• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제48권3호
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• pp.131-137
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• 2022

Public interest has been increasing the focus on the management of exposure to pollutants and the related health effects. This study reviewed exposure assessment methodologies and addressed future directions. Exposure can be assessed by direct (exposure monitoring) or indirect approaches (exposure modelling). Exposure modelling is a cost-effective tool to assess exposure among individuals, but direct personal monitoring provides more accurate exposure data. There are several population exposure models: stochastic human exposure and dose simulation (SHEDS), air pollutants exposure (APEX), and air pollution exposure distributions within adult urban population in Europe (EXPOLIS). A South Korean population exposure model is needed since the resolution of ambient concentrations and time-activity patterns are country specific. Population exposure models could be useful to find the association between exposure to pollutants and adverse health effects in epidemiologic studies. With the advancement of sensor technology and the internet of things (IoT), exposure assessment could be applied in a real-time surveillance system. In the future, environmental health services will be useful to protect and promote human health from exposure to pollutants.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.207-214
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• 2006

This study was designed to assess the level of nitrogen dioxide from several microenvironments including inside the home, outdoors near the home, inside the school, outdoors near the school, and on the road for 42 primary schoolchildren during the month of December 2002 in Seoul, Korea. The average personal, indoor, outdoor $NO_2$ levels, and indoor/outdoor ratio were 45.08 ppb, 27.89 ppb, 30.96 ppb, and 0.89, respectively. The indoor $NO_2$ concentrations were significantly associated with the presence of a smoker with a gas stove. The estimated personal $NO_2$ exposure using time-weighted average equation of $34.64{\pm}5.29$ ppb was significantly lower than the measured personal exposure of $45.08{\pm}5.50$ ppb. Our results indicate that indoor $NO_2$ levels were associated with the presence of a smoker and a gas stove. Moreover, personal $NO_2$ exposure with a gas stove in the house was significantly higher than those without a gas stove.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.339-346
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• 2009

The objectives of this study were to introduce spatial interpolation methods which have been applied in recent papers, to apply three methods (nearest monitor, inverse distance weighting, kriging) to domestic data (Ulsan cohort) as an example of estimating the personal exposure levels. We predicted the personal exposure estimates of 2,102 participants in Ulsan cohort using spatial interpolation methods based on information of their residential address. We found that there was a similar tendency among the estimates of each method. The correlation coefficients between predictions from pairs of interpolation methods (except for the correlation coefficient between nearest montitor and kriging of CO and $SO_2$) were generally high (r=0.84 to 0.96). Even if there are some limitations such as location and density of monitoring station, spatial interpolation methods can reflect spatial aspects of air pollutant and spatial heterogeneity in individual level so that they provide more accurate estimates than monitor data alone. But they may still result in misclassification of exposure. To minimize misclassification for better estimates, we need to consider individual characteristics such as daily activity pattern.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.183-187
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• 2008

Indoor air quality can be affected by indoor sources, ventilation, decay, and outdoor levels. Various indoor and out-door combustion sources produce nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$), which is a by-product of high temperature fossil fuel combustion. Especially, the presence of gas ranges and smoking have been identified as major factors contributing to indoor $NO_2$ exposures. In this study, we compared an industrial complex area with a country area by assessing the personal exposure to $NO_2$with measurements of indoor and outdoor $NO_2$ levels in residences and by house characteristics and questionnaire. Personal exposure concentrations were significantly correlated with indoor $NO_2$ concentrations of residences in both the industrial complex area and the country area with correlation coefficients of 0.561 and 0.664, respectively, compared to outdoors. Multiple regression analysis, indicated that indoor $NO_2$ levels in residences were only affected by outdoor levels (p = 0.000) in spite of higher indoor sources such as smoking. Therefore, it is suggested that outdoor air quality as well as indoor air quality should be considered in the reduction of the personal exposure to air pollutants.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.323-329
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• 1995

The number of motor vehicles in Korea has increased to about 4 million, and the exhaust gases of these vehicles have become a more threatening factor to public health. Traffic policemen are one of the highest health risk groups since they work on roadsides where they are exposed to high levels of air pollutants. The health effects on them due to air pollution were determined by measuring personal carbon monoxide(CO) exposure and carboxyhemoglobin(COHb) level in blood. Thirty-one traffic policemen in Seoul volunteered to be subjects of the study. In October 1992, personal CO exposure was measured by a CO passive sampler. The subjects wore the CO passive sampler for 8 hours while on duty. The exposed samples were analyzed by gas chromatography. Blood samples from each subject were collected just after the exposure sampling, and were analyzed within 3 hours of blood collection by a CO-oximeter. The activities of the subjects were recorded by the subject in 30 minute intervals using an activity log sheet containing location and time spent. Personal CO exposure were ranged between 0.1 and 14.5ppm, eith an average of 5.9ppm. Carboxyhemoglobin levels ranged from 1.1% to 6.9%, with an average of 3.6%. policemen on duty outdoors had significantly higher CO exposures and COHb levels than policemen on duty indoors(p<0.01). Personal CO exposure and COHb were positively correlated, although the coefficient was not significant. The relationship between CO level and COHb level was confounded by smoking status. Among smokers, COHb level was significantly higher as CO exposure and hours worked outdoors increased.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.480-485
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• 1989

The objective of this study was to examine the correlation between personal exposure of toluene at workplace and the concentration of hippuric acid in urine of male solvent workers. The study groups are 60 toluene exposed workers who worked at video tape factory and printing factory. The results are as follows : 1. The coefficient of correlation between toluene concentration of personal exposure and concentration of urinary hippuric acid was 0.649 (regression equation Y=0.015X+0.936, Y=urinary hippuric acid concentration, X=Toluene concentration of personal exposure). 2. Urinary hippuric acid concentration of workers with TLV 100 ppm of toluene was calculated 2.44 g/L by the regression equation (Y=0.015X+0.936).

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.81-91
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• 2000

Residents who live near petrochemical industrial areas are exposed to a variety of petrochemicals, including benzene or benzene-containing liquids. It is a serious concern because some VOCs are carcinogens naturally present in petroleum and gasoline. The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to VOCs, measured by personal/indoor/outdoor air sampling, and to estimate the relationship between the air samples and biological monitoring data. Through biological monitoring, we investigated VOCs in blood and s-phenylmercapturic acid (s-PMA) , minor urinary metabolites of benzene. The external benzene exposure of subjects was measured using passive dosimeters and urinary s-PMA and blood-benzene were determined by GC/MS. More than 80% of subjects were detected for m-xylene, ethylbenzene, and toluene in blood samples and not detected at all for chloroform, 1 , 1 , 1 -trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene. The mean concentration of benzene in the breathing zone of residents was 6.3 $\mu\textrm{g}$/m$^3$, personal, indoor and outdoor concentrations were strongly correlated to each other. s-PMA detected in all subject samples was affected by personal exposure (p< 0.05) and the level was different by age (p< 0.01). Blood benzene was not affected by external benzene during these periods .

• 정보교육학회논문지
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.489-500
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• 2004

본 논문에서는 244개 국공립 초등학교 홈페이지를 직접 접속하여 불건전 정보 유통과 개인정보 노출 측면에서 학교 홈페이지의 안전 실태를 조사하였다. 홈페이지 게시판에 음란물과 상업성 광고들이 나타나는 학교가 62.7%에 달하였으며, 87.3%의 학교가 학생들의 사진, 주소, 전화번호와 같은 학생의 개인정보를 노출시키고 있었다. 분석 결과 불건전 정보의 유통은 대부분 자동등록 프로그램에 의한 것으로, 이는 무분별한 게시판 개설 및 부적절한 관리에 기인한다. 이와는 대조적으로 개인정보 노출은 교사와 학생들의 부주의한 정보관리에서 비롯되었다. 이것은 교사와 학생들이 개인정보 노출에 따른 위험성을 제대로 알지 못하고 있다는 것을 나타내는 것이다. 따라서 안전한 학교 홈페이지의 구축과 이용을 위해서는 먼저 실명에 의한 회원관리와 게시판 사용권한에 대한 통제가 강화되어야 한다. 그리고 현재 학교 홈페이지에 나타나는 역기능은 물론 잠재적 위험요인에 대한 교사의 올바른 인식이 필요하다.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.59-63
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• 2007

Objectives : Nitrogen dioxide $(NO_2)$ has been inconsistently associated with gradual decreases in lung function. Here, we studied the effects of $NO_2$ exposure in asthmatics by examining the association between changes in lung function and concentrations of $NO_2$ which were personally measured. Methods : Peak expiratory flow (PEF) and daily personal exposures to $NO_2$ were recorded on 28 patients with asthma (confirmed by methacholine provocation test) over 4 weeks. We used generalized estimating equations to assess the relationship between personal $NO_2$ exposure and PEF, adjusting for potential confounders such as age, gender, outdoor particulate matter, temperature, humidity, and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. Results : The personal $NO_2$ exposures were higher than the corresponding ambient levels. The mean personal: ambient ratio for $NO_2$ was 1.48. The personal $NO_2$ exposures were not associated with the morning PEF, evening PEF, or the diurnal PEF variability. However, environmental tobacco smoke was negatively associated with both the morning and evening PEF. Conclusions : Among the asthmatic adults who participated in this study, we found no apparent impact of personal $NO_2$ exposures on the peak expiratory flow.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.147-160
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• 2002

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are an important public health issue in Korea and many important questions remain to be addressed with respect to assessing exposure to these compounds. Because they are ubiquitous and highly volatile, special techniques must be applied in their analytic determination Valid Personal exposure assessment methods are needed to evaluate exposure frequency, duration and intensity, as well as their relationship to personal exposure characteristics. Biological monitoring is also important since it may contribute significantly in risk assessment by allowing the estimation of effective absorbed doses. This study was on ducted to establish the environmental measurement, personal dosimetry and biological monitoring methods for VOCs. These methods are needed to compare blood, urinary and exhalation breath VOC levels and to provide tools for risk assessment of VOC exposure. Passive monitors (badge type) and a active samplers (trap) for the VOCs collection were used for air sampling. Methods development included determining the minimum detectable amounts of VOCs in each media, as well as evaluating collection methods and developing analytical procedures. Method reliability was assessed by determining breakthrough volumes and comparing results between laboratories and with other methods. A total capacity of trap used in this study was 60ι. Although variable by compound, the average breakthrough was 20％. Also, there was no loss of compounds in trap even if keep for 45 day in -7$0^{\circ}C$. The recovery of active and passive methods was 69％ ~ 126％ and method detection limit was 0.24 $\mu\textrm{g}$/trap and 0.07 $\mu\textrm{g}$/badge. There was no statistical difference (P > 0.05) between active and passive methods.