• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.210-218
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• 2020

Even though PM₁₀ in ambient air has been steadily reduced, the perception of it has been deteriorated. Forthatreason, first, it can still be mentioned the annual average concentration of PM₁₀ exceeding WHO standards, second, an increase in the number of high concentration days of PM₁₀, and third, lack of consideration for differences in causes and phenomena of PM₁₀ by regions. Therefore, this study was aimed to suggest management types for PM₁₀ in ambient air by clustering 69 cities based on the trends and current levels of PM₁₀. In addition, we proposed complementary measures such as the green infrastructure, ventilation corridors and adaptation measures (limit of exposure) for type III (distribution in the central inner region) and IV (metropolitan city, south-east coast region) where improvement of PM₁₀ was insufficient. Although this study did not consider the cause of PM₁₀ together, there is a significance that the scientific basis for responding to the near future is conducted based on past trends of PM₁₀.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.365-374
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• 2004

Inhalation toxicity, mutagenicity, and immunotoxicity tests were performed using a smoke generation system to investigate the safety of Herbrette, a tobacco substitute made with the leaves of Perilla frutescens. ICR mice were exposed to nicotine-free Herbrette smoke with concentrations of 0 (control), 4.08 $\pm$ 1.32 mg/$m^3$ (low dose), 7.72 $\pm$ 2.14 mg/$m^3$ (medium dose) and 12.83 $\pm$ 1.69 mg/$m^3$ (high dose) total particulate matters (TPM) for 4 weeks. When compared to the control group, the body weights, organ weights in the exposed groups did not show any significant differences. However, certain change of several serum chemical data and biochemical parameters were observed, however, the changes were within normal physiological ranges. Moreover, no changes in organ weight, and no gross/microscopic changes were observed between the exposed and control groups. Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutation, in vivo chromosomal aberration and micronucleus assays revealed that Herbrette did not induce mutagenicity. Upon evaluation of peripheral cellular immunity of mice through in vitro lymphocyte proliferation assay, no significant difference was observed in mean stimulation index between the exposed and control groups. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that Herbrette may not cause toxicity on mice under current condition.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 2014

Objectives: The purposes of this study are to investigate workers' exposures to respirable particles generated in taconite mines and to compare two metric methods for mass concentrations using direct-reading instruments. Methods: Air monitorings were conducted at six mines where subjects have been exposed primarily to particulate matters in crushing, concentrating, and pelletizing processes. Air samples were collected during 4 hours of the entire work shift for similarly exposure groups(SEGs) of nine jobs(N=37). Following instruments were employed to evaluate the workplace: a nanoparticle aerosol monitor(particle size range; 10-1000 nm, unit: ${\mu}m^2/cc$, Model 9000, TSI Inc.); DustTrak air monitors($PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, unit: $mg/m^3$, Model 8520, TSI Inc.); a condensation particle counter(size range; 20-1000 nm, unit: #/cc, P-Trak 8525, TSI Inc.); and an optical particle counter(particle number by size range $0.3-25{\mu}m$, unit: #/cc, Aerotrak 9306, TSI Inc.). Results: The highest airborne concentration among SEGs was for furnace operator followed by pelletizing maintenance workers in number of particle and surface area, but not in mass concentrations. The geometric means of $PM_{2.5}$ by the DustTrak and the Ptrak/Aerotrak were $0.04{\mu}m$(GSD 2.52) and $0.07{\mu}m$(GSD 2.60), respectively. Also, the geometric means of RPM by the DustTrak and the Ptrak/Aerotrak were $0.16{\mu}m$(GSD 2.24) and $0.32{\mu}m$(GSD 3.24), respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient for DustTrak $PM_{2.5}$ and Ptrak/Aerotrak $PM_{2.5}$ was 0.56, and that of DustTrak RPM and Ptrak/Aerotrak RPM was 0.65, indicating a moderate positive association between the two sampling methods. Surface area and number concentration were highly correlated($R^2$ = 0.80), while $PM_{2.5}$ and RPM were also statistically correlated each other($R^2$ = 0.79). Conclusions: The results suggest that it is possible to measure airborne particulates by mass concentrations or particle number concentrations using real-time instruments instead of using the DustTrak Aerosol monitor that monitor mass concentrations only.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.324-329
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• 2016

Constructed wetlands are widely applied in urban and rural areas for various purposes such as pollutants reduction, acquisition of eco-spaces and habitats, flooding reduction, acquisition of water resources and environmental education. Since the design of constructed wetlands utilizes ecosystems, special consideration must be given to ecological mechanisms, environmental mechanisms and hydrological mechanisms. To ensure the sustainable functionality of constructed wetlands, it is necessary to achieve stable flow rate and velocity, and remove sediments to ensure sufficient space for detention. To enhance the efficiency of constructed wetland sedimentation basins, this study determined the optimal position for baffle installation, and applied Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to the cross-sectional design of wetlands. CFD analysis revealed that the decrease in flow velocity with baffle installation enhanced the efficiency of sedimentation of particulate matters. Vertical baffles had higher sedimentation efficiency than those with an inclined angle. When vertical baffles were installed in the sedimentation basin of a hybrid constructed wetland to reduce non-point source pollutants in urban areas, the average flow velocity within the basin decreased by 10~30%, while the sedimentation efficiency improved by 1.3~1.5 times. The application of CFD to constructed wetlands is expected to improve the cost efficiency of designing hybrid constructed wetlands with high removal efficiency.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.145-154
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• 2018

In this study, three pilot-scale wetland systems were built for treating stormwater runoff from asphalt road. Each of the system consists of a settling tank and a vertical flow wetland packed with 25%, 50%, and 75% woodchip as treatment media. According to the analysis of the distributions of particle size, it was found that solids ranging in size $0.52-30{\mu}m$ were predominant in the stormwater runoff. After 24-hours settling, those coarser than $20{\mu}m$ were significantly detained. Further retention, especially for the finer-sized fraction, occurred in the wetland through internal recirculation during the dry day periods. As a primary media of the wetland, woodchip showed a high filtration and attachment capacity for the particulates in pre-settled stormwater, whereas overall amount of solids in the wetland effluent increased due to the detachment of woody elements from the media. This was observed mainly during the initial 75 days of operation, and the size and detachment rate were found to be strongly related with the woodchip packing ratio. The mechanism involving woody particle detachment was modeled as a first-order form. In addition, water quality factors and operational parameters affecting the detachment were analyzed and discussed.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.359-365
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• 2017

Impermeable surfaces such as transportation land uses including roads and parking lots accumulate high heavy metals and particulate matters concentration especially during dry season which worsens the river water quality and distort the water circulation system during rainfall events. Recently, the government has been promoting policies to install Low Impact Development (LID) facilities such as permeable pavements or grass blocks in parking lots or pavements. However, transition of asphalt-paved surfaces to permeable pavement generated asphalt wastes which are detrimental to the environment and has cost implications due to its removal and disposal. Therefore this study was conducted to provide a method of constructing a cost-effective permeable pavement to reduce waste generation and cost. In this study, comparative analysis of the water circulation capacity and economic efficiency of the traditional construction method and new method proposed in this study through the lab-scale experiment. The proposed method was to make holes in existing asphalt pavements, layout geotextile fabric and permeable base media such as sand before compaction. After compaction, layout grass blocks on the compacted base media then layout sand in between each grass blocks before compaction. Apparently, there was no significant difference between the traditional installation method of permeable pavement and the proposed method in this study considering surface runoff, infiltrated volume, stored volume, and rainfall-runoff delay time. The proposed method in this study generated 86% less wastes compared to the traditional installation method and has 70% cost reduction considering asphalt removal and disposal. The construction method proposed in this study yielded similar performance compared to the traditional installation method and water circulation effect, but was proven to be less complicated and economical.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.116-127
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• 2013

At weekly intervals, we monitored continuous changes in water quality by constructed floating wetland equipped with the four different filter media (sponge, volcanic stone, activated carbon and magnesium hydroxide) in a eutrophic lake from March 2011 to May 2012. We also investigated phyto- and zooplankton communities both in the influent and the effluent water through the floating wetland. Over a 10-month time period, average turbidity (66%), suspended solids (79%) and chlorophyll-a (80%) concentrations were remarkably reduced in the effluent water compared to the influent (P<0.001). The average removal rates of $NO_2-N$ and $NH_3-N$ were 24% and 20%, respectively (P<0.05). The average removal rates of $NO_3-N$ and TN were less than 10% (P>0.05). On the other hand, the average removal rates of $PO_4-P$ and TP were more than 65% (P<0.01). Interestingly, the abundance of phytoplankton in the effluent was decreased about 2.6 times compared to that of the influent, whereas the abundance of zooplankton in the effluent was increased about 3.5 times compared to that of the influent. Overall, particulate matters (SS, Chl-a and TP) and dissolved nutrients ($NO_2-N$, $NH_3-N$ and $PO_4-P$) were particularly reduced at high rates. Therefore, application of our constructed floating wetland in a eutrophic lake improved the water quality and demonstrated a potential for algal bloom mitigation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.767-774
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• 1995

Behavior of radionuclides such $^{60}$ Co, $^{54}$ Mn and $^{137}$ Cs in the incineration Process was Studied by trial burns of simulated wastes with radio-isotope tracers. Behavior of nonvolatiles, $^{60}$ Co and $^{54}$ Mn, was similar to that of particulate matters in the process. Decontamination factors(DFs) for $^{60}$ Co and $^{54}$ Mn were 4.7$\times$10$^{5}$ and 6.2$\times$10$^{5}$ , respectively. Behavior of semivolatile radio-isotope, $^{137}$ Cs, was temperature dependent. DFs for $^{l37}$Cs at In different incineration temperature of 85$0^{\circ}C$ and $700^{\circ}C$ were 2.8$\times$10$^3$ and 2.6$\times$10$^4$, respectively. Trial bums of dry active waste(DAW) transported from nuclear power station(NPS) Kori 3,4 were also performed. DF for gross $\beta$/${\gamma}$ radioactivity in DAW was 1.1$\times$10$^{5}$ . This was a little higher than the estimated value, which was calculated from the tracer test results and nuclides distribution in the DAW. Average emission concentration was 0.019 Bq/N $m^3$, which could meet the maximal permissible concentration(MPC) in stack emission.n.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.151-158
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• 2017

Electrostatic precipitator is widely used to remove particulate matters in indoor air and industrial flue gas due to low pressure drop and high collection efficiency. However, it has a low collection efficiency for the submicrometer sized particles. Electrospraying is a potential method to increase the particle charging efficiency, which results in increased collection efficiency. Although particle charging efficiency is highly dependent upon droplet size, the effective measuring method of the droplets is still uncertain. Tap water was electrosprayed in this study, and the images of electrosprayed droplets were taken with a high speed camera coupled with several visualization methods in order to measure the droplets size. The droplet size distribution was determined by an image processing with an image-J program. As a result, a droplet measured by a laser visualization, had a half size of that by a Xenon light visualization. In addition, the experimentally measured droplet sizes were a good agreement with the predicted values suggested by $Fern{\acute{a}}ndez$ de la Mora and Loscertales(1994).

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.56-70
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• 2013

Objectives: This paper aims to investigate the seasonal deposition characteristics of water-soluble ion species by comparing the deposition amount of two samples taken according to different sampling methods of deposition for ambient aerosol such as gases and particulate matters. Methods: Deposition samples were collected using two deposition gauges in the downtown area of Iksan City over approximately two weeks of each season in 2004. The type of deposition gauges consisted of two different sampling methods known as dry gauge and a wet gauge. The dry gauge was empty and used a dry PE bottle with an inlet diameter of 9.6 cm. Before the beginning of each deposition sampling, a volume of 30-50 ml distilled ionized water was added to the wet gauge to wet the bottom during the sampling period. Deposition samples were measured twice per day and analyzed for inorganic water-soluble ion species using ion chromatography. Results: The daily deposition amounts of all measured ions in the dry gauge and the wet gauge showed a significant increase when precipitation occurred, having no difference of deposition amount between in the wet gauge and in the dry gauge. By excluding two samples from rainy days during the sampling period, the mean daily deposition of all ions in dry gauge and wet gauge were $6.58mg/m^2/day$ and $18.16mg/m^2/day$, respectively. The mean deposition amounts of each ion species were higher in the wet gauge than in the dry gauge because of the surface difference of the sampling gauge, especially for $NH_4{^+}$ and ${SO_4}^{2-}$. The mean deposition amounts of $NH_4{^+}$ and ${SO_4}^{2-}$ in the wet gauge were found to be about 15.4 times and 5.2 times higher than that in dry gauge, with a pronounced difference between spring and summer, while the remaining ion species were 1.1-2.0 times higher in the wet gauge than in the dry gauge. Dominant species in the dry gauge were $Ca^{2+}$ and $NO_3{^-}$, accounting for 36.4% and 18.1% of the total ion deposition, whereas those in the wet gauge were $NH_4{^+}$ and ${SO_4}^{2-}$, accounting for 32.5% and 25.0% of the total ion deposition, respectively. Conclusion: The seasonal differences in deposition amounts of water-soluble ion species in ambient aerosol depending on the two types of different sampling methods were identified. This suggests that the removal of ambient aerosol is strongly influenced by the weather conditions of each season as well as the condition of earth's surface, such as dry ground and water.