• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.83-97
• /
• 2021

Background: The lifetime risk of lung cancer incidence due to radiation for nonsmokers is overestimated because of the use of the average cancer baseline risk among a mixed population, including smokers. In recent years, the generalized multiplicative (GM)-excess relative risk (ERR) model has been developed in the life span study of atomic bomb survivors to consider the joint effect of radiation and smoking. Based on this background, this paper discusses the issues of radiation risk assessment considering smoking in two parts. Materials and Methods: In Part 1, we proposed a simple method of estimating the baseline risk for nonsmokers using current smoking data. We performed sensitivity analysis on baseline risk estimation to discuss the birth cohort effects. In Part 2, we applied the GM-ERR model for Japanese smokers to calculate lifetime attributable risk (LAR). We also performed a sensitivity analysis using other ERR models (e.g., simple additive (SA)-ERR model). Results and Discussion: In Part 1, the lifetime baseline risk from mixed population including smokers to nonsmokers decreased by 54% (44%-60%) for males and 24% (18%-29%) for females. In Part 2, comparison of LAR between SA- and GM-ERR models showed that if the radiation dose was ≤200 mGy or less, the difference between these ERR models was within the standard deviation of LAR due to the uncertainty of smoking information. Conclusion: The use of mixed population for baseline risk assessment overestimates the risk for lung cancer due to low-dose radiation exposure in Japanese males.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.57-70
• /
• 1992

An excess risk of lung cancer mortality among Koreans, attributable to indoor $^{222}Rn$ daughters exposure, were quantitatively evaluated by applying a stochastic health risk projection model on the radiation exposure. The lung cancer rate in Korean males and females, based on the 1989 demographic data, were estimated to be $22.4/10^5-y\;and\;9.5/10^5-y$, respectively The lifetime baseline lung cancer risks, deduced from these rates, appeared to be 0.047 and 0.019 for males and females, respectively, and were lower than the corresponding 1984 values of 0.067 and 0.025 in the U.S.A. The excess risk coefficients, derived by modified relative risk projection model of the BEIR-IV Committee under the US National Academy of Science, per annual 1.0 WLM of exposure to indoor radon daughters were estimated to be 0.022/WLM for males, 0.009/WLM for females, and 0.017/WLM for both sexes. The resulting annual frequency of excess lung cancer mortality for the life expectancy in the Korean population appeared to be 230/10^6-WLM, which was an approximate median of $120{\sim}450/10^6-WLM$ reported so far in the world.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.131-142
• /
• 1999

By using the Korean demographic data and the modified relative risk projection model given in the Committee on the Biological Effect of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) report-V under the U.S. National Academy of Science, the radiogenic excess risk in Korean population has been evaluated. On the basis of this risk, a safety goal for the safe operation of domestic nuclear power plants has been further derived in terms of personal dose. The baseline risk of death due to all causes in Korea and the trivial risk level, which the society considers safe, were estimated to be $5.2{\times}10^{-3}$ and $5.2{\times}10^{-6}$, respectively. The radiogenic excess cancer risk in Korea has been estimated to be $5.2{\times}10^{-3}$ for tie case of acute exposure to 0.1 Gy and $3.7{\times}10^{-3}$ for the case of chronic lifetime exposure to 1.0 mGy/y. On the basis of these risks estimate, the resulting safety goal for one year opeation of a reactor was 0.05 mSv, which is quite identical with the ALARA guideline prescribed by the USNRC in the Appendix I, 10CFR50.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.17 no.5
• /
• pp.68-74
• /
• 2012

The objective of this study is to examine a releasable asbestos sampler developed for measuring friable asbestos from soil to air controlled by wind velocity and water contents. Asbestos contaminated soil with 3.75% at the Sinsuk-asbestos mine was sampled, air-dried and sieved to 100 mesh, then homogenized during 24 hours' agitation. Various wind velocities, 1 m/s, 2 m/s, 3 m/s, and 5 m/s, were applied to evaluate releasable characteristics of the releasable asbestos sampler. In addition, soils with 1.0%, 3.4%, 4.4%, 11.0%, 16.2%, and 20.0% of water contents were also examined the amount of friable asbestos by the releasable asbestos sampler. Collected soil and air samples were analyzed by polarized light microscopy (PLM) and phase contrast microscopy (PCM), respectively. Those contents were applied to calculate an excess life cancer risk (ELCR). This study also discussed the relationship with risk assessment by a weeding scenario of activity based sampling (ABS) and field applied releasable asbestos sampler. The result was shown that friability of asbestos in soil increased with wind velocity and decreased with water content. In comparison with ELCR results, over 10E-4 of cancer risk was found in condition on < 5% water content and > 3m/s wind velocity.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.290-295
• /
• 2018

Background: There is little information on the dose-response relationship between exposure to occupational carcinogenic agents and mesothelioma. This study aimed to investigate this association as well as the existence of agents other than asbestos that might cause mesothelioma. Methods: The Swedish component of the Nordic Occupational Cancer (NOCCA) study consists of 6.78 million individuals with detailed information on occupation. Mesothelioma diagnoses recorded in 1961-2009 were identified through linkage to the Swedish Cancer Registry. We determined cumulative exposure, time of first exposure, and maximum exposure intensity by linking data on occupation to the Swedish NOCCA job-exposure matrix, which includes 29 carcinogenic agents and corresponding exposure for 283 occupations. To assess the risk of mesothelioma, we used conditional logistic regression models to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results: 2,757 mesothelioma cases were identified in males, including 1,416 who were exposed to asbestos. Univariate analyses showed not only a significant excess risk for maximum exposure intensity, with a hazard ratio of 4.81 at exposure levels 1.25-2.0 fb/ml but also a clear dose-response effect for cumulative exposure with a 30-, 40-, and 50-year latency time. No convincing excess risk was revealed for any of the other carcinogenic agents included in the Swedish NOCCA job-exposure matrix. Conclusion: When considering asbestos exposure, past exposure, even for short periods, might be enough to cause mesothelioma of the pleura later in life.

• The Journal of the Korean life insurance medical association
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.39-49
• /
• 2013

The textbook of insurance medicine is very bulky volume and it's revision time may be long. Nowadays medical knowledge and evidences are developing rapidly. It is necessary to revise current insurance risk of certain disease. Review of respiratory diseases in terms of insurance medicine may be valuable information for insurance doctors and life underwriters. Newly estimated mortality ratio and excess death rate of several respiratory diseases in this review are organizing pneumonia, 266%/44‰; multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, 1200%/110‰; idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, 869%/85‰; VATS lobectomy of stage I lung cancer, 550%/33‰; lymphangioleiomyomatosis 9826%/66‰; lung transplantation 2026%/92‰, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.269-278
• /
• 1996

Airborne suspended particulates were collected by an Andersen high volume air sampler in a traffic area of Seoul from September 1990 to August 1991. Origanic matter extracted from particulates, their fractions, namely acidic, basic, neutral and carcinogenic subfractions (PAHs, nitroarenes) in neutral fractions were assayed for mutagenicity on TA98, TA100 and TA98NR deficient Salmonella strains, use of the pre-incubation method. The relative contribution to total mutanenicity of organic matters was highest in neutral fraction and was lowest in basic fraction. Among subfractions, that of neutral fraction was higher nitroarenes subfraction compared to PAHs subfraction. While the carcinogenic effect of benzo[a]pyrene was calculated as 0.96 persons/million persons based on unit risk estimates by extrapolation method, life time excess cancer risk estimate of EOM, neutral, PAH fraction based on their mutagenicity was calculated as 52, 42, 3.8 persons/million persons, respectively. These findings indicate that the mutagenic hazard of the partciculate, air organic complex mixture, may be dependent upon the mutagen composition in the particulate and interactions each of them. Therfore, health risk from air organic complex mixtures based on mutagenicity might be useful indicator for evaluation of actual risk.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.247-256
• /
• 1992

Airborne suspended particulates were collected at Shinchon by a high volume cascade impactor from Sep. 1990 to Aug. 1991. Organic matter was extracted from particulates and fractionated by liquid-liquid extraction and thin layer chromatography. Substances in the PAHs and nitroarenes'subfraction of neutral fraction were determined by capillary gas chromatography. Based on unit risk estimates by multi-stage model of benzo[a]pyrene and the results of exposure estimates, cancer risk was assessed. The annual average concentration of total suspended particulates was 201.77g/$m^3$. The percentage of fine particulates was 57.40. The concentration of total suspended particulates showed seasonal variations and was high in winter and spring. The average concentration of extractable organic matter was 8.12g/$m^3$. In all, 21 PAHs were identified and quantified. The annual concentration of fluoranthene was 2.38ng/$m^3$, and that was the highest value of all PAHs. A carcinogenic compound, benzo[a]pyrene, was at a concentration of 1.84ng/$m^3$. All the 10 nitroarenes were also identified and quantified. The major nitroarene in the Shinchon area was 2,7-dinitrofluorene. The annual concentration of 1-nitropyrene was 1.56ng/$m^3$. Concentrations of PAHs and nitroarenes were high in winter and low in summer. The life time excess risk estimates of benzo[a]pyrene was calculated as 0.96 persons/a million population in this experiment. In the rank of relative potenties, carcinogenic effects of the other PAHs were calculated as 0.004-0.108 persons/a million population.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.247-260
• /
• 2014

The impact of folate on health and disease, particularly pregnancy complications and congenital malformations, has been extensively studied. Mandatory folic acid fortification therefore has been implemented in multiple countries, resulting in a reduction in the occurrence of neural tube defects. However, emerging evidence suggests increased folate intake may also be associated with unexpected adverse effects. This literature review focuses on contemporary issues of concern, and possible underlying mechanisms as well as giving consideration the future direction of mandatory folic acid fortification. Folate fortification has been associated with the presence of unmetabolized folic acid (PteGlu) in blood, masking of vitamin $B_{12}$ deficiency, increased dosage for anti-cancer medication, photo-catalysis of PteGlu leading to potential genotoxicity, and a role in the pathoaetiology of colorectal cancer. Increased folate intake has also been associated with twin birth and insulin resistance in offspring, and altered epigenetic mechanisms of inheritance. Although limited data exists to elucidate potential mechanisms underlying these issues, elevated blood folate level due to the excess use of PteGlu without consideration of an individual's specific phenotypic traits (e.g. genetic background and undiagnosed disease) may be relevant. Additionally, the accumulation of unmetabolized PteGlu may lead to inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase and other enzymes. Concerns notwithstanding, folic acid fortification has achieved enormous advances in public health. It therefore seems prudent to target and carefully monitor high risk groups, and to conduct well focused further research to better understand and to minimize any risk of mandatory folic acid fortification.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.871-877
• /
• 1995

Dietary intake and oncogenic risk of 12 pesticides used in Korea whose oncogenic potency was known were assessed from published data. Dietary oncogenic risk (excess tumor incidence for a 70-year human life span) for Korean population was estimated to be $2.17{\times}10^{-3}$ on the basis of legal maximum residue limit, $4.33{\times}10^5$ on the basis of maximum practical residue level and $5.10{\times}10^{-6}$ on the basis of mean practical residue level of examined pesticides, all of which exceeded the negligible risk standard $1{\times}10^{-6}$ of US EPA. A systematic follow-up study on those oncogenic pesticides should be undertaken in order to mitigate the people's worry about the cancer risk by the abuse of pesticides in food production.