face. The sampling rate of the new Korean passive samplers was estimated Conclusions obtained in the study are as follows. 1. Sampling rates of the newly developed Korean passive samplers were affected by sampling time. For n-hexane, sampling rates of 15- and 60-minute samples were 70.92 and 37.45 ml/min, respectively. Sampling rate of both 200- and 450-minute samples was 25.96 ml/min. It is concluded that, when passive samplers are used for measuring organic vapors, samples be collected longer than 60 minutes. 2. Sampling rate of the passive samplers was also affected by airborne concentration of organic vapors. Lower sampling rates were determined at level of 1/2 threshold limit values (TLVs) recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). It is recommended that sampling rate of the passive samplers be obtained at site by measuring concentrations using both the NIOSH Method and passive samplers simultaneously. 3. When the passive samplers, which collected organic vapors, were exposed to clean air for five hours, there was no significant loss of organic vapors due to reverse diffusion. 4. When samples were stored at room temperature ($21.8{\pm}0.7^{\circ}C$) and refrigerator ($3.8{\pm}0.7^{\circ}C$), there was no significant difference in the accuracy of results. For trichloroethylene and n-hexane, accuracies were within 25 % at both temperatures until seven days. However, poor accuracy exceeding 25 % was indicated in toluene from the first day. It is recommended that samples be stored at freezing temperature below $0^{\circ}C$. 5. Sampling efficiency was significantly affected by direction of the passive samplers. Results of samplers facing wind and down, respectively, were compared. Lower amount of organic vapors were collected when the sampler was oriented down. It is recommended that, when air velocity is low in plants, the passive samplers be oriented to the wind. However, when air velocity is high, the passive samplers be oriented down.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.100-107
• /
• 2021

Along with an increase in the frequency of high-concentration fine particulate matter in Korea, interest and research on ammonia (NH₃) are actively increasing. It is obvious that agriculture has contributed significantly to NH₃ emissions. However, studies on the long-term effect of fertilizer use on the ambient NH₃ concentration of agricultural land are insufficient. Therefore, in this study, NH₃ concentration in the atmosphere of agricultural land was monitored for 11 months using a passive sampler. The average ambient NH₃ concentration during the total study period was 2.02 ㎍ m^-3 and it was found that the effect of fertilizer application on the ambient NH₃ concentration was greatest in the month immediately following fertilizer application (highest ambient NH₃ concentration as 11.36㎍ m^-3). After that, it was expected that the NH₃ volatilization was promoted by increases in summer temperature and the concentration in the atmosphere was expected to increase. However, high NH₃ concentrations in the atmosphere were not observed due to strong rainfall that lasted for a long period. After that, the ambient NH₃ concentration gradually decreased through autumn and winter. In summary, when studying the contribution of fertilizer to the rate of domestic NH₃ emissions, it is necessary to look intensively for at least one month immediately after fertilizer application, and weather information such as precipitation and no-rain days should be considered in the field study.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.16-25
• /
• 2019

Anthropogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed by the incomplete combustion of fuels and industrial waste. PAHs can be widely exposed to the environment (water, soil and groundwater). PAHs are potentially toxic, mutagenic and/or carcinogenic. Fundamental studies such as biota uptake (e.g., earthworm and plant) of PAHs are highly needed. It is necessary to develop alternative ways to evaluate bioavailability of PAHs instead of using living organisms because it is time-consuming, difficult to apply in the field, and also exaction method is tedious and time-consuming. In this study, sorption behaviors of phenanthrene were evaluated to predict the fate of PAHs in soils. Moreover, bioaccumulation of PAHs in an artificially contaminated soil was evaluated using pea plant (Pisum sativum) as a bioindicator. A novel passive sampler, organic-diffusive gradient in thin-film (o-DGT) for PAHs was newly synthesized, tested as a biomimic surrogate and compared with plant accumulation. Sorption partitioning coefficient (K_P) and sorption capacity (K_F) were in the order of natural soil > loess corresponding to the increase in organic carbon content (f_oc). Biota-to-soil accumulation factor (BSAF) and DGT-to-soil accumulation factor (DSAF) were evaluated. o-DGT uptake was linearly correlated with pea plant uptake of phenanthrene in contaminated soil (R²=0.863). The Tenax TA based o-DGT as a biomimic surrogate can be used for the prediction of pea plant uptake of phenanthrene in contaminated soil.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.315-325
• /
• 2013

The possibility of acute hepatotoxicity caused by dimethylformamide (DMF) requires regular monitoring of the workers who are using DMF to prevent the occupational disease. The authors performed ambient and biological monitoring of workers involved in synthetic leather manufacturing processes using DMF to assess the correlation between the markers of ambient and biological monitoring of DMF. The authors monitored 142 workers occupationally exposed to DMF from 19 workshops in the synthetic leather and ink manufacturing industries located in northern region of Gyeonggi-do. The subjects answered questionnaire on work procedure and use of personal protective equipment to be classified by exposure type. DMF in air samples collected using personal air samplers, diffusive and active sampler, was analysed using gas chromatograph-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) with DB-FFAP column (length 30 m, i.d. 0.25 mm, film thickness 0.25 ${\mu}m$). Urinary N-methylformamide (NMF) was analysed using gas chromatograph-mass selective detector (GC-MSD) at selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode with DB-624 column (length 60 m, i.d. 0.25 mm, film thickness 1.40 ${\mu}m$). Geometric mean (GM) and geometric standard deviation (GSD) of the ambient DMF was $6.85{\pm}3.43$ ppm, and GM and GSD of urinary NMF was $42.3{\pm}2.7$ mg/L. The ratio of subjects with DMF level over 10 ppm was 44%, and those with urinary NMF over 15 mg/L was 87%. NMF in urine adjusted by DMF in air was $4.61{\pm}2.57$ mg/L/ppm and $9.50{\pm}2.41$ mg/L/ppm, respectively, with or without respirator. There was seasonal differences of NMF in urine adjusted by DMF in air, $7.63{\pm}2.74$ mg/L/ppm in summer and $4.53{\pm}2.29$ mg/L/ppm in winter. The urinary NMF concentration which corresponds to 10 ppm of ambient DMF was 52.7 mg/L (r=0.650, n=128). Considering the difference of the route of exposure which resulted from the compliance of wearing personal protective equipment, the estimated contribution of respiratory and dermal exposure route for DMF was 48.5% vs. 51.5%.