Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Research Article

Urinary arsenic species concentration in residents living near abandoned metal mines in South Korea: Jin-Yong Chung, Byoung-Gwon Kim, Byung-Kook Lee, Jai-Dong Moon, Joon Sakong, Man Joong Jeon, Jung-Duck Park, Byung-Sun Choi, Nam-Soo Kim, Seung-Do Yu, Jung-Wook Seo, Byeong-Jin Ye, Hyoun-Ju Lim, Young-Seoub Hong; Ann Occup Environ Med 2016;28:67. Published online November 22, 2016; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-016-0150-z

Background

Arsenic is a carcinogenic heavy metal that has a species-dependent health effects and abandoned metal mines are a source of significant arsenic exposure. Therefore, the aims of this study were to analyze urinary arsenic species and their concentration in residents living near abandoned metal mines and to monitor the environmental health effects of abandoned metal mines in Korea.

Methods

This study was performed in 2014 to assess urinary arsenic excretion patterns of residents living near abandoned metal mines in South Korea. Demographic data such as gender, age, mine working history, period of residency, dietary patterns, smoking and alcohol use, and type of potable water consumed were obtaining using a questionnaire. Informed consent was also obtained from all study subjects (n = 119). Urinary arsenic species were quantified using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP/MS).

Results

The geometric mean of urinary arsenic (sum of dimethylarsinic acid, monomethylarsonic acid, As³⁺, and As⁵⁺) concentration was determined to be 131.98 μg/L (geometric mean; 95% CI, 116.72–149.23) while urinary inorganic arsenic (As³⁺ and As⁵⁺) concentration was 0.81 μg/L (95% CI, 0.53–1.23). 66.3% (n = 79) and 21.8% (n = 26) of these samples exceeded ATSDR reference values for urinary arsenic (>100 μg/L) and inorganic arsenic (>10 μg/L), respectively. Mean urinary arsenic concentrations (geometric mean, GM) were higher in women then in men, and increased with age. Of the five regions evaluated, while four regions had inorganic arsenic concentrations less than 0.40 μg/L, one region showed a significantly higher concentration (GM 15.48 μg/L; 95% CI, 7.51–31.91) which investigates further studies to identify etiological factors.

Conclusion

We propose that the observed elevation in urinary arsenic concentration in residents living near abandoned metal mines may be due to environmental contamination from the abandoned metal mine.

Trial registration

Not Applicable (We do not have health care intervention on human participants).

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

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Solomon Demissie, Seblework Mekonen, Tadesse Awoke, Bezatu Mengistie
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Changes in arsenic accumulation and metabolic capacity after environmental management measures in mining area
Chen Zhao, Meng Du, Jun Yang, Guanghui Guo, Lingqing Wang, Yunxian Yan, Xuewen Li, Mei Lei, Tongbin Chen
Science of The Total Environment.2023; 855: 158652. CrossRef
Concentrations of blood and urinary arsenic species and their characteristics in general Korean population
Jeong Weon Choi, Yoon Chae Song, Nam-Yong Cheong, Kiyoung Lee, Sunmi Kim, Kyoung-Mu Lee, Kyunghee Ji, Mi-Yeon Shin, Sungkyoon Kim
Environmental Research.2022; 214: 113846. CrossRef
MTHFR, As3MT and GSTO1 Polymorphisms Influencing Arsenic Metabolism in Residents Near Abandoned Metal Mines in South Korea
Ulziikhishig Surenbaatar, Byoung-Gwon Kim, Hyun-Jin Son, Seong-Sik Cho, Gwon-Min Kim, Hyoun-Ju Lim, Jung-Yeon Kwon, Ki-Hwan Kim, Young-Seoub Hong
Journal of Environmental Health Sciences.2021; 47(6): 530. CrossRef

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Research Article

Association of cadmium with diabetes in middle-aged residents of abandoned metal mines: the first health effect surveillance for residents in abandoned metal mines: Hee-seung Son, Soo-geun Kim, Byung-seong Suh, Dong-uk Park, Dae-seon Kim, Seung-do Yu, Yeong-seoub Hong, Jung-duck Park, Byung-kook Lee, Jai-dong Moon, Joon Sakong; Ann Occup Environ Med 2015;27:20. Published online August 24, 2015; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-015-0071-2

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Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the association between urinary cadmium (U-cd) concentration and diabetes in middle-aged Korean residents of abandoned mines using the first Health Effect Surveillance for Residents in Abandoned Metal mines (HESRAM).

Methods

This study was cross-sectional study conducted on 719 residents between 40–70 years in 38 abandoned metal mines in Korea. Data was collected by HESRAM from 2008 to 2011. The correlation coefficient of U-cd and fasting blood glucose, odds ratio in urinary cadmium tertiles and diabetes prevalence was analyzed according to the sex category.

Results

The correlation coefficient U-cd concentration and fasting blood glucose was 0.182 in male. Logistic regression analysis in male revealed a third tertile odds ratio of U-cd (2 μg/g creatinine < U-cd) while diabetes prevalence was 1.81 (95 % CI 1.05-3.12) with adjusted age, BMI, smoking and alcohol consumption, region, family income. On the other hand, the odds ratio for third tertile of U-cd (3 μg/g creatinine < U-cd) between diabetes prevalence in female was 1.39 (95 % CI 0.52-3.72) in addition to adjusted menopausal status.

Conclusions

Environmental exposure to cadmium in abandoned mine residents was associated with diabetes in male. Closed monitoring and periodic evaluation of the health effects of chronic environmental exposure on abandoned mines residents will be needed.

Citations

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Kai Li, Yisen Yang, Jiaxin Zhao, Quan Zhou, Yanbing Li, Ming Yang, Yaoyu Hu, Jing Xu, Meiduo Zhao, Qun Xu
Journal of Hazardous Materials.2024; 470: 134224. CrossRef
Is Environmental Cadmium Exposure Causally Related to Diabetes and Obesity?
Soisungwan Satarug
Cells.2023; 13(1): 83. CrossRef
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Julia Hildebrand, Swarni Thakar, Tonya-Leah Watts, Laura Banfield, Lehana Thabane, Joseph Macri, Stephen Hill, M. Constantine Samaan
Exposure and Health.2022; 14(3): 743. CrossRef
Effects of Environmental Exposure to Cadmium and Lead on the Risks of Diabetes and Kidney Dysfunction
Supabhorn Yimthiang, Phisit Pouyfung, Tanaporn Khamphaya, Saruda Kuraeiad, Paleeratana Wongrith, David A. Vesey, Glenda C. Gobe, Soisungwan Satarug
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(4): 2259. CrossRef
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Tommaso Filippini, Lauren A. Wise, Marco Vinceti
Environment International.2022; 158: 106920. CrossRef
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Peng Shi, Huanchang Yan, Xingjun Fan, Shuhua Xi
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Research Article

Decline in non-smoking workers’ urine cotinine levels after increased smoking regulation in Korea: Ju-Hyoung Park, Chae-Kwan Lee, Se-Yeong Kim, Chunhui Suh, Kun-Hyung Kim, Jeong-Ho Kim, Byung-Chul Son, Jong-Tae Lee, Seung-Do Yu, Wookhee Choi, Hosub Im; Ann Occup Environ Med 2015;27:17. Published online June 10, 2015; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-015-0066-z

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Objectives

To identify any association between implementing smoking regulation policies and workers’ urine cotinine concentration levels in Korea.

Methods

From the first stage of the Korean National Environmental Health Survey conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Research from 2009 to 2011, 2,475 non-smoking workers selected. We analyzed the trend in the changes of cotinine concentration in urine using the general linear model and linear regression, in various jobs as categorized by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and Korea Standard Classification of Occupations (KSCO).

Results

The urine cotinine concentration tended to decrease every year (2.91 ng/ml in 2009, 2.12 ng/ml in 2010, and 1.31 ng/ml in 2011), showing a decreasing trend (P < 0.001). The total subjects’ decreased cotinine concentration in urine between 2009 and 2011 was 2.72 ng/ml (54.1 % relative decrease). The changes in each subgroup’s urine cotinine concentration ranged from 1.59 to 6.03 ng/ml (33.2 to 77.5 %). All groups except for the managerial group (n = 49), which had a small sample size, had statistically significant negative regression coefficients (p < 0.05). The ranges of the decrease in urine cotinine were 2.75 ng/ml (53.6 %) for males and 2.72 ng/ml (54.9 %) for females. The negative slope in urine cotinine level was statistically significantly greater in men than women. The changes in urine cotinine by occupation as classified by the NCHS occupational categories ranged from 2.43 to 3.36 ng/ml (46.6 to 61.5 % relative decrease). The negative slopes in urine cotinine levels of the white-collar and farm workers were statistically significantly greater than those of the service workers and blue-collar workers. The change by occupation as classified by the KSCO ranged from 1.59 to 6.03 ng/ml (a 33.2 to 77.5 % relative decrease). The negative slopes in urine cotinine levels of the professionals and related workers and clerks were statistically significantly greater than those of the service workers and plant and machine operators and assemblers.

Conclusions

The cotinine concentration in urine among non-smoking worker groups tended to decline from 2009 to 2011. Such a result may be an indirect indicator of the effectiveness of smoking regulation policies including the revision of the National Health Promotion Act.

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International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health.2017; 220(2): 29. CrossRef

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Case Report

Four Cases of Abnormal Neuropsychological Findings in Children with High Blood Methylmercury Concentrations: Young-Seoub Hong, Dae-Seon Kim, Seung-Do Yu, Seong-Hwan Kim, Jong-Kuk Kim, Yu-Mi Kim, Jae-Ho Yu, Ji-Hyun Jung, Byoung-Gwon Kim; Ann Occup Environ Med 2013;25:18-18. Published online September 24, 2013; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/2052-4374-25-18

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Background

Methylmercury (MeHg) easily crosses the blood–brain barrier and accumulates in the brain. Accumulated MeHg will cause neurological symptoms. We report four pediatric cases of neuropsychological findings with high blood MeHg concentrations.

Case presentation

Four children were admitted for follow-up study because their total mercury (THg) concentration in the blood was found to be high during a national survey. Case 1 was a 9-year-old female with a 16.6 μg/ℓ blood THg concentration in the survey. During admission, the blood THg, hair THg, and blood MeHg concentration(mercury indices) were 21.4 μg/ℓ, 7.2 μg/g, and 20.1 μg/ℓ, respectively. In our neuropsychological examination, cognitive impairment and attention deficit were observed. Her diet included fish intake 2–3 times per week, and she had been diagnosed with epilepsy at 3 years of age. Case 2 was a 12-year-old male with blood THg of 15.4 μg/ℓ in the survey and the mercury indices were 12.7 μg/ℓ, 5.7 μg/g, and 11.8 μg/ℓ, respectively, on admission. He was also observed to have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Case 3 was a 10-year-old male child with blood THg of 17.4 μg/ℓ in the survey, and the mercury indices on admission were 21.6 μg/ℓ, 7.5 μg/g and 21.5 μg/ℓ, respectively. In his case, mild attention deficit was observed. Case 4 was a 9-year-old male with blood THg of 20.6 μg/ℓ in the survey and the mercury indices were 18.9 μg/ℓ, 8.3 μg/g, and 14.4 μg/ℓ, respectively, on admission. Mild attention difficulty was observed.

Conclusion

We suggest that fish consumption may be the main source of MeHg exposure, and that MeHg may have been the cause of the neuropsychological deficits in these cases.

Citations

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