• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.262-274
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• 2023

Background: Exposure levels for heavy metals such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) have increased due to human activities. They are known to be a public health concern. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the exposure levels to heavy metals in the blood and urine of South Korean adults and to present the contribution rate of exposure pathways using an exposure algorithm for men aged 19~64, women aged 19~64, and all seniors aged 65 or older. Methods: We analyzed data from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) Cycle 4 (2018~2020). A total of 2,646 participants aged ≥19 years were included. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the factors affecting heavy metal concentrations. The contribution rate was calculated by applying three exposure algorithms for ingestion, inhalation, and dermal exposure. Results: Factors that commonly affect heavy metal concentrations in blood and urine were gender and age. The main influencing factors for Pb and Cd were education level and smoking status, while frequency of fish consumption and of alcohol consumption were indicated to be the main influencing factors for mercury. The contribution rates of lead and cadmium from food ingestion were 78.03~79.62% and 88.39~92.89%, respectively. Additionally, the highest contribution for mercury was accounted for by food at 81.69~85.77%. As a result of the risk assessment, cadmium was found to pose a potential health risk a with total cancer risk (TCR) of more than 1×10^-6. Conclusions: The KoNEHS could be an important study for determining the level of exposure to heavy metals and their influencing factors. Integrated exposure to heavy metals could assess the main exposure pathways, and this methodology could be applied to exposure management of heavy metals.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.115-126
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency and characteristics of occupational blood and body fluid exposure for operating room personnel during surgical procedures and identify risk factors. Methods: A self-report questionnaire was used to survey 519 operating room personnel who participated in 132 surgeries in an acute care hospital in Seoul between April 12 and 20, 2006. Results: The response rate was 82% (530/646) and analyzed total 519 except for improper 11 questionnaires. Exposure rate was 45.5% (60/132) during operations and 20.4% (106/519) for operating room personnel. By job categories, the exposure rate was as follows; anesthesiologists and nurses 31.2% (44/141), operators and assistants 22.1% (32/145), circulating nurses 12.0% (11/92), scrub nurses 11.4% (14/123). The mucous membrane-eye exposure with a high risk of transmitting infection was 6.6% (7/106) and the most frequent route of exposure was blood and body fluid touching unprotected skin. In multivariate analysis, the risk factors of exposure were services, duration of operation, a patient who had a peripheral arterial catheter line, and job category. Conclusion: Educational programs and appropriate use of personal protective equipment are necessary to prevent operating room personnel from being exposed to blood and body fluid.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.18-27
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• 2022

In this study, the time-dependent chloride ingress behavior in GGBFS concrete was evaluated considering marine exposure conditions and the properties of concrete mixtures. The concrete mixture for this study had 3 levels of water to binder ratio and the substitution rate of GGBFS, and outdoor exposure tests were performed considering submerged area, tidal area, and splash area. According to the evaluation results of diffusion coefficient considering properties of concrete mixtures, as the substitution rate of GGBFS increased, the decreasing rate of the diffusion coefficient decreased based on exposure periods of 730 days(2 years). As the evaluation result of the diffusion behavior according to the marine exposure conditions, the diffusion coefficient was evaluated in the order of submerged area, tidal area, and splash area. In tidal area, a relatively high diffusion coefficient was evaluated due to the repetition of wet and dry seawater. In this study, the effects of GGBFS substitution rate on the decreasing behavior of apparent chloride diffusion coefficient was analyzed in consideration of exposure conditions and periods. Linear regression analysis was performed with apparent chloride diffusion coefficient as output value and GGBFS substitution rate as input value. After 730 days of exposure, the effect of GGBFS on diffusion coefficient was significantly reduced. Even for OPC concrete, after 730 days, the diffusion coefficient was as low as that of GGBFS concrete, so the gradient of the regression equation decreased significantly. It is thought that improved durability performance for chloride ingress can be secured before 730 days through the use of GGBFS.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.505-512
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• 2020

Background: In monitoring exposure to environmental smoke (ETS), biomarkers can overcome the subjectivity and inaccuracy of self-reporting measurements, and have the advantage of reflecting ETS exposure in all places. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of ETS exposure measurement using biomarkers such as urine cotinine. Methods: This study used the Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey data from 2009 to 2018. A total of 28,574 non-smokers with urine cotinine data were selected for the study. The cotinine concentration and ETS exposure rate using urine cotinine was estimated and then compared with the self-reporting measurements. The degree of agreement among measurements of ETS exposure was confirmed. Results: As a result of measuring ETS exposure with urine cotinine, 23,594 (83.8%) out of 28,574 subjects were classified as to exposure groups. This estimate differs significantly from measurements made by self-reporting. In addition, the average concentration of cotinine in non-smokers has decreased to a 10th level over the past 10 years. Based on the biomarker, the sensitivity of the self-reporting was 8.5%-29.0%, the specificity was 16.4%-19.5%, and the kappa value was 2.0%-5.8%. Conclusion: The findings of our study show that self-reporting measurement does not well reflect the extent to which non-smoker's exposure to smoking materials. Whereas cotinine concentration has decreased significantly over the past 10 years, the ETS exposure rate has not reduced. It strongly suggests the need for intervention in the group of non-smokers exposed to low concentrations of smoke. Therefore, an assessment using biomarkers such as cotinine-based measurement should be made in the Health Plan 2030.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.99-111
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• 2008

Copper was exposed unsheltered and sheltered in four humid tropical sites, representing urban, urban-industrial, urban-marine and rural environments. The corrosion rates and the sequence of corrosion product formation are presented and discussed in relation with climatic and atmospheric pollution parameters. Chemical compositions of corrosion products were found to depend on environments and duration of exposure. In all environments, cuprite was the predominating corrosion product that formed first and continuously increased during the exposure. Among the sulphur-containing corrosion products, posnjakite and brochantite were more frequently found and the first formed earlier. Nantokite was the most common chlorine-containing products for most cases, except the high-chloride environment, where atacamite was detected instead. The corrosion rate of copper was well indicated by the colour of patina. The red-purple colour corresponded to the high corrosion rate and the greenish grey colour corresponded to the low corrosion rate. Corrosion rate of sheltered copper in urban-marine environment increased with the exposure time.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.239-243
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• 1984

The vascular reaction such as the indirect blood pressure and the pulse rate of the tail to the noise were examined in 8 naive Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes. The sounds used in the experiment were 1KHz and 4 KHz, 95dB pure tone generated by Nagashima Audiometry. The indirect blood pressure and the pulse rate were checked at the rat tail by Polygraph at 5 minutes interval. The results were as follows: 1. The blood pressure and the pulse rate increased maximally 5 minutes after the exposure to both sounds. 2. The blood pressure and the pulse rate returned normal range within 20 minutes after the exposure of both sounds. 3. The increment of the blood pressure and the pulse rate was greater after the sound of 4KHz than after that of 1KHz, but it wasn't statistically significant.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.391-401
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• 2017

This study was conducted to evaluate the relationships between exposure level to pyrethroid pesticide and wearing of protective equipment in 194 Chung-nam orchard male farmers. The urinary metabolites of pyrethroid pesticides, including Cis, Trans, DBCA, and 3-PBA, were analyzed by GC/MSD. As a result of this study, the detection rate and exposure level of 3-PBA was the highest among pyrethroid metabolites discovered by orchard farmers. As a result of analyzing the actual conditions of wearing protective equipment by the subjects of this study, the rate of agricultural farmers who wore four pieces of protective equipment compared to agricultural farmers wearing a single piece of protective clothing was as high as 35.1%. Pyrethroid exposure levels were low when farmers wore more personal protective equipment (PPE). In conclusion, training with regards to pesticide hazards and protective equipment for farmers who spray pesticides will help reduce pesticide exposure levels.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.674-680
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• 2022

In the present study, radiation shielding and protection ability of prepared Flyash-lime-Gypsum (FaLG) bricks has been studied in terms of energy exposure build up factors and dose parameters. The energy exposure build up factors of Flyash-lime-Gypsum (FaLG) bricks have been calculated for the energy range of 0.015 MeV-15 MeV and for penetration depth upto 40 mfp directly using a new and simplified Piecewise Linear Spline Interpolation Method (PLSIM). In this new method, the calculations of G.P fitting parameters are not required. The verification and accuracy of this new method has been checked by comparing the results of exposure build up factor for NBS concrete calculated using present method with the results obtained by using G.P fitting method. Further, the relative dose distribution and reduced exposure dose rate for various radioactive isotopes without any shielding material and with Flyash-lime-Gypsum (FaLG) bricks have been calculated in the energy range of 59.59-1332 keV. On the basis of the obtained results, it has been reported that the prepared Flyash-lime-Gypsum (FaLG) bricks possess satisfactory radiation shielding properties and can be used as environmentally safe storage facilities for low level nuclear waste.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 2001

In order to find the exposure conversion coefficients for 3"X3" NaI spectrum, we measured the exposure rates with the pressurized ion chamber at 29 different areas in the range of $4{\sim}23{\mu}R\;h^{-1}$, and also measured the gamma spectra with 3"X3" and 4"X4" NaI detectors, simultaneously. The exposure conversion coefficient of the total energy method was determined using the linear relation between the measured exposure rate and the gamma spectrum energy. In order to find the exposure conversion coefficients of the energy band method, we applied the exposure conversion coefficients recommended by NCRP to the 4"X4" NaI spectra, and calculated the exposure rates due to $^{40}K,\;^{238}U$, and $^{232}Th$ series respectively. Using the linearly proportional relation between the obtained $^{232}Th$ series exposure rate and peak area of 2614 keV that represents the $^{232}Th$ series, we obtained the exposure conversion coefficients for $^{232}Th$ series. We also determined the conversion coefficients for $^{238}U$ series and $^{40}K$ using a similar method.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.134-145
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• 2015

Objectives: An objective of this study was to perform a risk assessment and social cost-benefit analysis for revising permissible exposure limits for seven substances: Nickel(Insoluble inorganic compounds), benzene, carbon disulfide, formaldehyde, cadmium(as compounds), trichloroethylene, touluene-2,4-diisocyanate. Materials and Methods: The research methods were divided into risk and hazard assessment and cost-benefit analysis. The risk and hazard assessment for the seven substances consists of four steps: An overview of GHS MSDS(1st), review of document of ACGIH's TLVs (2nd), comparison between international occupational exposure limits and domestic permissible exposure limits(3rd), and analysis of excess workplace and excess rate for occupational exposure limits based on previous work environment measurement data(4th). Total cost was estimated using cost of local exhaust ventilation, number of excess workplace and penalties for exceeding a permissible exposure limit. On the other hand, total benefit was calculated using the reduction rate of occupational disease, number of workplaces treating each substance and industrial accident compensation. Finally, the net benefit was calculated by subtracting total cost from total benefit. Results: All the substances investigated in this study were classified by CMR(Carcinogens, Mutagens or Reproductive toxicants) and their international occupational exposure limits were stricter than the domestic permissible exposure limits. As a result of excess rate analysis, trichloroethylene was the highest at 11%, whereas nickel was the lowest at 0.5%. The excess rates of all substances except for trichloroethylene were observed at less than 10%. Among the seven substances, the total cost was highest for trichloroethylene and lowest for carbon disulfide. The benefits for the seven substances were higher than costs estimated based on strengthening current permissible exposure limits. Thus, revising the permissible exposure limits of the seven substances was determined to be acceptable from a social perspective. Conclusions: The final revised permissible exposure limits suggested for the seven substances are as follows: $0.2mg/m^3$ for nickel, 0.5 ppm(TWA) and 2.5 ppm(STEL) for benzene, 1 ppm(TWA) for carbon disulfide, $0.01mg/m^3$(TWA) for cadmium, 10 ppm(TWA) and 25 ppm(STEL) for trichloroethylene, 0.3 ppm(TWA) for formaldehyde, and 0.005 ppm(TWA) and 0.02 ppm(STEL) for toluene diisocynate(isomers).