Smoking is a disservice to not only for smokers who smoke, but also for nonsmokers due to smoke or smell. In particular, smoking harms health by increasing the discomfort associated with the smell generated by burning the cigarette, and giving rise to lung injury or cancer caused by smoke inhalation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of various concentrations of nicotine, PM2.5, and heavy metals (As, Cr, Cd, Pb) generated by smoking according to the smoking intensity. When smokers smoked continuously, the amount of nicotine, PM2.5, Cr, and Cd produced by smoking increased proportionally and became statistically significant. However, As and Pb showed a different pattern from other materials, and the concentration increased by 2~3 times when 10 cigarettes were smoked. As for the change in PM2.5 for 12 hours immediately after smoking, about 70% of the particles were deposited on the floor or wall even in a sealed room where no ventilation was available, and the concentration naturally decreased. However, the remaining particles were found to remain in the air even though the time passed exceeded 12 hours.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the ELF-MF emissions from UCLs and to compare the ELF-MF emission levels of HVTLs and UCLs. In addition, this study proposes a method and management plan to investigate the effects of exposure to ELF-MF emissions from UCLs. The ELF-MF emissions from the 154 kV UCL were 15.4±24.4 (GM: 7.8)mG, while from the 345 kV line they were 6.0±2.4 (GM: 5.7)mG. Through the comparison between ELF-MF emissions of 154 kV UCL and HVTL, at about 20 m distance from an overhead line the emissions level is 4 mG, while from an underground line at about 10 m distance the emission level was recorded as less than 4 mG. Through comparing the ELF-MF emission amount of the UCL according to the burial method, it was found that the direct ELF-MF emission levels are 15.3±7.4 (GM: 13.9)mG at the direct point, in the conduit type 21.0±30.4 (GM: 10.8)mG, and in the buried form 8.5±12.3 (GM:5.1)mG. In this study, ELF-MF emissions were about 37.0% and 47.5% lower, respectively, compared with the direct power and conduit type. The correlation between ELF-MF emission (mG) and power load (A) was analyzed. The higher the power load, the higher the ELF-MF emission. The correlation between ELF-MF emission at the direct point and depth of the UCL was also analyzed, and it was found that as the depth of line burial increased, ELF-MF emissions decreased.

Mold grows more easily when humidity is higher in indoor spaces, and as such is found more often on wetted areas in housing such as walls, toilets, kitchens, and poorly managed spaces. However, there have been few studies that have specifically assessed the level of mold in the indoor spaces of water-damaged housing in the Republic of Korea. We investigated the levels of airborne mold according to the characteristics of water damage types and explored the correlation between the distribution of mold genera and the characteristics of households. Samplings were performed from January 2016 to June 2018 in 97 housing units with water leakage or condensation, or a history of flooding, and in 61 general housing units in the metropolitan and Busan area, respectively. Airborne mold was collected on MEA (Malt extract agar) at flow rate of 100 L/min for 1 min. After collection, the samples were incubated at 25oC for 120 hours. The cultured samples were counted and corrected using a positive hole conversion table. The samples were then analyzed by single colony culture, DNA extraction, gene amplification, and sequencing. By type of housing, concentrations of airborne mold were highest in flooded housing, followed by water-leaked or highly condensed housings, and then general housing. In more than 50% of water-damaged housing, the level of airborne mold exceeded the guideline of Korea's Ministry of Environment (500 CFU/m3). Of particular concern was the fact that the I/O ratio of water-damaged housing was greater than 1, which could indicate that mold damage may occur indoors. The distribution patterns of the fungal species were as follows: Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp. (14%), Aspergillus spp. (13%) and Alternaria spp. (3%), but significant differences of their levels in indoor spaces were not found. Our findings indicate that high levels of mold damage were found in housing with water damage, and Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium brevicompactum were more dominant in housing with high water activity. Comprehensive management of flooded or water-damaged housing is necessary to reduce fungal exposure.

The objective of this study was to determine whether crops and fruits absorb the naturally occurring asbestos (NOA). The concentration of asbestos in various crops and fruits grown in NOA areas was analyzed and background levels of asbestos in ambient air and soil samples were assessed. Actinolite/Tremolite asbestos were detected in all soil samples. Among 21 ambient air samples, 2 samples were recorded to contain 0.0005 f/cc (fiber per cubic centimeter) but no asbestos was detected in the other samples using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, no evidence suggesting that the crops and fruits could be contaminated by NOA was found in this study. The excess lifetime cancer risks (ELCRs) of ABS scenarios (agricultural activities) used in this study were calculated by using the Arithmetic (AM) and Geometric mean (GM) of ELCRs. The AM and GM of ELCRs estimated from digging soil and weeding activities did not exceed 1 × 10−4, which was defined as the general acceptable risk range for exposure. The results of this study would be informative to NOA managers and related policy makers to make plans to prevent unexpected exposure to asbestos to residents living in an NOA area.

This study investigated and reported the results of the distribution of in air particulate matter concentration inside school classrooms where children, who are known to be environmentally vulnerable, spend the most time after home. The objective of this study is to provide basic data for future studies related to indoor air quality in Yeongwol county and studies for improving school environment. The study investigated the levels of the concentration distribution of PM10 and PM2.5 in classrooms at 19 different elementary schools based in Yeongwol county from December 12 to 19, 2016. In the classrooms of the elementary schools in Yeongwol county, the pooled average concentration of PM10 and PM2.5 was 11.9 μg/m³ and 4.2 μg/m³, respectively. These concentration rates were lower than those of PM10 and PM2.5 surveyed in classrooms of elementary schools based in other regions of Korea. Further, they did not exceed 100 μg/m³, the PM10 guideline concentration provided by the School Health Act. The study results revealed that the winter concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in air inside classrooms of elementary schools based in Yeongwol county were influenced more by indoor sources such as indoor residents rather than outdoor sources.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the concentration of and evaluate the pollution level of indoor air pollutants among the public-use facilities located in Seoul that are mainly used by medically sensitive users. The data used in this study were analyzed based on the supervision data provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government Research Institute of Public Health and the Environment. There were 399 nursery schools, 188 medical facilities, 42 elderly care facilities and 96 postnatal care centers. The indoor air pollutants to be investigated were analyzed for PM10, CO2, HCHO, TAB and CO. Through the analysis, it was found that among the surveyed pollutants, TAB levels exceeded the criteria most often, in 54 facilities. Among the surveyed facilities, nursery schools exceeded the criteria most often, in 49 facilities. There was a statistically significant difference between the pollutants in each facility (p<05). However, considering the characteristics of the data used in this study, additional factors should be investigated for factors affecting the concentration of each indoor air pollutant for a more rational evaluation.

This study investigated Extremely Low Frequency-Magnetic Fields (ELF-MF) exposure levels among housewives for a 24-Hour activity pattern to identify related factors for the exposures. To achieve the objective of the study, we surveyed ELF-MF levels using EMDEX II in a living environment from January to December 2016. We also made subjects write a Daily Activity Pattern in order to identify durations for staying and related information in the environment of exposures. Subjects showed that they spent the longest time in sleep and at home, at 487.5 minutes (KOSIS: 479.0 minutes) and 472.1 minutes (KOSIS: 428.0 minutes), respectively. Furthermore, the 24- hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 54 housewives was 1.24 ± 3.48 mG (GM: 0.52 mG). The ELF-MF exposure levels for all Multiuse Facilities were far below the recommended standards of EMF Guideline Korea and ICNIRP. Thus, these results will provide useful data for the determination of ELF-MF management and reduction methods in living environments.

Mold is one of the important bio-aerosols affecting human health in the indoor environment. To manage mold contamination, it is necessary to use an appropriate method for its detection and enumeration. Recently, the impaction method of ISO 16000-18 has been established as one of methods to detect and enumerate molds in air. To investigate the general use of the impaction method for mold detection in domestic indoor environments, the suitability of the method was assessed using different antibiotics, media and air samplers. All of the three antibiotics tested - ampicillin, chloramphenicol and streptomycin - showed inhibitory effects on bacterial colony formation on MEA and DG-18 media, without inhibiting mold growth. Of these three antibiotics, ampicillin was the most effective. There was no statistical difference between MEA and DG-18 media in the measurement of mold concentration. The formation of discriminative colony morphology was more apparent in DG-18 media. No significant difference in the measurement of mold concentration was found between Andersen samplers and MAS- 100NT samplers, which are two major samplers introduced in Korea.

The present study was conducted to investigate the public awareness level of the Korean population on the hazards of radon. Its purpose was to serve as a preliminary study for the development of a risk communication program suited to Korean domestic conditions. An in-house developed questionnaire was used as an awareness surveying tool. Five thousand people (adults) from the general population, randomly selected regardless of their age, academic background, income level, and regional distribution were surveyed. The survey was conducted between December 2015 and February 2016, and completed in a self-reporting format. The survey results showed that public awareness of the radon risk was very low, as indicated by more than roughly 85% of the respondents saying that they did not know what radon was. Moreover, survey results for those who knew what radon was showed a very low level of awareness regarding the physical properties and hazards of radon. Through the findings of the present study, it was confirmed that the awareness of radon hazards among the residents of Korea needs urgent improvement and that the development of a radon risk communication program accounting for age, income, region, occupation, and various information delivery routes is also needed.

The objective of this study was to investigate ELF-MF exposure levels in infant living environmental spaces at daycare centers. To achieve the objective of the study, we surveyed ELF-MF levels using EMDEX II at daycare centers from October 2013 to October 2014. The ELF-MF level of 53 daycare centers in terms of arithmetic mean (AM) and geometric mean (GM) were 0.59 ± 0.76 mG and 0.33 mG, respectively. And the ELF-MF level of 260 daycare center classrooms was 0.50 ± 0.71 mG (GM: 0.28 mG). The exposure levels of ELF-MF for all daycare centers were far below the recommended standards cited in guidelines in Korea (833 mG) and international reference levels proposed by WHO or ICNIRP (2,000 mG). Furthermore, we discovered out that as distance increased, ELF-MF emission levels decreased significantly in all electrical instruments. Below the 2 mG ELF-MF levels when an electrical instrument moved away stage 1 (Grade). Thus, these results will provide useful data for the determination of ELF-MF management and reduction methods at infant daycare centers.

About half of the South Korean population lives in the three major metropolitan areas, which are Seoul, Kyeonggi and Incheon. Among this group, more than 50% live in apartments. In this study, the relationship between the concentration of indoor VOCs and environmental factors was investigated in metropolitan apartments in the occupation stage. The maximum concentration of TVOC (total volatile organic compounds) was monitored in spring season. Among the identified VOCs, toluene was present in the highest amount, followed by terpene, aldehyde and hydrocarbon. Due to the specific indoor sources, the I/O ratio of terpene (e.g. d-limonene, α-pinene, and β-pinene) was relatively higher than that of the others. The construction year and length of residence were revealed as the environmental factors having the greatest influence on the concentration of indoor benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, styrene and hydrocarbon, and the relationship was statistically significant. The floor and size of the apartment influenced the levels of indoor nonanal. The relationships between individual VOCs showed highly positive correlations that are statistically significant. Through the relationship study, it was found that factors including newly built apartment, short period of time after moving in, high floors and small floor area were the main factors inducing an increased concentration of indoor VOCs in apartments.

The objective of this study was to assess RF-EMF exposure levels in indoor daycare centers in a Metropolitan city. RF-EMF measurements were collected and surveyed from 50 volunteer daycare centers in the Korea between October 2013 and October 2014. Through our research, it was found that the main exposure source for indoor daycare centers is the frequency bands for TV and Radio broadcasting (FM: 88.1~107.9 MHz), mobile phone (869~894 MHz, 1840~1870 MHz, 1885~2170 MHz), wireless LAN and home electronics, etc., including TRS, Wireless Data Communication. The RF-EMF exposure levels for all daycare centers were far below the recommended standards of EMF Guideline Korea and international reference levels proposed by ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection). However, in terms of long term health effects some uncertainty exists, and thus minimizing exposure may reduce this uncertainty. The data we collected will be useful data for determining RF-EMF management and risk communication at daycare centers.

The indoor air quality of residences has been regulated by designating recommended standard levels of pollutants for newly built apartments. But as of yet, no related guideline has been established for dwellings that are already occupied. From a sociological viewpoint, the gap between the rich and poor has been gradually increasing with economic development, and this has extended to the diversification of house types and living environments. Specifically, people who have the lowest income levels may live in temporary houses such as vinyl greenhouses and shanty houses, and their living environment is mostly inadequate as a result. In this study, we surveyed the indoor air quality in normal and socially vulnerable houses after the occupation stage and tried to figure out the main factors influencing indoor air quality. Airborne fungi are detected more frequently in lower living standard houses. Put another way, the concentration of airborne bacteria and the volatile organic compound levels are much higher than in normal dwellings.

Radon (222Rn) gas is a main source of ionizing radiation of natural origin. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into building or home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Significantly, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. This survey covers the determination of indoor radon concentrations at home from 2013 to 2014 in some areas of Gangwondo, every three months (seasonal) during one year using an alpha-track detector. The results showed that the annual average concentration of indoor radon was 84.5 Bq/m3 (GM: 64.5 Bq/m3) at homes. Indoor radon level was the highest in winter and the lowest in summer. Geometric mean radon concentration in winter was 1.03~2.58 times higher than other seasons. The data obtained from this study provide a basis for the preparation of legal regulation and public health protection manuals in this area.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of ELF-MF emissions from underground cable lines near daycare centers in the metropolitan city of Seoul. We investigated 143 daycare centers from June to September of 2015. In addition, the rate of reduction of ELF-MF levels according to the distance from the line was calculated using simulations. The ELF-MF emission level of 143 daycare centers at boundary point was 1.37 ± 1.75 mG (GM: 0.75 mG) and at direct point was 11.14 ± 17.99 mG (GM:6.05 mG). ELF-MF levels at direct point were 8.13 (arithmetic mean) and 8.06 (geometric mean) times higher, respectively, than that at the boundary point. By analyzing the relationship between ELF-MF and electricity current (A) and operating depth (m), a significant correlation was found between ELF-MF and current (A) and depth (m), at 0.360 (p<0.01) and -0.303 (p<0.05), respectively. The results of the simulation showed that appropriate separation distances showing below 4 mG was 8m and 14m, adjusted mean current (A) and maximum current (A), respectively. The results of the study suggest that a plan should be implemented for the management of ELF-MF in High voltage power-line and Underground cable line areas, through a broad and detailed survey and risk communication.

The objective of this study is to investigate indoor radon concentrations and identify influencing factors for one of the representative house type in South Korea. We surveyed 3,000 detached houses using alpha track (raduet) between November 2013 and March 2014. The Arithmetic mean radon concentration of the houses studied was 147.9 Bq/m3 (GM=106.4 Bq/m3), and the range was 11.8 to 1,936.6 Bq/m3. The Arithmetic mean radon concentration in living rooms was 134.2 Bq/m3 (GM=98.8 Bq/m3), much higher value compar with the Arithmetic mean radon concentration in bedrooms (153.0 Bq/m3). The year of constructon, basement status, ventilation frequency and heating period in a house were identified as major factors influencing indoor radon concentrations. The indoor radon concentrations in houses that were constructed prior to 1990 and that had basements were higher than those in the comparison groups. On the other hand, houses that were frequently ventilated and had a short heating period showed a tendency toward lower indoor radon concentration.

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) contains a large variety of substances, of which at least 50 are known to or are believed to be carcinogenic. Although the Ministry of Health and Welfare has started to prevent public exposure to ETS by enacting indoor smoking bans, some facilities still allow their customers or users to smoke indoors. In this study, indoor air quality in a pub was investigated by monitoring particulate matters (PM1.0 and PM2.5), heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Pb) and nicotine concentration to figure out the influence force of smoking behavior on indoor air quality. Smoking behaviors are revealed to be a major contributor the contamination of indoor air in pubs. The range of PM2.5 mass concentrations were 82.2~208.0 μg/m3 and the mean concentration of PM2.5 was 135.9 μg/m3. In the case of nicotine, the mean concentration was 12.2 μg/m3 with a range from 2.7 to 24.1 μg/m3. In the results of metal analysis, the levels of heavy metals in particulate matters in a pub were found to be much higher than those of the other public facilities.

The indoor air quality in public facilities has been well maintained as consciousness of facility owners is improved.However, the risk of PM2.5 and heavy metals in particulate matters have not been highlighted until now. So weinvestigated the particulate matters on major public transportation facilities such as subway, port and bus terminals.And we tried to figure out the characteristics of each facility groups by comparing the mass and metal concentrationbetween PM2.5 and PM10. As a results, the correlation between concentration of indoor particulate matters andthat of outdoor particulate matters shows higher strength in the case of bus terminals and port platforms thansubway platforms. However the total concentration of particulate matters and heavy metals were much higher insubway platforms than that of terminals and port platforms.