어린이 주요 활동 공간에서의 금속 원소류 다경로 노출에 의한 건강 위해성 평가

This study assessed the health risk of trace elements in indoor children-facilities by multi-pathway measurements (Air, Dust, Wipe, Hand washing). The samples of indoor place were collected at various children's facilities (40 day-care houses, 42 child-care centers, 44 kindergartens, and 42 indoor playgrounds) in summer (Jul~Sep, 2007) and winter (Jan~Feb, 2008) periods, and analyzed by ICP-MS. The lifetime Excess Cancer Risks (ECRs) were estimated for carcinogen trace elements such as As, Cd, Cr and Ni. For carcinogens, the Excess Cancer Risk (ECR) was calculated by considering the process of deciding Cancer Potency Factor (CPF) and Age Dependent Adjust Factor (ADAF) of the data of adults. Both Hazard Quotients (HQs) and Hazard Index (HI) were estimated for the non-carcinogens and children sensitivity trace elements like Cd, Cu, and Cr. The average ECRs for young children were 1×10-10~1×10-6 (50%th percentile) level in all facilities. Non-carcinogens and Children's sensitivity materials did not exceed 1.0 (HQs, HI) for all subjects in all facilities. For trace elements their detection rates through multi-pathways were not high and their risk based on health risk assessment was also observed to be acceptable. In addition, through education on the risk of multi-pathway exposure of trace elements for managers of facilities as well as for users the risk control of exposure of childrenope

Indoor Exposure and Health Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) via Public Facilities PM2.5, Korea(Ⅱ)

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the pollution level (gaseous and particle phase) in the public facilities for the PAHs, non-regulated materials, forecast the risk level by the health risk assessment (HRA) and propose the guideline level. PAH assessments through sampling of particulate matter of diameter ⁄2.5 μm (PM2.5). The user and worker exposure scenario for the PAHs consists of 24-hour exposure scenario (WIES) assuming the worst case and the normal exposure scenario (MIES) based on the survey. This study investigated 20 PAH substances selected out of 32 substances known to be carcinogenic or potentially carcinogenic. The risk assessment applies major toxic equivalency factor (TEF) proposed from existing studies and estaimates individual Excess Cancer Risk (ECR). The study assesses the fine dusts (PM2.5) and the exposure levels of the gaseous and particle PAH materials for 6 spots in each 8 facility, e.g. underground subway stations, child-care facilities, elderly care facilities, super market, indoor parking lot, terminal waiting room, internet café (PCrooms), movie theater. For internet café (PC-rooms) in particular, that marks the highest PM2.5 concentration and the average concentration of 10 spots (2 spots for each cafe) is 73.3 μg/m3 (range: 6.8-185.2 μg/m3). The high level of PM2.5 seen in internet cafes was likely due to indoor smoking in most cases. For the gaseous PAHs, the detection frequency for 4-5 rings shows high and the elements with 6 rings shows low frequency. For the particle PAHs, the detection frequency for 2-3 rings shows low and the elements with 6 rings show high frequency. As a result, it is investigated that the most important PAHs are the naphthalene, acenaphthene and phenanthrene from the study of Kim et al. (2013) and this annual study. The health risk assessment demonstrates that each facility shows the level of 10-6-10-4. Considering standards and local source of pollution levels, it is judged that the management standard of the benzo (a)pyrene, one of the PAHs, shall be managed with the range of 0.5-1.2 ng/m3. Smoking and ventilation were considered as the most important PAHs exposure associated with public facility PM2.5. This study only estimated for inhalation health risk of PAHs and focused on the associated cancer risk, while multiple measurements would be necessary for public health and policy.ope

일부 다중이용시설의 휘발성유기화합물류 및 폼알데하이드 노출로 인한 건강 위해성 평가 : 호텔, 헬스장, 고시원, 독서실, 비디오방을 중심으로

This study was to assess the lifetime cancer and non-cancer risk on exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde of worker and user at public facilities in Korea. We measured the concentrations of formaldehyde and VOCs in indoor air at 160 public buildings that 5 kinds of public facilities (30 hotel, 30 fitness center, 25 gosiwon, 30 reading-room and 45 video-room) all over the country. There were estimated the human exposure dose and risks with averages of the using-time and frequency for facility users and office workers, respectively. Carcinogens (benzene and formaldehyde) were estimated the lifetime excess cancer risks (ECRs). Non-carcinogens (toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and styrene) were estimated the hazard quotients (HQs). HQs of four non-carcinogens did not exceed 1.0 for all subjects in all facilities. Higher HQs of toluene were observed at the reading-room. The average ECRs of formaldehyde and benzene for facility worker and user were 1×10-4~1×10-6 level in all facilities. The estimated ECRs for reading-room were the highest and the fitness center and gosiwon were the next higher facilities. Because lifetime ECRs of carcinogens exceeded 1×10-4 for facility worker in the most facilities, risk management of formaldehyde and benzene in the facilities was necessary. IAQ guidelines should be determined strictly to prevent occurrence of disease caused by poor IAQ beforehand.ope

A Review of the Literature on Health Effects of Ultra-fine Particles

The ultra-fine particles emitted by automobile are emerging issue because it is known to have adverse human health effect. Particles emitted from automobile and other engines are a complex mixture of elementary and organic carbons and other chemicals. Especially diesel particles are mainly composed of elemental carbon (soot) and volatile compounds derived from unburned and partially burned fuel, and lubricating oil and sulfate. More than 90% of particle number is usually in the ultra-fine particle size range. Ultra-fine particles are known to have increased ability to cause pulmonary inflammation. Adverse health effect may be explained by the greater surface area of the ultra-fine material, which delivered oxidative stress because of a greater surface for the generation of free radicals by as yet unknown mechanisms, or for release of redox-active transition metals and organics. In conclusion, over the past decade attention has been paid on physical/chemical characteristic, mechanism, toxicity, health effects, however, we do not have enough information about ultra-fine particles. So we need to conduct continuous research and management on ultra-fine particles.ope

미세먼지 농도와 심뇌혈관계 질환으로 인한 사망과의 관련성

BACKGROUND: To assess the association between ambient particulate matter and cardiovascular death in seven cities in the Republic of Korea during the period of 2002-2008. METHODS: A time-stratified case-crossover design was used to examine association between particulate matter and deaths from cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease; hypertensive disease 12,821, ischemic heart disease 39,577, cardiac arrhythmia 1,627, cerebrovascular disease 88,047. Mortality data was obtained from National Statistical Office, and hourly mean concentrations of particulate matter < or = 10 microm in aerodynamic diameter and meteorological data were obtained from the Ministry of Environment. The percent increase in the risk of death associated with an interquartile range increase in particulate matter was determined by conditional logistic regression analysis after adjusting for national holidays and meteorological factors. RESULTS: The largest association was a 0.8% increase (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1-1.6) in death risk related to an interquartile range increase in particulate matter < or = 10 microm (average of 0 to 2 days prior to the day of death). Classified as the cause of death, the association was a 1.2% increase (95% CI, 0.2-2.2) in death from cerebrovascular disease related to an interquartile range increase in particulate matter < or = 10 microm. But others were statistically not significant. After stratification of death cases by year of death, statistically significant associations were a 2.3% increase (95% CI, 0.1-4.4) in death risk from ischemic heart disease in 2002-2004 and 2.0% increase in death from cerebrovascular disease (95% CI, 0.3-3.8) in 2006-2008. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that ambient air pollution increases the risk of deaths from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease in the Republic of Korea.ope

Risk Perception and Need to Regulate towards Environmental Problems in Korea

A substantial literatures on environmental risk perception have emerged since the late 1960s. Most these works focus on how people form risk perception, on what people believe, on difficulties in communicating information about health, safety, or environmental risks to non-experts. In this study, questionnaire surveys were conducted to sample from stakeholders(general public, environmental specialist, governmental official, non-government officials, journalist) during March and Aprils, 2000. Total number of responses was 1,803 including 773 persons of general public, 353 experts, 390 governmental officials, 111 journalists and 176 NGO members. Risk perception on 26 environmental issues were statistically analyzed to relate with the need to regulate each issues, interest and knowledge, experience of hazard, satisfaction in environmental situation, etc. This research aims to aid risk analysis and policy-making by providing a basis for understanding and anticipating group responses to environmental issues and improving the communication of risk information among general public, lay-people, technical experts, and decision-makers. This study concludes that those who are in charge of promoting and regulating health and safety of citizens should understand how people perceive about and respond to environmental risk. Without such understanding, well-intended environmental policies of governments would be ineffective.ope

Development of CRS-Korea II and its Application to Setting the Priority of Toxic Chemicals for Local Provinces

A chemical ranking and scoring system, CRS - Korea, has recently been developed and proposed to use to prioritize on a screening level the toxic chemicals for monitoring and risk assessment. As CRS-Korea requires rigorous assessments prior to its wide application, an assessment was conducted in this study by examining the contribution of individual parameter score to the final chemical score or ranking. The sensitivity of the system to the default values for various parameters of missing data was also tested. The chemical ranking/score was round to depend primarily on the score of a single parameter, i. e., the chemical release, while toxicity scores show little correlation with the priority Further analysis indicated that the dominating effect of the chemical release results from i) its multiplicative relationship with the other two exposure parameters (biodegradation and persistent) and ii) the fact that a maximum score of 10 was assigned to the chemical release parameter while 5 was assigned for all others. AE the fraction of the data that are missing exceeded 70% for various toxicity parameters at compared to less than 10% for exposure parameters, the sensitivity of the ranking to the default value was not significant (rank correlation coefficient = 0.98) for toxicity parameters. Bated on this assessment, an improved CRS system (CRS - Korea II) was proposed in which the impact of the chemical release was properly adjusted by changing the multiplicative relationship to additive one and the maximum score to 5. Chemical priority was derived for each of 16 provinces by using CRS-Korea II. The chemical priority was found to significantly vary among the provinces. It was concluded that not only the national chemical priority but the local chemical priority should be taken into account in setting the nationwide chemical monitoring and risk assessment strategy.ope

Air pollution and daily mortality in Seoul and Ulsan, Korea

The relationship between air pollution and daily mortality for the period 1991-1995 was examined in two Korean cities, Seoul and Ulsan. The observed concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2; mean = 28.7 ppb), ozone (O3; mean = 29.2 ppb), and total suspended particulates (TSP; mean = 82.3 microg/m3) during the study period were at levels below Korea's current ambient air quality standards. Daily death counts were regressed separately in the two cities, using Poisson regression on SO2, O3, and/or TSP controlling for variability in the weather and seasons. When considered singly in Poisson regression models controlling for seasonal variations and weather conditions, the nonaccidental mortality associated with a 50-ppb increment in a 3-day moving average of SO2 concentrations, including the concurrent day and the preceding 2 days, was 1.078 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.057-1.099] for Seoul and 1.051 (CI, 0.991-1.115) for Ulsan. The rate ratio was 1.051 (CI, 1.031-1.072) in Seoul and 0.999 (CI, 0. 961-1.039) in Ulsan per 100 microg/m3 for TSP, and 1.015 (CI, 1. 005-1.025) in Seoul and 1.020 (0.889-1.170) in Ulsan per 50 ppb for 1-hr maximum O3. When TSP was considered simultaneously with other pollutants, the TSP association was no longer significant. We observed independent pollution effects on daily mortality even after using various approaches to control for either weather or seasonal variables in the regression model. This study demonstrated increased mortality associated with air pollution at both SO2 and O3 levels below the current World Health Organization recommendations.ope

Exposure Assessment and Health Risk of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) Flame Retardants in Indoor Environments of Children’s Facilities in Korea

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Assessment of adult daily intake/uptake for dioxins in Korea

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