Simultaneous Exposure to Heavy Metals among Residents in the Industrial Complex: Korean National Cohort Study

Heejin Park, Kyoungho Lee, Chan-Seok Moon, Kyungsook Woo, Tack-Shin Kang, Eun-Kyung Chung and Bu-Soon Son
Additional contact information
Heejin Park: Department of Environmental Health Science, Soonchunhyang University, 22 Soonchunhyang-ro, Asan-si, 336-745, Korea
Kyoungho Lee: Department of Occupational Epidemiology, Samsung Health Research Institute, Samsung Electronics, Suwon city 443-742, Korea
Chan-Seok Moon: Department of Industrial Health, Catholic University of Pusan, 57 Oryundae-ro, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, 609-817, Korea
Kyungsook Woo: Department of Environmental Health Science, Soonchunhyang University, 22 Soonchunhyang-ro, Asan-si, 336-745, Korea
Tack-Shin Kang: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Environment Research, 42 Hwangyeong-ro, Incheon, 404-170, Korea
Eun-Kyung Chung: School of Public Health, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Seoul, 151-015, Korea
Bu-Soon Son: Department of Environmental Health Science, Soonchunhyang University, 22 Soonchunhyang-ro, Asan-si, 336-745, Korea

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 6, 1-13

Abstract: A survey was conducted to evaluate the multi-exposure level and correlation among toxic metal biomarkers (Cd, Pb, and Hg). A total of 592 individuals who participated in the survey were residents near an industrial complex in Gwangyang and Yeosu (exposed group) and of Hadong and Namhae (control group) in southern Korea from May 2007 to November 2010. The Gwangyang and Yeosu area exposed groups had slightly higher blood Pb (2.21 and 1.90 µg/dL), urinary Cd observed values (2.20 and 1.46 µg/L), urinary Cd with a urinary creatinine correction (1.43 and 1.25 µg/g Cr), and urinary Hg observed values (2.26 and 0.98 µg/L) in women participants than those in the Hadong and Namhae area (control group). Blood Pb (3.18 and 2.55 µg/dL), urinary Hg observed values (1.14 and 0.92 µg/L), and urinary Hg with a urinary creatinine correction (1.06 and 0.96 µg/L) for male participants were also slightly higher than those in the Hadong and Namhae area (control group). The correlation among urinary Cd, Hg and Pb concentrations in the blood was significant. We suggest that the exposed group of residents were simultaneously exposed to Pb, Cd, and Hg from contaminated ambient air originating from the iron manufacturing industrial complex.

Keywords: heavy metal; industry complex; bio-monitoring; Cd; Pb; Hg (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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