Blood cadmium concentration of residents living near abandoned metal mines in Korea.
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] µg/L) in the exposed group was significantly higher than in the control group (1.17 [1.13-1.22] µg/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.
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea. ; Heavy Metal Exposure Environmental Health Center, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea.
Young-Seoub
0000-0002-9037-3761
YS
Hong
Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Korea.
Byung-Kook
0000-0002-3375-4170
BK
Lee
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
Jung-Duck
JD
Park
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Korea.
Joon
0000-0001-8980-8660
J
Sakong
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
Jae-Wook
JW
Choi
Department of Preventive and Occupational Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
Jai-Dong
JD
Moon
Department of Environmental Health Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, Korea.
Dae-Seon
DS
Kim
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea. ; Heavy Metal Exposure Environmental Health Center, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea.
Byoung-Gwon
0000-0002-1762-6320
BG
Kim
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008906:Mining; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012907:Smoking; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000097:blood*
D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014873:Water Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium
Abandoned Metal Mine; Blood Cadmium; Korea