The objective of the present study was to assess the health effect of houseplant. we selected 22 households of newly-built apartments and 17 asthma patients. Before intervention in the households, we conducted clinical survey investigations during April and October, 2006. In this study, 6 species of houseplants known to be eco-friendly and 14 other plants were recruited. While the clinical research items were lung function, erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR), white blood cell count(WBC), total eosinophil count(TEC) and total-immunoglobulin E(T-IgE). There was no association between the intervention and the estimated inflammation reaction and allergic reaction. However, peak expiratory flow rate(PEFR) of evening data were positive effect in the intervention asthma-patients households compared with the nonintervention.

This study was to investigate distribution characteristics for air pollutants and to assess probability of health effect for children in kindergartens from August, 2006 to January, 2007. The mean concentrations for standards of maintenance in kindergartens were 91.5 ㎍/㎥ for PM10, 1,185 ppm for CO2, 69.3㎍/㎥ for formaldehyde, 174 CFU/㎥ for TBC and 0.41 ppm for CO, respectively. For NO2, Rn, TVOC, and O3, the mean concentrations in kindergartens were 29.40 ppb, 1.51 pCi/ℓ, 257.3 ㎍/㎥, and 3.74 ppb, respectively. The I/O ratio of every air pollutants exceeded "1" except for O3. In results of calculated safety factor to assess probability of health effect for children by air pollutants in kindergartens, safety factor for CO2 was 1.2 for fixed point. It means that children have probability of health effect caused by CO2. In cases of Monte-Carlo analysis, safety factor for PM10 was 1.0 and safety factor for CO2 was 1.2.

A high efficiency roll-type electret polypropylene (PP) filter with an external electric field was developed and its particle collection efficiency and air cleaning capacity was investigated in a room when applied to an air cleaner having a fan. To enhance air cleaning performance of the cleaner, a wire-plate type ionizer was installed in front of the filter to enhance electric field to filter and one side of the filter was embossed by press of a pattern with a lot of circular projection. Performance test results showed that the newly developed electret PP filter with an ionizer becomes an appropriate filter to be applied to indoor air cleaner due to its low pressure drop and high air cleaning performance.

Experiment on the thermal response of college-age Korean was conducted in a thermal environmental chamber during winter season. Eight environmental conditions composed of five air temperatures (18∼26℃) and two relative humidities (40, 60%) were selected. To investigate the uniformity of thermal environments, the spatial distributions and the temporal variations of thermal parameters were examined in the test chamber. Subjects of 7 females or 7 males were questioned in the chamber for three hours, where thermal and comfort sensations were surveyed every fifteen minutes. The repeatability and temporal variation of thermal response were discussed. The thermal sensation votes of subjects were compared with the predicted mean votes calculated from the thermal parameters and human parameters. The correlation between thermal sensation votes and comfort sensation votes of subjects were discussed.

This study was to assess the health risk of VOCs in indoor air under uncontrolled Korean-IAQ regulation. We measured the concentrations of formaldehyde and 5 VOCs (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and styrene) in indoor air at 232 public buildings for four kinds of public facility (32 wedding halls, 17 Gymnasiums, 20 Galleries, and 166 Welfare facilities) around the country. There were estimated the human exposure dose and health risk used average time and frequencies of questionaries for subjects such as facility users and office workers. There were estimated the lifetime excess cancer risk (ECR) for carcinogens (formaldehyde and benzene) and hazard quotient (HQ) for non-carcinogens (toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and styrene). For the facility user, the average levels of ECRs were 10-4∼10-5 and 10-5 ∼10-6, respectively, for formaldehyde and benzene in all facilities. HQs of four non-carcinogens were not exceeded 1.0 in all facilities and subjects. In addition, there was showed the highest ECR in the smoking facility.

Burning mosquito coils in indoor environments maygenerate smoke that can control mosquito effectively. This practice has been used in numerous households in Korea. However the smoke may contain air pollutants of health concern. We conducted the present study to characterize the emission from two common brands of mosquito coils from Vietnam and Malaysia, respectively. We measured mass emission of air pollutants of nitrogen oxides (NOx), fine particulate(PM2.5), formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in completely closed chamber. Air pollutants concentrations resulting from burning mosquito coils could substantially exceed health-based air quality standards orguidelines. Under the same condition, air pollutants were measured by cigarette smoking to compare mosquito coil. Burning one mosquito coil would release the same amount of PM2.5 mass as burning 20~58 cigarettes. The emission of HCHO from burning one coil can be as high as that released from burning 27 cigarettes.

The objective of this study is to offer basic scientific data to support policy decision-making for the improved control of suspended microorganism and to provide baseline data in order to improve the studies of bioaerosol in Korea. Therefore, this study collected and re-analyzed articles on suspended microorganism in various indoor environments and atmospheric environment in Korea that were published in environmental journals since 1980. The survey on the bioaerosol concentration in hospital among the public facilities have been performed abundantly. Also, the survey on the distribution of microorganism during yellow sand, pollen and fungus in atmosphere have been performed mostly. The impactional sampling method that is the sampling method of suspended microorganism have been used mostly in the survey on bioaerosol in Korea. Among the various indoor environments, the pooled average total bacteria concentration of 222.75 CFU/㎥ (95% CI：210.29 ∼ 245.22 CFU/㎥) was found in hospitals. It were lower than the guideline concentration (800 CFU/㎥) recommended by the Korean Ministry of Environment. And the pooled average concentration of bacteria and fungi in houses was 148.06 CFU/㎥(95% CI : 20.39 ∼ 275.74 CFU/㎥) and 22.66 CFU/㎥(95% C I：0 ∼ 49.73 CFU/㎥) respectively. Staphylococcus spp., Micrococcus spp., Enterococcus., Corynebacterium., Escherichia spp., and Pseudormonas spp. for bacteria and Penicillium spp., and Aspergillus spp. for fungi were showed in various indoor environments.

To investigate characterization of EMF(Electromagnetic Field) emission from VDT(Visual Display Terminal) in computer room, we were divided into 3 types of placement monitors which are 1) back side of monitor faced the ground(back view type), 2) arrangement of monitors was a line type(two sides type), and 3) disposition of monitors was s straight(horizontal line type). We also measured monitors classified types at the front, side and back by distance and evaluated by TCO(The Swedish Confederation of profession Employers) and MPR-2(Measure and Proof Radiation Board) guide line. Magnetic field emission level by the type of VDT, it was indicated that MF(Magnetic Field) level was below the backgrounds level when CRT moved away about 70~90cm, LCD moved away about 40~50cm. We evaluated MF emission level by the number of VDT, it did not show any relationship. Finally, estimated MF emission level by the placement of VDT, it was showed the MF level less than the background level, when VDT moved away 40~50cm in all dispositions with exception of 2 sites. Background level of case was higher than emitted from VDT, so that did not effect on MF level by distance. However, we find out that as distance increased, MF emission level decreased significantly in all cases. We measured MF emission level of one monitor and others (back and forth) monitor in line type. Below the background level when one monitor type moved away 70cm, others monitor type moved away 40cm. However, other monitor types affected MF level which is located back monitor. The data demonstrate that avoiding excessive MF exposure from VDT using computer room, to have a space between user and VDT at least 50㎝.