Activity-Based Exposure Levels and Cancer Risk Assessment Due to Naturally Occurring Asbestos for the Residents Near Abandoned Asbestos Mines in South Korea

Seungho Lee, Dongmug Kang, Youngki Kim, Yoon-Ji Kim and Se-Yeong Kim
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Seungho Lee: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea
Dongmug Kang: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea
Youngki Kim: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea
Yoon-Ji Kim: Department of Preventive and Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Medical College, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea
Se-Yeong Kim: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-12

Abstract: This study aims to evaluate the overall asbestos exposure intensity and assess the health risk to residents due to naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) near abandoned asbestos mines in South Korea. Of 38 mines, we found 19 with measured concentrations of NOA. We evaluated the average of airborne NOA concentrations according to the environmental exposure category. When evaluated regionally by dividing into two clusters, the mean concentrations in activity-based sampling (ABS) scenarios exceeded the Korean exposure limit (0.01 f/cc) in both clusters. Moreover, airborne NOA concentrations in agricultural activity (5.49 × 10 ?2 f/cc) and daily activity (6.95 × 10 ?2 f/cc) had the highest values for clusters A and B, respectively. The excess lifetime cancer risk of one region (cluster A) by the ABS scenarios did not exceed the Korean Ministry of the Environment’s criteria for soil purification (1 × 10 ?4 ). However, one of the ABS scenarios—the daily life activity of clusters centered on Chungcheongbuk-do (cluster B)—showed an exposure of 1.08 × 10 ?4 , greater than the limit (1 × 10 ?4 ). This indicates non negligible health damage to residents living near the abandoned asbestos mines, and it is necessary to continuously monitor and clean up the asbestos contamination.

Keywords: naturally occurring asbestos; abandoned asbestos mine; activity-based sampling; excess lifetime cancer risk (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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