• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.28
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• pp.7.1-7.9
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• 2013

Objectives We investigated the particle mass size distribution and chemical properties of air pollution particulate matter (PM) in the urban area and its capacity to induce cytotoxicity in human bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells. Methods To characterize the mass size distributions and chemical concentrations associated with urban PM, PM samples were collected by a 10-stage Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor close to nearby traffic in an urban area from December 2007 to December 2009. PM samples for in vitro cytotoxicity testing were collected by a mini-volume air sampler with $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ inlets. Results The PM size distributions were bi-modal, peaking at 0.18 to 0.32 and 1.8 to $3.2{\mu}m$. The mass concentrations of the metals in fine particles (0.1 to $1.8{\mu}m$) accounted for 45.6 to 80.4% of the mass concentrations of metals in $PM_{10}$. The mass proportions of fine particles of the pollutants related to traffic emission, lead (80.4%), cadmium (69.0%), and chromium (63.8%) were higher than those of other metals. Iron was the dominant transition metal in the particles, accounting for 64.3% of the $PM_{10}$ mass in all the samples. We observed PM concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects on BEAS-2B cells. Conclusions We found that exposure to $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$ from a nearby traffic area induced significant increases in protein expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-8). The cell death rate and release of cytokines in response to the $PM_{2.5}$ treatment were higher than those with $PM_{10}$. The combined results support the hypothesis that ultrafine particles from vehicular sources can induce inflammatory responses related to environmental respiratory injury.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.192-203
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• 2020

Objectives: The concentration distributions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenlys (dl-PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fine particles were investigated to provide basic data on POP behavior and composition analysis. Methods: The concentrations of PCDD/Fs, dl-PCBs, and PAHs by particle size were evaluated for TSP, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5. Also, fine dust component analysis and factor analysis were performed to identify the source of PCDD/Fs. Results: The particle size distribution was found to account for 24.3% of >10 ㎛, 14.5% of 2.5-10 ㎛, and 61.2% of <2.5 ㎛. The average contributions of coarse particles (>2.5 ㎛) and fine particles (<2.5 ㎛) were PCDD/Fs 67%, dl-PCBs 66%, benzo (a) pyrene 83% and PAHs 84%, and the contributions of fine particles (<2.5 ㎛) were higher than coarse particles (>2.5 ㎛). However, the contributions of coarse particles increased in April to September with higher temperatures, while those of fine particles increased in February to March with lower temperatures. Conclusions: Low chlorinated (4Cl-5Cl) PCDD/Fs were more adsorbed compared to coarse particles due to the influence of pollutant migration from particulate to gas phase according to temperature rise, whereas high chlorinated (6Cl-8Cl) PCDD/Fs were more adsorbed compared to fine particles. PCDD/Fs sources were assessed to be major sources of emissions, such as incineration facilities and/or open burning.

• 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.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 the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.315-321
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• 2012

In this study, a sequential multiscale homogenization method to characterize the effective thermal conductivity of nano particulate polymer nanocomposites is proposed through a molecular dynamics(MD) simulations and a finite element-based homogenization method. The thermal conductivity of the nanocomposites embedding different-sized nanoparticles at a fixed volume fraction of 5.8% are obtained from MD simulations. Due to the Kapitza thermal resistance, the thermal conductivity of the nanocomposites decreases as the size of the embedded nanoparticle decreases. In order to describe the nanoparticle size effect using the homogenization method with accuracy, the Kapitza interface in which the temperature discontinuity condition appears and the effective interphase zone formed by highly densified matrix polymer are modeled as independent phases that constitutes the nanocomposites microstructure, thus, the overall nanocomposites domain is modeled as a four-phase structure consists of the nanoparticle, Kapitza interface, effective interphase, and polymer matrix. The thermal conductivity of the effective interphase is inversely predicted from the thermal conductivity of the nanocomposites through the multiscale homogenization method, then, exponentially fitted to a function of the particle radius. Using the multiscale homogenization method, the thermal conductivities of the nanocomposites at various particle radii and volume fractions are obtained, and parametric studies are conducted to examine the effect of the effective interphase on the overall thermal conductivity of the nanocomposites.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.1768-1774
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• 2008

The particulate behaviors of nickel ferrite were investigated under the simulated PWR shutdown chemistry conditions. Temperature of the simulated water with concentration of 0.1 ppm Li and 2,000 ppm B was dropped from $300^{\circ}C$ to $150^{\circ}C$ with a rate of $0.625^{\circ}C/min$ and then constantly maintained at $150^{\circ}C$ under the pressure of 2,500 psi. The on-line particle counting and the concentration measurement of nickel dissolved were performed under 5, 15 and 25 cc/kg $H_2O$ dissolved hydrogen. Experimental results showed that total particle count in the simulated water was not greatly changed for three hydrogen concentrations as temperature was decreased. However, particles were smaller as temperature was decreased and then maintained constantly. The degree of variation in particle size distribution was greater at 15 cc/kg $H_2O$ dissolved hydrogen than any other dissolved hydrogen concentrations. Concentration of nickel ion was increased as temperature was decreased and was higher at 15 cc/kg $H_2O$ dissolved hydrogen than any other dissolved hydrogen concentrations. Theses results show that nickel ferrite is unstable with temperature variation and at dissolved hydrogen concentration of 15 cc/kg $H_2O$.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.193-202
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• 2009

This study was conducted to identify the magnitude of first flush in small city urban area and to provide the basic information on the criteria of stormwater runoff management. Monitoring site was surrounded by residential area in Gumi city near to national industrial complex and the monitoring period was three months. Total watershed area was 24.9 ha, where 80% of the area is impervious (asphalt of pavement type). Periodic monitoring of conventional water quality parameters were conducted with six times of rainfall period. Event mean and site mean concentrations for all the parameters were calculated based on the analytical results. Particle size distribution was 9.82 ${\mu}m$ for $D_{0.1}$, 38.99 ${\mu}m$ for $D_{0.5}$ and 159.61 ${\mu}m$ for $D_{0.9}$ respectively. First flush phenomenon was detected highly in particulate solids than dissolved ones. The first flush criteria results by mass first flush contained between 44.4% to 58.5% pollutant mass during the first 30% of runoff volume. Mass first flush ratio and particle size distribution obtained in this study are expected to provide the basic information for the design and operation of non-point source treatment facility.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.171-187
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• 2023

Objectives: Aircraft cabin cleaning work is characterized by being performed within a limited time in a narrow and enclosed space. The objective of this study was to evaluate the exposure levels to dust, ultra fine dust(PM2.5) and black carbon(BC) among aircraft cabin cleaners. Methods: Active personal air sampling for respirable dust(n=73) and BC(n=47) was conducted during quick transit cleaning(cabin general and vacuum-specific) and seat cover replacement and total dust and PM2.5 were area-air-sampled as well. Also, size distribution of particle was identified with the cleaning workers targeted. Dusts were collected with PVC filters using gravimetric analysis. The concentration of PM2.5 and the particle size distribution were measured with real-time direct reading portable equipment using light scattering analysis. The concentration of BC was measured by aethalometer(filter-based real-time light absorption analysis instrument). Results: The geometric mean of respirable dust was the highest at vacuum cleaning as 74.4 ㎍/m³, following by replacing seat covers as 49.3 ㎍/m³ and cabin general cleaning as 47.8 ㎍/m³ . The arithmetic mean of PM2.5 was 4.83 ~ 9.89 ㎍/m³ inside the cabin, and 28.5~44.5 ㎍/m³ outside the cabin(from bus and outdoor waiting space). From size distribution, PM_2.5/PM₁₀ ratio was 0.54 at quick transit cleaning and 0.41 at replacing seat covers. The average concentration of BC was 2~7 ㎍/m³, showing a high correlation with the PM2.5 concentration. Conclusions: The hazards concentration levels of aircraft cabin cleaners were very similar to those of roadside outdoor workers. As the main source of pollution is estimated to be diesel vehicles operating at airports, and it is necessary to replace older vehicles, strengthen pollutant emission control regulations, and introduce electric vehicles. In addition, it is necessary to provide as part of airport-inftastructure a stable standby waiting space for aircraft cabin cleaners and introduce a systematic safety and health management system for all workers in the aviation industry.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.405-425
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• 2008

In order to investigate the amounts of trace elements flowing into reservoir, and to elucidate the relationship between trace element mobility and fraction size, the stream water and sediment samples were collected from thirty-two sites of the 3rd or 4th order stream within watershed surrounding the Juam reservoir. Chemical analyses of trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) for all samples were completed, and additionally cationi and anion for stream water samples. Considering the distribution of rocks and contamination sources in watershed, the eight stream sediments were selected from typical sites representing study areas, and we determined the concentrations of trace elements according to size fractions ($2\;mm{\sim}200\;{\mu}m$, $200{\sim}100\;{\mu}m$, $100{\sim}50\;{\mu}m$, $50{\sim}20\;{\mu}m$ and < $20\;{\mu}m$). The correlation relationships between concentrations and size fractions of stream sediments were important to identify the hydro-geochemical behavior of trace elements that flow into Juam reservoir. Stream waters showed four water types (Ca-Mg-$HCO_3$, Ca-Na-$HCO_3$-Cl, Ca-Na-$HCO_3-SO_4$, Ca-Na-$HCO_3$) depending on pollution sources such as coal mine, metal mine, farm-land and dwellings. Concentrations of trace elements increased clearly with the decrease in size fractions of stream sediments. Concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn increased dramatically in silt size (< $20\;{\mu}m$) fraction, while As had high concentrations in sand size ($2\;mm{\sim}100\;{\mu}m$) fraction in downstream sediments of metal mines. These indicate that Cu, Zn, and Pb moved into Juam reservoir easily in the adsorbed form on silt size grain in sediments, and As was transported as As-bearing mineral facies, resulting in its less chance to reach into Juam reservoir.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2007

This study was carried out to develop the modified cyclone dust collector in windowless broiler building measuring 12 m wide, 46 m long, with a side wall height of 3 m and a capacity of 12,800 birds. Ventilation rate in windowless broiler building was $0.014{\sim}0.015\;and\;0.158{\sim}0.181cmm$ in second weeks and fifth weeks of age, respectively. Ammonia concentration was $13{\sim}16\;and\;20{\sim}24\;ppm$ in first and second weeks of age, respectively. Amount of dust collected in dust collector each week was 104.1, 274.7 and 388.6g in first, second and third weeks of age. But it was decreased from fourth weeks of age because of the increased ventilation rate. Total suspended particulate(TSP) of polluted air was $3,111.7{\sim}8,745.2{\mu}g/m^3$, but it was decreased to $530.8{\sim}2,264.4{\mu}g/m^3$ when it passed through the dust collector. Collecting efficiency was $54.2{\sim}82.9%$ in TSP. But collecting efficiency of Particulate matter smaller than $1{\mu}g$ (PM1.0) was $7.6{\sim}33.8%$, and lower than TSP. TSP concentration in control broiler house was 1,387.6 and $4,210.1{\mu}g/m^3$ in first and fourth weeks of age, respectively. But it was decreased to 876.3 and $2,535.3{\mu}g/m^3$ in broiler house operated dust collector in first and fourth weeks of age, respectively. Dust collecting efficiency for TSP was $36.8{\sim}39.8%$, and it was decreased to $11.4{\sim}39.8%$ in smaller dust size.