• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• 제35권2호
• /
• pp.156-164
• /
• 2018

Environmental contaminants are one of the important causal factors for development of various human diseases. In particular, the perinatal period is highly vulnerable to environmental toxicants and resultant dysregulation of fetal development can cause detrimental health outcomes potentially affecting life-long health. Perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs), emerging environmental pollutants, are man-made organic molecules, which are widely used in diverse industries and consumer products. PFCs are non-degradable and bioaccumulate in the environment. Importantly, PFCs can be found in cord blood and breast milk as well as in the general population. Due to their physicochemical properties and potential toxicity, many studies have evaluated the health effects of PFCs. This review summarizes the epidemiological and experimental studies addressing the association of PFCs with neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity. While the relationships between PFC levels and changes in neural and immune health are not yet conclusive, accumulative studies provide evidence for positive associations between PFC levels and the incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and reduced immune response to vaccination both in children and adults. In conclusion, PFCs have the potential to affect human health linked with neurological disorders and immunosuppressive responses. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanism of the effects of PFCs on human health is still in its infancy. Therefore, along with efforts to develop methods to reduce exposure to PFCs, studies on the mode of action of these chemicals are required in the near future.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• 제31권
• /
• pp.25.1-25.9
• /
• 2016

Objectives After the initial investigations by the Korea Centers for Disease Control in 2011, over 1000 suspicious cases of humidifier disinfectant (HD) victims were subsequently reported by 2015, and numbers are still increasing dramatically in 2016 in the midst of the prosecutors' office investigation. This study attempts to summarize the current understandings of the related health effects of HD based upon a systemic review of published epidemiologic studies and toxicology investigations. Methods Published studies of HDs were searched through PubMed and TOXLINE under the search words 'humidifier disinfectant,' and related reports were identified from the references and published report list of regulatory agencies including the Korean National Institute of Environmental Research, US Environmental Protection Agency, and EU European Chemicals Agency. Results Case reports and epidemiologic studies have reported the clinical features of severe forms of HD lung damage, together with epidemiologic findings of seasonal occurrence and demographic variations, including the heightened susceptibility of young children. Toxicological studies have reported inhalation toxicities together with positive findings of in vitro genotoxicity studies. Conclusions This study examined unsolved issues based on cases of upper respiratory diseases and diseases of other organs, including cancers, among suspected victims of HDs. These issues should be clarified in future research for the management and prevention of health effects from HDs and chemicals of other related household products.

• 신재생에너지
• /
• 제17권1호
• /
• pp.7-18
• /
• 2021

This study analyzes the role of market actors in the energy transition process and the interaction between them and ordinary citizens, primarily focusing on the mini-PV project in Seoul. The study also proposes measures to harness market actors' activities and successfully implement the distribution of mini-PV systems in Seoul. In this study, practice theory is used as a theoretical resource to analyze the interaction between market actors and civil society actors and to help understand how market actors influence the decisions of regular citizens in installing mini-PV at their properties. After conducting surveys and hosting in-depth interviews with ordinary citizens and market actors, it was found that to further promote the role of market actors, the Seoul Metropolitan Government should actively support and monitor the public relations activities of market actors, while concurrently managing selected companies and establishing relevant administrative systems for continued effective use post-installation of mini-PV systems. In future studies of the energy transition process, market actors should also be recognized as key players, along with government and civil society actors, and their roles should be studied in a balanced way.

• 한국환경복원기술학회지
• /
• 제27권2호
• /
• pp.29-42
• /
• 2024

As a global response to climate and biodiversity challenges, there is an emphasis on the conservation and restoration of ecosystems that can simultaneously reduce carbon emissions and enhance biodiversity. This study comprised a text analysis and keyword extraction of 1,100 research papers addressing nature restoration in Korea, aiming to provide a quantative and systematic evaluation of domestic research trends in this field. To discern the major research topics of these papers, topic modeling was applied and correlations were established through network analysis. Research on nature restoration exhibited a mainly upward trend in 2002-2022 but with a slight recent decline. The most common keywords were "species," "forest," and "water". Research topics were broadly classified into (1) predictions of habitat size and species distribution, (2) the conservation and utilization of natural resources in urban areas, (3) ecosystems and landscape managements in protected areas, (4) the planting and growth of vegetation, and (5) habitat formation methods. The number of studies on nature restoration are increasing across various domains in Korea, with each domain experiencing professional development.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
• /
• 제11권4호
• /
• pp.300-312
• /
• 2017

To improve the understanding of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from the photo-oxidation of anthropogenic and biogenic precursors at the regional background station on Baengnyeong Island, Korea, gas phase and aerosol chemistries were investigated using the Proton Transfer Reaction Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) and the Aerodyne High Resolution Time of Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS), respectively. HR-ToF-AMS measured fine particles ($PM_1$; diameter of particle matter less than $1{\mu}m$) at a 6-minute time resolution from February to November 2012, while PTR-ToF-MS was deployed during an intensive period from September 21 to 29, 2012. The one-minute time-resolution and high mass resolution (up to $4000m{\Delta}m^{-1}$) data from the PTR-ToF-MS provided the basis for calculations of the concentrations of anthropogenic and biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) including oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs). The dominant BVOCs from the site are isoprene (0.23 ppb), dimethyl sulphide (DMS, 0.20 ppb), and monoterpenes (0.38 ppb). Toluene (0.45 ppb) and benzene (0.32 ppb) accounted for the majority of anthropogenic VOCs (AVOCs). OVOCs including acetone (3.98 ppb), acetaldehyde (2.67 ppb), acetic acid (1.68 ppb), and formic acid (2.24 ppb) were measured. The OVOCs comprise approximately 75% of total measured VOCs, suggesting the occurrence of strong oxidation processes and/or long-range transported at the site. A strong photochemical aging and oxidation of the atmospheric pollutants were also observed in aerosol measured by HR-ToF-AMS, whereby a high $f_{44}:f_{43}$ value is shown for organic aerosols (OAs); however, relatively low $f_{44}:f_{43}$ values were observed when high concentrations of BVOCs and AVOCs were available, providing evidence of the formation of SOA from VOC precursors at the site. Overall, the results of this study revealed several different SOA formation mechanisms, and new particle formation and particle growth events were identified using the powerful tools scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS), PTR-ToF-MS, and HR-ToF-AMS.

• 한국환경보건학회지
• /
• 제22권3호
• /
• pp.37-48
• /
• 1996

The purpose of this study is to provide the valuable basic information that helps set the advanced direction of study in environmental pollution in the future. It classifies and analyzes 6, 531 papers according to their years, fields, and contents from 1962 to 1993 in Korea through Chunrian, a PC communication network, National Environment Research Institute(1989) in Seoul. Classifying papers by their fields, this study shows 19.6%(1, 281 papers) of total papers on water pollution, on which most emphasis was placed in the studies, 17.2%(1, 121 papers) on general remarks, 14.6%(952 papers) on environmental ecology, and 13.6%(891 papers) on air pollution. Classifying papers by their contents, this study tells us that the survey of state and evaluation of pollution degree took 28%(1, 829 papers) of total papers, and it seemed the most active study was carried out on this content. It then shows us that the treatment technology and mechanism shared 17.5%(1, 144 papers), and facilities and design took 1.9%(127 papers) which needed more studies in the future. As for the trends of study, the papers published until 1979 show that the water pollution accounted for 28.9% of total studies, on which the greatest emphasis was placed, while the papers in 1990s tell us that general remarks 34.7%, air pollution 14.9%, and water pollution 14.1%. It also shows that treatment technology and mechanism has had more importance since 1980s in water pollution, noise and vibration, waste materials, human wastes, and radioactive pollution. However, in sea pollution, policy and standard rather than treatment technology or method of measurement and analysis has been considered a more important one in 1990s. Analyzing the studies on general remarks, it tell us that the paper on environmental act, which were frequently conducted, accounted for 33.3% until 1979, while the papers on the environmental policy, in which the highest interest was kept, accounted 34.6% in 1990s. This study concludes that most papers had examined the survey on status and evaluation of pollution degree before 1980, while studies on solving the problems of environmental pollution have had more importance in the 1980s and 1990s. Therefore, in the future, more studies should be conducted actively on policy development to solve the problems of environment pollution as well as on encouragement of environmental consciousness.

• 한국ITS학회 논문지
• /
• 제16권3호
• /
• pp.110-119
• /
• 2017

본 연구에서는 긴급차량 우선신호 센터제어 알고리즘을 개발하였다. 센터제어는 긴급차량 출동 요청이 접수되면 긴급차량 경로의 각 교차로에 대하여 신호시간을 산출 및 적용한다. 긴급차량 출발 이전에 신호시간을 제어하기 때문에 대기차량을 보다 효과적으로 소거할 수 있다. 대부분의 기존 연구에서는 긴급차량 도착 시점에 부도로의 녹색현시를 종료하는 preemption 방식을 적용하였다. 본 연구에서는 현시순서를 변경하지 않기 위해 Green Extension과 Early Green만을 적용하였고 각 현시별 최소녹색시간을 보장하였다. 시뮬레이션 결과, 신호를 제어하였을 때 긴급차량의 지체는 신호를 제어하지 않았을 때에 비해 감소하는 것으로 나타났다. 향후 본 연구에서 제시한 센터제어 알고리즘에 현장제어를 결합하여 긴급차량의 실시간 위치와 교차로 통과 여부를 반영하면 긴급차량의 지체를 추가로 감소시킬 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• 대한가정학회지
• /
• 제37권1호
• /
• pp.29-44
• /
• 1999

The objectives of this study are (1) to identify sub-areas of the pro-environmental behavior, (2) to examine the level of the pro-environmental attitude and behavior, (3) to examine the degree of inconsistency between attitude and behavior, and (4) to investigate the reasons of the inconsistency. Data was collected from the questionnares with 299 married men and 378 married women and the deep interviews with 10 married women. The major findings are follows : (1) The pro-environmental behavior can be classified into 2 sub-areas : social-oriented area and individual-oriented area. (2) The level of pro-environmental attitude and behavior in the social-oriented area is lower than those in individual-oriented area. (3) The attitude-behavior inconsistency in the social-oriented sub-area is stronger than that in the individual-oriented sub-area. (4) The reasons of the pro-environmental attitude-behavior inconsistency are the lack of the sincere environmental consciousness and the existence of the pro-environmental behavior restriction factors.

• 한국환경교육학회지:환경교육
• /
• 제21권3호
• /
• pp.41-47
• /
• 2008

This study aims to examine the reasons of changes in motivation of pre-service teachers who major in environmental education. Qualitative case study methods were adopted to collect and analyze data from six(6) pre-service teachers in environmental education department. Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with them on the levels of motivation toward their studios. The study results are as follows. The levels of motivation toward their studies were shown differently by each of the pre-service teachers. Some of the pre-service teachers reported that their levels of motivation toward environmental education had changed since the college entrance. The reasons for the changes include 'suitability of environmental education to personal propensity,' 'college courses they took', and 'personal experiences.' Some of the pre-service teachers reported that the levels of motivation for their majors did not changed since he or she was pursuing other goals rather than being an environmental educator.

• 환경정보
• /
• 제15권2호
• /
• pp.2-3
• /
• 1993