• Title/Summary/Keyword: environmental pollutants

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Monitoring Study on Exposure Levels of Environmental Pollutants in Residents of a Non-Industrial Area, Korea (비산단지역 환경오염 수준 및 주민의 생체지표 모니터링)

  • Kim, Dae-Seon;Ahn, Seung Chul;Ryu, Jung Min;Yu, Seung Do
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.38 no.6
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    • pp.482-492
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    • 2012
  • Objectives: The main purpose of this study is to produce background data which can be compared with data on vulnerable areas such as industrial complexes in Ulsan, SihwaBanwol, Gwangyang, Yeosu, Pohang, Cheongju and Daesan in Korea. Methods: This study was performed on 1,007 local residents in Gangneung using personal questionnaires and medical check-up. Environmental pollutants including heavy metals in blood and urine were analyzed and the results are as follows. Results: According to the results of medical check-up, 705 subjects were "Normal (A and B)", 232 subjects were "Disease doubtful (R1)" and 70 subjects were "High blood pressure or Diabetes doubtful (R2)". Regarding geometric mean concentration, blood lead was 1.57 ${\mu}g/dL$, urine cadmium was 0.82 ${\mu}g/g-cr$, urine mercury was 0.98 ${\mu}g/g-cr$ and urine arsenic was 15.78 ${\mu}g/g-cr$. In the analysis of 11 kinds of VOCs in blood, vinyl chloride, 1,3-butadiene and dichloroethylene were not detected, while the detection rate of other chemicals was above 70% except chloroform(49.7%) and trichloroethylene(19.0%). In analysis of 16 kinds of PAHs in blood, 10 kinds showed more than 80% in detection rate. Also, detection rate of 4 kinds of PCBs in blood ranged 52 to 78%. Conclusions: Compared with industrial compelxes, the concentration of blood lead was lower, while urine cadmium and mercury levels were similar. Also, urine arsenic ranged at a significant level. Further study is required to find the cause of regional differences in concentrations of environmental pollutants.

A Study on the Atmospheric Dispersion of Odor Emitted from Banwol/Sihwa Industrial Complex in Ansan Area (반월, 시화공단 악취물질의 안산지역 확산 연구)

  • Song, Dong-Woong;Song, Chang-Keun;Kim, Cheol-Hee
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.12 no.5
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    • pp.323-340
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    • 2003
  • There have been persistent civil appeals in Ansan area against the odor and aerosols emitted from nearby Banwol/Sihwa industrial complex. A fundamental solution for the good air quality has not been addressed yet in spite of the continuous counterplan to reduce odor emission. A systematic and scientific study is needed to examine the reason for the odor episode and to predict the impact coverage of odor pollution. An approach by computational simulation is considered to be adequate to investigate the transportation and the dispersion processes of air pollutants blown by sea breeze toward the coastal city, Ansan. This study has employed various dispersion models to simulate the transportation and the dispersion processes of odor pollutants by a local circulation between land/sea breeze using the data set of emission rates of odorous species from the Banwol/Sihwa industrial complex.

Recent Advances in Titania-based Composites for Photocatalytic Degradation of Indoor Volatile Organic Compounds

  • Raza, Nadeem;Kim, Ki-Hyun;Agbe, Henry;Kailasa, Suresh Kumar;Szulejko, Jan E.;Brown, Richard J.C.
    • Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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    • v.11 no.4
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    • pp.217-234
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    • 2017
  • Indoor air pollutants can cause severe health problems, specifically in terms of toxicological impacts on human. Every day, a complex mixture of many air pollutants is emitted from various sources and subject to atmospheric processes that can create varied classes of pollutants such as carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, peroxyacetyl nitrate, and hydrocarbons. To adhere to indoor air quality standards, a number of techniques such as photocatalytic oxidation of various volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been employed. Among these techniques, titania ($TiO_2$) based photocatalytic reactions have proven to be the best benchmark standard approach in the field of environmental applications. Over the last 45 years, $TiO_2$-based photocatalytic reactions have been explored for the degradation of various pollutants. This review discusses the indoor air quality profile, types of indoor pollutants, available indoor air cleaning approaches, and performance of $TiO_2$-based catalysts. Finally, we have presented the perspectives on the progress of $TiO_2$ induced photocatalysis for the purification of indoor air.

Evaluation of Acid Rain through the Scavenging Theory and Application of Trajectory Model (세정이론을 통한 산성비의 평가와 발원지 추적)

  • Kim, Jeong-Soo;Kang, In-Goo;Chang, Sung-Kee
    • Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.121-127
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    • 1992
  • This study was carried out to investigate the features of air pollutants in rainwater and trace their transported trajectories from other countries. Chemical analysis data of rainwater and suspended particulates collected at Seoul, Kanghwa, and Taean for three years were used to evaluate the effects of long-range transport of air pollutants. Scavenging theory on washout and rainout effect during a rainy period was applied to estimate whether pollutants in the precipitation were long-range transported or not. On the other hand, precipitation weighted surface wind were evaluated to analyze the effect from local sources on atmospheric concentrations. As a result, contribution of air pollutants caused by anthropogenic sources in the precipitation which was identified to be long range transported was confirmed significantly high and trajectory of these pollutants was to be equivalent to 850mb isobar. Although concentration of acidifying components increased in the precipitation, neutralization by alkaline soil components such as $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$ was conspicuous especially during Yellow-sand period.

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Analysis of Seasonal Characteristics about Long-Range Transport and Deposition of Sulfur (황(S)의 장거리 이동 및 침적량에 대한 계절별 특성 분석)

  • Hong, Sung-Chul;Lee, Jae-Bum;Moon, Kyung-Jung;Song, Chang-Keun;Bang, Cheol-Han;Choi, Jin-Young;Kim, Jeong-Soo;Hong, You-Deog
    • Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.34-47
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    • 2010
  • Long-range transport of air pollutants was simulated using Comprehensive Acid Deposition Model (CADM) and Yonsei University-Sulfuric Acid Deposition Model (YU-SADM). For the simulation, weather patterns that represent the four seasons were derived through a clustering analysis with 5-years of meteorological data. The simulation result showed that in spring, influenced by strong low pressure from China, air pollutants of moved to the Korean Peninsula. In summer, humid air moved into the Korean Peninsula across the Yellow Sea while the north pacific high pressure extended, making the concentration of air pollutants lower than that in the other seasons. In autumn, air pollutants were transported by the northwest wind caused by the movement of high pressure over the Yellow Sea, while in winter air pollutants were influenced by northwest winds from continental highs. The amount of air pollutants in each season showed that high amount of pollutants were transported in winter due to the strong northwest wind. The in-flows were 3 to 8 times higher than those of the other seasons, and out-flows were about as twice as high. The amount of wet deposition in summer and autumn increased significantly compared to the amount in the other seasons due to the increase of rainfall. Source-receptor relationship analysis for sulfur showed that 70 to 91 precent of the total deposition came from the self-contribution by the Korean Peninsula. In winter, contribution from China was about 25 percent of the total deposition which was higher amount than any other season.

A Study on Risk Communication and Risk Perception in Environmental Problems (환경문제의 위해도 인식과 위해도 홍보 프로그램의 효과분석 -라돈과 다이옥신을 중심으로-)

  • 김진용;신동천;박성은;임영욱;황만식
    • Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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    • v.17 no.4
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    • pp.315-324
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    • 2002
  • Risk communication can be defined as the exchange of information about the nature, magnitude, significance, acceptability, and management of risk. The effect of risk communication on the perception and knowledge towards risk of environmental pollutants and it's related factors were investigated in this study. To investigate perception and knowledge of students and teachers towards risk of environmental pollutants, we conducted the survey using self-administrated questionnaire. The subjects were 574 for the first survey and 465 for the seconds survey from May to June, 2000. The main methods of transmission used in this study- through video tape, visual materials, question and answer, and participation in measuring pollutants - were not a one - way street. But an interactive process where information and opinions were exchanged among individuals, groups, and institutions. Environmental pollutants measured with participation of study subjects was Radon in the class room. The concentration of Radon was measured using E -PERM Device by installing it at each site for about 5 days. Subjects showed much interest in environmental pollution. Also, more than 98% of total subjects were perceived as Korea is seriously contaminated at present. By risk communication activity, risk perception of all subjects about Radon was increased, on the other hand, risk perception of Dioxin was decreased except for elementary student. Moreover, knowledge of all subjects about environmental risk was significantly increased (p =0.0001) and effort of reducing environmental pollution was more increased (p<0.05). There is need to further develop, refine, and integrate these approaches environmental risk communication study, there is an even more pressing need to accelerate the diffusion of environmental risk communication practice into government and organizations.

A study on characteristics of influent and effluent pollutants in public sewage treatment works combined with industrial wastewater and landfill leachate (공공하수처리시설에서 수질오염물질 유입 및 배출 특성 고찰 - 산업폐수 및 매립지 침출수 연계처리 시설을 중심으로 -)

  • Jeong, Dong-Hwan;Cho, Yangseok;Ahn, Kyung-Hee;Kim, Eunseok;Kim, Changsoo;Chung, Hyen-Mi
    • Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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    • v.30 no.6
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    • pp.673-682
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    • 2016
  • In this study, we investigated influent and effluent water pollutants in 53 Public Sewage Treatment Works (PSTWs) where industrial wastewater or landfill leachate is combined four times for two years from 2014 to 2015. Also, we analyzed the characteristics of heavy metals and volatile organic carbons at influent and effluent of these PSTWs caused by sewage treatment combined with industrial wastewater or landfill leachate. As a result, six heavy metals such as barium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel and zinc, and four volatile organic carbons (VOCs) including phenols, di(2-)ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), formaldehyde and toluene were observed above detection limits in most of PSTWs. Also, it was revealed that six heavy metals such as hexavalent chromium, mercury, cadmium, chromium, nickel and selenium, and four VOCs including 1,1-dichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, naphthalene, and epichlorohydrin were observed more frequently according to precipitation. As a result of reviewing the monitoring data on "Water Quality Monitoring Networks" in lower watersheds of PSTWs, both heavy metals and VOCs were below detection limits, indicating that the effluent water had little influence on the watershed. Nevertheless for the better management of influent and effluent pollutants in PSTWs, it is necessary to establish the advanced management plans for water pollutants in PSTWs, which include a list of priority substances management, monitoring plans, and guidelines for industrial wastewater and landfill leachate combined in PSTWs.

A Study on the Concentration Distribution Characteristics of Air Pollutants by Yellow Sand Phenomenon (황사현상에 의한 대기오염물질의 농도분포 특성에 관한 연구)

  • 이용기;김종찬;최승석;임홍빈;최양희;이수문
    • Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.71-78
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    • 2002
  • This study was conducted to evaluate the concentration distribution characteristics of air pollutants by the yellow sand from China. The concentrations and chemical properties of FPM contained in the yellow sand were compared with those of air pollutants when having no yellow sand in order to estimate the variation characteristics and the originated source of air pollutants moved by yellow sand. The concentrations of PM-2.5 and PM-10 contained in the yellow sand showed an increase of 2.3 to 2.7 times than usual, and the concentrations of NO2 and SO2 in the gaseous pollutants showed an increase of about 1.6 times by yellow sand, and thus the air contamination was much influenced by yellow sand phenomenon. The concentrations of inorganic elements contained in FPM from the yellow sand showed a higher concentration variation in the order of Al>Mg>Zn>Pb than usual. The concentration coefficient of air aerosol during the yellow sand period showed that Na, K, Ca, Mg and Fe were originated from natural source, and Pb, Cr, Cd, Cu and Zn were originated from artificial source for inorganic elements. The correlation analysis between FPM and inorganic elements showed in the descending order of Al>K>Pb>Mg, and thus the deposited amount of Pb was influenced by that of yellow sand. The average concentrations of PM-10 measured during the yellow sand period exceeded the Korea Air Environmental Standard and showed a excess rate of 3.4 times in the maximum but the average concentrations of PM-2.5 showed within the United States Air Environmental Standard.

Characteristics of Inflow Water Quality Variations and Pollutants Transport in Imha Reservoir during a Rainfall Event (강우시 임하호 유입수 수질변동과 오염물질의 공간적 이동 특성)

  • Lee, Heung Soo;Shin, Myung Jong;Yoon, Sung Wan;Chung, Se Woong
    • Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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    • v.29 no.1
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    • pp.97-106
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    • 2013
  • The temporal and spatial variations of water quality in a stratified reservoir are fully dependent on the characteristics of inflow loading from its watershed and the transport regimes of pollutants after entering the reservoir. Because of the meteorological and hydrological conditions in Korea, the pollutants loading to reservoirs are mostly occur during rainfall events. Therefore it is important to understand the characteristics of pollutants loading from upstream rivers and their spatial propagation through the stratified reservoir during the rainfall events. The objectives of this study were to characterize the water quality variations in upstream rivers of Imha Reservoir during a rainfall event, and the transport and spatial variations of pollutants in the reservoir through extensive field monitoring and laboratory analysis. The results showed that the event mean concentration (EMC) of SS, BOD, $COD_{Mn}$, T-N, T-P, $PO_4-P$ are 8.6 ~ 362.1, 2.5 ~ 5.1, 1.5 ~ 5.1, 1.1 ~ 1.9, 8.3 ~ 57.1, 5.6 ~ 25.7 times greater than the mean concentrations of these parameters during non-rainfall period. The turbidity and SS data showed good linear correlations, but the relationships between flow and SS showed large variations because of hysteresis effect during rising and falling periods of the flood. The ratio of POC to TOC were 12.6 ~ 14.7% during the non-rainfall periods, but increased up to 28.2 ~ 41.7% during the flood event. The turbid flood flow formed underflow and interflow after entering the reservoir, and delivered a great amount of non-point pollutants such as labile and refractory organic matters and nutrients to the metalimnion layer of reservoir, which is just above the thermocline. Spatially, the lateral variations of most water quality parameters were marginal but the vertical variations were significant.