J Korean Med Sci.  2014 May;29(5):633-639. 10.3346/jkms.2014.29.5.633.

Blood Cadmium Concentration of Residents Living near Abandoned Metal Mines in Korea

• Hong YS
• Lee BK
• Park JD
• Sakong J
• Choi JW
• Moon JD
• Kim DS
• Kim BG

• KMID: 1786102
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2014.29.5.633

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate demographic and lifestyle variables and blood cadmium concentrations in residents living near abandoned metal mines in Korea. Blood cadmium concentrations were measured in 15,161 subjects living around abandoned metal mines (exposed group, n = 14,464) and compared with those living in designated control areas (control group, n = 697). A questionnaire was provided to all subjects to determine age, gender, mine working history, times of residence, smoking habits and dietary water type. The geometric mean (95% confidence intervals) of blood cadmium concentration (1.25 [1.24-1.27] microg/L) in the exposed group was significantly higher than in the control group (1.17 [1.13-1.22] microg/L). Mean residence time and mine working history in the exposed group were significantly higher than in the control group. Blood cadmium concentrations increased with increasing age, and residence time in both groups, and blood cadmium concentrations were higher in current-smokers than in non-smokers in both groups. This study shows the geometric mean of blood cadmium concentration in abandoned mining areas are higher than in non-mining areas in the general adult Korean population.

Keyword

Blood Cadmium; Abandoned Metal Mine; Korea

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging
Cadmium/*blood
*Environmental Exposure
Environmental Monitoring
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Mining
Questionnaires
Republic of Korea
*Residence Characteristics
Smoking
Soil Pollutants/*blood
Water Pollutants/*blood
Cadmium
Soil Pollutants
Water Pollutants

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Locations of 350 abandoned metal mines.

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  Fig. 2 Distribution of geometric means of blood cadmium concentrations (µg/L) in subjects living near the 350 abandoned mines. GM, Geometric mean.

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