• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.213-223
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was designed to assess the level of physical exposure to heavy metals among residents who live around a Chungcheongnam-do Province industrial complex and to provide baseline data on the effects and harms of heavy metals on the human body by comparing their exposure levels to those of people from control regions. Methods: We measured blood lead and cadmium levels and urine mercury and chromium levels and conducted a survey among 559 residents from the affected area and 347 residents of other areas. Results: Blood lead and cadmium levels and urine mercury levels were significantly higher in the case region than among those in the control region (p=0.013, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). In the thermoelectric power plant area, blood cadmium and urine mercury levels were significantly higher than in the control region (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). In the steel mill and petrochemical industry areas, blood cadmium level was significantly higher than that in the control region (p<0.001). Dividing groups by the reference level of blood cadmium ($2{\mu}g/L$), the odds ratios between the case and control regions were 2.56 (95% CI=1.83-3.58), 3.11 (95% CI=2.06-4.71) for the thermoelectric power plant area, 1.78 (95% CI=1.19-2.65) for the steel mill area and 4.07 (95% CI=2.40-6.89) for petrochemical industry area. Conclusion: This study showed that the levels of exposure to heavy metals among residents living near a Chungcheongnam-do Province industrial complex were significantly higher than those in the control region. This seems to be attributable to exposure to heavy metals emissions from the industrial complex. Further research and safety measures are required to protect residents' health.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.224-233
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between residential surroundings, such as a power plant, steel mill and petrochemical facilities, and urinary arsenic concentrations in Chungcheongnam-do Province, Korea. Methods: Stratified by fish consumption and residential district, median and maximum block sampling was applied. A total of 346 spot urine samples were speciated for $As^{5+}$, $As^{3+}$, monomethylarsonic acid(MMA), dimethylarsonic acid (DMA) and arsenobetaine (AsB). Exposure assessment was based on questionnaires including data on sex, age, current tobacco use, fish consumption, type of water consumed, and occupational category. Results: Urinary $As^{5+}+As^{3+}+MMA+DMA$ concentrations of people living in the vicinity of a power plant ($GM=50.39{\mu}g/g$) were 61% higher than those of people living in the inland area according to median block sampling. Urinary $As^{5+}+As^{3+}+MMA+DMA+AsB$ concentrations of people living in the vicinity of industrial complex area were higher than those of people living in the inland area according to block sampling by median and maximum. Conclusion: Urinary arsenic concentrations of people living in vulnerable areas such as around industrial complexes, especially power plants, were higher than those of people living in an inland area.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.850-862
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• 2007

This study was carried out to survey the actual conditions of wastewater treatment facilities to obtain basic data for the management of wastewater from industrial complexes in Chungcheongnam-do province. Wastewater production flow per site area by watersheds was $49.2m^3/km^2/d$ for Sapgyoho, $8.1m^3/km^2/d$ for Anseongcheon, $5.7m^3/km^2/d$ for Seohae, and $2.9m^3/km^2/d$ for Geumgang. Sapgyoho showed 75% of the total production flow, which was the highest value, Geumgang showed 4% of total flow, which was the lowest value. Average total extra rate as production flow/capacity flow in the wastewater treatment facilities for industrial complex is 49%. Considering by watersheds, the extra rates of Seohae, Geumgang, Anseongcheon, and Sapgyoho, are 73%, 65%, 62%, and 33% respectively. This means that the design of capacity flow in wastewater treatment facilities was too large. Effluent concentration of wastewater treatment facilities did not exceed discharge limit mostly. The removal efficiency rate for water quality item was 90% in BOD, 70% in COD, 80% in SS, 30 to 80% in TN, and 20 to 90% in TP, so the organic removal was good, but the nutrient removal was low and interval of variation was high. The removal efficiency rate of the agricultural was industrial complexes is lower than the national and local complexes. The construction cost of the wastewater treatment facilities in Chungcheongnam-do was $1,756Won\;per\;m^3$, treatment cost was $189Won\;per\;m^3$, and they were about two times and 1.2 times higher than the nation-wide cost, respectively. The treatment cost consists of 39% for man power, 21% for chemical, 16% for power, 11% for sludge treatment, and 13% for others.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.151-158
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• 2022

Background: Chemical emissions in the environment have rapidly increased with the accelerated industrialization taking place in recent decades. Residents of industrial complexes are concerned about the health risks posed by chemical exposure. Objectives: This study was performed to suggest modeling methods that take into account multimedia and multi-pathways in human exposure and risk assessment. Methods: The concentration of benzene emitted at industrial complexes in Daesan, South Korea and the exposure of local residents was estimated using the Caltox model. The amount of human exposure based on inhalation rate was stochastically predicted for various activity stages such as resting, normal walking, and fast walking. Results: The coefficient of determination (R²) for the CalTOX model efficiency was 0.9676 and the root-mean-square error (RMSE) was 0.0035, indicating good agreement between predictions and measurements. However, the efficiency index (EI) appeared to be a negative value at -1094.4997. This can be explained as the atmospheric concentration being calculated only from the emissions from industrial facilities in the study area. In the human exposure assessment, the higher the inhalation rate percentile value, the higher the inhalation rate and lifetime average daily dose (LADD) at each activity step. Conclusions: Prediction using the Caltox model might be appropriate for comparing with actual measurements. The LADD of females was higher ratio with an increase in inhalation rate than those of males. This finding would imply that females may be more susceptible to benzene as their inhalation rate increases.