Limited information is available on the acceptability of Korean MRLs(maximum residue limits) and the health risk based on the pesticide exposure by food intake. The aim of this study was to evaluate TMDI(theoretical maximum daily intake) and EDI(estimated daily intake) for Korean by using MRLs, food intake, residue data, and correction factors, and compare with ADI(acceptable daily intake) in order to estimate the health risk based on the pesticide exposure. The study was performed in three steps. In the first step, the residual pesticides in each category of food were investigated using the pesticide residue analytical data(1995-96) from officially approved organizations and the analytical data for poultry was adopted from Korean food code method. In the second step, TMDI was estimated from MRLs and food factors, and was compared with ADI. In the third step, the effectiveness of each culinary treatment (washing, peeling, steaming, boiling, and salting) was evaluated and EDI was calculated using pesticide residue data, food factor, and correction factor by treatment. TMDI obtained from MRLs and food intake, and food intake was summed as 1,100.99 g, which was 79.1% of total consumption. The percent ratio of TMDI to ADI for 156 pesticides was mostly below 80% and only 30 pesticides exceeded the ADI. In particular, non-treated EDI from pesticide residue data and food intake was summed up to about 43 ug/day/capita, and the rank was procymidone(8.6 ug) $gt; malefic hydrazide(8.2 ug) $gt; EPN(3.7 ug) $gt; deltamethrin(3.5 ug) $gt; cypermethrin(3.0 ug). The treated EDI calculated from pesticide residue data, food intake, and correction factor by culinary treatment was summed up to 13.7ug/day/capita. The percentage of ADI was TMDI(79.74%) $gt; non-treated EDI (0.17%) $gt; treated EDI(0.04%), and the exposure level of Korean population to whole pesticides was below the level to produce health risk. Oncogenic risk of five pesticides used in Korea whose oncogenic potency(Q*) was known were assessed from TMDI and treated EDI. Dietary oncogenic risk for Korean was estimated to be 2.0 × 10^(-3) on the basis of TMDI, 8.3 × 10^(-7) on the basis of treated EDI. The oncogenic risk from TMDI exceeded the risk level(1 × 10^(-6)) of EPA, whereas the oncogenic risk from treated EDI and real exposure level was lower than that of EPA.

Daily exposure of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) was estimated in foods (rice, barley, soybean, peanut, soysauce, soybean paste) by ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) using polyclonal antibody R_(101). Before ELISA, a simple extraction method was applied for the quantitation of AFB₁ in foods using chloroform which showed high recovery (70± 12%). AFB₁ levels in foods were 0.32 ng/ml (rice), 0.24 ng/ml (barley), 0.22 ng/ml (peanut), 0.30-0.78 ng/ml (soysauce), and 0.2 ng/ml (soybean paste). Based on food consumption, we estimated that Koreans were exposed to AFB₁ at the level of 1.86±0.46 ng/kg/day and liver cancer incidence attributed to AFB₁ exposure (assuming that AFB₁ as a single hepatocarcinogenic agent) might be calculated to be 13.1 per 100,000 population. Our data demonstrate that AFB₁ levels in foods were below the regulation of 10 ppb in foods and might not be the major risk factor for the high incidence of liver cancer in Korea.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the risk of various disease outcomes due to exposure to cyanobacteria toxin (microcystin-LR) through drinking water in a Korean watershed. In order to determine the risk in a more quantitative way, the risk assessment framework developed by the National Research Council (NRC) of the United States (US) - hazard identification, dose-response relationship, exposure assessment, and risk characterization - was used in this study. For dose-response relationships, a computer software (BenchMark Dose Software (BMDS)) developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was used to fit the data from previous studies showing the relationship between the concentration of microcystin-LR and various disease outcomes into various dose-response models. For exposure assessment, the concentrations of microcystin-LR in the source water and finished water in a Korean watershed obtained from a recent study conducted by the Ministry of Environment of Korea were used. Finally, the risk of various disease outcomes due to exposure to cyanobacteria toxin (microcystin-LR) through drinking water was characterized by Monte-Carlo simulation using Crystall Ball program (Oracle Inc.) for adults and children. The results of this study suggest that the risk of disease due to microcystin-LR toxin through drinking water is very low and it appears that current water treatment practice should be able to protect the public from the harmful effects of cyanobacteria toxin (microcystin-LR) through drinking water.

This study was performed to identify the state of the exposure and characteristics of pollutants by each process at 4 casting sites located in Gyeongsang-do from April to November 2013. The concentrations of methanol, crystallized silica glass, formaldehyde and phenol were analyzed by different process - casting process, molding process, core process, and shakeout & finishing process. The highest concentration of methanol was found in casting and molding process, whereas the highest concentration of crystalline quartz(Silica) was observed in core process. The most oxidized steel dusts and the highest concentration of fume were found in shakeout & finishing process. As a result of this study, those labors working at the casting site were found to be constantly exposed to various forms of hazardous chemicals; therefore, it is considered that this is the time to manage and plan how to reduce them. In addition, it is required to thoroughly manage the local exhauster, and improve the process and working environment to reduce various forms of hazardous chemicals.

This study was performed to evaluate the asbestos exposure levels and to calculate excess lifetime cacer risks(ELCRs) in asbestos-containing buildings for maintenance and management. The range of airborne asbestos concentration of 33 buildings was 0.0018 ~ 0.0126 f/cc and one site exceeded indoor air-quality recommended limit 0.01 f/cc. And ELCRs based on US EPA IRIS(Integrated risk information system) model are 1.5E-06 ~ 3.9E-05 levels, and there was no site showed 1.0E-04 (one person per million) level or more, and 11 sites showed 1.0E-05 (one person per 100,000 people) level or more. To prevent the release of asbestos fibers, it needs operation and maintenance of asbestos-containing building materials, and there are some methods such as removal, repairment, enclosure and encapsulation. In conclusion, a risk-based air action level for asbestos in air is an appropriate metric for asbestos-containing building management.

The present study evaluated residential exposure to atmospheric formaldehyde and acetaldehyde according to distance from the a dyeing industry complex (DIC). This purpose was achieved by measuring concurrently the outdoor air concentrations in residences near the DIC and a certain distance away, plus the outdoor air concentrations at two industrial areas within the DIC boundary. Formaldehyde concentrations (median values of 24.3 and 22.5 μg/㎥ in IS1 and IS2, respectively) were higher than acetaldehyde concentrations (median values of 7.4 and 7.3 μg/㎥ in IS1 and IS2, respectively) at both sites. However, there was no significant difference in the industrial outdoor air concentrations of both formaldehyde and acetaldehyde between the two sites. In addition, the median formaldehyde concentration from the residential site near the DIC (RS1) was about 1.5 times higher than that from the residential site far away from the DIC(RS2), and the median acetaldehyde concentration from RS1 was about 1.3 times higher than that from RS2. It is noteworthy that the mean or median risk as well as these maximum risks are well above the USEPA's permissible risk level of 10 -6 from environmental exposure. This suggests that appropriate management for formaldehyde and acetaldehyde is necessary in order to decrease risk of the residents of study areas, regardless of the distance from the DIC.

This study evaluated the hazard caused by NO2, an oxidant generated in the process of welding. We compared hematological and biochemical parameters in workers who chronically inhale NO2 and office workers not exposed to NO2. NO2 exposure affected the hematological and biochemical parameters. Increasing NO2 concentrationincreased the number of leukocytes, while decreasing the number of erythrocytes. Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid, and lactate dehydrogenase were increased, while total protein and triglycerides were decreased. The mean concentration of NOx(NO2-/ NO3-) in the serum of welders and the control group was 35.97±2.85 and 55.40±5.81 μmol/L, respectively. The difference was significant (p<0.05), although NO2- was not detected in the serum.