Effects of Environmental Air Pollution on Pulmonary Function Level of Residents in Korean Industrial Complexes

Eunju Hong, Seokwon Lee, Geun-Bae Kim, Tae-Jong Kim, Hyoung-Wook Kim, Kyoungho Lee and Bu-Soon Son
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Eunju Hong: Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Natural Science, Soonchunhyang University, 22 Soonchunhyang-ro, Asan City, Chungnam 31538, Korea
Seokwon Lee: Samsung Health Research Institute, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., 1 Samsungjeonja-ro, Hwaseong City, Gyeonggi-do 18448, Korea
Geun-Bae Kim: Environmental Health Research Division, National Institute of Environment Research, 42 Hwangyeong-ro, Incheon City 22689, Korea
Tae-Jong Kim: World Vertex Corp., ACE bldg., 401m 179, Baumoe-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06744, Korea
Hyoung-Wook Kim: Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Natural Science, Soonchunhyang University, 22 Soonchunhyang-ro, Asan City, Chungnam 31538, Korea
Kyoungho Lee: Samsung Health Research Institute, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., 1 Samsungjeonja-ro, Hwaseong City, Gyeonggi-do 18448, Korea
Bu-Soon Son: Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Natural Science, Soonchunhyang University, 22 Soonchunhyang-ro, Asan City, Chungnam 31538, Korea

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: This study aims to identify environmental air pollution adversely affecting pulmonary function among a community-based general population living in Korean industrial complexes. A total of 1963 residents participated in a pulmonary function test (PFT). The sample population consisted of an exposed group ( n = 1487) living within a radius of 5 km of industrial complexes and a control group ( n = 476) living over a radius of 10 km from the industrial complexes in Gwangyang and Yeosu cities. PFT results were calculated for each resident of the study population. On-site questionnaire surveys with face-to-face interviews were also conducted to collect more detailed information on personal lifestyles, medical history, exposure to air pollution, and respiratory disease and related symptoms. A total of 486 measured samples were collected by eight automated air-monitoring stations installed in four counties of Gwangyang and four counties of Yeosu in South Korea from January 2006 to February 2007. Mean levels of SO 2 (0.012 ppm), CO (0.648 ppm), NO 2 (0.02 ppm), O 3 (0.034 ppm), and PM 10 (43.07 μg/m 3 ), collected within a radius of 5 km, were significantly higher than those collected over a radius of 10 km from Gwangyang and Yeosu industrial complexes. Prevalence odds ratio (OR) of abnormal pulmonary function in the exposed group of residents (<5 km) was elevated at 1.24 (95% CI 0.71–1.96), but not statistically significant ( p > 0.05). In multiple linear regression analysis, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1 ) and forced vital capacity (FVC) levels significantly declined as SO 2 , CO, and O 3 levels increased when adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), alcohol, smoking, secondhand smoke, and respiratory disease and related symptoms ( n = 1963) ( p < 0.05). These results suggest that exposure to air pollution affects pulmonary function levels of residents living in Korean industrial complexes.

Keywords: air pollution; health effect; industrial complex; ozone; pulmonary function test; sulfur dioxide (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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