Leukemia-related mortality in towns lying in the vicinity of metal production and processing installations.
BACKGROUND
Releases to the environment of toxic substances stemming from industrial metal production and processing installations can pose a health problem to populations in their vicinity.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether there might be excess leukemia-related mortality in populations residing in towns in the vicinity of Spanish metal industries included in the European Pollutant Emission Register.


METHODS
Ecologic study designed to examine mortality due to leukemia at a municipal level, during the period 1994-2003. Population exposure to pollution was estimated on the basis of distance from town of residence to pollution source. Using Poisson regression models, we analyzed: risk of dying from leukemia in a 5-kilometer zone around installations which had become operational prior to 1990; effect of pollution discharge route and type of industrial activity; and risk gradient within a 50-kilometer radius of such installations.


RESULTS
Excess mortality (relative risk, 95% confidence interval) was detected in the vicinity of pre-1990 installations (1.07, 1.02-1.13 in men; 1.05, 1.00-1.11 in women), with this being more elevated in the case of installations that released pollution to air versus water. On stratifying by type of industrial activity, statistically significant associations were also observed among women residing in the vicinity of galvanizing installations (1.58, 1.09-2.29) and surface-treatment installations using an electrolytic or chemical process (1.34, 1.10-1.62), which released pollution to air. There was an effect whereby risk increased with proximity to certain installations.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest an association between risk of dying due to leukemia and proximity to Spanish metal industries.
García-Pérez
Javier
J
Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Avda. Monforte de Lemos, 5, 28029 Madrid, Spain. jgarcia@isciii.es
López-Cima
María Felicitas
MF
Boldo
Elena
E
Fernández-Navarro
Pablo
P
Aragonés
Nuria
N
Pollán
Marina
M
Pérez-Gómez
Beatriz
B
López-Abente
Gonzalo
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002947:Cities; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007938:Leukemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
D008670:Metals