• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.630-635
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• 2013

There is a need to establish systematic procedure of groundwater quality standards, however, there were no specified basis for establishing substances and values in Korean groundwater quality standards for non-drinking water. In this study, we reviewed basis for deriving groundwater quality standard in the developed countries, considering carcinogenic and non-carciongenic risk via inhalation and dermal contact exposure pathways. Also, we reviewed the prior systematic procedure of standards related to water quality (e.g. drinking water, surface water, and wastewater). USEPA RAGS, ASTM RBCA, and Massachusettes presented the formulas for deriving groundwater concentrations of chemicals and there were similarity and differences. We suggests systematic procedure of groundwater quality standards, as follows. (1) Selection of groundwater pollutants population, (2) Possibility of risk assessment, (3) Selection of monitoring priority substances, (4) Monitoring, (5) Risk assessment, (6) Selection of groundwater quality standard candidates, (7) Selection of new substances and values for groundwater quality standards. Especially, groundwater concentration of hazardous material were presented according to revised risk formulas via inhalation and dermal contact.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.91-102
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was performed in order to devise a procedure for supplementing the Special Management Materials in the Occupational Safety and Health Act and recommend candidate materials. The results are expected to be used as fundamental data for classification and criteria necessary to manage Special Management Materials in workplaces. Also, they are expected to be used as a basis for selecting target materials to nominate as additional Special Management Material. Methods: We investigated the selection standards for candidates and review ranges of data sources to nominate Special Management Materials. The substances classified as GHS(Globally Harmonized System of classification and labeling of chemicals) category 1A(known to have carcinogenic potential and reproductive toxicity for humans) or 1B(presumed to have carcinogenic potential and reproductive toxicity for humans) carcinogens and reproductive toxicants among the Controlled Hazardous Substances of the Regulation on Occupational Safety and Health Standards and substances with OELs(Occupational Exposure Limits) were inspected as the candidates for Special Management Materials. Conclusions: A seven-step procedure for selecting candidates to designate as Special Management Materials was suggested, including the setting of target chemicals for evaluation, classification of CMR(Carcinogens, Mutagens or Reproductive toxicants) by GHS classification and criteria, suggestion and selection of the candidates, and more. This study recommends 58 chemicals as qualified candidates to supplement the Special Management Materials.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.623-631
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• 2021

The increased transport of marine hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) has resulted in frequent HNS spill accidents domestically and internationally. There are about 6,000 species of HNS internationally, and most of them have toxic properties. When an accidental HNS spill occurs, it can destroys the marine ecosystem and can damage life and property due to explosion and fire. Constructing a spectral library of HNS according to wavelength and developing a detection algorithm would help prepare for accidents. In this study, a ground HNS spill experiment was conducted in France. The toluene spectrum was determined through hyperspectral sensor measurements. HNS present in the hyperspectral images were detected by applying the spectral mixture algorithm. Preprocessing principal component analysis (PCA) removed noise and performed dimensional compression. The endmember spectra of toluene and seawater were extracted through the N-FINDR technique. By calculating the abundance fraction of toluene and seawater based on the spectrum, the detection accuracy of HNS in all pixels was presented as a probability. The probability was compared with radiance images at a wavelength of 418.15 nm to select abundance fractions with maximum detection accuracy. The accuracy exceeded 99% at a ratio of approximately 42%. Response to marine spills of HNS are presently impeded by the restricted access to the site because of high risk of exposure to toxic compounds. The present experimental and detection results could help estimate the area of contamination with HNS based on hyperspectral remote sensing.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.478-483
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• 2014

Objectives: The main objective of this study is to assess the levels of hazardous substances in floor dust in primary schools located in the city of Busan in Korea. Materials and Methods: An on-site investigation of three primary schools was performed between April and May 2013. The hazardous substances measured in this study were 14 heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Ni, Zn, Cr, Cd, As, Al, Sn, Co, Mo and Si) and the biological agents were bacteria, fungi and endotoxin). Results: Among the heavy metals, Cd, Co, Pb and Cr were not detected in the floor dust from the three primary schools. The mean levels of other heavy metals were as follows: $20({\pm}10)ng/cm^2$ for As, $30({\pm}20)ng/cm^2$ for Al, $5({\pm}4)ng/cm^2$ for Sn, $20({\pm}20)ng/cm^2$ for Mo, $1,340({\pm}620)ng/cm^2$ for Si, $110({\pm}100)ng/cm^2$ for Cu, $240({\pm}50)ng/cm^2$ for Fe, $30({\pm}30)ng/cm^2$ for Mn, $10({\pm}10)ng/cm^2$ for Ni, and $50({\pm}30)ng/cm^2$ for Zn. It was found that mean concentrations of bacteria, fungi and endotoxin in the floor dust of primary schools were $4.7{\time}10^7({\pm}2.2{\time}10^7)cfu/cm^2$, $6.3{\time}10^6({\pm}6.4{\time}10^6)cfu/cm^2$, and $8,140({\pm}5,801)EU/cm^2$, respectively. The predominant species identified in the floor dust of the primary schools were Pseudomonas spp. for bacteria and Penicillium spp.,Cladosporidium spp.,and Aspergillus spp. for fungi, which would be somewhat similar to the microbial distribution pattern of other general environments. Conclusions: Based on the results obtained from this study, the levels of heavy metals, microbes and endotoxin distributed in the floor dust of primary school were higher than those reported for other general facilities. Thus, preventive measures should be prepared for the health care of children.

• Journal of Information Management
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.1-19
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• 1997

A late-comer in the marine affairs, development of ways for efficient access and utilization of information on marine environmental conservation and pollution prevention is important. The properties and removal methods of toxic chemicals have been entered into the database for 1,000 substances. The database of toxic chemicals for pollution and spills has also been fortified for the following terms: general characteristics, health hazard and response, fire hazard and response, chemical reactivity, physico-chemical properties, and other properties. The information and data running in this database are easily accessible via Internet and Korean telecommunications companies; it is also available KRISTAL databases.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2023

The significance of gas sensors has been emphasized in various industries and applications, owing to the growing significance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) management in corporate operations. In particular, the monitoring of hazardous gas leakages and detection of fugitive emissions have recently garnered significant attention across several industrial sectors. As industrial workplaces evolve to ensure the safety of their working environments and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the demand for high-performance gas sensors in industrial sectors dealing with toxic substances is on the rise. However, conventional gas-sensing systems have limitations in monitoring fugitive gas leakages at both critical and subcritical concentrations in complex environments. To overcome these difficulties, recent studies in the field of gas sensors have employed techniques such as mobile robotic olfaction, remote optical sensing, chemical grid sensing, and remote acoustic sensing. This review highlights the significant progress made in various technologies that have enabled accurate and real-time mapping of gas distribution and localization of hazardous gas sources. These recent advancements in gas-sensing technology have shed light on the future role of gas-detection systems in industrial safety.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.673-682
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• 2020

This study investigates the concentration distribution of aldehydes and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the archive of the National Library in Korea and evaluates the health risks to workers from hazardous chemicals. Acetaldehyde had the highest concentration among the nine species of aldehydes present in the archive and the concentration of toluene was the highest among the six species of VOCs. Most of the detected substances showed that their indoor concentrations were higher than the outdoor ones, suggesting the possibility of indoor sources of aldehydes and VOCs. The evaluation of health risks for workers based on these measurement results showed that not all substances were hazardous to the human body. However, considering the possibility of the presence of indoor sources and the potential limits of our study owing its short period, it is necessary to conduct long-term studies on the concentration distribution of indoor pollutants in the archive environment.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.418-434
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• 2010

As concerns regarding water pollution grow, the need increases for a fast and accurate assessment of ecological risk. In this context, many studies have been conducted to identify biomarkers which can sensitively indicate exposure to and effects of various contaminants in a water environment. However, the utility of most such biomarkers in the real water environment is not yet validated. In this paper, we conducted a thorough review of publications that were related to developing or evaluating molecular and biochemical biomarkers of freshwater fish in ecological risk assessment, and evaluated whether these biomarkers of interest could link to the effects on higher biological levels, such as histopathology and above. Biomarkers of interest included those associated with metabolism, oxidative stress, reproduction and endocrine disruption, genotoxicity, and defense against heavy metal exposure. We found that, when used alone, most molecular and biochemical biomarkers are not sufficient to understand the effects of toxic substances in higher biological levels, due to defense or acclimation mechanisms of organisms. Moreover, some biomarkers respond not only to hazardous substances but also to the changes in water quality and disease outbreak. Molecular and biochemical biomarkers may be most useful in understanding the potential biological effects of toxic compounds when used in parallel with relevant endpoints of higher biological levels.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1162-1167
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• 2006

The discharge of ballast water from the marine vessel without proper treatment causes the ecological disruption. Therefore, International Marine Organization(IMO) has the plan to force the proper treatment of ballast water before its discharge to open sea. To satisfy the IMO's criteria, several processes such as filtration, UV irradiation, and ozonation etc., were introduced. Since the disinfection of ballast water should be conducted within very short hydrolic retention time, electrochemical treatment can be a promissing process. The DSA(dimensional stable anode) electrode for the electrochemical treatment was prepared by thermal deposition method. The disinfection rate of microorganisms increased with the increasing current density and reaction time under low pH condition. The morphology of sterilized microorganisms was shown by SEM and Microscopy.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.115-125
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• 2015

Objectives: The major objectives of this study are to review the EU CLP Regulations to propose ways of improving the reliability of MSDS and labels. Methods: To review the EU CLP Regulations, we used EU documents including directives and regulations on chemical management. In addition, we used EU governmental agency reports to illuminate the history and background of the CLP. We found the EU CLP's instruments for reliable hazard communication and evaluated the operations of the instruments. Results: EU CLP Regulations have four instruments for the EU CLP Regulations to make hazard communication reliable. These instruments are GHS, the harmonized CMR and respiratory sensitive substances classification list, C&L inventory and restriction of trade secrets. These are highly useful for achieving the objectives of REACH and CLP(no data-no market and changing the burden of proof). Conclusions: Changing the burden of proof is a key principle for achieving a society safe from hazardous chemicals. Chemical manufacturers and importers alone should bear the responsibility for reliable MSDS. We recommend benchmarking the EU CLP Regulations in order to change efficiently the burden of proof. Trade secrets should be limited to low-hazard substances and be approved by the government before the chemical product is on the market. Like the C&L inventory, chemical product information including substances identification and hazard properties should be notified, aggregated and be opened to public on the Internet. Finally, we recommend a MSDS registration system once again.