• Toxicological Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2010

Recently, reproductive and neurobehavioral effects of bisphenol A (BPA) have been documented, and thus a review was requested for BPA management direction by the government. Therefore, this study was performed to establish a Korean tolerable daily intake (TDI) for BPA. An expert committee, consisting of specialists in fields such as toxicology, medicine, pharmacology, and statistics, was asked to evaluate BPA health based guidance values (HbGVs). Although many toxicological studies were reviewed to select a point of departure (POD) for TDI, rat and mouse reproductive studies by Tyl et al. (2002, 2006), which were performed according to GLP standards and OECD guidelines, were selected. This POD was the lowest value determined from the most sensitive toxicological test. The POD, a NOAEL of 5 mg/kg bw/day, was selected based on its systemic toxicity as critical effects. An uncertainty factor of 100 including interspecies and intraspecies differences was applied to calculate the TDI. According to the evaluation results, a TDI of BPA for Korean was suggested at 0.05 mg/kg bw/day. In addition, the BPA exposure level based on food consumption by the Korean population was estimated as 1.509 ${\mu}g/kg$ bw/day, and the HI was evaluated at 0.03 when the TDI of 0.05 mg/kg bw/day was applied. This HI value of 0.03 indicated that hazardous effects would not be expected from BPA oral exposures. Although highly uncertain, further studies on low dose neurobehavioral effects of BPA should be performed. In addition, it is recommended that the 'as low as reasonably achievable' (ALARA) principle be applied for BPA exposure from food packaging materials in newborn infants and children.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.134-140
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• 2006

Because shipyard workers are involved with various manufacturing process in shipyard industry, and they are exposed to many kinds of hazardous materials. Especially, painting workers were exposed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). This study was conducted to assess the exposure status of PAH based on job-exposure matrix. We investigated the effect of genetic polymorphism of xenobiotic metabolism enzymes involved in PAH metabolism on levels of urinary metabolite. A total of 93 shipbuilding workers were recruited in this study. Questionnaire variables were age, sex, use of personal protective equipment, smoking, drinking, and work duration. The urinary metabolite was collected in the afternoon and corrected by urinary creatinine concentration. The genotypes of CYP1A1, CYP2E1, GSTM1, GSTT1 and UGT1A6 were investigated by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods with DNA extracted from venous blood. Urinary 1-OHP levels were significantly higher in direct exposured group (spray and touch-up) than indirect exposed group. Urinary 1-OHP, concentration of the high exposure with wild type of UGT1A6 was significantlyhigher than that of the high exposure with other UGT1A6 genotype. In multiple regression analysis of urinary 1-OHP, the regression coefficient of job grade was statistically significant (p<0.05) and UGT1A6 was not significant but a trend (p<0.1). The grade of exposure affected urinary PAH concentration was statistically significant. But genetic polymorphism of xenobiotics metabolism enzymes was not statistically significant. Further investigation of genetic polymorphism with large sample size is needed.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.147-167
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• 2009

As global climate changes, the interest in environmental crisis is increasing and a number of international agreements and regulations against this crisis are being established. Global information technology(IT) corporations are building their own pro-environmental green IT strategies to cope with the regulatory measures. Green IT broadly refers to pro-environmental technologies designed to replace hazardous materials, maximize energy effectivity, and find alternative energies. In the current stage of the IT industry development, Green IT specifically refers to the technologies that deal with the server heat generation and the energy reduction in data center. This study defines the concept of Green IT and reviews its origin and necessity. Then, it examines the issues regarding Green IT industry in Korea as well as other countries and compares the Green IT strategies developed in each country. Reviewing the recent development of IT and data center market enables us to see that overall Green IT strategies focus on the establishment of Green Internet Data Centers. Therefore, this study analyzes the cases in which some domestic and foreign corporations introduced Green Data Centers in order to examine the protocol and legal requirements for building Green IT, the aspects of environmental evaluation and design, and specific strategies for launching Green IT strategies and its future assignments. The conclusions of this study are as follows. First, to introduce Green Data Center as a strategy to build Green IT, the government and corporations should cooperate with each other. Partial introduction at the initial stage is desirable because, through the process, mutual trust between the two parties can be built more smoothly. Second, CEO's determination to build Green IT and continue its operation is indispensable. CEO's are required to have clear understanding as to why Green IT needs to be built and how it should be constructed. Those who initiate the construction of Green Data Center for Green IT need to know the definition and necessity of Green IT while at the same time understanding the implicit meanings of Green IT. They also need to be aware of future-oriented values of Green Data Center and readjust their corporate business activities in the pro-environmental direction. Finally, not only the CEOs' pro-environmental activities but also the change of mind on the part of all corporate employees is required to realize Green IT. It should be remembered that pro-environmental Green IT starts with minor activities.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.84-92
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• 2001

In today's world, rise in the establishment of social infrastructure resulting from population saturation in large cities has led to more extensive and frequent use of chemical materials on facilities. A result, unexpected and serious accidents, hazards, contingencies and disasters are more prevalent than ever. Such phenomenon calls for more devoted and concerted efforts towards finding ways to reduce the safety hazards that are seen to take place more often than before with the increase in the number of facilities that are prone to bring disaster and hazard coupled with the conventional safety problems that continue to exist even today. In developed countries, such challenge is addressed by various appropriate countermeasures drawn up by local professional committees on industrial facilities, whose members conduct offsite and onsite evaluation un the potential industrial disasters and its seriousness and provide their advice thereof. Against this backdrop, this study aims at identifying a comprehensive safety allowance level (safety acceptable level) when imposing limitation on the development of conventional or new facilities, for the fur pose of establishing a safety allowance level of disastrous and dangerous facilities in Korea. This is done by assessing and applying the level of danger each individual is exposed to in a randomly selected region (disastrous and dangerous areas in Seoul) based on probability of quantitative hazards, as well as simulation and calculation methods which include: i) social disaster evaluation method applying Quantified Risk Assessment of Health & Safety Executive of UK and Matrix of Risk of Evaluated Sources of Hazard; ii) Fault Tree or Event Tree Analysis and etc.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.490-499
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• 2016

In this study, the marine ecological impacts of dephosphorized slag and steel slag on the initial life cycle of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis and benthic copepod Tigriopus japonicus (in marine trophic structure as a first consumer) exposure to slag extracts have been considered using a marine ecotoxicological assessment. In the results of a screen test on slag extracts, the pH of an undiluted solution was measured to have high alkalinity (pH 8.89-12.16), but a toxic reaction to this undiluted solution before and after aging was divided according to test species. For non-aged slag, the toxic effect ($LC_{50}$) of neonate on B. plicatilis was seen to be severe with dephosphorized slag (20.8 %) than steel slag (63.8 %) with under pH-uncontrolled conditions. The toxic values of dephosphorized and steel slag were estimated to be 35.3 % and 36.0%, respectively, for nauplius with T. japonicus. However, the toxicity of slag extracts before and after aging were different for T. japonicus than for B. plicatilis based on the characteristics of the test materials, with pH-controlled conditions. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that slag can be relatively stable after aging and may not be likely to influence marine environments, even given repetitive extracting under pH-uncontrolled conditions. This study confirms that a marine ecotoxicological assessment method applied to mechanically activated samples can give an idea of the resistance a marine environment has against the introduction of hazardous materials due to precipitation and weathering.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.61-67
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• 2007

With an entering into force of OPRC-HNS started in June 14th 2007, establishment of response system in a nationwide scale to take care of accidents is required to respond rapidly and effectively. This necessities drove us to analyze national contingency plan for chemicals including national response system against accidents, which is in operation in the US. Main characteristics of the system are well described as an integrated incident command system with a cooperation of responsibilities facilities, manpower, and technical support. In addition, state anψor local authorities tend to have responsibilities on management of disaster with its response activities. Polluters are also charged to pay expenses 3 times expensive provided state or local authorities are conducted. In general, response activities are conducted by private sectors. However, the government will take action with Superfund if the response capacity is over than the polluters can. However, safety are regarded as a primary factor to be considered in the response activities, and try not to recover any pollutants. Personals belonging to USCG and EPA are required to complete specialized courses to promαe professional skills, and are also welcomed to participate in "certification program"

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.55-66
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• 2020

This study developed four algorithms and their associated indices that can quantify and qualify road hazards along roadways. Initially, relevant raw data can be collected from commercial vehicles by camera and DTG. Well-processed data, such as potholes, road freezing, and fog, can be generated from the Integrated management system. Road hazard algorithms combine these data with road inventory data in the Data Sharing Platform. Depending on well-processed data, four different road hazard algorithms and their associated indices were developed. To test the algorithms, an experimental plan based on passive DTG attached in probe vehicles was performed at two different test locations. Selection of the test routes was based on historical data. Although there were limitations using random data for commercial vehicles, hazardous roadways sections, such as fog, road freezing, and potholes, were generated based on actual historical data. As a result, no algorithm error was found in the entire test. Because this study provides road hazard information according to a section, not a point, it can be practically helpful to road users as well as road agencies.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.107-111
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• 2005

We investigated the quality of vaporized liquid of water-boiled pine needle in the aspects of drinking conformity and aroma characteristics. As a result, there was no hazardous component in the assessment for 45 types of ingredients. Especially, inorganic components such as arsenic (As), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) which are harmful to human body were not detected. Additionally, we observed that other ingredients were present within the standard level suitable for drinking. The total 34 volatile components of the vaporized liquid of water-boiled pine needle were identified by dynamic head-space method. Fenchol, bomeol $\beta-fenchyl$ alcohol and bomyl acetate were the major volatiles and composed of 6.7, 13.1, 26.6 and $16.2\%$ of total volatiles, respectively. In addition, the alcohols and aldehydes were the prominent ingredients of which the contents showed comparatively high.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.235-244
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• 2007

By comparing the proteins from the workers exposed to styrene with the ones from controls, it may be possible to identify proteins that play a role in the occurrence and progress of occupational disease and thus to study the molecular mechanisms of occupational disease. In order to find the biomarkers for assessing the styrene effects early, before clinical symptoms develop and to understand the mechanisms of adverse health effects, we surveyed 134 employees, among whom 52 workers(30 male and 22 female) were chronically exposed to styrene in 10 glass-reinforced plastic boat manufacturing factories in Korea and 82 controls had never been occupationally exposed to hazardous chemicals including styrene. The age and drinking habits and serum biochemistry such as total protein, BUN and serum creatinine in both groups were significantly different. Exposed workers were divided into three groups according to exposure levels of styrene(G1, below 1/2 TLV; G2, 1/2 TLV to TLV; G3, above TLV). The mean concentration of airborne styrene in G1 group was $10.93{\pm}11.33ppm$, and those of urinary mandelic acid(MA) and phenylglyoxylic acid(PGA) were $0.17{\pm}0.21$ and $0.13{\pm}0.11g/g$ creatinine, respectively. The mean concentration of airborne styrene in G2 and G3 groups were $47.54{\pm}22.43$ and $65.33{\pm}33.47ppm$, respectively, and levels of urinary metabolites such as MA and PGA increased considerably as expected with the increase in exposure level of styrene. The airborne styrene concentration were significantly correlated to the urinary concentration of MA(r=0.784, p=0.000) and PGA(r=0.626, p<0.001). In the 2D electrophoresis, the concentration of five proteins including complement C3 precursor, alpha-1-antitrypsin(AAT), vitamin D binding protein precursor(DBP), alpha-1-B-glycoprotein(A1BG) and inter alpha trypsin inhibitor(ITI) heavy chain-related protein were significantly altered in workers exposed to styrene compared with controls. While expression of complement C3 precursor and AAT increased by exposure to styrene, expression of DBP, A1BG and ITI heavy chain-related protein decreased. These results suggest that the exposure of styrene might affects levels of plasma proteinase, carriers of endogenous substances and immune system. In particular, increasing of AAT with the increase in exposure level of styrene can explain the tissue damage and inflammation by the imbalance of proteinase/antiproteinase and decrease of DBP, A1BG and ITI heavy chain-related protein in workers exposed to styrene is associated with dysfunction and/or declination in immune system and signal transduction

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.245-253
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• 2007

This research was performed to evaluate the airborne personal concentration of hazardouse materials during the process of ship construction and surveyed from May 23 to June 30, 2007 in Kyungnam West Distirct, Korea. The subject was 94 ship construction workers exposed to welding fume and respirable particulate. The airborne concentrations of those were compared to Permissible Exposure Limit(PEL) from the Ministry of Labor in Korea. The airborne concentration of 23 samples(48.9%) of welding fumes was less than $5mg/m^3$, that of 16 (34.0%) was between 5 and $10mg/m^3$, and that of 8 (17.0%) was greater than $10mg/m^3$. The airborne concentration of 27 (57.4%) of respirable particulate masses was less than $5mg/m^3$ and the othere are greater than $5mg/m^3$. The welding fumes were identified containing the heavy metasl such as Fe, Mn, Zn, Mg, Ca, and Cu. The respirable particulates has similiar tendency with welding fumes in the component of heavy metals. But the concentration of Ca, Cu, Cr, and Ni turned out to be higher in welding fumes. Twenty (42.6%) of the 47 samples of welding fumes were exceeded PEL. In the heavy metals in welding fumes, ten (21.3%) of the 47 samples of Mn were exceeded PEL. Based on the results, the higher airborne hazardous materials were still exposed to wokers in ship construction process. It is suggested that the appropriate engineering control be applied to minimize the exposed cocnetration in ship building processes.