Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are present in essentially all natural and synthetic materials from petrol to flowers. In this study, indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations of houses, offices and internet-cafes were measured and compared simultaneously with personal exposures of each 50 participants in Asan and Seoul, respectively. Also, factors that influence personal VOCs exposure were statistically analyzed using questionnaires in relation to house characteristics, time activities, and health effects. All VOCs concentrations were measured by OVM passive samplers (3M) and analyzed with GC/MS. Target pollutants among VOCs were Toluene, o-Xylene, m/p-Xylene, Ethylbenzene, MIBK, n-Octane, Styrene, Trichloroethylene, and 1,2-Dichlorobenzene. Indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations measured in Seoul were significantly higher than those in Asan except Ethylbenzene. Residential indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios for all target compounds ranged from 0.94 to 1.51 and I/O ratios of Asan were a little higher than those of Seoul. Relationship between personal VOCs exposure, and indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations suggested that time-activity pattern could affect the high exposure to air pollutant. Factors that influence indoor VOCs level and personal exposure with regard to house characteristics in houses were building age, inside smoking and house type. In addition insecticide and cosmetics interestingly affected the VOCs personal exposure. Higher exposure to VOCs might be caused to be exciting increase and memory reduction, considering the relationship between measured VOCs concentrations and questionnaire (p<0.05).

This study was carried out to evaluate the characteristics of dissolved organics based on their origins, which were divided into two categories. The first group consisted of river, lake and secondary sewage treatment effluent, which were chosen as representative of their origins. The second group were artificial samples which were made of AHA(Aldrich humic acids) and WHA(Wako humic acids). Physicochemical characteristics, biological degradability and THMFP(trihalomethane formation potential) of the samples were analysed based on the AMWD(apparent molecular weight distribution). Large portion of dissolved organic carbon(DOC) in the river and lake samples was comprised of LMW(low molecular weight), while that of AHA and WHA was HMW(high molecular weight). The DOC of the lake was evenly distributed in the all range of molecular weight. The river, lake and secondary treated effluent have lower ultraviolet(UV) absorbance at 254nm, and have a higher amount of humic acids. Higher absorbance of humic acids means that aliphatic bond and benzenoid type components that absorb UV light were contained in these kind of humic acids. It was expected that lake sample was the most biodegradable in the different samples investigated, and in order of secondary sewage treatment effluent, river, WHA and AHA based on the result of determination of specific ultraviolet absorbance(SUVA). Biodegradability showed similar result except for ABA, while dissolved organics in the range of LMW decreased during the biodegradability test, and on the contrary those of HMW increased. Production of the SMPs(soluble microbial products) was observed during humicification of dissolved organics and the SMPs were in the range of 0.7∼5.5% of DOC which was the lowest value. Sample had a higher portion of HMW showed a higher production of the SMPs. THM formation was high in the samples containing HMW and similar tendency was shown in the THMFP(trihalomethane formation potential), except for WHA.