• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.19 no.2 s.20
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• pp.177-183
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• 1986

Subjective symptoms, counts of blood cells and liver function test were conducted on 198 male workers who were exposed to toluene in Kyungin area from September to November, 1986. According to the level of urinary hippuric acid concentration, the total sample was classified into the high exposure group ($concentration{\geqq}3g/1$) and the low exposure group(concentration<3g/1). The following findings were obtained by comparing the two group: 1) Contrary to the previous findings. the urinary hippuric acid concentration of toluene exposed workers showed bimodal distribution. It meant that the toluene exposed workers were mixed with the non-exposed or minimal exposed workers. 2) The high exposure group showed a lower level of leucocytes counts ($6,630{\pm}1,860{\mu}l$) than the low exposure group ($6,340{\pm}1,960/{\mu}l$). 3) The high exposure group showed a higher level of SGOT, SGPT and r-GTP than the low exposure group (p<0.05). 4) The high exposure group complained much more subjective symptoms (e. g. skin rash, loss of appetite, palpitation) than the low exposure group.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.16-39
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• 1995

From July 8 to September 2 1994, asbestos exposure level among asbestos textile workers was surveyed. Six plants out of plants in Korea were selected for this study. In addition to the exposure level, the relationship between the level of exposure and some factors affecting exposure were studied. Also, using historical data of asbestos concentrations in asbestos textile plants plus current data, trend of asbestos exposure level could be introduced. Historical exposure level was estimated on the basis of these data. The main results of this study are follows. 1. Average concentration of all six plants surveyed was 1.54 f/cc, and range of those concentrations was 0.03 - 11.58 f/cc. The minimum average concentration was 0.32 f/cc and the maximum was 8.04 f/cc which is four times higher than the Korean standard. A wide difference of exposure level among the workers of different plants was observed. In three plants, the half of all the plants surveyed, their average concentrations exceeded the Korean standard, and those in all the plants exceeded the ACGIH TLV. 2. Among total 56 samples, 22 samples(39%) were in excess of the Korean standard, and 53 samples(95%) were above the ACGIH TLV. Among 32 personal samples, 15 samples(47%) exceeded the Korean standard, and 30 samples(94%) exceeded the ACGIH TLV. Among 24 area samples excluding a few samples collected in office area, seven samples exceeded the Korean standard, and 23 samples( 96%) exceeded the ACGIH TLV. 3. Distributions of concentrations were observed by processes. In weaving, the highest, average concentration was 4.29 f/cc, and range was 2.61 - 11.58 f/cc. In spinning, average concentration was 2.22 f/cc, and range was 0.41 - 8.93 f/cc. In carding, average concentration was 1.98 f/cc, and range was 0.23 - 10.93 f/cc, In twisting, average concentration was 1.65 f/cc, and range was 0.21 - 9.83 f/cc. In mixing, the lowest, average concentration was 0.48 f/cc, and range was 0.22 - 1.20 f/cc. 4. All the samples from basic processes of asbestos textile plants were above the ACGIH TLV. Nineteen samples(45%) out of all these 42 samples exceeded Korean standard. Fourteen samples(58%) of total 24 personal samples, and five samples(28%) of total 18 area samples exceeded the Korean standard. Considering processes, all the samples in weaving process exceeded the Korean standard and 50 did 54% of those in spinning, 40% in carding, and 27% in twisting. 5. Trend of decreasing asbestos concentrations in asbestos textile plants was observed by time. 6. Asbestos concentrations in asbestos textile plant in 1975 were estimated to be 11.0 - 92.4 f/cc.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.98-105
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• 2024

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the exposure level of airborne hexavalent chromium in the plating industry and the exposure level compared to domestic and international occupational exposure limits. Methods: A total 92 samples were collected from ten industrial plating sites. Hexavalent chromium samples were collected using a three-stage cassette equipped with a 37 mm, 5 ㎛ pore size PVC filter. The analysis was performed by ion chromatography. Results: The geometric mean of hexavalent chromium concentration in the plating industry was 0.052 ㎍/m², and it was found that the average exposure level was 0.8 times the South Korean exposure limit. When applying the US ACGIH TLV, however, the average concentration was more than twice as high. Conclusions: The South Korean exposure limit for hexavalent chromium needs to be strengthened due to significant differences in exposure levels according to domestic and international occupational exposure limits. Furthermore, respiratory and dermal sensitization should be labeled.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 1991

Exposure level of respirable coal dust of underground coal mines in Taebaek area was evaluated. Personal air samplers with 10-mm nylone cyclones were attached to the coal workers including drillers, coal cutters, their assistants, haulers, and separators. Log-normality of respirable dust exposure concentration were tested by Kolmogorov-Smirnov one-sample test. Differences of means of respirable dust exposure concentration between work sites were tested by one-way ANOVA test and multiple comparison(Scheffe) test. And differences of respirable dust exposure concentration of principal and assistant workers in drilling sites and in coal faces were tested by paired t-test. Relation of respirable dust exposure concentration for the principal workers and their assistants in drilling sites and in coal faces were tested by regression analysis. The results were as follows : 1. All of the respirable dust concentration were log-normally distributed. 2. There were not only significantly different means of exposure concentration between drillers and coal cutters but between coal cutters and haulers. 3. Means of exposure concentration of drillers and drilling assistants were not significantly different. And means of exposure concentration of coal cutters and coal cutting assistants were not different.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.12-22
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• 1994

Effects of very low level of lead in diet and exposure time on the accumulation and distribution in organs and tissues was investigated with growing rats. 21 days old Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to lead for 7, 14 and 21 days by feeding of 0.03, 0.42, 0.92 and 1.46mg/kg Pb as Pb-acetate containing diet, respectively. Lead concentrations in blood, liver, kidney and bone exhibit a linear relationship with lead levels in diet. After 7 days of exposure, the greatest dose dependent accumulation of lead was found in kidney and followed in bone. However, after 14 and 21 days, the dose dependent accumlation of lead in bone was about two fold greater than that in kidney. The accumulation of lead in liver and blood was relatively low. As continuous exposure to lead, the concentrations of lead in liver, kidney, blood and intestinal tracts were rather not increased with exposure time. However, bone lead concentration was increased with exposure time by feeding of 0.92 and 1.46mg/kg Pb in diet, but not 0.42mg/kg. The lead concentration in gastrointestinal tracts tends also to increasing with lead levels in diet after 7 and 14 days of exposure. However, by 21 days of exposure the lead concentration revealed relatively constant value regardless of the dietary lead levels. It is concluded that the binding capacity of the lead in blood, liver, kidney and bone seems to be increased with increasing lead levels in diet. The lead concentration in these organs, with the exception of the lead in bone, seems, however, to be standing under steady state regulation by continued exposure with the same dietary lead level. Therefore, by chronic exposure condition with environmental relevant lead level bone might be a principle targe organ for lead and blood lead repesents better the current lead exposure than the lead body burden.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.193-200
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• 2011

Objective: The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the level of exposure to volatile organic compounds for different kinds of households in apartments or houses and analyze the relation between atopy-related symptoms and concentration of volatile organic compounds in order to improve indoor air quality and start to build a process to prevent environmental diseases. Method: From July 2010 to November 2010, TVOC concentration levels were measured and analyzed in 402 general households and 236 weak households, totalling 638 households. Residents were asked to fill out a survey on environmental disease. All resources were analyzed using SPSS 12.0 program. Result: In comparing the differences in concentration levels of volatile organic compounds for different types of households, including existing apartments and houses, the type of housing did not affect the concentration level of volatile organic compounds, but the relevance with skin trouble, diagnosed atopy, and atopy systems all had statistical similarities. Moreover, above-limit volatile organic compounds showed statistical relevance with amount of ventilation, time of construction, skin trouble, diagnosed atopy and atopy symptoms. Conclusion: The study concludes that as the time of construction recedes further into the past and as the amount of ventilation is higher, the exposure level to volatile organic compounds was lower and the group that were suffering from atopy symptoms had higher exposure to volatile organic compounds.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2001

The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between ambient hexavalent chromium concentration and the concentration of the chromium in whole blood, plasma, erythrocytes, and its urinary excretion of male rats after inhalation exposure of sodium chromate during 1, 2, and 3 weeks. 1. Differences of mean chromium concentration in urine, whole blood, erythrocytes, and plasma of male rats exposed to sodium chromate by exposure level were statistically significance, respectively. 2. At low and high exposure groups, differences of mean chromium concentration in urine, whole blood, erythrocytes, and plasma of male rats by duration of inhalation exposure were statistically significance, respectively. 3. Ratio of whole blood chromium to plasma chromium increased with the increased duration of inhalation exposure of sodium chromate. 4. Ambient hexavalent chromium was positively and strongly correlated with in erythrocyte chromium, and also erythrocyte chromium was strongly correlated with in whole blood chromium. In conclusion, this study showed that chromium in erythrocyte increased with the increased exposure level and exposure duration, therefore this study suggests that chromium in erythrocytes is a good biological exposure index of the internal dose from exposure to soluble hexavalent chromium compound.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to assess respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposure levels in workers who collect and dispose used coal briquette ash (CBA) in sanitation companies that are subcontracted by one medium-sized local government on the collection of municipal household waste (MHW), and to analyze the quartz content in CBA. When the CBA powder that undergone specialized pretreatment in several steps were subjected to mineral identification and quantitative analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD), it was found that quartz represented 18%, and in addition, mullite, and plagioclase were included. For two CBA collectors, samples were collected by the personal sampling evaluation method. After respirable dust was collected in accordance with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 7500 method, the concentration of quartz was analyzed using XRD. Meanwhile, a portable real-time dust monitor (Sidepak AM520, TSI Inc., USA) was also used to observe the dust exposure level for each time zone and job task. The RCS exposure level of one worker was as high as 0.024 mg/㎥, which was the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLV) level. The other worker also exhibited a concentration of 0.013 mg/㎥, which was more than half of TLV. The Sidepak results revealed that the work of collecting CBA and loading it onto a vehicle was hardly exposed to the dust of a significant level. It was found, however, that the work of transferring the collected CBA to a container through a conveyor belt was exposed to a very high average respirable dust concentration of 2.238 mg/㎥. The results of this study confirmed that quartz, which is crystalline silica and a carcinogen, is contained in CBA, one of municipal household waste (MHW), in high concentration. It was also confirmed that workers are exposed to high RCS concentrations while transferring collected CBA into a container. Although each local government in South Korea handles CBA in different ways, it is imperative to investigate the CBA exposure level of sanitation workers and improve their working conditions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.192-199
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• 1991

Biological exposure indices (BEI) of toluene, perchloroethylene (PCE) and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) for Korean workers were studied respectively. Environmental exposures in workplace to organic solvent were measured by personal sampling. Blood toluene, blood perchloroethylene, urinary trichloroacetic acid and urinary MEK were determined by headspace gas chromatography. Urinary hippuric acid were determined by HPLC and corrected by creatinine. BEIs for Korean workers were calculated as the levels of determinants which are correspond to permissible exposure limits in Korea. Blood toluene level of 2.2mg/l and urinary hippuric acid level of 1.7g/g creatinine are correspond to an exposure of 100 ppm toluene. Blood PCE concentration of 1.6mg/l and urinary trichloroacetic acid concentration of 2.9mg/l are correspond to an exposure of 50ppm PCE. Urinary MEK concentration of 1.0mg/l is correspond to an exposure of 200ppm of MEK. BEIs for Korean workers determined in this study are very different to ACGIH's BEI as urinary determinants are much lower and blood determinants are much higher than ACGIH's BEI.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.3-5
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• 2023

Objective: This study introduces exposure concentrations of time-weighted average standard (TWA) evaluation and short-time exposure standard (STEL) evaluation for trichloroethylene in the cleaning process. Methods: Trichloroethylene measurement was conducted according to the KOSHA Guide (A-24-2019) method. It was carried out twice. Results: As a result of the first measurement, TWA concentration exceeded 4 times the exposure standard and STEL concentration exceeded 16 times, but the inaccuracy and breakthrough of the collection time could not be considered, so the second measurement was conducted. The second measurement result was lower than the first measurement result, but exceeded the exposure standards (TWA, STEL). Conclusions: We were able to confirm that the exposure level of workers in the cleaning process using trichloroethylene exceeded the exposure standard. And it is also considered necessary to grasp the approximate concentration using a detector tube in the preliminary survey.