• Land and Housing Review
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2022

In this study, titanium dioxide photocatalyst was applied to the ventilation system to reduce particulate matter and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which are representative indoor harmful substances. A reaction device capable of installing an ultraviolet lamp was designed and manufactured so that the pollutant decomposition effect of the titanium dioxide photocatalyst identified through previous studies could be applied indoors. The reaction device was used on the indoor ventilation system and applied to the Mock-Up test. As a result of the Mock-up test, the NOx reduction performance according to the change in air volume once per hour and five times per hour was confirmed. As a result, it was confirmed that as the number of ventilation increases, the NOx reduction time decreases proportionally, and the reduction performance increases.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.86-94
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• 2020

This study serves as basic research for the development of a new wood-based building finishing material that improved the weakness of inorganic materials such as gypsum board and magnesium board widely used as interior finishing materials and brought out the strength of the wood. The results of evaluating the physical and mechanical properties and the environmental effect related to hazardous substance discharge having manufactured a wood-magnesium laminated composite are as follows. The thermal conductivity and thermal resistance of WML board was improved by about 28~109 percent over magnesium board due to the low thermal conductivity of wood. The adhesive strength of WML board showed a similar result to that of plywood as it exceeds 0.7N/㎟, the adhesive standard of wood veneer which is presented by KS F 3101. Bending strength and screw holding strength were more improved by manufacturing WML board than magnesium board. The WML board manufactured in this study satisfied the criteria for emissions of hazardous substances prescribed in the Indoor Air Quality Control Act, and confirmed the possibility of development as a new wood-based composite material that can replace existing inorganic materials.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.237-241
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• 2014

Benzene is a hazardous air pollutant, classified as carcinogenic to humans, that requires special management. Benzene exists both indoors and outdoors and the control measure of indoor benzene is different from that of outdoor benzene. The removal of indoor benzene needs to be accomplished at low temperatures (normally below $100^{\circ}C$), while outdoor benzene is usually removed at much higher temperature ($300-400^{\circ}C$) by using catalytic oxidation. This review paper summarizes the recent trend in catalytic treatment of airborne benzene, focusing on catalytic oxidation and catalytic ozone oxidation. Particular attention is paid to Mn-based catalysts for low-temperature oxidation of benzene, which are more economical than the other noble-metal catalysts. Various methods are used to generate more efficient Mn-based catalysts for benzene removal. Ozone oxidation is attracting particularly significant attention because it can remove benzene effectively below $100^{\circ}C$, even at room temperature.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.1263-1271
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• 2013

Graphene oxide (GO)-titania composites have emerged as an attractive heterogeneous photocatalyst that can enhance the photocatalytic activity of $TiO_2$ nanoparticles owing to their potential interaction of electronic and adsorption natures. Accordingly, $TiO_2$-GO mixtures were synthesized in this study using a simple chemical mixing process, and their heterogeneous photocatalytic activities were investigated to determine the degradation of airborne organic pollutants (benzene, ethyl benzene, and o-xylene (BEX)) under different operational conditions. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results demonstrated the presence of GO for the $TiO_2$-GO composites. The average efficiencies of the $TiO_2$-GO mixtures for the decomposition of each component of BEX determined during the 3-h photocatalytic processes were 26%, 92%, and 96%, respectively, whereas the average efficiencies of the unmodified $TiO_2$ powder were 3%, 8%, and 10%, respectively. Furthermore, the degradation efficiency of the unmodified $TiO_2$ powder for all target compounds decreased during the 3-h photocatalytic processes, suggesting a potential deactivation even during such a short time period. Two operational conditions (air flow entering into the air-cleaning devices and the indoor pollution levels) were found to be important factors for the photocatalytic decomposition of BEX molecules. Taken together, these results show that a $TiO_2$-GO mixture can be applied effectively for the purification of airborne organic pollutants when the operating conditions are optimized.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.247-257
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• 2019

Objectives: The Korea Ministry of Environment regulates concentrations of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) through Atmosphere Environmental Standards to protect public health from HAPs. However, simply determining the exceedance of HAP concentrations has several limitations and more comprehensive assessment is required. In addition, integrated risk assessment is needed considering exposure in all microenvironments, including outdoor as well as indoor environments. The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in risk by sub-population groups according to time-activity patterns and reported concentrations, as well as the lifetime risk for Koreans. Methods: In this study, we calculated time-weighted average exposure concentrations for benzene and $PM_{10}$ among preschool-age children, students, housewifes, workers, and the elderly using residential time and concentrations for indoor (house, school or workplace, other), outdoor, and transport by the meta-analysis method. The risk assessments were conducted by excess cancer risk and disease death risk using 1,000,000 Monte-Carlo simulations for probabilistic analysis. Results: Preschool-age children, students, housewifes, workers, and the elderly spent 91.9, 86.0, 79.8, 82.2, and 77.3% of their day in their house, workplace, or school, respectively. The more than 99% excess cancer risk for benzene exceed 1.0E-06 in all sub-populations and lifetime. The acute disease death risk for $PM_{10}$ for housewifes and workers for lifetime were 3.35E-04 and 3.18E-04, and chronic disease death risks were 2.84E-03 and 2.70E-03, respectively. Conclusions: The risk of benzene and $PM_{10}$ by sub-population group and for the lifetime of housewifes and workers were assessed. Benzene showed risky results for this study. All disease death risks of $PM_{10}$ were higher than 1.0E-04 and showed different risks by sub-population. This study can be used as a basis for lifetime exposure and risk assessment to benzene and $PM_{10}$.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.24-37
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• 2007

The Korean Ministry of Environment started controlling indoor air quality (IAQ) in 2004 through the introduction of a law regulating the use of pollutant emitting building materials. The use of materials with formaldehyde emission levels above $1.25 mg/m^2{\cdot}h$ (JIS A 1901, small chamber method) has been prohibited. This level is equivalent to the $E_2$ grade ($>5.0mg/{\ell}$) of the desiccator method (JIS A 1460). However, the $20{\ell}$ small chamber method requires a 7-day test time to obtain the formaldehyde and volatile organic compound (VOC) emission results from solid building interior materials. As a approach to significantly reduce the test time, the field and laboratory emission cell (FLEC) has been proposed in Europe with a total test time less than one hour. This paper assesses the reproducibility of testing formaldehyde and TVOC emissions from wood-based composites such as medium density fiberboard (MDF), laminate flooring, and engineered flooring using three methods: desiccator, perforator and FLEC. According to the desiccator and perforator standards, the formaldehyde emission level of each flooring was ${\le}E_1$ grade. The formaldehyde emission of MDF was $3.48 mg/{\ell}$ by the desiccator method and 8.57 g/100 g by the perforator method. To determine the formaldehyde emission, the peak areas of each wood-based composite were calculated from aldehyde chromatograms obtained using the FLEC method. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde and benzaldehyde were detected as aldehyde compounds. The experimental results indicated that MDF emitted chloroform, benzene, trichloroethylene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p-xy-lene, styrene, and o-xylene. MDF emitted significantly greater amounts of VOCs than the floorings did.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.23-33
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• 2008

After the concept of apartments was introduced in 1960s in Korea, on account of the development of architectural technology and science, high-rise residences in Korea are getting higher, and these residences have been becoming high-rise commercial/residential buildings since 1990. Nowadays, as the construction of high-rise commercial residential building complex is booming, the difference between these complex and high-rise apartments is getting smaller, and these two kind of high-rise residences are becoming new residential style in Korea. And these high-rise residences are considered the symbol of wealth owing to the marketing strategy emphasizing high quality, refined interior, a fair view, and the protection of privacy. However, high-rise residences bring about many problems related to health and psychology caused by the consumption of a large amount of energy, pollutant emission, the deterioration of the quality of indoor air, and vibration. For this reason, in this study, we tried to emphasize the necessity of environment-friendly access to provide healthy living environment and to reduce the negative effect of housing life in high-rise residences, and find the method to improve environment-friendly quality and health of residents in interior space. Therefore, this study aims to detect the problems and the items to be improved of interior spaces of high-rise residences by quantitative, qualitative analysis of the evaluation elements and the floor planning elements deduced from environment-friendly architectural certification in Korea and the other countries, and suggest the guideline to improve the environment-friendly quality of these interior spaces.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.10 no.2 s.31
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• pp.1-6
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• 2006

In this study we proposed on effect of the photodecomcomposition of coated nanofiber by $Pd/TiO_2$ for the removal of formaldehyde gas as indoor air pollutant. The photocatalytic reactor was setup in the inside of rectangular box (volume 2 l), UV lamp and the coating nanofiber with $Pd/TiO_2$. This study investigated the reaction rate and the adsorption constant of Langmuir-Heinshelwood, conversion of formaldehyde gas on temperature ($40^{\circ}C{\sim}80^{\circ}C$), effect of conversion (%) under different concentration, and effect of conversion (%) with humidity level on added $SO_2$ gas. As results, the rate constant (k) and adsorption constant (ft) were 114.94ppmv/min, $0.0036ppmv^{-1}$, respectively. and the conversion (%) of formaldehyde gas on temperature ($40^{\circ}C{\sim}80^{\circ}C$) was decreased to about 24%, compare with the first conversion (%). In conversion effect of increasing humidity levels, the presence of sulfur dioxide further decreased than without sulfur dioxide. the decreasing reason of conversion with presence sulfur dioxide judged as a cause of interference factor on the decrease of contact chance with photocatalysts.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.873-900
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• 2007

Non-market valuation studies tend to assume that individual households have homogeneous preferences for a non-market good to value. However, since the preferences for non-market goods, especially environmental goods are more likely to be heterogeneous by nature, it may be more appropriate to assume heterogeneous preferences for non-market goods, which may in turn may lead to reduced biases in the WTP estimation. This study investigate the extent to which individual households have heterogeneous preferences for reduced concentrations of radon, a radioactive indoor air pollutant, for road safety, and for nuclear power safety. We also analyze the effect of heterogeneity assumption on the results of model and WTP estimation. Using the choice experiments and mixed logit models, we found that allowing for heterogeneous preferences improved model fitness and that there existed heterogeneous preferences for both reduced radon concentration and road safety, albeit not for nuclear power safety. The mean WTP for reduced radon concentrations and road safety increased by factors of 2.44 and l.74 respectively with the models allowing for heterogeneous preferences.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.113-125
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• 2019

Objectives: Although the risk assessments for nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$) and ozone ($O_3$) have been extensively studied, most of the existing risk assessments were limited mainly to indoor environments such as workplaces, schools, and multi-use facilities. Therefore, integrated risk assessment is needed to consider exposure in all microenvironments, including outdoors. The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in risk among sub-population groups according to time-activity patterns and reported concentrations, as well as the lifetime risk of Koreans. Methods: In this study, we estimated time-weighted average exposure concentrations of $NO_2$ and $O_3$ for preschool children, students, housewives, workers, and seniors using residential time and indoor concentrations (house, school or workplace, other), outdoors, and transport by meta-analysis method. The risk for $NO_2$ and $O_3$ were assessed by hazard quotient using reference concentrations 30 and 60 ppb, respectively. The risk assessments were conducted through 1,000,000 Monte-Carlo simulations for probabilistic analysis. Results: Preschool children, students, housewives, workers, and seniors spent 91.9, 86.0, 79.8, 82.2, and 77.3% of their day in a house, school, or workplace, respectively. The risk assessment for the lifetime of a housewife and a worker showed that 33.8 and 28.4% of hazard quotients of $NO_2$ exceed 1, respectively, and more than 99% of hazard quotient of $O_3$ were less than 1. Conclusions: The risk of $NO_2$ and $O_3$ by sub-population group and for the lifetime of housewives and workers were assessed. The risk for $NO_2$ was higher than for $O_3$ and showed a different risk by sub-population group. Both $NO_2$ and $O_3$ showed a higher risk for housewives than for workers. This study can be used as a basis for lifetime exposure and risk assessment for $NO_2$ and $O_3$.