• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.393-398
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• 2010

This study prepared and utilized an imitation trial test chamber for a petroleum spill to predict the concentration of discharged Volatile Organic Compounds in the air at the time of Tae-An peninsula's petroleum spill, which happened in December, 2007. The petroleum spill imitation trial test chamber measured and analyzed the concentration variation of total VOCs. As the ambient air velocity increased, so the concentration of VOCs decreased; and as the water temperature rose, the concentration of VOCs increased. Furthermore, it appears that total concentration of VOCs decrease by more than 90% 6 days after the initial petroleum spill compared to the initial concentration of VOCs.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.305-319
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• 2016

This study was carried out to evaluate the performance of two sampling methods, i.e., adsorbent tubes and canisters, for the measurement of ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A total of 24 target VOCs were selected from a list of 48 priority hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in Korea. The two sampling methods were investigated with a wide range of performance criteria such as repeatability, linearity, and lower detection limits. In addition, mean relative errors (MRE) and mean duplicate precisions (MDP) were estimated by inter-lab comparison studies for duplicate field samples. Precisions for the two methods appeared to be well comparable with the performance criteria recommended by USEPA TO-15 and TO-17 for canister and adsorbent methods, respectively. Correlations and variations between the VOCs concentrations determined by the two methods were generally good in most cases. However, MREs and MDPs for individual VOCs appeared to be widely ranged, depending on each VOC. This implies that the two methods have its own advantages and disadvantages in determining a variety of VOCs in ambient air, and neither of which has absolute superiority. Finally, 9 of 24 VOCs were found to be difficult to determine by either methods due to their unstability in a canister, and lack of appropriate standard materials. Thus, it is suggested that development of measurement methods for such unstable VOCs is an urgent task from a viewpoint of HAPs management.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.767-774
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• 2008

This study was carried out to evaluate the characteristics of atmospheric concentrations of volatile organic compounds(VOCs) and aldehydes for near a large shipyard. Most of the painting work in marine coating is performed indoor and outdoor. Most of the VOCs are emitted to the atmosphere as the paint is applied and cures. The massive scale of a ship makes it difficult to capture the emissions from outdoor painting. The VOCs are an important health and contributors to photochemical smog. The VOCs and aldehydes samples were collected using adsorbent tube and 2,4-DNPH cartridge, and were determined by an automatic thermal desorption coupled with GC/MS and HPLC-UV analysis, respectively. A total of 16 aromatic VOCs and 12 aldehydes of environmental concern were determined. At indoor coating facilities, the most abundant compound among 16 target VOCs appeared to be m,p-xylene, being followed by o-xylene. But most of the aldehydes were extremely lower concentrations. The atmospheric concentration of VOCs, m,p-xylene concentrations were the highest and the mean value were outdoor workshop 11.323 ppb, residental area 5.134 ppb, and green area 2.137 ppb, respectively. However, the most aldehydes were extremely lower concentrations such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and non-detection such as iso-valeraldehyde, n-valeraldehyde and o-tolualdehyde.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.23-27
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• 1998

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.906-917
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to quantify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in gas sample using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled to GC analysis. The optimal HS-SPME conditions was CAR/PDMS fiber and 30 min absorprion time for the analysis of various VOCs. In optimal conditions, 80 VOCs could be detected within 1 ppbv and even less than 0.0005 ppbv especially in the case of BTEX. However, fiber reproducibility on adsorption efficiency was 1~9.2% (between the same fiber) and 5.9~13.5% (between the other fiber). We successfully determined 35 VOCs in landfill gas with this method and found that VOCs of high concentration are emitting from vent pipe of closed/open landfill site under the HS-SPME conditions. This method may apply to VOCs/odor determination from various atmospheric environmental samples as well as landfills.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.543-553
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• 2005

In recent days, photochemical smog due to the rapid industry development and vehicle increasement has become a critical pollutant in the metropolitan area and the number of ozone alarm signal has increased every year. This research was performed to evaluate VOCs emission source characteristics and concentration of VOCs in Daegu. The site average concentration was observed in the following order: industrial area > commercial area > residential area. Most of the VOCs species except toluene showed variations with higher concentration during nighttime, and lower concentration during the daytime. The major VOCs of stationary emission source were BTEX(benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene. xylene) and methylene chloride, trichloroethene and styrene. Also, those of automobile exhaust were toluene and benzene. Also, the major VOCs concentration emited by the vehicle fuel was observed in the following order: gasoline > light oil > liquefied petroleum gas (L.P.G). Correlation coefficients values were estimated between major VOCs such as toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p-xylene, o-xylene. Results showed that correlation coefficient values were significant magnitude above 0.76. Also, there showed highly significant correlations among ethyl benzene, m,p-xylene, and o-xylene concentration(Pearson correlation coefficients, r=0.868-0.982). Calculated correlation coefficients among commercial area,industrial area and residential area were 0.934-0.981, they showed high correlation. There showed highly correlation between stationary emission source and industrial area, compared with commercial area and residential area. Also, calculated correlation coefficients among commercial area, industrial area, residential area and automobile exhaust were 0.732, 0.725, 0.777, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1105-1111
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• 2006

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2012

To establish area specific control strategy for ambient ozone in the Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA), the maximum ozone concentration in each local government district in the SMA were estimated by using the OZone Isopleth Plotting Package for Research (OZIPR) model. The modeling period was June 2000 and the emission inventory data used were from National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER). Except the islands of Incheon, whole Seoul and Incheon areas were volatile organic compounds (VOCs) limited, i.e., decreasing the oxides of nitrogen ($NO_X$) emission alone may increase the maximum ozone concentration upto certain point. In Gyeonggi, 12 areas were VOCs limited while 12 areas were in between VOCs limited and $NO_X$ limited, i.e., decreasing both $NO_X$ and VOCs emission may decrease the maximum ozone concentration. Majority of the estimated ozone values were lower than the measured values. The reason could be inaccuracy in emission inventories and/or transport from other areas. The same calculation was carried out for June 2004 and it was found that Seoul was still in the VOCs limited condition.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.135-145
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• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the practical using of Geographic Information System(GIS) technology which are computer-based systems that are used to store and manipulate geographic information on the air pollution control and management in the macro city. For this study 130 samples were corrected by passive sampler in Seoul (25 distincts) distributed by TM-coordinate during November in 1997 to January 1998, and analysed by GC/MSD for 16 VOCs e.g., toluene, benzene and display using Arc/view GIS(version 3.2, ESRI Inc, U.S.A) for windows. The most VOCs concentration distribution in November, 1997 was higher than that of January, 1998 except benzene and 1,1,2-trichroloethan, bromobenzene. And products of the distribution of VOCs concentration display using GIS technology was effective as well as other display methods(e.g., contouring method, pie or column chart, graduated symbols), especially in mapping and symbolization capabilities for spatial pollutant status evaluation were very effective than other display methods.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.222-228
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• 2013

Objectives: The indoor air quality of newly-built (NC) and remodeled (RC) school classrooms was assessed. The primary aim was to show correlations between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde (HCHO) pollutant levels. Methods: This study investigated the indoor air concentrations of VOCs and HCHO at 26 sites of newly built and 68 sites of remodeled classrooms located in South Gyeongsang Province between 2010 and 2012. VOCs in the indoor air were determined by adsorbent tube (Tenax TA) and automatic thermal desorption coupled with GC-MS analysis. Target analytes were five VOCs: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and styrene. HCHO was collected with a 2,4-DNPH cartridge and analyzed by HPLC. Conclusions: This study estimated that indoor VOCs and HCHO concentrations in the classrooms were mainly affected by interior building materials and classroom equipment. For proper indoor air quality in schools, classroom air should be improved through reduction of hazardous materials by adequate ventilation, selecting environmental friendly materials, etc.