Journal of Environmental Health Sciences (한국환경보건학회지)

Korean Society of Environmental Health (한국환경보건학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Critical Issues on Health Risk of Asbestos

석면과 건강에 대한 이슈

  • Yoon, Chung-Sik (Graduate School of Public Health and Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University)
  • 윤충식 (서울대학교 보건대학원, 보건환경연구소)
  • Received : 2009.10.02
  • Accepted : 2009.10.23
  • Published : 2009.10.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Asbestos is a commercial term of natural occurring silicated minerals and forms long, thin fibers. Chrysotile, the serpentine asbestos, accounts for most use in commercial use. Asbestos is well known health hazard material and it is proved that inhalation of asbestos fibers leads to increased risk of developing several diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis. In these days, people most at risk for exposure are maintenance and construction workers and general citizens who are working on and close to the work area at which asbestos containing material is disturbing. Non asbestiform, though its chemical composition is same with regulated asbestos, is known to be less hazardous than asbestiform. Exposure guideline, 0.01 f/ml, is not safe level in terms of health risk. It is reasonable to take preventable action when asbestos is suspicious. In Korea, it is necessary to clarify the concept between hazard and risk, to differentiate asbestiform from non asbestiform, to make regulations for compensation for asbestos related patients, to manage future exposure for general citizens.

Keywords

References

  1. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): Asbestos fibers and other elongated particles;state of the science and roadmap for research, DHHS. Cincinnati, Ohio: NIOSH, 2009
  2. Bailey, K. F., John Kels, Ann G. Wylie, and Lee, R.J. : The asbestiform and nonasbestiform mineral growth habit and their relationship to cancer studies, 12-13, 2003. (http://www.rjlg.com/resources/publications/publication30.html, accessed August, 11)
  3. Harper, M., Lee, E. G., Doorn, S. S., Hammond, O. :Differentiating non-asbestiform amphibole and amphibole asbestos by size characteristics. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 5, 761-770, 2008 https://doi.org/10.1080/15459620802462290
  4. Santee, K., Lott, P. F. : Asbestos analysis: a review. Applied Spectroscopy Reviews, 38(3), 355-394, 2003 https://doi.org/10.1081/ASR-120024393
  5. World Health Organization(WHO). Determination of airborne fibre number concentrations: A recommendee method, by phase-contrast optical microscopy (membrane filter method). 1997
  6. Millette, J. R. : Asbestos: Analysis Methods, in Asbestos risk assessment, epidemiology and health effects(edited by Dodson, R.F., Hammer, S.P.), FL: Taylor & Francis, 9-31, 2006
  7. Hammond, E. D., Selikoff, I. J., Seidman, H. : Asbestos exposure, cigratte smoking and death rates. Annua New York Academic Sciences, 330, 472-490, 1979
  8. Selikoff, I. J., Seidman, H., Hammond, E. C. : Mortality effects of cigarette smoking among amosite asbestos factory workers. Journal of National Cancer Institute, 65, 507-513, 1980
  9. Weinzweig, M., Richards R. J. : Quantitative assessment of chrysotile fibrils in the bloodstream of rats which have ingested the mineral under dietary conditions. Environmental Research, 31, 245-255, 1983 https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-9351(83)90001-4
  10. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) : Toxicological profile for asbestos. ATSDR, Division of Toxicology/Toxicology Information Branch, Atlanta, GA, USA, 23-56, 149-186, D-1, 2001
  11. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) : How to manage asbestos in school buildings: The AHERA Designated Person's Self Study Guide, Cincinnati, 9-14, 1996
  12. Lee, R. J., Van Orden, D. R. : Airborne asbestos in buildings. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 50, 218-225, 2008 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2007.10.005
  13. EPA, Asbestos(CASRN 1332-21-4) in IRIS(integrated risk information system) on website(http://www.epa.gov/NCEA/iris/subst/0371.htm#noncar. accessed August, 11, 2009)
  14. Ministry of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Law, 2009