• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.225-231
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• 2004

Objectives : This study was performed to examine the influence of smoking on the blood cadmium concentration in university students. Methods : The study included 300 university students. A questionnaire interview was used to collect data. The urine cotinine and blood cadmium levels were measured as biological exposure indices. The data were analyzed using t-tests ANOVA and ANCOVA. Results : The median value of blood cadmium concentration was equal in both males and females ($0.8{\mu}g/l$). This level was relatively low in comparison with the reference value suggested by WHO (2001). ANCOVA showed that smoking related variables, urine cotinine and smoking amount, were significantly associated with the blood cadmium level (P=0.004, 0.015). However, the values with regard to traffic related air pollution were not significantly associated with the blood cadmium level. Conclusions : Smoking is an important source of nonoccupational cadmium exposure in young people. The Blood cadmium level is at least 10% higher in active smokers than in passive or nonsmokers. The level of urine cotinine can be used as an indicator of non-occupational exposure of respirable cadmium due to smoking, as there is a good correlation bestween smoking amount and the urine cotinine level.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.154-162
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• 2015

Correlation between occupational exposure levels to toluene and urinary hippuric acid (HA) concentrations were studied for 124 workers at 54 work places. The highest indoor toluene concentration measured at printing process was 81.116 ppm, and their geometric average concentration was as high as 12.304 ppm. The geometric average concentration of hippuric acid in urine samples from workers who are exposed to toluene was 0.714 g/g creatinine. This is almost five times higher than the average HA concentration from non-exposure workers. Printing workers showed the average HA concentration of 1.145 g/g creatinine from their urine samples. It is the highest concentration among the workers exposed to toluene. The correlation coefficient between HA concentrations in urine and indoor toluene concentration at work places was relatively high as r=0.624 (P<0.01). But the correlations of HA with sex, smoking, drinking, age and employment history was relatively low. We can express the regression equation for the urinary HA concentration which is Y = 0.037X + 0.562 as exposure toluene concentration is X. The urinary HA concentrations showed significantly increase depend on indoor toluene concentration at work place.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.264-278
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• 1997

The average level of coke oven emissions in the work site was $0.04mg/m^3$, which was below the permissible exposure level($0.2mg/m^3$). The average level of 1-OH-pyrene in the urine of the wokers was $0.745{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine which is far below the BEI($2.3{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine). Correlation between airborne COE in working environment and urinary 1-OH-pyrene concentration was statistically significant. These results explain that exposure level by biological monitoring is much higher than that by environmental monitoring. The effect of hygienic measures for reducing internal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was studied in 25 coke-oven workers. Their 1-OH-pyrene levels increased by $0.77{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine, while working with ordinary protective measures. The average levels of the same workers with extra hygienic measures increased by $0.34{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine. The average increase of the urinary 1-OH-pyrene concentration over the 5-day work week was 56.3%($0.43{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine) lower when extra hygienic measures were taken(p=0.0001).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.323-331
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• 2007

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are well known for strong carcinogen. However, the human exposure analysis of PAHs is quite difficult and unreliable because of hard for estimation of actual expose dose. Then urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) has been a biological marker of exposure to PAHs. The purpose of this study was to investigate total amount from exposure to PAHs soused by indoor occupational exposure, and residence at Seoul metropolitan area and Kyeonggi province in Korea. Thirty-five housewives were included in this study from April 2003 through February 2004. Dietary habit and general characteristics such as age, type of building, existence of passive smoking, period of residence, fuel type for heating and ventilation type were obtained by self administered questionnaire. Urine samples were collected at morning and freeze quickly. Urinary creatinine was measured for converting into 24 hr urine. Concentration of the indoor PAHs was examined by NIOSH method number 5506. Urinary 1-OHP and PAHs were analysed by HPLC. Correlation coefficient between urinary 1-OHP levels and pyrene concentration of indoor air was 0.66 and statistically significant(P<0.01). The difference of urinary 1-OHP level due to dietary habits were not significant. Urinary 1-OHP level of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter were $0.21{\pm}0.12,\;0.10{\pm}0.17,\;0.16{\pm}0.12,\;0.17{\pm}0.14{\mu}g/g$ cr, respectively. The arithmetic means of urinary 1-OHP for four season tee $0.16{\pm}0.14 {\mu}g/g$ cr. There was a trend that urinary 1-OHP level of residents who dwelling in apartment were higher compared with detached home, Comparison of 1-OHP level between heating by kerosene and LPG, Much higher gas heating type than kerosene type (P<0.05). This result implies that the urinary 1-OHP can be applied as the PAHs exposure indices.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.385-394
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• 2023

Objectives: Firefighters could be exposed to a range of toxic chemicals during firefighting. When tyre burns, various toxic chemicals including volatile organic compounds(VOCs) could be emitted. In this study, the researchers assessed the VOC exposure of firefighters during tyre fire suppression through biomonitoring. Methods: There was a big tyre fire on 12 March 2023. Of the responding firefighters, we recruited 14 participants to collect their urine after firefighting. One week later, researchers collected firefighters' urine again right after their off-duty period. We analyzed each metabolite of benzene, toluene, xylene, and styrene in urine and compared their exposure level based on sampling time. Results: The detection rate for metabolite of benzene, toluene, styrene, and xylene in urine sampled at each time was 43%-64%, 100%, 86%-100%, and 100%, respectively. Except for the benzene, metabolite levels measured in urine after firefighting were similar to that from off-duty period. However, the median concentration of benzene metabolite in urine sampled after firefighting was three times higher compared to that from off-duty period(34.2 ㎍/g crea. and 10.9 ㎍/g crea., respectively.) The estimated airborne concentration of benzene calculated from metabolite level in urine was 0.16 ppm, which exceeded the recommended exposure level set by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Conclusions: This study shows that firefighters could be exposed to the high level of VOCs including benzene during their firefighting especially at tyre fire. These results could be used as a valuable data to prove firefighters' exposure to hazardous chemicals during their duty.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.169-177
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• 2023

Background: The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has identified cases of people suspected of suffering lung disease potentially caused by chloromethylisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (CMIT/MIT) used in humidifier disinfectants (HDs). The Korean Ministry of Environment (MoE) epidemiological investigation and toxicity test study found that HDs caused health damage such as asthma and lung disease. Objectives: The main purposes of this study were to classify the HD exposure rating and to analyze the exposure characteristics that affect exposure to CMIT/MIT HDs. Methods: The exposure characteristics and socio-demographic characteristics of victim participants using CMIT/MIT HDs were investigated through questionnaires. An inhalation no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for CMIT/MIT was produced based on inhalation toxicity values. Exposure ratings (class 1~class 2) were cross-tabulated with clinical ratings (acceptable~unacceptable). A correlation analysis was conducted with the main exposure characteristics that affect the exposure concentration of CMIT/MIT HDs. Results: The concentration in indoor air of CMIT/MIT was 8.75±25.40 ㎍/m³, and the exposure concentration was 2.30±6.29 ㎍/m³. The CMIT/MIT exposure rating of 67 participants with high exposures of not more than MOE 100 were evaluated as 14.5%, while the damage participants who matched the clinical rating made up 4.5%. The exposure concentration of CMIT/MIT showed a positive correlation with the daily usage amount and usage frequency, and a negative correlation with volume of the indoor environment. Conclusions: A new exposure rating could be suggested and calculated based on the MOE, and the factors affecting the exposure concentration could be identified.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 1983

In order to study the effects of iron and zinc on the lead poisoning of rats, lead with iron and zinc, or lead alone were administered orally to a total of 98 adult rats of Sprague-Dawley Species. The concentrations of lead, zinc, and iron were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer at every 20 days intervals of 20th, 40th, 60th, 80th and 120th day as a final measurement. Those datas were analysed and compared with those of control groups. The results were summarized as follows; 1. The concentration of lead in blood, bone. and liver tissues kept increasing in case of lead exposure group whereas it started decreasing at 60-80th day when concentration of zinc started increasing in case of combined exposure group. However, in kidney tissue, the concentration of lead in combined exposure group kept increasing up to the end of observation showing special high concentration at the final measurement at 120th day. 2. Concentration of zinc in blood and liver tissues had increased from 60-80th day in case of combined exposure group. 3. Concentration of iron in blood showed decreasing from $44.15{\pm}9.67\;to\;32.44{\pm}2.69{\mu}g/ml$ in case of lead exposure group, whereas it showed constant level of $47.50{\sim}45.65{\mu}g/ml$. However, in liver tissue it kept constant as control did from 40th to 60th days, but from 100th day on it started increasing to show much higher concentration than control.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 2017

Objectives: An on-site study was conducted in order to quantify indoor exposure levels and the emission rate of particulate matter for domestic poultry buildings. Materials and methods: Three types of poultry building (caged layer house, broiler house, and layer house with manure belt) as classified by mode of manure treatment and ventilation were investigated in this study. Nine sites per each poultry building were selected and visited for measuring exposure levels and emission rate of particulate matter. Total dust and respirable dust among the particulate matter were analyzed based on the weight method. Emission rates were estimated by dividing emission amount, which was calculated through multiplying indoor concentration ($mg/m^3$), by the ventilation rate ($m^3/h$), into indoor area ($m^2$) and number of poultry reared in the poultry building. Results: Mean exposure levels for total dust and respirable dust in the poultry buildings were $3.91({\pm}1.99)mg/m^3$ and $1.99({\pm}0.89)mg/m^3$, respectively. The emission rates of particulate matter in the poultry buildings were estimated as $4.75({\pm}1.22)mg\;head^{-1}h^{-1}$ and $64.39({\pm}24.95)g\;m^{-2}h^{-1}$ for total dust and $0.58({\pm}0.23)mg\;head^{-1}h^{-1}$ and $7.52({\pm}2.51)mg\;m^{-2}h^{-1}$ for respirable dust, respectively. The distribution patterns for total dust and respirable dust were similar regardless of poultry building type. Among poultry buildings, broiler house showed the highest exposure level and emission rate of total dust and respirable dust, followed by layer house with manure belt and caged layer house. Conclusions: The finding that the broiler house showed the highest exposure level and emission rate of particulate matter can be attributed to sawdust utilized as bedding material, which can be dispersed into the air by movements of the chickens. Thus, a work environmental management solution for optimally reducing dust concentrations is necessary for broiler houses.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.88-96
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• 2010

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to clarify effects of long term, low-level monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure (MAHs) such as styrene, toluene and xylene on physiological levels of epinephrine (EP) and norepinephrine (NEP) and these hormones influences diagnosis indices of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: Blood pressure and serum biochemical parameters were measured using digital sphygmomanometer and autochemical analyzer. EP and NEP were analyzed by using ELISA kit and exposure level of MAHs was measured by NIOSH method. Results: The differences of general characteristics such as age, smoking and drinking habits in both groups were not significantly different except working hours per day. In exposed workers, exposure levels of MAHs showed very low concentrations. Serum HDL-cholesterol concentration was significantly higher in exposed group, but concentration of NEP was significantly higher in control group. On multiple logistic regression analysis for the diagnosis indices of MetS, EP was WC (OR=0.970), NEP was blood pressure (OR=1.002) and MAHs exposure were significantly associated with HDL-cholesterol (OR=0.257), fasting glucose (OR=3.028) and MetS (OR=0.372). Conclusion: These findings suggest that the chronic exposure of low level MAHs maycontribute to glucose metabolism and induction of MetS. And also, changes of EP and NEP levels by exposure of MAHs affect blood pressure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1993.04a
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• pp.46-46
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• 1993

The neuroprotective effect of betaine, one of the , components of Lycii Fructus, on glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in primary cultured chicken brain cells were examined. Betaine was found to attenuate glutamate-induced neurotoxicity at the concentration of 5-10 mM in both morphological and chemical aspects. The pretreament of chicken brain cells with 5-10 mM betaine for 2 hr at the 12th day of culture before the 40 min-exposure to 500${\mu}$M glutamate significantly increased the survival rate of nerve cells in chicken brain. Betaine could also raise the decreased LDH-level due to the neurotoxicity induced with 100${\mu}$M glutamate in chicken braill cells. LDH value was decreased to 63％ of control level in chicken brain cells at the time of 48 hr after the exposure to glutamate. However, the pretreament of chicken brain cells with 5 mM betaine for 2 hr before the exposure to glutamate could prevent the decrease of LDH-level in brain cells showing 90％ of control level. Nevertheless, tile remarkable neuroprotective effect of betaine on the glutamate-inducer in neurotoxicity in cultured chicken brain cells could not be observe when betaine was simultaneously administered with glutamate.