This study sought to improve the accuracy of estimating national emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from consumer solvent products (CSPs) by updating emission factors and category-specific activity data. The classification of the CSPs, which was originally proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was reorganized to reflect domestic consumption patterns in Korea. VOC contents, product sales, and atmospheric evaporation rates of the CSPs were analyzed for subcategories including personal care products, household products, and automotive aftermarket products to update their emission factors. Additionally, the category-specific activity data, previously based on only population statistics, were newly applied to count the characteristics of each classification, such as the number of households and the number of registered automobiles. The updated emission factors were calculated to be 1.90 kg/capita·yr for personal care products, 4.37 kg/household·yr for household products, and 2.36 kg/car·yr for automotive products. An evaluation of uncertainties revealed the limitation in the product classification, the shortage of sales data, and the lack of information on VOC contents depending on the product forms (liquid, solid, and aerosol). This study highlighted the necessity of developing detailed classification systems and standardized VOC content measurement methods, ultimately contributing to more accurate and practical assessments of VOC emissions from the CSPs.
Oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a key mechanism of skin aging, and the use of antioxidants is an effective strategy to prevent the symptoms associated with ROS-induced skin aging. The components rich in polyphenolic compounds with antioxidative activity were identified by fractionating an aqueous ethanolic extract of Gryllus bimaculatus (AE-GBE) using solvent using hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water. Their ability to migrate H2O2-induced oxidative stress in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) was then evaluated. The butanol fraction of AE-GBE had the highest polyphenol content and antioxidant effect, followed by the ethyl acetate and water fractions, suggesting that the likely antioxidant components are polar components. Furthermore, the butanol, ethyl acetate, and water fractions effectively reduced intracellular ROS production and DNA damage in HDF cells caused by H2O2. Overall, these findings suggest that the butanol fraction of AE-GBE shows promise as a natural insect-derived antioxidant material, capable of suppressing oxidative stress by showing a stronger antioxidant effect under H2O2 stimulation than the other fractions.