This study analyzed the concentration of the heavy metals(Cd, Hg, iAs) of urine(n=576) from May, 2007 to Oct 2007. The subject was residents in G, Y, H industrial area, Jeollanam-do, in which exposure due to the adjacency of the industrial complex. As to the heavy metal concentration in the urine of the residents in the whole exposed region and the comparing region, the content of cadmium, mercury, and inorganic arsenic in the exposed region group were 1.23, 1.85, and 8.80 μg/g_ct respectively, and those of the comparing region group were 1.87, 2.00, and 8.93 μg/g_ct respectively, which indicates that the concentration of the comparing group was higher than that of the exposed group. The heavy metal concentration for each age group increased in proportion to age except those under 10 for some substances(p<0.01). As to geometric mean concentration cadmium and inorganic arsenic in urine according to the smoking history of the subject, the concentration of the smoking group and the non-smoking group were 1.65 μg/g_ct and 9.13 μg/g_ct respectively, while those of the non-smoking group were 1.47 μg/g_ct and 8.91 μg/g_ct respectively, which indicates that the former is higher than the latter. As to the inorganic arsenic concentration in urine according to the food preference, in order of vegetable, fish, and meat showed high concentration (p<0.01). To clarify the factors affecting the heavy metal concentration in urine among the subjects, the multiple regression analysis was conducted. As a result, it turned out that as to cadmium content in urine, gender, age, drinking, and smoking have influence on the subjects, with explanatory adequacy of 37.5 %.

This study was performed in 30 selected apartments in Seoul, Asan and Daegu area which were constructed within 4 years and over 4 years, to measure the concentration of VOCs(benzene, toluene, xylene) from July, 2004 to September. Mean ratios of indoor to outdoor VOCs concentrations in the construction under 4 years were higher in 1 than average, I/O ratio of over 4 years were lower in 1. This was considered that the VOCs density influences indoor pollutant. For the indoor air quality estimation, the deposition constant and the source strength factor of toluene were 1.49±2.05 hr-1 and 36.95±52.26 ppb/h, respectively.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are well known for strong carcinogen. However, the human exposure anslysis of PAHs is quite difficult and unreliable because of hard for estimation of actual expose dose. Then urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) has been a biological marker of exposure to PAHs. The purpose of this study was to investigate total amount from exposure to PAHs acused by indoor occupational exposure, and residence at Seoul metropolitan area and Kyeonggi province in Korea. Thirty-five housewives were included in this study from April 2003 through February 2004. Dietary habit and general characteristics such as age, type of building, existence of passive smoking, period of residence, fuel type for heating and ventilation type were obtained by self administered questionnaire. Urine samples were collected at morning and freeze quickly. Urinary creatinine was measured for converting into 24 hr urine. Concentration of the indoor PAHs was examined by NIOSH method number 5506. Urinary 1-OHP and PAHs were analysed by HPLC. Correlation coefficient between urinary 1-OHP levels and pyrene concentration of indoor air was 0.66 and statistically significant(P<0.01). The difference of urinary 1-OHP level due to dietary habits were not significant. Urinary 1-OHP level of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter were 0.21±0.12, 0.10±0.17, 0.16±0.12, 0.17±0.14 ㎍/g cr, respectively. The arithmetic means of urinary 1-OHP for four season wee 0.16±0.14 ㎍/g cr. There was a trend that urinary 1-OHP level of residents who dwelling in apartment were higher compared with detached home. Comparison of 1-OHP level between heating by kerosene and LPG, Much higher gas heating type than kerosene type (P<0.05). This result implies that the urinary 1-OHP can be applied as the PAHs exposure indices.

The purpose of this study was to investigate Rn concentration and annual radiation exposure level in the basement and first floor. The Rn Cup monitors were placed in different environments such as shopping stage, office building, Apartment, Hospital , house in Seoul from March 1996 to April 1997 and CR-39 films were collected every two months. The mean radon concentration in the basement of house(88.6 Bq/㎥) showed the highest level among the areas, while radon concentration on the first floor of house(50.5 Bq/㎥) showed the higher than other areas. The annual radiation exposure dose that person on the floor / in the basement of differential place in the seoul can be exposed during living was estimated from 24.11 to 87.64 mRem/yr. This radiation dose is significantly lower than 130mRem maximum radiation dosage from the radon nuclide prescribed by the ICRP, with respect to the overall average exposure of the working adult. this study indicated that possible radon sources on the first floor / in the basement areas are radon intrusion from soil gas, construction materials, or ground water leaking. Further study is needed to quantitatively assess major contributions of radon-222 and health effect to radon exposure.

The work of hairdressers includes washing, coloring, bleaching, permanent waving, conditioning, and cutting hair. Hairdressers are subjected to a number of physical and toxicological hazards. The toxicological hazards are those resulting from exposure to a wide range of chemicals that are usually classified active processes. In this study, twenty beauty shops were selected to assess the exposure to indoor air pollutants such as VOCs and particulate matter (PM10) during one month from September 1 to September 30, 2003. Indoor air quality of beauty shops might be worse by vehicle emissions because the beauty shops were generally located near roadways. Personal exposures to VOCs and PM10 were related to indoor concentrations of beauty shops. According to the questionnaire, hairdressers complained of sore throat, eye irritation, and nervousness as physical symptoms. The measured mean concentrations of respiratory particulates were 30.5ng/㎥ in indoor, 30.5ng/㎥in outdoor and 44.0ng/㎥ on personal levels. The personal concentration was found higher than indoor and outdoor concentrations. The heavy metals mean concentrations were shown as indoor (Na>Zn>Cr), outdoor (Cr>Zn>Pb), and personal (Na>Cr>Zn) levels. Conclusively, customers as well as workers in the beauty shops might be highly exposed to air pollutants from indoor and outdoor sources. Therefore, proper management should be taken to improve the indoor air quality in beauty shops.

The personal exposures of nitrogen dioxide(NO2), microenvironmental levels and daily time activity patterns on Seoul subway station workers were measured from February 10 to March 12, 1999. Personal NO2 exposure for 24 hours were 29.40±9.75 ppb. NO2 level of occupational environment were 27.87±7.15 ppb in office, 33.60±8.64 ppb in platform and 50.13±13.04 ppb in outdoor. Personal exposure time of subway station workers was constituted as survey results with 7.94±3.00 hours in office, 2.82±1.63 hours in platform and 1 hours in outdoor. With above results, personal NO2 exposure distributions on subway station workers in Seoul were estimated with Monte Carlo simulation which uses statistical probabilistic theory on various exposure scenario testing. Some of distributions which did not have any formal patterns were assumed as custom distribution type. Estimated personal occupational NO2 exposure using time weighted average (TWA) model was 31.29±5.57 ppb, which were under Annual Ambient Standard (50 ppb) of Korea. Though arithmetic means of measured personal NO2 exposure was lower than that of occupational NO2 exposure estimated by TWA model, considering probability distribution type simulated, probability distribution of measured personal NO2 exposures for 24 hours was over ambient standard with 3.23%, which was higher than those of occupational exposure (0.02%). Further research is needed for reducing these 24 hour NO2 personal excess exposures besides occupational exposure on subway station workers in Seoul.

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.