Objectives: The purpose of this review is to suggest future directions for the Korean Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) in terms of an environmental health monitoring system and recent environmental health issues in Korea. Methods: The national scale biomonitoring program and environmental health researches which conducted by Ministry of Environment was reviewed for this study. The scope, contents and utilization of results of KoNEHS as a biomonitoring program and other basic function for environmental health monitoring was analyzed. Results: Biomonitoring survey was conducted for basic functions, such as evaluating exposure levels of environmental chemicals and analyzing exposure factors. In order to expand the basic purposes of KoNEHS, the biomonitoring function should be strengthened by enlarging the range of chemicals analyzed and including all age groups in the biomonitoring and health status monitoring functions by using official health-care and mortality data. Exposure factors such as time-activity patterns and micro-environmental pollution levels were studied. The data from the environmental health study were established into a standardized database system for supporting environmental health policy. A definition and concept of environmental health services should be established. Conclusion: To achieve the aims of environmental health, changes in environmental health status and related factors must be observed and predicted reflecting real conditions. In this regard, improving the methodology and system through diverse approaches is necessary for KoNEHS.

Objectives: This pilot study assessed secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in smoking and non-smoking nightclubs in Seoul, Korea by measuring the concentration of particulate matter smaller than (). Methods: This comparative study was conducted in three nightclubs in Seoul. While one non-smoking nightclub was measured on weekdays and weekends, different smoking nightclubs were measured on weekdays and weekends. The concentration of was observed using a real-time monitor over an average of three hours. The number of people in the clubs was also estimated. Settled dust was collected in a smoking and a non-smoking nightclub and analyzed for NNK concentration. Results: The concentration in the smoking nightclubs was higher than those found in the non-smoking nightclub by 26 times on weekdays and three times on weekends. Indoor concentration was correlated with the number of people in the smoking nightclubs. Relatively high concentration was observed in the non-smoking nightclub on weekends. NNK concentration in the smoking nightclub was 7 times higer than in the non-smoking nightclub. Conclusion: Smoking in nightclubs caused high concentration. Although the non-smoking nightclub had a lower concentration, concentration on weekends was higher due to the smoking room. Complete prohibition of smoking in nightclubs can protect patrons from secondhand smoke exposure.

Background: Despite children`s unique characteristics that distinguish them from adults, relatively few attempts have been made to measure exposure factors for characterization of children`s exposure to hazardous chemicals in child-specific products (CSP). This study was conducted to establish the child-specific exposure factors for exposure and risk assessment of hazardous substances in CSP. Methods: We investigated the exposure factors (e.g., time use of child-products, time and frequency of object-to-body contact, time and frequency of object-to-mouth contact) influencing children`s exposure to CSP (e.g., toys, playmats, oil pastels, etc.) in 650 children through a parent-completed questionnaire using a web-based survey. Participants were recruited in five age groups, <1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-6, and 6-12 years of age. Results: The child-specific exposure factors were presented as the mean, median, percentile, minimum, and maximum values. Time activity for play mats was the longest among CSP and infants spent more time on them than did elder age groups (189.3-224.7 min/day for <1-2 years vs. 91.2 min/day for 6-12 years). It is apparent that time and frequency of toy block- and plastic toy-to-mouth contact significantly decreased as a function of age. When the variation of CSP use patterns was compared by gender, the only variable that was statistically different between genders was time activity in child-products exposure space. Conclusion: We believe the five child-specific exposure factors suggested in the present study will be valuable for reducing uncertainty in the estimation of chemical exposure during risk assessment of CSP and furthermore, in the appropriate regulations to protect children`s health.

Objectives: On September 27, 2012, leakage of anhydrous hydrofluoric acid occurred in a chemical plant in the Gumi National Industrial Complex. Following the accident, local factory workers and residents complained of abnormal health conditions. In addition, visual discolorations were widely observed in crops and trees in surrounding areas. The main objectives of the present study were to identify the area that was affected by the spill using data obtained from plants, soil, and water samples after the accident. Methods: Fluoride concentrations were analyzed in pine tree needles, soil, nearby streams, ponds and reservoirs collected from an area within a radius of three kilometers from the plant where the leak occurred. Fluoride concentrations in the air at the time of leakage were then estimated from fluoride concentrations that were measured in the pine tree needles. A Kriged map was developed to describe the spatial distribution of hydrofluoric acid at the time of the leakage and was compared with the area designated as a Special Disaster Zone by the government. Results: The Special Disaster Zone did not include all the affected area that was estimated by the Kriged map. Analytical results of the environmental samples also supported this discrepancy. Conclusion: Using plants, atmospheric concentrations of fluoride at the time of the leakage could be estimated. For the area that was identified as affected, further public health risk assessment and environmental risk assessment should be considered. Also, in the absence of air monitoring at the time of leakage, studies employing plants may be conducted in order to better understand the spatial extent and severity of the contamination.

Objectives: This study was carried out in order to estimate atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations and sources using pine needles as a passive air sampler (PAS) in urban (Pyeongtaek), semirural (Anseong) and rural (Jincheon) sites. Methods: One-year-old pine needles were collected for analysis of their PAH concentrations ( dry) at the end of December. PAHs concentrations in the ambient air (, ) were calculated with a correlational equation. Results: PAHs concentrations in ambient air () were high, in the order of urban (), semirural () and rural () sites. However, distributions of PAH isomer concentrations were very similar. PAHs of which molecular weight is smaller than 228.30 (AcPy, Acp, Flu, Phen, Ant, Flt, Pyr, BaA, Chry) made up most of the PAHs in the ambient air (96.6-98.5%). Conclusion: At urban, semirural and rural sites, it was concluded that the main source of PAHs in the ambient air ratio of each PAH isomer concentration was cars, especially diesel vehicles.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of leachate discharged from livestock burial sites in Gangwondo resulting from foot-and-mouth disease by monitoring the water quality at the survey tube-wells installed near livestock burial sites in order to investigate the effect of the leachate on the quality of nearby underground water and suggest a water pollution level in accordance with water quality evaluation criteria. Methods: To minimize the secondary environmental pollution damage caused by leachate at burial sites of livestock killed by foot-and-mouth disease, this study analyzed the leachate directly discharged from burial sites and installed survey tube-wells within 300 meters of livestock burial sites and investigated water quality as a means to ascertain the environmental effect of the leachate from the burial sites. In accordance with environmental management guidelines on livestock burial sites, this research investigated the water quality in the survey tube-wells in fifty five burial sites in Gangwondo. The elements investigated were -N, , -N, conductivity, and E. coli. Water quality was monitored from 2011 to 2013. Results: The water quality from the drain pipe at the location of leachate from livestock burial sites showed BOD 37,209 mg/L, COD 8,829 mg/L, -N 3,633 mg/L, and 580 mg/L. According to the monitoring results of water quality (, -N, conductivity) at the survey tube-wells, there was suspicion that 13 out of 55 burial sites discharged leachate, five sites discharged highly concentrated leachate (13%): one in Gangneung, one in Wonju, and three in Cheorwon. Conclusion: It was judged that out of thirteen observation wells which showed a possibility of discharged leachate, three survey tube-wells have established the discharge effect of leachate at burial sites up to recently. Therefore, it is judged that it is necessary to continue monitoring them and devise additional measures.

Objectives: -postlabeling assay is the most sensitive method of detecting DNA adduct formation. However, it is limited by a low sample throughput and use of radioisotopes (RI). In this study, we modified it to minimize these limitations and applied it to Z. platypus exposed to Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) in order to investigate DNA adduct formation (effect biomarker for pollutants) in Z. platypus for assessing risk of waterborne BaP exposure. Methods: DNA hydrolysis was performed only with Micrococcal nuclease (MNase), RI reduction test was performed and the overlapping steps between thin layer chromatography (TLC) and radioisotope high-performance liquid chromatography (RI-HPLC) were omitted. The application of a modified method to Z. platypus exposed to BaP was performed. Results: The results revealed that the amount of RIs used can be reduced roughly 10-fold. Because the analysis time was shortened by 8.5 hours, the sample throughput per hour was increased compared with the previous method. The results of applying modified -postlabeling assay to Z. platypus, DNA adduct formation in Z. platypus showed dose-dependency with the BaP concentration. Only BPDE-dGMP was detected as a DNA adduct. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that the modified -postlabeling assay is a suitable method for detecting DNA adduct formation in Z. platypus exposed to waterborne BaP and will be useful in risk assessment of carcinogenic effect in aquatic environment due to BaP.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of indicator organisms in essential sanitary ware in public restrooms. Methods: Twelve public restrooms were randomly selected. Samples at three locations (toilet seat, toilet flush handle/lever, and faucet handle) in the restrooms were collected with moistened-sterile cotton swabs and applied to media in order to determine aerobic colony count (ACC), total coliforms, and Escherichia coli. Results: Most of the samples taken in summer showed a higher level of ACC than those taken in winter (p<0.05). Female restrooms showed higher ACC levels on faucet handles and male restrooms on toilet flush handles/levers (p<0.05). Overall, faucet handles contained the greatest level of ACC, followed by toilet seats, whereas the least load was found on toilet flush handles/levers. The ACC level of samples in the restrooms in public parks, subway stations, and educational institutions varied. Total coliforms were identified in about 20% of toilet seats and faucet handles in male restrooms and faucet handles in female restrooms in summer. These locations were also the sites of positive results of E. coli isolation. Conclusions: The public restrooms were significantly more contaminated in summer than in winter. Overall, the most contaminated locations in the restrooms were toilet seats in male restrooms, and faucet handles in female restrooms. Poor hygienic status was indicated by the positive results of total coliforms and E. coli on samples from some sites. Therefore, sanitary control of restrooms should be improved. These results should be confirmed in a larger study that includes more public restrooms.