An elementary school is an important public place for children and it is where they spend most of their days. Ten elementary schools of environmental pollutants were measured in the classroom, playground and school zones (June 19 ~ Nov 1, 2012). Dust measurements of some schools were more indoor air. Measurements of black carbon concentrations were higher overall school zones. Also, in the case of formaldehyde, benzene and some environmental standards were exceeded. In the case of outdoor pollutants not statistically significant, but in some cars and vans that were correlated with pollutants. Thus, strategies and actions are necessary that will protect the health of children in schools from environmental pollutants.

Recently, functional building materials which are made of sorption materials have been widely used as board products, inorganic paints and wall papers. These remove chemical substances(VOCs, HCHO) from indoor air by physical sorption or chemical reaction and control humidity by capillary condensation. Also these materials have been used as countermeasures to sick building syndrome (SBS). However, in case of using internal building materials, the hazardous substances affecting to indoor air quality are emitted from not only the material itself but also the subsidiary materials such as adhesives for construction. Particularly in case of wallpaper and flooring material, the amount of emission from adhesives for construction is larger than that from the material itself. Therefore, this research tried to develop a technology system that can improve the performance of adsorption, absorption and desorption of moisture including the construction process that can affect to indoor air quality. To attend this end, ‘porous securement manufacturing technology system’ and ‘porous keeping construction technology system’ are developed that can secure more micropores in the process of production and construction of inorganic paint and maintain them. Consequently the reduction performance of chemical substances(VOCs, HCHO) concentrations and the humidity control performance improved almost over 30% by the technology system of the Inorganic paint.

In this study, the characteristic of the facilities and indoor environment for the senior citizens nursing facilities of Kyeonggki and Seoul-total 30 facilities;10 facilities in Seoul and 20 facilities in Kyeonggki from January to December in 2007. In the result of surveying indoor and outdoor pollution degree of 30 senior citizens nursing facilities, the average geometric concentration of indoor and outdoor TVOCs were 264.11 ㎍/㎥ and 162.63 ㎍/㎥, respectively. On the other hand, the average geometric concentration of indoor and outdoor HCHO were 22.76 ㎍/㎥ and 9.55 ㎍/㎥, respectively. The concentration ratio of indoor and outdoor air pollutants were 1.21, 1.23, 1.62 and 2.38 for benzene, toluene, TVOCs and HCHO, respectively. The concentrations of toluene, TVOCs and HCHO were 31.40 ㎍/㎥, 274.30 ㎍/㎥ and 24.17 ㎍/㎥ in the building constructed after 2000. On the other hand, The concentrations of toluene, TVOCs and HCHO were 27.99 ㎍/㎥, 248.54 ㎍/㎥ and 20.48 ㎍/㎥ in the building constructed before 2000. As the constructed year was not late, low concentration was indicated. In the facilities using carpet or not, the concentration of toluene, TVOCs and HCHO were 50.50 ㎍/㎥, 342.73 ㎍/㎥ and 32.94 ㎍/㎥, respectively, in the facilities using carpet. On the other hand, the concentration of toluene, TVOCs and HCHO were 29.35 ㎍/㎥, 261.41 ㎍/㎥ and 22.40 ㎍/㎥, respectively, in the facilities using no carpet. The concentrations were presented higher in the facilities where carpet exits.

The light trespass problem still has not been solved for a long time because of the complex influences of the reflection or overlap lights. To solve the light trespass problem, the assessment of the characteristics of the spilt light carry out firstly. In this study, we estimated the light trespass reducing performance of various load lightings using by RELUX lighting simulation program. In the simulation program, we designed the lighting environment according to the streetlight installation guideline by the ministry of land, transport and maritime affairs. And we estimated the light trespass caused by roadway lighting from first floor position to fourth floor position. And we compare the light trespass caused by back light of the roadway lighting with the light trespass caused by forward light. Then we estimated the effect of light trespass by improving the light distribution of roadway lighting from Backlight rating 3 to Backlight rating zero. From the research, we find that the light trespass caused by roadway lighting maximize at the first floor position of the house. And the light trespass contribution rate by backlight and forward light is 66 percentage and 33 percentage respectively. And we estimated that the light trespass can be decreased about 40 % by improving the backlight. The result derived from this research will be helpful to establish the light pollution reduction plan to minimize the adverse effect by the spilt light from the roadway lighting.

Since airborne fungi have been known to aggravate indoor air quality, studies on developing anti-fungal filters increase recently. In this study, silver (Ag) nanoparticle was selected as anti-fungal agent. HEPA filter was coated with silver nanoparticles which were generated via spark discharge system operating at atmospheric pressure and temperature. The anti-fungal effect of the Ag-filter was evaluated with the conventional culture assay. When the number of Ag nano particle per a fungal particle in the filter was 1.91X106, the fungicidal efficiency was higher than 99%. As another anti-fungal test, ATP bioluminiscence detection method was also carried out and the results were correlated with those of the culture assay.

Developing proper reduction strategies of indoor radon which have been an important issue in Korea requires proper information on source characteristics a phosphate gypsum board which is a common building material used for inter-wall thermal protection in Korea could be a major source of indoor radon level. This study evaluated the correlation between indoor radon concentration and the attribution of gypsum board content in building materials. In this study we valuated indoor/outdoor radon from 58 facilities selected based on the information availability of gypsum content in the building material across 8 different cities in Korea. Our results showed that indoor radon concentrations were 2 to 3 times higher than outdoor but those results were not significantly attributed from gypsum contents in the building material. Indeed, phosphate content in gypsum board did not significantly play a role in indoor radon level variations. It is concluded that physical environmental condition such as temperature, relative humidity, radon exhalation rate out of each building materials, as well as pathway from external sources (e.g., soil) needs to be identified to develop indoor radon reduction strategies.

The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of government's asbestos management policy for asbestos managers in school and asbestos industries, who are stakeholders related to asbestos, and the general public. The purpose is to suggest preliminary data for the establishment of communication methodology of asbestos risk, fit for the features of each audiences, by grasping the features of risk communication by each element for each group survey. For this study, a questionnaire survey has been conducted from May to August in 2012 and the responses of 617 people including 214 school asbestos managers, 95 managers related to asbestos industry and 308 the general people have been analyzed. As a result of the measurement of asbestos risk, the perception degree of general asbestos risk is higher in general public than the expert group's one, women than men, and nonsmokers than smokers. For the reliability of government's asbestos risk management, it was shown that it is the highest in school asbestos managers with public official personalities, who are a quasi-expert group for asbestos, than any other groups, the expert group of managers related to asbestos industry is in the middle level and general public group is in the lowest level. For trust in of government policy, it was shown that it is higher in school asbestos managers, than in group of managers related to asbestos industry, and the general public has a similar level of reliability with the group of managers related to asbestos industry. After consideration of path coefficient by structural equation modeling in order to investigate the relation between factors that the trust affects of asbestos management policy among the variables of awareness of asbestos management policy, it has been shown that the main factor in reliability of asbestos policy in all investigated groups was an awareness of information sharing for asbestos policy, and the second factor was reliability in government's asbestos risk management.

Generally, the traffic noise occurring on roads has emerged as an important factor that harms the residential environment. Because of the noise, residents living near roads have been causing civil complaints. Therefore, it is required to evaluate road traffic noise during the whole procedures of building an apartment, ranging from design to construction. And if an evaluated noise exceeds regulation standards, some measures to prevent the noise, such as installation of soundproof walls, and other kinds of plans should be prepared. In this point, this work measured road traffic noise in a site of housing land development, investigated its characteristics, and used a simulation program to predict outdoor noise on the basis of the data about traffic effect evaluation, design drawing, and the data about site measurement. Based on the prediction, it also predicted indoor noise. It is judged that this research will serve as an important material to establish soundproof measures on the basis of prediction of traffic noise in building an apartment.

The children of daycare center are sensitive to indoor environmental pollution. This study was a preliminary investigation for improving the environmental and healthy quality of daycare centers. The sampling of sites in daycare centers was undertaken three times such as day-morning (10:00-12:00), afternoon (16:00-20:00), following dawn (04:00-08:00)-at 21 daycare centers located in Seoul, Korea from April, 2012 to July, 2012. The mean concentrations of TVOC were 255.2, 217.0, and 439.4 μg/m3 at morning, afternoon, and following dawn, respectively. The daycare center indoor/outdoor ratios on the most targeted volatile organic compounds were above 1.0 except that for carbon tetrachloride, which was almost 1.0. Significant correlations (p<0.01) were observed between indoor and outdoor carbon tetrachloride, which implies that indoor carbon tetrachloride could be largely accounted for by outdoor sources. The other targeted indoor volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, styrene, xylenes, chloroform showed no significant correlations with that of outdoor.

Recently, airborne fungi as indoor air pollutant have attention due to its health related problems such as asthma, rhinitis, sinusitis, atopy, pneumonia, building syndrome and etc.. However, it is considered that current laws and policies in Korea are not efficient to deal with these problems. Our research investigated influential factors and species distribution on the basis of previous research related to airborne fungi issue conduced in Korea by applying meta analysis technique. We selected 15 articles containing variables affecting fungi population such as outdoor air characteristics, temperature, location, and ventilation to evaluate significant factors. It was confirmed that airborne fungi level has partial correlation to those factors despite of limited sample size. It is required that the consistent and systematic research effort should be extended to characterize health effect caused by these fungi as well as to control them efficiently.

This study was performed to investigate the distribution of indoor air pollutants in medical facility in Gyeonggi-do area from February to November, 2012, and to conduct the health risk assessment from obtained data. PM10, CO₂, formaldehyde, CO, and total bacteria count(TBC) did not exceed the maintained standards, but mean concentration of TVOC was 402.3 ㎍/㎥ and thirteen of them exceeded the recommended standard. In the concentration distribution of pollutants for the monthly samples, CO₂, formaldehyde, TVOC, TBC were the highest level in August. From the factor analysis of indoor air pollution provided three factors; the first factor was seasonal factor (indoor temperature and humidity, TBC and formaldehyde), the second factor was ventilation factor (CO₂, PM10 and CO), and the third factor was building(or interior) factor (TVOCs). In the health risk assessment results, the excess carcinogenesis of formaldehyde for resonable maximum exposure worker was 1.21×10-⁴ which means exceeding the cancer criteria(1.0×10-⁴). We confirmed the probability of health effect caused by TVOC. The lifetime excess cancer risk of carcinogens(benzene, formaldehyde) and hazard quotient of non-carcinogens(toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, styrene), and risk of regulation substances(PM10, CO₂) were safety level for inpatients and out patients.

We estimated decreasing rate of indoor air pollutants with are airborne bacteria, airborne fungi, formaldehyde, total volatile organic compounds, PM10, and PM2.5 in 10 children’s hospitals and 6 childbirth houses located in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do from November to December in 2012. Sectional period was respectively divided for operating and non-operating the air cleaners. There was a trend that concentration of surveyed pollutants in children’s hospitals and childbirth houses during operating period decreased among indoor air. We used Monte-Calro simulation to remove uncertainty and identify efficiency of eliminated pollutants such as surveyed pollutants by the air cleaners. Average efficiency of removal were 61.39 ± 21.42% for airborne bacteria, 71.77 ± 19.65% for airborne fungi, 73.37 ± 24.62% for formaldehyde, 71.20 ± 25.96% for total volatile organic compounds, 65.16 ± 23.80% for PM10, and 71.06 ± 23.97% for PM2.5.

The objective of this study is to offer basic scientific data to support policy decision-making for the improved control of nitrogen dioxide(NO₂) and nitrous acid(HONO) in residence. The survey on concentration of NO₂and HONO in 20 houses in Seoul and Daegu was performed from January to February, 2013. Average NO₂concentrations in the kitchen, living room, and room were 25.7 ± 7.7 ppb, 24.3 ± 8.5 ppb, and 19.6 ± 5.6 ppb, respectively. Also, average HONO concentration were 3.6 ± 1.0 ppb, 3.1 ± 0.9 ppb, and 3.1 ± 0.9 ppb, respectively. NO₂and HONO concentration in kitchen were significantly higher than the concentration in the living room and room(p<0.05). Concentration ratios of HONO/NO2 were ranged to 0.070 0.277 for indoor air and 0.004 0.161 for outdoor air. Indoor HONO/NO2 ratios were higher than the outdoor HONO/NO₂ratios.

This field study was performed to investigate indoor concentrations of 22 odorous compounds, which are regulated by the domestic act, emitted from poultry buildings through on-site visit per month from July, 2011 to June, 2012. Of 22 odorous compounds, the highest concentration was found in ammonia with ppm unit, followed by hydrogen sulfide, methyl ethyl ketone, propionic acid and butylic acid with ppb unit of approximate hundred level. The other odorous compounds were detected below ppb unit of approximate ten level. A remarkable finding is that there is no poultry building which showed the airborne levels of five aldehyde- based odorous compounds (acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, n-valeraldehyde and i-valeraldehyde). Generally there was no consistent concentration distribution of odorous compounds between poultry building applied with forced ventilation and poultry building applied with natural ventilation. It was found, however, that there was considerable concentration difference among odorous compounds. In temporal distribution of odorous compounds, their concentrations in summer season (June to August) when ventilation rate in poultry building decreased relatively were generally higher than those in winter season (December to February) when ventilation rate in poultry building is relatively high. The seasons of spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) showed middle levels of odorous compounds between summer and winter. The limit of this study is that unexpected conditions such as clearance of poultry building, poultry shipment and disorder of air pump were not controlled intentionally on the on-site investigation days.

The objective of this study is to support an environmental policy related to the improved control of indoor airborne fungi in Korea. We reviewed 15 articles published in Korea to analyse the trend of airborne fungi level in indoor environment of various public facilities. The maximum mean concentrations of total airborne fungi in hospital and kindergarten were 1447 CFU/m3 and 1259 CFU/m3, respectively. We concluded that policy determination are urgently required to guide a proper management on airborne fungi in Korea.

As indoor air cleaners have large sizes and high air flow rates, the test methods for particle cleaning capacity need to be reconsidered because the prescribed test chamber size becomes relatively smaller. In this study, air flow rate of air cleaners compared to test chamber size (Q/V) has been investigated by comparing the short-circuit factor which indicates the air mixed condition in the test chamber. The test method of Korea Air Cleaning Association (KACA) has been analysed and compared to that of Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) for clean air delivery rate (CADR) of two household air conditioners equipped with air cleaners having a maximum air flow rate of 15 m³/min in terms of initial particle concentrations, neutralized/non-charged particles, delay time before acquiring initial particle concentration, sampling positions. Constant short-circuit factor of about 0.9 was obtained in the range of Q/V less than 0.73 min^-1. CADR based on KACA test method was somewhat dependent on initial particle concentrations, delay time before acquiring initial concentration, sampling positions. However, CADR based on AHAM test method was less dependent. Two or three minutes of delay time before acquiring initial concentration was necessary to reduce the variation of CADR according to initial particle concentration and sampling position.

This study investigated viability variation of airborne bacteria in indoor environments. The survival in air as a temporal function of bioaerosol viability was reported for Escherichia coli (KCCM 12119, ATCC 11775). Bacteria suspended in distilled water were aerosolized and entered the vertical duct oriented downward. After measurement of number concentration and colony forming unit (CFU) of the bacteria at different locations of the duct, the viability function was calculated. It was found that the bacteria viability(%) decreased with time after aerosolization, 28.454e^-0.132x (x:time, min). This study demonstrated the potential application of viability function of airborne bacteria to studies of exposure assessment and infection risk analysis.

This study investigated the effect of smoking on Indoor Air Quality in smoking allowed buildings. Total 26 buildings(Restaurants 3, Billiards 4, Karaokes 6, Golfs 7, Pubs 6) were surveyed for nicotine, PM₁₀, CO₂, CO, NO₂, HCHO, TVOCs, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, styrene and xylene at quiet and busy time, respectively. The concentrations of nicotine, PM₁₀, CO₂ and benzene were significantly higher(p<0.05) at busy time compared to the quiet time. Some buildings exceeded Indoor Air Quality Standards for PM₁₀, CO₂, HCHO and TVOCs. Our results show that smoking-ban legistration should be introduced to improve Indoor Air Quality.

The objective of the present study was to estimate the health risk level for children exposed to phthalate and identify the pathways including indoor floor dust, surface wipe and hand wipe in elementary-schools and institutes. The samples of indoor place were collected at children's facilities (50 elementary-schools and 46 academies) in summer (Aug ~ Sept, 2008), winter (Dec 2008 ~ Feb, 2009) and Spring (Mar ~ Apr, 2009) periods. Hazard Index (HI) were estimated for the non-carcinogens and the examined phthalate were diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP). Risk analysis indicates that did not exceed 0.01 (HI) for all subjects in all facilities it's 50^th % and 95^th % value. For DEHP, DnBP and BBzP their detection rates through multi-pathways were high and their risk based on health risk assessment was also observed to be acceptable.

Information on time spent in microenvironments has a critical role in individuals’ exposure assessment. Time-activity studies have become an integral part of comprehensive exposure assessment and personal exposure modeling. The aims of this study were to estimate the exposure level of NO₂, PM₁₀ and VOCs, and to compare the estimated exposure by using time-activity pattern and indoor air concentration. This study was performed upon 28 university students living in Daegu. We measured air pollutants of NO₂, PM₁₀ and VOCs at houses where the university students spent most their times. In this study, according to the summer and winter, time-activity patterns of university students were different. The 28 university students average spending times in house indoors and other indoors time were 11.52±2.14 and 7.63±2.65 hours in summer, and 14.78±3.30 and 6.59±3.03 hours in winter, respectively. The university students personal exposure NO₂ concentrations were average 21.62±5.88 ppb and I/O ratio was 0.89±0.27. Personal average exposure of PM₁₀ concentration was between house indoors and outdoors concentrations which indoor house concentration was 37.68±7.57 μg/m³ and outdoor house concentration was 43.85±9.80 μg/m³ with 0.88±0.17 of I/O ratio. Personal exposure to benzene and the average concentration of benzene did not exceed in atmosphere environmental standard (annual 1.5 ppb) and the outdoor houses concentration was much higher than indoor houses.