To obtain information on the indoor air quality of un-disinfected libraries used for paper records preservation, temperature, humidity, and bacterial concentration and species were investigated at five un-disinfected libraries from May to September in 2019 in the National Archives, Seoul (Nara Repository), Korea. Temperature and humidity of all the five un-disinfected libraries were well maintained at 18-22oC and 40-55% in compliance with the National Archives Paper Records Preservation Environment Standard. Bacterial concentration ranged from 2 CFU/m3 up to 280 CFU/m3 which were lower than the Korean indoor air quality standard value. A total of 68 bacterial species belonging to 33 genera were identified from indoor air of the five un-disinfected libraries. Among the 33 genera, Bacillus, Micrococcus, and Staphylococcus were the major genera. Only Micrococcus yunnanensis, Roseomonas mucosa, and Moraxella osloensis were commonly found among the five un-disinfected libraries. Bacterial species producing colonies with color on TSA media were present. Among the 68 species, Bacillus circulans and B. megaterium known to produce cellulases were found. There were also 17 species which have harmful effect on human health. The results of this study indicate that continuous monitoring of air borne bacteria is necessary in the un-disinfected libraries used for paper records preservation.

This experiment evaluated the efficiency of mechanical ventilation, one of the measures to reduce indoor radon concentration in residential spaces. In the most popular ventilation rates of the air conditioning system, the most efficient air conditioning system was confirmed by checking the time when the radon concentration reached the lowest level, the radon reduction rate, and the radon concentration that could be lowered as much as possible. The results showed a reduction rate of up to 80% or more as a result of conducting the experiment by blocking the inflow of outside air. It was confirmed that the time to reach the lowest concentration after starting the mechanical ventilation was about 6 hours to a maximum of 7 hours. Therefore, this study verified that indoor radon concentrations can be efficiently reduced by using a mechanical ventilation system.

In this study, the effect of improving indoor air quality according to the installation of plants was evaluated in classrooms where students spend much time. The purpose was to prepare sustainable and eco-friendly measures to improve the indoor air quality of school classrooms. A middle school in Bucheon was selected as an experiment subject, and IAQ monitoring equipment based on IoT was installed to monitor indoor air quality. After measuring the basic background concentration, plants and air purifiers were installed and the effects of improving indoor air quality using plants and air purifiers were evaluated based on the collected big data. As a result of evaluating the effects of indoor air quality improvement on the installation of plants and air purifiers, the reduction rates of PM10 and PM2.5 in descending order were plant- and air purifier- installed classes, air purifier-installed classes, and plant-installed classes. CO2 levels were reduced in the classrooms with only plants, and increased in two classrooms with air purifiers. The increase in CO2 concentration in the classrooms with plants and air purifiers was lower than in those with only air purifiers.

In this paper, we conducted a survey to reveal the general perception of parents toward outdoor air quality, particulate matter (PM), and indoor air quality (IAQ) at schools where their children attend. A total of 1,030 parents participated in this survey, where the age of their children ranged between 7 years to over 19 years of age. Each participant was either a member of a non-governmental organization (NGO) with a keen interest in air quality or an ordinary public panel member with less interest. The result of the survey indicated that the participants had a negative perception of air quality, and parents believed that the outdoor and indoor air is extremely polluted. The participants pointed out that they believe that the main reason for the pollution is due to particulate matter (PM) and school classrooms are the location where their children are exposed to PM the most. Based on our study, the majority of the participants prefer a mechanical ventilation system to reduce indoor air pollutants in schools. Our study should be referred to by school officials in order to maintain IAQ and as a way of addressing the concerns of parents who want to protect their children’s health.

This study was performed to investigate the characteristics of VOCs and carbonyl compounds emitted by smallscale master, offset, and screen printing facilities. During the printing process, concentration measurements of indoor samples were made at each on the printer equipment and the indoor center of the facility. In each case, the window or door served as natural ventilation, and concentration measurements of outdoor samples were made at each air exit point. The results showed that in all printing facilities, the levels of VOCs and carbonyl compounds were much higher in printer equipment compared to indoor levels. Comparative examination of VOCs between printer equipment and the indoors of the facility, the main species of master and offset printer equipment were Methyl isocyanide, 2,2,6-Trimethyloctane, 2,2-Dimethyldecane, 3,7-Dimethyldecane, Toluene, Acetonitrile, and 3- Methoxy-3-methylbutanol. The main species of the indoors of master and offset facilities were Toluene, 2,2,6- Trimethyl-octane, Isopropyl alcohol, 3-Methoxy–3- methylbutanol, Nonane, and Acetone. However, in the screen printing facility, the printer and indoor emission compounds were the same such as 2-Methyl-cyclopentanone, Cyclohexanone, Ethylbenzene, and p-Xylene. Among the compounds released to the outside, Toluene and Acetone were the most abundant species of VOCs and carbonyl compounds, respectively.

High concentrations of PM2.5 were generated in new apartments before moving in, and PM2.5 reduction efficiencies using air cleaners and ventilation systems were evaluated. The experimental results for different air cleaner capacities showed that the PM2.5 reduction efficiencies for 46.2 m2, 66 m2, and 105.6 m2 areas were 81.7%, 92.9%, and 92.5%, respectively. Thus, the larger the air cleaning application area, the higher the PM2.5 reduction efficiency. However, there was no difference in the efficiency of overcapacity air cleaners above a certain capacity. The efficiencies of air cleaners located at the living room center, interior wall, and edge were 81.7%, 79.2%, and 75.8%, respectively. There was, therefore, no significant difference in the PM2.5 reduction efficiencies of air cleaners in different locations. Furthermore, the PM2.5 reduction efficiencies at distances of 1 m, 2 m, and 3 m were 81.7%, 81.3%, and 81.7%, respectively. Therefore, there was also no significant difference in efficiency with distance. The PM2.5 concentration decreases rapidly during natural ventilation. Therefore, when the indoor PM2.5 is higher than the outdoor PM2.5, the air cleaner should be used after natural ventilation. The efficiency of PM2.5 reduction using an air supply-type ventilation system in apartments was 35%, which is not high. The simultaneous operation of the ventilation system and kitchen range hood was effective, showing a PM2.5 reduction efficiency of 69.1%. However, a water sprayer was not effective, showing a PM2.5 reduction efficiency of 24.3%. The results of this study suggest that PM2.5 reduction performance should be standardized by evaluating the efficiency of different ventilation systems. Effective usage and maintenance standards for ventilation systems need to be disseminated, and ventilation systems and air cleaners should be used effectively.

The urban expressway is widely used to avoid traffic jams in highly-populated urban areas. However, vehicle exhaust can be easily transported to the neighboring area including residential buildings. In this study, we investigated the transport and penetration of vehicle exhaust into the nearby high-story residential building. Black carbon (BC) and lung deposited surface area (LDSA) concentrations were monitored every 1 min using an aethalometer (AE51, Magee) and a nanoparticle aerosol monitor (AeroTrak 9000, TSI), respectively. For comparison, the measurement was carried out in both the living room and balcony of the apartment from January 18 to January 25, 2016. The CO2 concentration indicated the presence of residents in the living room and transport of vehicle exhaust from the roadway in the balcony. Its diurnal variation showed a significant difference between weekdays and the weekend, implying the different time activity of residents and traffic volume. BC and LDSA concentrations were 1.4±1.5 μg/m3 and 53.9±45.0 μm2/cm3 indoors, and 1.9±1.0 μg/m3, 76.2±34.5 μm2/cm3 outdoors, respectively. The indoor to outdoor concentration ratios range from 0.6 to 0.8, indicating the significant influence of outdoor vehicle exhaust. The highest concentrations of BC and LDSA were observed in the morning rush hours, except for those indoors during the weekend. In particular, the outdoor effect is significant during the morning rush hours. Indoor air quality management is urgently needed for residents living near the urban expressway.

The topic of indoor air quality has attracted great interest since urban dwellers spend over 90% of their time indoors, such as public facilities, public transport and homes. In this study, the changes and current status of indoor air quality management and improvement policies for public facilities in Korea were discussed. Furthermore, we investigated the concentration and contamination status of indoor air pollutants based on the indoor air quality guidance and inspection report from 2007-2017 published by the Ministry of Environment, Korea. As a result, we found that while the PM10 concentration in public facilities decreased consistently, there was no clear change in the CO2 concentration. The HCHO concentrations were high in museums, art galleries, and postpartum centers, etc. The child care centers showed a high concentration of TCB. In conclusion, we suggested that it is necessary to focus on target substances according to the type of facility to manage indoor air quality efficiently. Intensive management and monitoring are particularly needed in child care centers to improve the indoor air quality.

The purpose of this study is to provision the standard method for ensuring the reliability of measuring indoor air quality in public transportation. The objective is to determine the difference in the measured concentration values according to various conditions. These variables include measurement conditions, measurement equipment, measurement points, and measurement time. The value differences are determined by measuring the PM10 and CO2 concentration of subways, and express buses and trains, which are targets of indoor air quality management. The concentration of CO2 was measured by the NDIR method and that of PM10 was measured by the gravimetric method and light-scattering method. Statistically, the results of the concentration comparison according to the measurement points of the public transportation modes were not significantly different (p > 0.05), and it is deemed that the concentration is not affected by the measurement points. In terms of the concentration analysis results according to the measurement method, there was a difference of the concentration between the gravimetric and light scattering method. In the case of the light scattering method, the concentration differed depending on whether it was corrected with standard particles in the laboratory environment.

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.

Asthma is a chronic diseases that restricts the air passage ways and which is thought to be caused by several factors such as genetics, obesity, mVOC, air pollution, allergens, and fungi. Domestic information on fungi in the indoor air in the houses of asthma patients in the spring and fall is rarely available. Thus, this study was carried out to investigate fungal concentration and diversity. Air samples were collected from the houses of 6 asthma patient in April and October of 2017 located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Provinces using an impaction method. The average concentrations of suspended fungi in the indoor air at the houses of adult asthma patient in October exceeded the 500 CFU/m3 level recommended by the Enforcement Managements of the Indoor Air Quality Control Act. A total of 70 fungi were isolated and identified. Four genera and 11 species were from the April sampling and 10 genera and 27 species were from the October sampling. Among the identified fungi, five species, Arthrinium marii, Penicillium austrosinicum, Penicillium concavorugulosum, Penicillium exsudans and Penicillium johnkrugii were found to be unrecorded species in Korea. The known properties of all identified fungi and the morphological and molecular characteristics of the five unrecorded species were described.

The goal of this study was to measure the indoor and outdoor fine and ultrafine particulate matter concentrations (PM10, PM1.0) of some houses in Yeosu and in S university in Asan from March to September 2018. PM10 concentration in indoor air in Yeosu area was 18.25 μg/m3, while for outdoor air it was 14.53 μg/m3. PM1.0 concentration in indoor air in the Asan area was 1.70 μg/m3, while for outdoor air it was 1.76 μg/m3, showing a similar trend. Heavy metal concentrations in the Yeosu region were the highest, at Mn 2.81 μg/m3, Cr 1.30 μg/ m3, and Ni 1.11 μg/m3 indoors. Outside, similar concentrations were found, at Cr 3.44 μg/m3, Mn, 2.60 μg/m3, and Ni 1.71 μg/m3. Our analysis of indoor and outdoor PM concentrations in the Asan region, which was carried out using the MOUDI (Micro-orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor) technique, found that PM concentration is related to each particle size concentration, as the concentration of 18 μm and 18-10 μm inside tends to increase by 3.2- 1.8 μm and 0.56-0.32 μm.

A survey on the indoor air quality of schools was conducted on a total of 10 schools in each location, such as industrial zones, roadside zones and clean zones of the Jeonbuk Province. Regardless of their location, 75% of the schools were not suitable to the environmental standard, and five schools were inadequate in both the first and the second half measurement results. Compared to the public facilities survey conducted by the Jeollabukdo Institute Health and Environment Research from 2008 to 2016, the concentration of CO2, total airborne bacteria (TAB), and PM10, with the exception of HCHO, was higher in school classrooms than in any other public facilities. The correlations between pollutants and test items demonstrated that total airborne bacteria (TAB) were significantly correlated with the degree of ventilation, and the PM10 was correlated with the cleaning status, respectively. Although the other test items of indoor air quality in the school were measured in the same way as the public facilities measurement methods, the PM10 is applied in accordance with the simplified method. In order to investigate the difference between the measurement methods, the results were compared at the same point at the same time. When comparing the concentrations of PM10, the gravimetric method, which is a public facilities measurement method, showed a significant difference from the light scattering method, which is a method of measuring PM10 in schools. By comparison, it was confirmed that the light scattering method was measured lower than the gravimetric method. The light scattering method is useful for confirming the change of the particulate matter, but it is considered difficult to judge the concentration of the particulate matter in the classroom by the instantaneous measurement because of the potential error caused by high humidity, etc. Secondary pollution ions were measured at 17.1% ~ 40.5% in the industrial zone schools, 7.4%~27.4% in the roadside zone schools and 8.1%~21.8% in the clean zone schools, The percentage of pollution ions were not clearly distinguished by location.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of shoe dust on the indoor environment, and the effectiveness of shoe dust control on indoor air quality. Test dust was resuspended to reach a mass concentration of particles (2.5-10 μm size) more than 3 times compared to background level, and 1.5 times for particles less than 1 μm in size. The shoes, which were used for actual walking purposes in the outdoor environment, increased indoor PM10 concentration by 118±9%. The removal of shoe dust by water washing and mechanical suction brought about an improvement of indoor air quality. In particular, in circumstances where 27 people walked for one hour into the indoor environment, the mechanical suction of shoe dust decreased PM10 concentration by about 17% (based on the mass balance analysis).

As indoor activities continue to increase, the importance of indoor air is emphasized. Moreover, children's activities are emphasized as being vulnerable. In this study, vocal organic compounds (VOCs) and CO2 in the indoor air were analyzed among children aged 4 to 7 years attending day care centers in Seoul. In the case of VOCs, the average concentration measured during a period of 24 hours in an asthmatic home was 143.9 (μg/m3). The average concentration measured during a period of 24 hours in the asthma and rhinitis home was 146.7 (μg/m3). In CO2, the average concentration measured during a period of 24 hours in the asthmatic home was 665.9 (ppm). The average concentration measured during a period of 24 hours in the asthma and rhinitis home was 695.9 (ppm). In this study, asthma symptoms increased as the concentration of indoor pollutants increased. Exposure of VOCs (μg/ m3) and CO2 (ppm) among environmental factors shows that respiratory symptoms such as asthma can be induced.

Fungus has been regulated as an air contaminant in indoor environments in Korea. To remove the contaminant, air purifiers have been used in houses. However, not much information on the status of fungal contamination in the indoor air of houses is available. The present study was carried out to investigate fungal concentration and species in the indoor air of houses using air purifiers in winter. The results of indoor air sampling of ten houses located in the cities of Incheon, Seoul, Hwaseong, and Gimpo showed that the level of fungi ranged from 9 CFU/ m3 to 782 CFU/m3. Eight out of ten houses showed a level of less than 165 CFU/m3 indicating that the fungal level is generally low. Only one house exceeded the Korean regulatory standard value of 500 CFU/m3. A total of 175 isolates were obtained and classified as three genera belonging to Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium. Among these three genera, 15 species including four Aspergillus spp., two Cladosporium spp., and nine Penicillium spp. were identified. Regarding the detection rate of the 15 identified fungal species, A. niger was the most detected species and followed by Cladosporium cladosporioides. Three to six species were present in the individual house that was investigated. Overall, our results showed that the level of fungal concentration and species diversity are low in the indoor air of houses that use air purifiers in winter.

Many air purifiers have been developed and released with increasing PM. In generally, the performance of air purifiers has been evaluated in the environment chamber by relevant standards. However, as there is a lack of information about air cleaning performance of air purifier in the living area, consumers have difficulty with product selection. In this study, five air purifiers were tested in apartments with different structures. In order to examine the effect of air purifiers, we assumed 3 cases such as inflow of pollutants from outdoors by ventilation, smoking patterns of residents, and cooking methods (e.g., frying fish). The evaluation results showed that the efficiency of air purifier products D and B of the 3-stage configuration (pre-filter + HEPA filter + activity carbon) was the best in most experiments. In the case of the ionizer type E product, the efficiency was very low and, at times, had increased the particulate matter indoors. Considering the cost-performance ratio, it is most reasonable to use an air purifier comprising a pre-filter and a HEPA filter without an additional configuration.

In this study, 40 residents of the Gwangyang and Yeosu areas were assessed for their level of exposure to heavy metals (As, Cd, Ni) from April 2017 to June 2018. The aim was to understand the differences in levels of indoor exposure to heavy metals (As, Cd, Ni), and a health risk assessment was conducted to determine whether there was any fatal cause from carcinogenic elements. The mean concentrations of PM10 particles indoors were As 0.24 μg/m3, Cd 0.07 μg/m3, and Ni 0.89 μg/m3. The health risk assessment for the arsenic, cadmium, and nickel in indoor air confirmed that the mean values exceeded the cancer risk tolerances specified by the U.S. EPA, for As (males 3.07 × 10−4, females 3.35 × 10−4), Cd (males 3.83 × 10−5, females 4.18 × 10−5), and Ni (males 6.36 × 10−5, females 6.95 × 10−5).

In this study, the condition of the hazardous materials in the bus was monitored according to the ventilation mode of the air conditioning system during bus service. The bus was surveyed using the indoor air quality measurement method of public transportation vehicles within one year of delivery. We evaluate the CO2 and PM10, which are the controlled parameters in buses by the Ministry of Environment, and VOCs and HCHO, the non-controlled parameters. The PM10 concentration increased due to outdoor air intake; however the CO2 concentration was found to decrease. In addition, the concentration of VOCs and HCHO was found to decrease due to the forced ventilation system and the outdoor air intake. These results show that the concentration of the other materials except PM10 can be changed due to the outside air concentration and forced ventilation system. Therefore, through indoor air quality characteristics of the bus according to air condition system are intended to be used as the basis of an operation manual.

In this study, we measured the concentration of Particulate Matter(PM10), Formaldehyde(HCHO), and Total Bacteria Count (TBC) at two facilities: day care centers, and postnatal care centers located in the cities of Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Jeolla and Gyeongsang from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2015. PM10 concentration was similar to the day care centers and postnatal care centers. HCHO concentration was the highest in the postnatal care centers. TBC concentration was the highest in the day care centers. Comparing the different cities, PM10 concentration was the highest in Gyeonggi, HCHO concentration was the highest in Gyeonggi, and TBC concentration was the highest in Gyeonggi. As a result of HCHO's risk assessment, it was found that adults exceeded the carcinogenicity tolerance of 10−6 specified by the US EPA. This study is expected to be helpful in preventing damage to health from the contaminated indoor air at sensitive facilities, and can be used as basic data for indoor air quality management.