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Activity-Based Exposure Levels and Cancer Risk Assessment Due to Naturally Occurring Asbestos for the Residents Near Abandoned Asbestos Mines in South Korea
- Source :
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Volume 18, Issue 10, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol 18, Iss 5225, p 5225 (2021)
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2021.
-
Abstract
- This study aims to evaluate the overall asbestos exposure intensity and assess the health risk to residents due to naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) near abandoned asbestos mines in South Korea. Of 38 mines, we found 19 with measured concentrations of NOA. We evaluated the average of airborne NOA concentrations according to the environmental exposure category. When evaluated regionally by dividing into two clusters, the mean concentrations in activity-based sampling (ABS) scenarios exceeded the Korean exposure limit (0.01 f/cc) in both clusters. Moreover, airborne NOA concentrations in agricultural activity (5.49 × 10−2 f/cc) and daily activity (6.95 × 10−2 f/cc) had the highest values for clusters A and B, respectively. The excess lifetime cancer risk of one region (cluster A) by the ABS scenarios did not exceed the Korean Ministry of the Environment’s criteria for soil purification (1 × 10−4). However, one of the ABS scenarios—the daily life activity of clusters centered on Chungcheongbuk-do (cluster B)—showed an exposure of 1.08 × 10−4, greater than the limit (1 × 10−4). This indicates non negligible health damage to residents living near the abandoned asbestos mines, and it is necessary to continuously monitor and clean up the asbestos contamination.
- Subjects :
- Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
naturally occurring asbestos
010501 environmental sciences
medicine.disease_cause
activity-based sampling
01 natural sciences
Risk Assessment
Life activity
Asbestos
Article
Mining
Toxicology
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Cancer risk assessment
Neoplasms
Occupational Exposure
Republic of Korea
medicine
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Health risk
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Environmental exposure
abandoned asbestos mine
excess lifetime cancer risk
Contamination
Environmental science
Medicine
Christian ministry
Cancer risk
Environmental Monitoring
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 16604601
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....816fd3598f78bee736dd6ca270227924
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105225