Environmental Working Status of Mercury using Industries in Korea

수은 취급사업장 작업환경 실태에 관한 조사연구

To obtain the basic information of environmental working status in mercury industries in Korea, 26 mercury industries were investigated with mercury concentration in air and various factors affecting on workplace environment. The results were as follows : 1. The mean air concentration of mercury was $0.046{\pm}0.035mg/m^3$ in 26 mercury industries. 2. The highest mean air concentration of mercury among 26 mercury industries classified by type of product was found in sodium hydroxide manufacturing industries ($0.054{\pm}0.020mg/m^3$) and the lowest mean was found in mercury battery manufacturing industries ($0.003{\pm}0.002mg/m^3$). 3. While the highest' mean air concentration of mercury was found in manual method ($0.061{\pm}0.041mg/m^3$) among the types of operation method, lowest one was found in automatic method ($0.035{\pm}0.025mg/m^3$). 4. While the mean air concentration of mercury was $0.023{\pm}0.018mg/m^3$ in good clean status of workshop, the mean air concentration of mercury in bad clean status was $0.06{\pm}0.033mg/m^3$. Among various factors affecting on th e air concentration of mercury, clean Iiness of workshop showed statistically significant difference with air concentration of mercury, and automation of workshop and local exhaust ventitlation also played important role in control the air concentration of mercury in the working environment.