This study aims to present the fundamental strategies for improving the Indoor Air Quality ( IAQ ) in newly unoccupied apartment units. The results of this study can be summarized as follows, The field survey of 160 newly unoccupied units with airtight doors and windows showed that the concentrations of HCHO and TVOC were higher than the standards. The emission rates of HCHO and TVOC were proportional to the height. The small chamber test of pollutant concentration for building materials showed that pollutants were emitted dominantly from the wood furnishings and adhesives.

Among indoor air pollutants, the aldehydes are of particular interest due to their impact on health because they are mainly indoor air polluants which emitted from building materials and adhesives. Formaldehyde is also contributed by various construction materials, including pressed wood products made with urea formaldehyde resins or phenol formaldehyde resins, conversion varnishes, and latex paints. In this study, aldehyde levels were compared with new dwellings and old types under the various indoor conditions. Aldehydes were sampled in each indoor sampling site using 2,4-DNPH cartridge. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein appeared to be the major indoor aldehydes without relating any type of apartment. This study also revealed that propionaldehyde, butylaldehyde and benzaldehyde were of minor importance compared to formaldehyde level.

This study was carried out to evaluate the characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and aldehydes emission as a function of airtight time in new apartment. Sampling was undertaken at 34 new apartments located in 4 different cities of Korea from February to November 2005. The measurement data were collected every one hour from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. toward increasing airtight time in a day. The concentrations of VOCs and aldehydes were analysed by GC/MS and HPLC method, respectively. These methods showed good sensitivity, linearity, and repeatability. In this study, the most abundant compounds at new apartments appeared to be toluene, m,p-xylene, formaldehyde and acetone. Moreover, the concentration variations at a closed rooms progressively increased by airtight time of 5 hours. Airtight time of new apartment was a most important and affective factor which influenced concentration change.

This study was undertaken to investigate the concentration of VOCs from newly built apartments in three cities (Suncheon, Yeosu, and Gwangyang) of Honam province in Korea. VOCs were sampled using canister and analyzed by GC/MSD. The result of the canister blank test showed that, most VOCs were not detected when 5 ppb was cleaned once and 10 ppb was cleaned with two times. In case of the replicate alalysis to check for the precision of GC/MSD, RSD values were found to be excellent at 6%. The upper floor of C apartment (25 pyong) showed the highest concentration of TVOCs at 3,235 ㎍/㎥. The average concentration of TVOCs was the highest in C apartment (25 pyong) as 1,833±1,217 ㎍/㎥. The average concentration of TVOCs in K (52 pyong) and S apartment (16 pyong) were 1,820±1,035 ㎍/㎥ and 498±71 ㎍/㎥, respectively. The I/O ratio of TVOCs were 8.99∼35.90 (mean : 25.99), 11.51∼35.43 (mean : 20.07) and 6.03∼7.90 (mean : 6.92) in K, C and S apartment, respectively. From these results, it is believed that the concentration of TVOCs was comparatively high in new apartment. Therefore, it is important to use low VOC emission materials to reduce the emission concentration of VOCs from in new apartment. It is hence necessary that a scientific study is performed to secure clean indoor air quality.

This study was performed to estimate the emission rate of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and to evaluate the risk level affected by indoor air pollutants (IAPs) in 27 new apartments (prior to residence) in Seoul City from December 2004 to March 2005. The indoor air pollutants investigated in this study include formaldehyde, several aromatic VOCs (benzene, toluene, styrene, xylene, and ethylbenzene). All measurements were made based on the standard method of Ministry of Environment in Korea. The indoor concentration levels for benzene, xylene, toluene, ethylbenzene, styrene, and formaldehyde have significant increase trend 5 hours after closing windows and doors. Levels of air pollutants did not exhibit significant difference between living rooms and bedrooms. The air exchange rates by the concentration decay method using SF6 were 0.37 for low floor, 0.32 for middle floor, and 0.75 for high floor. The emission rate showed the highest level in the middle floor and second one in the low floor, when estimated by the IAQ model for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, styrene, and formaldehyde. Considering the above result, it is suggested that the estimation of emission rate be considered when the new apartment is designed and constructed with respect to construction materials to emit low VOCs. Moreover, the related regulation should be established for IAQ management.

For indoor air quality at a newly built apartment before move-in, we monitored formaldehyde and VOCs and assessed human exposure and probabilistic health risk. We selected 801 newly built apartments all over the country. The results of the research on the condition show the mean concentrations of formaldehyde 294 ㎍/㎥, 210(median) 1497㎍/㎥(maximum), benzene 6㎍/㎥, (4 and 92㎍/㎥), toluene 1003㎍/㎥(773 and 5013 ㎍/㎥), ethylbenzene 120㎍/㎥, (62 and 1192㎍/㎥), xylene 287㎍/㎥(138 and 2723㎍/㎥) and styrene 64㎍/㎥, (42 and 531㎍/㎥). Formaldehyde from carcinogen and toluene and xylene from non-carcinogen were assessed the risk for human health. The excess cancer risk of formaldehyde for human beings between carcinogens is per 1.36 of average 1000 persons. This implies that it is over a level per 1.00 of 1000 persons demanding active risk reduction. Hence, we strongly need the active reduction plan and accurate source assumption. Among a variety of factors affecting indoor air quality for householders, closing construction or density of indoor air processing additional interior construction and indoor area, indoor air quality with a variety of districts show significant. The excess cancer risk for human beings of formaldehyde between carcinogens is per 1.36 of average 1000 persons. Non-carcinogen toxicity rate for human-beings with toluene and xylene among non-carcinogens is over HQ 1 from Seoul to local area.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the concentration of aldehydes from new apartments in three cities(Suncheon, Yeosu, and Gwangyang) of Chonnam region. The target apartments were within 3 months after the completion of construction. Aldehydes were sampled using 2,4-DNPH cartridge and analyzed by HPLC. Temperature and relative humidity were monitored continuously every one minute by digital temperature and hygrometer. As the concentration ratio of formaldehyde between back-up and front cartridge was 3.94 6.97%, the 2,4-DNPH cartridge method satisfied a breakthrough problem for the sample collection. The repeatability of retention time and peak area for HPLC were excellent as 0.5 and 1.5%, respectively. The upper floor of S apartment (16 pyong) showed the highest concentration of formaldehyde as 1,093㎍/㎥. The average concentration of formaldehyde was the highest in K apartment(52 pyong) as 1,045㎍/㎥. The average concentration of formaldehyde in S apartment(16 pyong) and C apartment(25 pyong) were 872.6㎍/㎥ and 737.5㎍/㎥, respectively. The I/O ratios of formaldehyde were 56.9 60.0(mean : 59.1), 37.9 43.3(mean : 39.8) and 18.3 29.3(mean : 23.3) in K, C and S apartment, respectively. Therefore, it is believed that the indoor concentration of formaldehyde was very serious in new apartment. From these results, it is important that building material which emit low indoor pollutant should be selected for new apartments. In addition, management program for indoor air, such as using an adequate amount of adhesives, should be considered and indoor optimum condition should be maintained in new apartments.

점탄성감쇠기 (VED)를 건물의 내부에 가새의 형태로 설치하는 기존의 방법은 공간 이용에 제약이 되며, 내부 동선을 방해할 수 있다. 이러한 단점은 VED를 건물사이의 신축이음부 (신축줄눈)나 지진줄눈 사이에 설치함으로써 해결할 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 신축이음부에 설치된 VED의 내진성능 향상 효과에 관하여 연구하였다. 이를 위하여 VED로 연결된 3자유도 구조물의 지진하중에 대한 각 설계 변수들의 효과를 파악하고, 제안된 방법의 실용성을 검토하였다. 이를 바탕으로 서로 다른 구조 시스템으로 설계된 5층 구조물을 VED로 연결하고 시간이력 해석을 수행하였다. 해석 결과에 따르면 인접한 구조물의 고유주기가 다르게 설계된 경우, VED로 연결된 구조물의 내진 성능을 상당히 향상할 수 있는 것으로 나타났다.

Recently, concern about Sick House Syndrome (SHS) has been increased in Korea. And it is suspected that formaldehyde (HCHO) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major factors for SHS. This study was surveyed the indoor air quality in new apartments in Korea. The HCHO and VOCs were measured at 90 sites and analysed by HPLC-UV and GC/MS, respectively. The range of HCHO concentrations at 90 sites were 9.39∼248.78㎍/㎥ and the mean value 105.41㎍/㎥ and the concentrations of HCHO at 42 sites (46.7%) exceeded the indoor air quality guideline (100㎍/㎥) in Japan. Among the 4 VOCs, toluene concentrations were the highest and the mean value 127.33㎍/㎥ and that concentrations at 12 sites (13.8%) were exceeded the indoor air quality guideline (260㎍/㎥) in Japan. There was a tendency which the longer the movement and measurement period is, the more the pollutants concentration is decreased. HCHO and VOCs concentrations of domestic results was similar to Japan's survey results in 2000.