• 한국환경생물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경생물학회 2004년도 학술대회
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• pp.1-15
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• 2004

Higher plants can be valuable genetic assay systems for monitoring environmental pollutants and evaluating their biological toxicity. Two assays are considered ideal for in situ monitoring and testing of soil, airborne and aqueous mutagenic agents; the Tradescantia stamen hair assay for somatic cell mutations and the Tradescantia micronucleus assay for chromosome aberrations. Both assays can be used for in vivo and in vitro testing of mutagens. Since higher plant systems are now recognized as excellent indicators and have unique advantages over in situ monitoring and screening, higher plant systems could be accepted by regulatory authorities as an alternative first-tier assay system for the detection of possible genetic damages resulting from the pollutants or chemicals used and produced by industrial sectors. It has been concluded that potential mutagen and carcinogen such as the heavy metals among indoor air particulates, volatile compounds in the working places, soil, and water pollutants contribute to the overall health risk. This contribution can be considerable under certain circumstances. It is therefore important to identify the level of genotoxic activity in the environment and to relate it to the biomarkers of a health risk in humans. The results from the higher plant bioassays could make a significant contribution to assessing the risks of pollutants and protecting the public firom agents that can cause mutation anuor cancer. The plant bioassays, which are relatively inexpensive and easy to handle, are recommended for the scientists who are interested in monitoring pollutants and evaluating their environmental toxicity to living organisms.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.175-187
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• 2014

The subways play an important part in serious traffic problems. Almost seven million citizens a day are using subways as a means of traffic communication in the Seoul metropolitan city in 2012. However, the subway system is a semi-closed environment, so many serious problems occurred in subway stations and injured passengers' health. Platform screen doors (PSD) are expected to prevent negligent accident such as injury or death from falling and improve the air quality of the subway station. Installation of PSD at stations in Seoul metropolitan subway had been completed in December 2009. Consequently, the underground transportation system became a closed environment, so the air quality has improved the platforms, but it has deteriorated in the tunnels. Especially, the subway cabin has many doors, and the doors are frequently opened and closed. For this reason, the effect of door opening on subway cabin, dust flow inside the subway cabin. In this process, the maintenance work may influence the health of people who work underground, as well as that of subway users (passengers). In this study, we measured air quality inside and outside of the subway cabin line 2 in Seoul, Korea. This study focused on the investigation of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and measurement target pollutants are PM10, CO, $CO_2$, $NO_2$, $O_3$. It was found that levels of PM10, $CO_2$, and $NO_2$ inside subway cabin line 2 exceeded the Korea IAQ standard. Concentrations of PM10, $CO_2$, and $NO_2$ inside of the cabin are higher than outside of the cabin (Indoor Outdoor ratio is higher than 1.). Concentrations of CO, $O_3$ inside of the cabin are lower than outside of the cabin (Indoor Outdoor ratio is lower than 1.). There is a high correlation between $CO_2$ and passengers inside of the cabin and PM10 is only the weakest correlation with passengers. Therefore, it is important to find out the emission source of $NO_2$. The results of this study will be useful as fundamental data to study indoor air quality of a subway cabin.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제15권11호
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• pp.1011-1016
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• 2006

Recently, volatile organic compound(VOC) has been noted as a main cause of air pollution. VOC, with its toxic and offensive odor, is hazardous to health. Furthermore indoor, underground and hish-rise buildings are preferable living spaces. People spend more than 80% of the day indoor, so indoor air pollution is a matter of importance. In Korea, from 2004, 10 types of indoor pollutants in public facilities have been identified. However, there is no standard for individual VOC, so the regulation has not yet effectively been carried out. In this study, we have studied on the diffusion of Benzene in a room using a numerical analysis for various air-controlled conditions consisted of door, window and ventilation system. This study investigates spatial concentration distribution and time-history of room-averaged benzene concentration for several cases. The results of this study show that when the room is ventilated by a small fan only for 30 minutes, the average concentration of benzene is decreased a very little, thus the impact to human body would be serious compared to the case of natural ventilation by window and door, In the case of natural ventilation by window and door, if the wind speed is higher than 0.5m/s, it takes small than 4 minutes for benzene to spread to the target concentration of $1.2mg/m^3$.

• 한국학교보건학회지
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.81-90
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• 2003

This study was conducted to contribute to the basic data for decisions on environment policy improvement in health promotion for students in elementary, middle and high schools. This study was carried out to investigate the extent of indoor air pollution in elementary, middle and high schools in residential, traffic congestional and industrial areas. The concentrations of major indoor air pollutants(carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, respiratory particulate, radon) and thermocircumstance (temperature, relative humidity, intensity of illumination) indices were observed from June to August 2000. As results of the survey, the mean values of thermocircumstance in school were $26.94{\pm}1.15^{\circ}C$ of temperature, $68.88{\pm}5.31%$ of humidity and $268.26{\pm}164.60$ Lux of intensity of illumination. The mean concentrations of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, respiratory particulate were $8.36{\pm}0.29\;ppm$, $547.66{\pm}175.58\;ppm$, $36.23{\pm}48.39\;{\mu}g/m3$, respectively. These values were lower than those of the indoor environmental standard on the first clause of Article 45 of public utilization service notified public hygiene of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. The mean concentration of radon was $20.07{\pm}17.95\;Bq/m3$. Which was below the U.S. EPA radon action level.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.54-67
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• 2006

This study was performed to deduct the extension possibility of the standards establishment for $NO_2$, $O_3$, Asbestos, Radon, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) excluded in the indoor air part of Industrial Safety Acts in Korea. The air pollutants were sampled for 30 office buildings from August to September, 2005 in the metropolitan area. The airborne concentrations of $NO_2$, $O_3$, Radon and TVOC were 0.0092 ppm, 0.0035 ppm, 0.57 pCi/L and $423{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. The management plan and reduction methods is required in the aspect of indoor air quality(IAQ) because the emission sources of those also exist in indoor as well as outdoor even though those were not exceeded the standards of the Ministry of Environment in Korea. The standard for TVOC in the new and remodeling office has to be established based on the risk assessment when hazard index exceeded "1" in the worst case scenario. In the state of art, the management of each volatile organic compounds has a difficulty due to not enough data for toxicological reference. Therefore, it is suggested that first of all, the standard for TVOC be established and then expanded to each materials for decision-making of improvement of IAQ in office.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제12권9호
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• pp.967-976
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• 2003

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are present in essentially all natural and synthetic materials from petrol to flowers. In this study, indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations of houses, offices and internet-cafes were measured and compared simultaneously with personal exposures of each 50 participants in Asan and Seoul, respectively. Also, factors that influence personal VOCs exposure were statistically analyzed using questionnaires in relation to house characteristics, time activities, and health effects. All VOCs concentrations were measured by OVM passive samplers (3M) and analyzed with GC/MS. Target pollutants among VOCs were Toluene, o-Xylene, m/p-Xylene, Ethylbenzene, MIBK, n-Octane, Styrene, Trichloroethylene, and 1,2-Dichlorobenzene. Indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations measured in Seoul were significantly higher than those in Asan except Ethylbenzene. Residential indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios for all target compounds ranged from 0.94 to 1.51 and I/O ratios of Asan were a little higher than those of Seoul. Relationship between personal VOCs exposure, and indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations suggested that time-activity pattern could affect the high exposure to air pollutant. Factors that influence indoor VOCs level and personal exposure with regard to house characteristics in houses were building age, inside smoking and house type. In addition insecticide and cosmetics interestingly affected the VOCs personal exposure. Higher exposure to VOCs might be caused to be exciting increase and memory reduction, considering the relationship between measured VOCs concentrations and questionnaire (p<0.05).

• 센서학회지
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.112-117
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• 2020

Xylene is a hazardous volatile organic compound that should be precisely measured to monitor indoor air quality. However, the selective and sensitive detection of ppm-level xylene using oxide-semiconductor gas sensors remains a challenge. In this study, pure and Cr-doped Co₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using flame spray pyrolysis, and their gas-sensing characteristics to 5-ppm xylene at 250 ℃ were investigated. The 4 at% Cr-doped Co₃O₄ NPs exhibited a high gas response to 5-ppm xylene (resistance ratio to gas and air = 39.1) and negligible cross-responses to other representative and ubiquitous indoor pollutants such as ethanol, benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and ammonia. In this paper, the enhancement of the gas response and selectivity of Co₃O₄ NPs to xylene by Cr doping was discussed in relation to the catalytic promotion of the gas-sensing reaction. This sensor can be used to monitor indoor xylene.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제15권9호
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• pp.855-864
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• 2006

This study introduces a method to eliminate formaldehyde and benzene, toluene from indoor air by means of a photocatalytic oxidation reaction. In the method introduced, for the good performance of the reaction, the effect and interactions of the $TiO_2$ catalyst and ultraviolet in photocatalytic degradation on the reaction area, dosages of catalysts, humidity and light should be precisely examined and controled. Experiments has been carried out under various intensities of UV light and initial concentrations of formaldehyde, benzene and toluene to investigate the removal efficiency of the pollutants. Reactors in the experiments consist of an annular type Pyrex glass flow reactor and an 11W germicidal lamp. Results of the experiments showed reduction of formaldehyde, benzene and toluene in ultraviolet $/TiO_2/$ activated carbon processes (photooxidation-photocatalytic oxidation-adsorption processes), from 98% to 90%, from 98% to 93% and from 99% to 97% respectively. Form the results we can get a conclusion that a ultraviolet/Tio2/activated carbon system used in the method introduced is a powerful one for th treatment of formaldehyde, benzene and toluene of indoor spaces.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.219-225
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• 2008

Many building materials may contain high concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other hazardous pollutants(HAPs). Specifically, VOCs discharged by indoor building material may cause "new house" syndrome, atopic dermatitis etc. The diffusion coefficient and initially contained total VOC quantity were determined using microbalance experiments and small chamber tests. Interactions between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and vinyl flooring (VF), a relatively homogenous, diffusion-controlled building material, were characterized. Rapid determination of the material/air partition coefficient (K) and the material-phase diffusion coefficient (D) for each VOC was achieved by placing thin VF slabs in a dynamic microbalance and subjecting them to controlled sorption/desorption cycles. K and D are shown to be independent of concentration for all of the VOCs and water vapor. This approach can be applied to other diffusion-controlled materials and should facilitate the prediction of their source/sink behavior using physically-based models.

• 국제학술발표논문집
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• The 1th International Conference on Construction Engineering and Project Management
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• pp.814-819
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• 2005

There is growing consciousness of the environmental performance of buildings in Hong Kong. The Buildings Department, the Lands Department and the Planning Department of the Hong Kong Government issued the first of a series of joint practice notes [1] to promote the construction of green and innovative buildings. Green features are architectural features used to mitigate migration of noise and various air-borne pollutants and to moderate the transport of heat, air and transmission of daylight from outside to indoor environment in an advantageous way. This joint practice note sets out the incentives to encourage the industry in Hong Kong to incorporate the use of green features in building development. The use of green features in building design not only improves the environmental quality, but also reduces the consumption of non-renewable energy used in active control of indoor environment. Larger window openings in the walls of a building may provide better natural ventilation. However, it also increases the penetration of direct solar radiation into indoor environment. The use of wing wall, one of the green features, is an alternative to create effective natural ventilation. This paper therefore presents a preliminary numerical study of its ventilation performance using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The numerical results will be compared with the results of the wind tunnel experiments of Givoni.