title: Investigation on health effects of an abandoned metal mine.
abstract: To investigate potential health risks associated with exposure to metals from an abandoned metal mine, the authors studied people living near an abandoned mine (n=102) and control groups (n=149). Levels of cadmium, copper, arsenic, lead, and zinc were measured in the air, soil, drinking water, and agricultural products. To assess individual exposure, biomarkers of each metal in blood and urine were measured. beta2-microglobulin, alpha1-microglobulin, and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase and bone mineral density were measured. Surface soil in the study area showed 2-10 times higher levels of metals compared to that of the control area. Metal concentrations in the groundwater and air did not show any notable differences between groups. Mean concentrations of cadmium and copper in rice and barley from the study area were significantly higher than those of the control area (p<0.05). Geometric means of blood and urine cadmium in the study area were 2.9 microg/L and 1.5 microg/g Cr, respectively, significantly higher than those in the control area (p<0.05). There were no differences in the levels of urinary markers of early kidney dysfunction and bone mineral density. The authors conclude that the residents near the abandoned mine were exposed to higher levels of metals through various routes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Soyeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ho-Jang
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Hae-Kwan
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: Kyungho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jae-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Woo-Chul
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Dae-Seon
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seungdo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Young-Wook
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwang-Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seoung-Oh
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ik Jae
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Jhung
authors.forename: Won-Ho
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yun-Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D001467:Hordeum; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008906:Mining; D012275:Oryza; D012307:Risk Factors; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc