J Korean Med Sci.  2016 Apr;31(4):489-496. 10.3346/jkms.2016.31.4.489.

Environmental Exposure to Arsenic, Lead, and Cadmium in People Living near Janghang Copper Smelter in Korea

• Kim YD
• Eom SY
• Yim DH
• Kim IS
• Won HK
• Park CH
• Kim GB
• Yu SD
• Choi BS
• Park JD
• Kim H

• KMID: 2363685
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2016.31.4.489

Abstract

Concentrations of heavy metals exceed safety thresholds in the soil near Janghang Copper Refinery, a smelter in Korea that operated from 1936 to 1989. This study was conducted to evaluate the level of exposure to toxic metals and the potential effect on health in people living near the smelter. The study included 572 adults living within 4 km of the smelter and compared them with 413 controls group of people living similar lifestyles in a rural area approximately 15 km from the smelter. Urinary arsenic (As) level did not decrease according to the distance from the smelter, regardless of gender and working history in smelters and mines. However, in subjects who had no occupational exposure to toxic metals, blood lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) and urinary Cd decreased according to the distance from the smelter, both in men and women. Additionally, the distance from the smelter was a determinant factor for a decrease of As, Pb, and Cd in multiple regression models, respectively. On the other hands, urinary Cd was a risk factor for renal tubular dysfunction in populations living near the smelter. These results suggest that Janghang copper smelter was a main contamination source of As, Pb, and Cd, and populations living near the smelter suffered some adverse health effects as a consequence. The local population should be advised to make efforts to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants, in order to minimize potential health effects, and to pay close attention to any health problems possibly related to toxic metal exposure.

Keyword

Copper Smelter Dust; Cadmium; Lead; Arsenic; Environmental Exposure; N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase; Bone Density

MeSH Terms

Acetylglucosaminidase/urine
Adult
Aged
Arsenic/*urine
Bone Density
Cadmium/*blood
Case-Control Studies
Chemical Industry
Creatinine/urine
*Environmental Exposure
Environmental Pollutants/*analysis/blood/urine
Female
Humans
Lead/*blood
Male
Middle Aged
Regression Analysis
Republic of Korea
Spectrophotometry, Atomic
Acetylglucosaminidase
Arsenic
Cadmium
Creatinine
Environmental Pollutants
Lead

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Duration of residence, smoking status, and alcohol consumption adjusted geometric means of urinary arsenics (A), blood lead (B), blood cadmium (C) and urinary cadmium (D) according to distance of residence from Janghang smelter in men. Trend lines indicate linear decrease among subjects without a working history in the smelter.

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  Fig. 2 Duration of residence, smoking status, and alcohol consumption adjusted geometric means of urinary arsenics (A), blood lead (B), blood cadmium (C) and urinary cadmium (D) according to distance of residence from Janghang smelter in women. Trend lines indicate linear decrease among subjects without a working history in the smelter.

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