title: Assessment of exposure to heavy metals and health risks among residents near abandoned metal mines in Goseong, Korea.
abstract: Metal contamination from mining activity is of great concern because of potential health risks to the local inhabitants. In the present study, we investigated the levels of Cd, Cu, As, Pb, and Zn in environmental samples and foodstuffs grown in the vicinity of the mines in Goseong, Korea, and evaluated potential health risks among local residents. Soils near the mines exceeded the soil quality standard values of Cu, As, and Zn contamination. The concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in crop samples collected from the study area were significantly higher than those of the reference area. Some rice samples collected from the study area exceeded the maximum permissible level of 0.2 mg Cd/kg. The intake of rice was identified as a major contributor (≥75%) to the estimated daily intake among the residents. The average estimated daily intakes of metals were, however, below the provisional tolerable daily intake.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Gwanak, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyunghee
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Jungkon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Minjung
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ho-Jang
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Hae-Kwan
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: Jae-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jang
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: Do-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Paek
authors.forename: Yun-Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Kyungho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D008906:Mining; D056910:Republic of Korea; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012989:Soil Pollutants