This study utilized real-time particulate matter (PM10) monitoring equipment mounted on vehicles and drones to measure PM10 concentrations in industrial complexes and track potential emission sources. This research was conducted in four industrial complexes located in Gyeonggi Province and Incheon Metropolitan City (Hwaseong Songsan Technopark, Incheon Geomdan, Incheon Namdong, and Hwaseong Mado) from August to October 2022, with a total of five measurement sessions. A vehicle-mounted light-scattering PM-monitoring device, Sniffer4D, was used to measure PM10 concentrations across the industrial complexes, followed by additional drone-based measurements in high-concentration areas. The results revealed significant variations in PM10 concentrations across different industrial complexes, ranging from an average of 10.3 mg/m3 to 51.6 mg/m3. In certain areas, PM10 levels exceeded the air quality threshold for poor conditions (80 mg/m3). Notably, in the high-concentration areas of Namdong and Mado Industrial Complexes, where PM10 exceeded the threshold, elevated measurements were observed at altitudes of 25~40 m, with concentrations reaching 164.4 mg/m3 and 189.0 mg/m3, respectively. These findings suggest that PM10 emissions from industrial facilities may be more concentrated at specific altitudes rather than at ground level. This study demonstrated that conventional ground-based monitoring alone has limitations in accurately identifying emission sources and that three-dimensional drone-based measurements provide a more effective approach for emission source tracking.

In this study, we investigated the characteristics of meteorological factors influencing odor emissions based on odor complaint records and meteorological observation data collected from 2014 to 2021 in Seoul, a megacity with a high population density and no regulated facilities or management zones apart from public environmental infrastructure and neighborhood living facilities. A total of 134,976 odor complaints were recorded over eight years (2,922 days), with a daily peak of 946 cases. From 2018 onward, daily complaints consistently exceeded 200 cases, reaching their highest level in 2019. Complaints were regularly and intensively concentrated during specific periods of the year. Among meteorological factors, dry tide time and dominant wind direction exhibited bimodal distributions within the observation range, while the other 11 meteorological factors were concentrated at a single value. The average meteorological conditions during the period with the highest number of odor complaints and observation days were: temperature 24.2oC, surface temperature 26.7oC, local pressure 1,000.4 hPa, sea-level pressure 1,010.8 hPa, vapor pressure 4.3 hPa, solar irradiance 10.5 MJ/m2, precipitation 0.6 mm, relative humidity 61.5%, wind speed 2.2 m/ s, and dominant wind direction 57.9o. These factors corresponded with the periods of highest odor complaints and observation days; however, dew point temperatures (15.3oC and 19.1oC), dry tide times (14.7 hours and 9.7 hours), and sunshine times (15.1 hours and 9.0 hours) did not coincide with those periods. The meteorological factors with the highest odor complaint emission rates (SROCE, cases/day) across 13 sections, ranked in descending order, were: dry tide time (73.5), surface temperature (67.7), solar irradiance (65.1), sea-level pressure (64.3), temperature (62.7), local pressure (62.7), dew point temperature (60.3), vapor pressure (58.7), sunshine times (54.1), relative humidity (53.1), wind speed (51.2), dominant wind direction (48.7), and precipitation (46.3). The intensity of odor complaint emission (IOCE, cases/day), calculated across the entire meteorological observation range, was highest in the following order: solar irradiance (63.8), dry tide time (60.5), sunshine times (60.3), local pressure (57.2), surface temperature (57.1), sea-level pressure (57.0), temperature (56.4), vapor pressure (55.8), dew point temperature (55.7), relative humidity (49.4), dominant wind direction (49.2), wind speed (49.0), and precipitation (46.5). The IOCE for solar irradiance was 37.2% higher than that for precipitation, which had the lowest IOCE. Additionally, the average IOCE of sunlightrelated meteorological factors such as dry tide time, sunshine times, and solar irradiance was 61.5 cases/day, which is 29.5% higher than that of moisture-related factors, including precipitation and relative humidity (47.5 cases/day). These results suggest that sunlight-related factors significantly contribute to odor complaints. This study evaluated the characteristics of odor emissions associated with complaints within the meteorological observation range, identified meteorological factors corresponding to the highest observed odor emissions, and assessed the contribution of these factors to odor emissions based on the IOCE metric. Based on these results, we anticipate being able to predict odor emission levels using weather forecast data.

Airborne microplastics (AMPs), known to be persistent pollutants, have recently been detected in the atmosphere and even in human lung tissue, raising concerns about potential human respiratory exposure. In light of these concerns, this study aimed to investigate the distribution and composition of AMPs in Seoul. μ-Raman spectroscopy was employed to identify fine particles (≥5 μm) and to contribute to the development of standardized monitoring protocols. Monthly air sampling was conducted from September 2023 to March 2024 at an urban rooftop site using a PM10 air sampler. Samples were pretreated with hydrogen peroxide to remove organic matter, then filtered through a silicon filter. μ-Raman spectroscopy was applied for qualitative and quantitative analysis of microplastics. The mean concentration of AMPs was 74.0 ± 29.9 particles/m3, with polyethylene (46.7%) and polystyrene (21.8%) being the most prevalent polymer types. Most particles (64.5%) were in the size range of 5–10 μm, and fragment type particles accounted for 98.9% of the total. These results indicate that respirable microplastics are commonly present in urban air and that polymer composition may reflect both material properties and usage patterns. This research provides baseline data for future exposure and risk assessments and supports the need for international standardization of airborne microplastic analysis protocols.

This study analyzed the odor contribution rate using AERMOD at odor emission facilities in an urban industrial area (North-Daejeon, Korea) where residential facilities, industrial complexes, and public environmental facilities are mixed. When comparing the average odor emission concentration by prevention facility, the multistage treatment method including oxidation and combustion was about three times more effective in reducing the concentration than the commonly used biofilter and scrubber. These results suggest the importance of management aspects of prevention facilities such as biofilters and cleaning towers to improve treatment efficiency. Currently, management of odor emission facilities is being conducted in terms of instantaneous odor concentration management. Due to the limitations of this management method, research results show that some workplaces ranked 7th in terms of momentary odor concentration level, but in terms of emissions, they soared to 2nd place, indicating that management from the perspective of emissions as well as concentration is necessary for odor management. The odor impact in the study area varies by season, but public environmental facilities have an impact of 62~76% in spring, summer, and winter, and odor emission facilities in industrial complexes have an impact of 66% in autumn. It can be inferred from these results that the odor impact of public environmental facilities would be low because they are located away from residential areas, but the results confirmed through this study showed that the concentration and emission levels of prevention facilities operated in public environmental facilities were relatively higher than those of odor-emitting facilities in industrial complexes.

This study analyzed the emission characteristics of major air pollutants from 97 domestic municipal solid waste incineration facilities using tele-monitoring system (TMS) data collected from 2015 to 2023. Focusing on the effects of the enforcement of enhanced national emission standards in 2019, this research examined changes in emission factors (EFs) of dust and nitrogen oxides (NOX) by facility capacity and aging level. The results showed that the average EFs for dust and NOX significantly decreased by up to 30% after enforcement (p<0.01~0.001), indicating the practical effectiveness of the strengthened standard. This trend was observed consistently across all facility sizes and aging levels, including large-scale and older facilities. In contrast, hydrogen chloride (HCl) and carbon monoxide (CO) did not show clear reductions and remained highly variable, suggesting that emission standards alone may not be sufficient for stable control. These findings demonstrate the need for optimized combustion conditions and improved post-treatment systems for pollutants such as HCl and CO. This study provides empirical evidence highlighting the importance of appropriate facility scale and systematic refurbishment cycles for stable emission reduction in municipal waste incinerators.

The textile tentering process generates exhaust gases characterized by elevated temperature and humidity, accompanied by complex odors, fine particulate matter, and visible white smoke, all of which frequently contribute to public grievances and environmental concerns. This study evaluated a field-installed, multi-stage emissioncontrol system consisting of a scrubber, a wet electrostatic precipitator (WEFC), and a heat exchanger, with emphasis on the effect of routine plate cleaning over a ht ree-month operation. Real-time monitoring at 5-minute intervals measured temperature, humidity, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10, TSP), and odor intensity. Odor activity values (OAVs) and odor contributions (OC) were determined from samples collected according to the Korean Odor Measurement Standard. The emission-control system reduced exhaust temperature from 150oC to below 50oC while maintaining stack outlet temperature differences within 5oC, thereby suppressing visible white smoke. The multistage system achieved mean removal efficiencies of 88.6±5.0% for TVOCs and 96.2±6.5% for PM10, with a gravimetric PM10 removal of 99.4%. Weekly cleaning of the electrostatic plates constrained day-to-day variability in odor and PM levels within ±10%, significantly lowering the frequency of white-smoke episodes. Isovaleraldehyde and acetaldehyde accounted for >90% of total OAVs, indicating the need for supplementary treatment targeting aldehydes. These results provide quantitative evidence to guide maintenance scheduling and emission-control policy for the textile processing industry.

This study evaluated the field-scale performance of an amorphous iron hydroxide (Fe(OH)3)-based desulfurizing agent for the removal of sulfur-based odorous compounds emitted from wastewater treatment facilities, including equalization tanks and sludge dewatering unit facilities. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methyl mercaptan (MM), dimethyl sulfide (DMS), and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), which account for over 60~80% of total odor impact in such facilities, were targeted in this research. A drytype adsorption system packed with porous amorphous Fe(OH)3 was installed at a wastewater treatment plant and operated continuously for 45 days. Odorous gas concentrations were measured before and after treatment using portable analyzers and gas chromatography-pulsed flame photometric detector (GC-PFPD). The desulfurizing agent demonstrated a high H2S removal efficiency of over 99.9%, even under high inlet concentrations exceeding 500 ppm. Physicochemical analyses including XRD, XRF, EDS and BET confirmed that the material was amorphous, possessed a high surface area (243.4 m2/g), and exhibited a mesoporous structure favorable for gas adsorption. Hysteresis observed in nitrogen adsorption isotherms indicated a bottleneck-shaped pore structure, which enhances adsorption of odorous gases and removal efficiency. Notably, the system maintained stable performance under varying humidity without significant degradation.

Wood ear mushrooms (Auricularia heimuer) are commercially used in various fields in South Korea. Therefore, it is necessary to take appropriate measures, including monitoring and prevention of microbial growth in cultivation houses, as microorganisms can reduce the wood ear mushroom’s marketability and cause food poisoning among consumers. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the direct impact of airborne fungi isolated and identified from the indoor air of domestic wood ear mushroom cultivation houses on the mycelia growth of wood ear mushroom strains. For the evaluation, 11 airborne fungal species were tested with three strains of A. heimuer on PDA using the cocultivation method. Among them, Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium anthropophilum, Cochliobolus kusanoi, Lecanicillium sp., Periconia byssoides, and Periconia pseudobyssoides suppressed the mycelial growth of all three A. heimuer strains. There was no significant difference in the reaction against the 11 tested airborne fungal species among the three A. heimuer strains. The results of this study show that proper management of airborne fungi is necessary in the indoor environment of wood ear mushroom cultivation houses.

This study analyzed policy measures to comprehensively achieve two goals: carbon neutrality in buildings and optimization of indoor air quality. While buildings account for approximately 40% of total energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and present-day individuals spend 90% of their daily lives indoors, both goals are critically important. However, these objectives often conflict with each other, and current policies have limitations in effectively addressing this complex relationship. Analysis of related policies, including the Green Building Creation Support Act and the Indoor Air Quality Management Act, revealed significant drawbacks such as the lack of an integrated approach due to policy fragmentation, insufficient consideration of lifecycle carbon emissions, imbalance in economic incentive structures, and rigidity in technical standards. To overcome these challenges, this study proposes innovative improvement measures, including the following: establishing an integrated policy framework, introducing a multi-layered air quality management system, expanding performance-based design that simultaneously considers energy efficiency and indoor air quality, developing region-specific policies, implementing AI-based self-assessment systems, mandating green space ratios, controlling high-radon concentration areas, and expanding government incentives.

This study was conducted to analyze odor regulation policies of major countries and explore development directions for Korea’s odor management system through international comparison. Korea has achieved significant progress in odor management over the past 20 years since the enactment of the Odor Prevention Act in 2004, including the establishment of real-time monitoring systems, integrated complaint management systems, and scientific management infrastructure in major odor management areas such as Sihwa-Banwol Industrial Complex and metropolitan landfills in Incheon and Daejeon. To identify potential development directions, a literature review and comparative analysis were conducted on four regions: the United States, the European Union, Japan, and Singapore. The analysis revealed that each region has developed unique approaches: Japan’s Odor Judge system (involving 3,352 active professionals) for measurement standardization; the United States’s citizen science-based monitoring systems, such as the Odor Explore project that utilizes community participation; the EU’s preventive management policies through the application of Best Available Techniques (BAT) and land use planning integration; and Singapore’s systematic management approach through its myENV app and urban planning integration. Based on Korea’s existing achievements and international experiences, this study identified eight development areas, including measurement system standardization, management scope expansion, integrated management system enhancement, real-time monitoring implementation, technology development investment, complaint resolution mechanism improvement, preventive management system enhancement, and information transparency enhancement. This study proposes development directions that build upon Korea’s current infrastructure and policy achievements, considering the country’s unique socio-economic conditions and environmental characteristics. These directions are expected to contribute to the continuous advancement of Korea’s odor management system while leveraging existing strengths and addressing future challenges.