This study aimed to assess the pollution level in 13 crowded subway stations in an effort to understand the spatial and seasonal factors of Indoor Air Quality. The main measured items were particulate pollutants such as PM10 and PM2.5 and gaseous pollutants such as CO2, HCHO, Rn, TVOC, BTEX, and Styrene at concourses and platforms in the summer and winter periods. The influence of the draught created by the movement of the train was classified into lateral and island platforms, and the concentrations of PM by location (entrance, middle, and end) were statistically compared and analyzed. As a result, the concentrations of PM were confirmed high in the order of Platform > Concourse > Ambient air. In particular, in the case of platform PM10, the frequency exceeding the standard value (100 μg/m3) was 38.5% and the maximum concentration was 196.2 μg/m3. All gaseous pollutants were at lower levels than the standard, and the factors affecting CO2 and Rn were identified as the number of users and geological characteristics, respectively. The principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated that PM was found to be a major indicator of the air quality management of subway stations. In particular, the concentrations at entrance and end areas in the lateral platform were about 1.4 times higher with regard to PM10 than in the middle area, and about 1.9 times higher with regard to PM2.5 due to the effect created by the draught produced by the movement of the train. Therefore, in order to manage PM in the platform area, a specialized management plan for places with particularly high PM concentration within the platform area is required. In addition, it is necessary to evaluate the effect created by the draught produced by train movement when selecting locations for measuring indoor air quality.
This study was conducted as a part of the research for the “Development of Big Data Analysis Techniques and AI-based Integrated Support System for Energy-Environment Management.” We collected research results on characterization of distribution of fine dust and re-analyzed using meta-analysis techniques to build “big data” with high potential for school environments. The results of prior studies on the characteristics of fine dust concentration distribution in a school environment conducted in Korea were collected and re-analyzed the results using the metaanalysis technique. In this manner, the variables that could be used to derive the independent variables needed to produce the e-coding book prior to the big data collection, were first derived. The possibility of using the data as independent variables was then evaluated. In this study, three variables: “elementary school vs. middle school vs. high school,” “general classroom vs. special classroom,” and “new classroom vs. old classroom” were evaluated for their application as major classification variables with priority. The necessity of being derived as a major classification variable was examined by testing the difference in fine dust concentration distribution in the school environment by each variable case. Results showed that “elementary school vs. middle school vs high school” and “general classroom vs. special classroom” could be used as independent variables, while “new classroom vs. old classroom” was less likely to be used as an independent variable.
This study was conducted to evaluate the quality of indoor air and health-related parameters (allergic rhinoconjunctivitis) of subject of study (control group and sensitive group) in two schools. The schools were categorized into two groups of newly-built school and the school older than 5 years. Removal of indoor pollutant was investigated according to volume rates (0%, 1.5%, 3%) of indoor plants inside 3 classrooms respectively. The chemicals of indoor environmental research were PM10, Volatile organic compounds (toluene and benzene), formaldehyde, temperature and humidity. ARIA (Allergic rhinitis impacts on Asthma) test was used to assess health effect for 151 students. Also, The variation of SBS symptoms for students in classroom was measured by intervention. With increasing volume ratio of classrooms, there were positive and significant results between the indoor pollutant and student's health score. Students showed improvement health score during the period of putting indoor plants, which was facilitated by the placement of indoor plants at newly-built school classroom of indoor plants volume ratio 3%. From the results above, it could be tentatively effective newly-built school classroom of indoor plants volume ratio 3% improve indoor air quality and student's health score.
This study was to assess the lifetime cancer and non-cancer risk on exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde of worker and user at public facilities in Korea. We measured the concentrations of formaldehyde and VOCs in indoor air at 160 public buildings that 5 kinds of public facilities (30 hotel, 30 fitness center, 25 gosiwon, 30 reading-room and 45 video-room) all over the country. There were estimated the human exposure dose and risks with averages of the using-time and frequency for facility users and office workers, respectively. Carcinogens (benzene and formaldehyde) were estimated the lifetime excess cancer risks (ECRs). Non-carcinogens (toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and styrene) were estimated the hazard quotients (HQs). HQs of four non-carcinogens did not exceed 1.0 for all subjects in all facilities. Higher HQs of toluene were observed at the reading-room. The average ECRs of formaldehyde and benzene for facility worker and user were 1×10-4~1×10-6 level in all facilities. The estimated ECRs for reading-room were the highest and the fitness center and gosiwon were the next higher facilities. Because lifetime ECRs of carcinogens exceeded 1×10-4 for facility worker in the most facilities, risk management of formaldehyde and benzene in the facilities was necessary. IAQ guidelines should be determined strictly to prevent occurrence of disease caused by poor IAQ beforehand.
Recently, functional building materials have been developed and introduced to the market. Many building materials emit volatile organic compounds(VOCs) which have the potential to affect health and comfort, and moisture problem has a major role also being established in indoor air quality (1AQ) problems. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of reduction of HCHO using the gupsum board and water vapour adsorption/desorption property for ceiling board for mock-up test room and test house. The mock-up test is conducted according environmental standard method for indoor air quality of the ministry of environment. The results of this study are as follows, the reduction of HCHO gypsum boards are showed an effect to reduce the formaldehyde(HCHO) concentration of mock-up test room and test house. The indoor humidity is also showed to be lower than the general ceiling materials, since there is increased in the absorbed indoor humidity by using a humidifier with moisture adsorption/desorption ceiling materials. In natural conditions, moisture adsorption/desorption ceiling materials is showed a higher humidity than general ceiling materials constructed in the mock-up test room. However It changes of moisture adsorption/desorption is not appeared in test house. Therefore, in case of decreasing and increasing in humidity, these materials can be offset by reduction of HCHO using the gypsum board.
The purpose of this study are to examin the level of temperature, relative humidity and pollutants at stock rooms in National Archives and to provide fundamental data in order to protect damage of archives. The survey of indoor air quality(IAQ) in stock rooms was performed in Busan National Archives in August and December 2007, and collected basic data, on level of them at stock rooms in National Archives that were published. The temperature and relative humidity in stock rooms were within the terms of national law of the public archives administration. The concentration of PM10 in stock rooms in National Archives exceeded 50 ㎍/m3, which is the guideline of national law for the public archives administration. The concentration of CO, SO2, NO2, O3 and Formaldehyde in stock rooms did not exceeded the guideline of national law. The concentration of total volatile organic compounds was shown to exceed the guideline of natioanl law. Therefore, we suggest that a national plan for the management of IAQ at stock rooms in National Archives should be established through a long-term, continuous investigation
This study was to assess the health risk of VOCs in indoor air under uncontrolled Korean-IAQ regulation. We measured the concentrations of formaldehyde and 5 VOCs (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and styrene) in indoor air at 232 public buildings for four kinds of public facility (32 wedding halls, 17 Gymnasiums, 20 Galleries, and 166 Welfare facilities) around the country. There were estimated the human exposure dose and health risk used average time and frequencies of questionaries for subjects such as facility users and office workers. There were estimated the lifetime excess cancer risk (ECR) for carcinogens (formaldehyde and benzene) and hazard quotient (HQ) for non-carcinogens (toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and styrene). For the facility user, the average levels of ECRs were 10-4∼10-5 and 10-5 ∼10-6, respectively, for formaldehyde and benzene in all facilities. HQs of four non-carcinogens were not exceeded 1.0 in all facilities and subjects. In addition, there was showed the highest ECR in the smoking facility.
A ventilation system comprising a dielectric barrier discharger and UV‐TiO2 photocatalyst filters was designed and tested for simultaneous removal of gaseous and particulate contaminants in a test chamber. The DBD was used as the 1st stage of ESP for particle charging and gas decomposition. Charged particles were collected in the 2nd stage of ESP by an applied DC electric field. The UV‐TiO2 photocatalyst filters were used for decomposing gaseous species including O3 which was inherently produced by the DBD. Particle removal efficiencies based on mass and number were approximately 83.0% and 88.8%, respectively, after the ventilation system was operating for 5 hours. HCHO removal efficiency was approximately 100% for 1∼5ppm of upstream concentration condition. TVOC removal efficiency was 99.0% and 99.6% for 1 ppm and 5 ppm of upstream concentration conditions, respectively.
This study was performed to investigate the health status of 600 owner-driver of taxi in Seoul City during from August 1, 2003 to February 28, 2004. The prevalence of subjective symptoms were surveyed by a general health questionnaires such as Todai Health Index (THI) and the Cornell Medical Index (CMI). In the THI health check table, prevalence of the complaints of mental subjective symptom by age was high in the items of fabrication (L), digestion (C), and aggressiveness (F) from 31 to 40 years old drivers and mental subjective symptom by age was high in all items except for tiredness (I), melancholia (N), and hypersensitivity (P) for the 60 years old drivers and showed in the items of melancholia (N) and hypersensitivity (P) for the 40 years old. From the complaints of mental and physical subjective symptoms about work satisfaction in the THI health check table, the strong dissatisfaction showed in the all items except for eye and skin trouble (B). All items except hypersensitivity (P) showed dissatisfaction in prevalence of complains of mental and physical subjective symptoms about work satisfaction in the CMI health check table. From the complains of mental and physical subjective symptoms on salary satisfaction in the THI health check table, the taxi driver who earn the salary of 1 million won showed statistically significant symptom of eye and skin trouble (B) and showed high tendency in all items except for respiratory (A) and digestion (C) systems. It is suggested that the appropriate health control for owner-driver of taxi should be applied to reduce the prevalence of complaints that showed mainly in the irregular working time and sleeping disorders.