• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.70-77
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• 2001

This study was conducted to identify the current status of occupational safety and health by checklist and to evaluate the airborne exposure to chemicals and to provide the appropriate recommendation for safety and health of laundries. A total of 20 laundries located in tile Gyungi district area were surveyed from July 20 to September 15, 2000. The prevalence of laundries having a stove and gas range were found to be 25 % and 55 %, respectively. Smoking is not allowed in 60 % of the laundries. Only 10 % of dry-cleaners were isolated. Ventilation systems in laundries had not been annually inspected. Most of the workers didn't put on respirators, MSDS were not available, and storage bottles did not contain warning labels. The bulk samples of dry cleaning agent include many chemicals that are not controlled by the MOL in Korea. The detected airborne organic solvents in the laundries were benzene, toluene, p-xylene, m-xylene, o-xylene, perchloroethylene, and 2-butoxy ethanol. The airborne concentrations of organic solvents were much less than the occupational exposure limits proposed by the Ministry of Labor(MOL) in Korea. But the concentrations of benzene exceeded the TLV of ACGIH. This study showed that the current status of occupational safety and health was not appropriate for workers in laundries. It is recommended that laundry workers should be educated for the treatment and storage of hazardous organic solvents to improve the occupational safety and health of the working environment as well as MSDS usage. Also, extended research and survey for the organic solvents that are not controlled by the MOL has to be conducted.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2005

Clostridium bifermentans strain DPH-1 has already been found to dechlorinate perchloroethylene (PCE) to cis-dichloroethylene (cis-DCE) via trichloroethylene (TCE). In this study, our investigation on different culture conditions of this DPH-1 strain was extended to find a more efficient and cost effective growth medium composition for this DPH-1 strain in bioremediation practices. Temperature dependency of strain DPH-1 showed that the growth starting time and PCE degradation at $15^{\circ}C$ was very slow compared to that of $30^{\circ}C$, but complete PCE degradation occurred in both cases. For the proper utilization of strain DPH-1 in more cost effective bioremediation practices, a simpler composition of an effective media was studied. One component of the culture medium, yeast extract, had been substituted by molasses, which served as a good source of electron donor. The DPH-1 strain in the medium containing molasses, in the presence of $K_{2}HPO_4\;and\;KH_{2}PO_4$, showed identical bacterial multiplication (0.135 mg protein $mL^{-1}h^{-1}$) and PCE degradation rates ($0.38\;{\mu}M/h$) to those of the yeast extract containing medium.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 1996

Polysulfone ultrafiltration membrane was coated with polyisobutylene(PIB) as a top layer to separate chlorinated hydrocarbons. The solubility parameter differences between PIB, water and perchloroethylene(PCE) or trichloroethylene(TCE) show that the solubility parameter difference between PIB and TCE or PCE is similar while that between PIB and water is far less, indicating that PIB is selective to chlorinated hydrocarbons. The pervaporation separation of TCE and PCE shows that TCE is concentrated more than four times, by PIB composite membrane, while PCE is concentrated more than thirteen times. This result shows that PIB composite membrane in this study seems to be an appropriate selective layer for the separation of TCE and PCE from aqueous organic solutions.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.47-57
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• 2022

A number of different methods have been used for modeling the sorption of volatile organic chlorinated compounds such as tetrachloroethylene/perchloroethylene (PCE). In this study, PCE was adsorbed in several natural sorbents, i.e., Pahokee peat, vermicompost, BionSoil^®, and natural soil, in the batch experiments. Several sorption models such as linear, Freundlich, solubility-normalized Freundlich model, and Polanyi-Manes model (PMM) were used to analyze sorption isotherms. The relationship between sorption model parameters, organic carbon content (f_oc), and elemental C/N ratio was studied. The organic carbon normalized partition coefficient values (log K_oc = 1.50-3.13) in four different sorbents were less than the logarithm of the octanol-water partition coefficient (log K_ow = 3.40) of PCE due to high organic carbon contents. The log K_oc decreased linearly with log f_oc and log C/N ratio, but increased linearly with log O/C, log H/C, and log (N+O)/C ratio. Both log K_F,oc or log K_F,oc decreased linearly with log f_oc (R² = 0.88-0.92) and log C/N ratio (R² = 0.57-0.76), but increased linearly with log (N+O)/C (R² = 0.93-0.95). The log q_max,oc decreased linearly as log f_oc and log C/N increased, whereas it increased with log O/C, log H/C and log (N+O)/C ratios. The log q_max,oc increased linearly with (N+O)/C indicating a strong dependence of q_max,oc on the polarity index. The results showed that PCE sorption behaviors were strongly correlated with the physicochemical properties of soil organic matter (SOM).

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.3
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• pp.29-36
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• 2001

The hat excavated from the tomb of Hojeo-myon Wonsung-gun in Kangwon province was dry-cleaned and restored. The hat was made of wool felt and decorated with several strands of silk cord. It was very dirty and moth-eaten. After getting rid of the particle soils on a surface with painting brush, the hat was dry-cleaned using perchloroethylene applying the minimum force, and blotting paper was used for drying. During cleaning, it was supported by the stainless steel net. The weight loss was 7.94% after cleaning. The soils sticked on the hat was removed clearly. The texture of the hat became softer after cleaning. Color difference(∆E) was 2.57, which is a noticeable change. The color became clear and changed to the red and yellow range. After dry-cleaning, the hat was repaired. Dislocated silk cords were fixed to the right place by stitching with silk yarn. To keep the shape of the hat, it should be supported by a hat-shaped stiff net during exibition and storing.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.52-58
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• 2005

In Korea, little attention has been paid to microbial perchloroethylene (PCE) and/or trichloroethylene (TCE) dechlorination activity and identification of microorganisms involved in PCE reductive dechlorination at a PCE-contaminated aquifer. We performed microcosm tests using the groundwater samples from 4 different contaminated sites (i.e. Changwon A, Changwon B, Bucheon and Yangsan) to assess PCE reductive dechlorination activity. We also adapted molecular techniques to screen what types of known reductive dechlorinators are present at the PCE-contaminated aquifers. In the Changwon A and Changwon B active microcosms where potential electron donors such as sodium propionate, sodium lactate, sodium butyrate, and sodium fumarate, were added, ethylene, an end-product of complete reductive dechlorination of PCE, was detected after a period of 90 days of incubation. In the Bucheon and Yangsan active microcosms, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (c-DCE) was accumulated without the production of vinyl chloride (VC) and ethylene. Molecular techniques were used to evaluate the microbial community structures in the Changwon B and Yangsan aquifer. We found two sequence types that were closely related to a known PCE to ethylene dechlorinator, named uncultured bacterium clone DCE47, in the Changwon B site clone library. However, in the Yangsan site clone library, no sequence type was closely related to known PCE dechlorinators reported. It is plausible that microorganisms being capable of completely dechlorinating PCE to ethylene may be present in the Changwon B site aquifer. In this study we find that complete PCE reductive dechlorinators are present at some PCE-contaminated sites in Korea. In an engineering point of view this information makes it feasible to apply a biological reductive dechlorination process for remediating PCE- and/or TCE-contaminated aquifers in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.577-583
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• 2007

To overcome certain disadvantages of past typical control techniques for toxic contaminants emitted from various industrial processes, the current study was conducted to establish a thermal catalytic system using mesh-type transition-metal platinum(Pt)/stainless steel(SS) catalyst and to evaluate catalytic thermal destruction of five chlorinated hydrocarbons[chlorobenzene(CHB), chloroform(CHF), perchloroethylene (PCE), 1,1,1-trichloroethane(TCEthane), trichloroethylene(TCE)]. In addition, this study evaluated the catalyst poison effect on the catalytic thermal destruction. Three operating parameters tested for the thermal catalyst system included the inlet concentrations, the incineration temperature, and the residence time in the catalyst system. The thermal decomposition efficiency decreased from the highest value of 100% to the lowest value of almost 0%(CHB) as the input concentration increased, depending upon the type of chlorinated compounds. The destruction efficiencies of the four target compounds, except for TCEthane, increased upto almost 100% as the reaction temperature increased, whereas the destruction efficiency for TCEthane did not significantly vary. For the target compounds except for TCEthane, the catalytic destruction efficiencies increased up to 30% to 97% as the residence time increased from 10 sec to 60 sec, but the increase of destruction efficiency for TCEthane stopped at the residence time of 30 sec, suggesting that long residence times are not always proper for thermal destruction of VOCs, when considering the destruction efficiency and operation costs of thermal catalytic system together. Conclusively, the current findings suggest that when applying the transition-metal catalyst for the better destruction of chlorinated hydrocarbons, VOC type should be considered, along with their inlet concentrations, and reaction temperature and residence time in catalytic system. Meanwhile, the addition of high methyl sulfide(1.8 ppm) caused a drop of 0 to 50% in the removal efficiencies of the target compounds, whereas the addition of low methyl sulfide (0.1 ppm), which is lower than the concentrations of sulfur compounds measured in typical industrial emissions, did not cause.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.3532-3540
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• 2011

In order to improve flux of PTMSP/PDMS dense membrane, PTMSP/PDMS-PEI composite membrane with PEI support was prepared by phase inversion process and dip coating. These membranes were evaluated in terms of the removal of volatile organic compounds such as PCE, TCE, chloroform, 1,1,1-trichloroethane from wastewater by pervaporation. The selectivity and flux of PTMSP/PDMS dense membranes was in the range of 216.2 to 2394.4 and 244.3 to 428.2g/m2h, respectively. And pervaporation property of PTMSP/PDMS-PEI composite membrane was in the range of 215.5 to 2404.2 and 390.4 to 728.6g/m2h, respectively. PTMSP/PDMS-PEI composite membrane has remarkably greater flux than dense membranes with similar selectivity. It was possible for polymeric membranes used in this study to remove PCE selectively which is dissolved small quantity in water among other separable solutes. PTMSP/PDMS-PEI composite membrane showed the best performances among the silicone polymeric membranes, and has better durability and mechanical strength than dense membranes. PTMSP/PDMS-PEI composite membrane should be a useful candidate for the removal of volatile organic compounds dissolved in wastewater.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.712-722
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• 2007

This study screened three natural ores (iron, mangenase, and zinc), two types of slags, and two elemental metals (elemental iron and zinc) to evaluate transformation characteristics of CAH mixtures [e.g. Carbontetrachloride (CT), 1,1,1-Trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA), and Perchloroethene (PCE)]. To select an effective metal medium to treat the CAH mixtures, we measured transformation capacities (CAH mass ultimately transformed/mass of metal added) and the degree of dechlorination. We also considered economical efficiency of the metal media by comparing the value, CAH mass ultimately transformed divided by the price of metal medium added. A simplified mathematical model adapting CAH transformation capacity, first-order transformation kinetics, and available mass of metal transforming CAH was developed and used for estimating CAH transformation rate coefficient and longevity of the metal medium. CAH transformation capacity for elemental iron and elemental zinc were 4258~7129 and $4215{\sim}6330{\mu}g\;CAH\;transformed/g$ metal added, respectively, which are a factor of 80~200 higher than slags and natural ores. They also showed a factor of 1.1 to 2.2 greater degree of dechlorination than the others. Among natural ores and slags, Zinc ore showed the highest transformation capacity, $47{\sim}53{\mu}g\;CAH\;transformed/g$ metal added. Although zinc ore have smaller transformation capacity than elemental metals, economical efficiency of zinc ore is a factor of 10~20 greater than elemental metals tested. Consequently, zinc ore would be more economical medium than the others tested in this study. We estimated the pseudo first-order transformation rate of zinc ore was in the order of CT > 1,1,1-TCA > PCE.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.312-321
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• 2013

Objective: In May 2011, an interview with three United States Forces Korea veterans revealed that chemicals believed to be 'Agent Orange' were buried at Camp Carroll (situated in Waegwan, Chilgok-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea) in 1978. Many hazardous chemicals, such as perchloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), and organochlorines were subsequently found in a joint US-ROK environmental investigation, although dioxins or burial evidence related to 'Agent Orange' have been not uncovered. This study was carried out to investigate the relevance of hazardous chemical exposure and health effects of the residents around Camp Carroll. Methods: The authors conducted a health questionnaire survey among residents around Camp Carroll regarding Waegwan groundwater ingestion, length of residence in Waegwan, and physician-diagnosed disease history (such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes and etc.). Logistic regression was performed to identify the associations between hazardous chemical exposure and physician-diagnosed diseases. Results: Among the 5,320 residents, excluding those living outside the Waegwan area, 3,430 subjects age 30 and over were analyzed. Among females, upon correction of age, smoking history and Camp Carroll working history, a higher distribution in the Waegwan groundwater ingestion group was demonstrated for patients with physician-diagnosed cancer and hypertension. The odds ratios have a tendency to increase with increased length of Waegwan groundwater ingestion. Conclusions: This study may be limited by not adopting a cohort study for the evaluation of factors that may confound environmental exposure. Yet it is meaningful that the correlation between Waegwan groundwater ingestion and chronic diseases were found through regression analysis in female; and further, this outcome may be used as a sampling basis for a secondary epidemiologic study.