• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.43-52
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• 2007

This study was designed to investigate the difference of airborne lead concentration by type of lead industries and type of lead exposure and to evaluate their association with lead biomarkers of lead workers in 11 lead using industries. Total of 182 lead workers (male: 167, female: 15) from 11 lead industries were participated for this study from March, 2004 to August, 2005. Airborne lead concentration were measured by representative personal sampling of workers in each unit workplace and applied same concentration value to the workers in the same unit workplace who did not measure their airborne lead with personal air sampling. Tibia lead, blood lead, zinc protoporphyrin in whole blood, ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid in urine, hemoglobin and hematocrit were selected as study variables of indices of lead exposure. Information about type of lead exposure (fume or non-fume other), age, work duration, smoking & drinking habit were also collected. Significant differences were seen in the means of zinc protoporphyrin, blood lead and tibia lead in lead workers by different airborne lead concentration in workplace. While blood lead and tibia lead in lead workers were significantly higher in secondary smelting than other types of lead industries, zinc protoporphyrin, ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid in urine and airborne lead concentration were significantly higher in litharge manufacturing. While the mean blood lead was significantly higher in the lead workers working in fume type unit workplace than those of non-fume lead workers, the mean airborne lead concentration of fume workers was significantly lower than non-fume lead workers. In the multiple regression analysis of airborne lead concentration and the type of lead exposure on tibia lead and lead exposure indices after adjustment of related covariates, airborne lead concentration was statistically significantly associated with blood lead and tibia lead, but the type of lead exposure was only associated with blood lead. To verify the causal association of airborne lead concentration on blood lead and tibia lead, further studies are needed.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.95-103
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• 1991

For the purpose of estimating the working environment and the relationship between the airborne lead concentration and the ZPP level in the whole blood of the workers, the airborne lead concentrations and the ZPP level were measured at the 26 plants which deal with lead, from October 5 to November 5 in 1988. Analysis of the airborne lead concentration was performed by NIOSH Method 7082, and the ZPP level was measured by a hematofluorometer. The following results are concluded. 1. The average airborne lead concentration of the lead battery manufactures is 0.025mg/m$^{3}$ and that of the secondary lead smelters is 0.023mg/m$^{3}$. There were no significant differences between industry (p>0.1) 2. At the lead battery manufacture, the process of lead powder production showed the highest concentration of 0.034mg/m$^{3}$ but there were no significant differences among the processes (p>0.1). At the secondary lead smelter, the process of dismantling waste batteries showed the highest concentration 0.141mg/m$^{3}$, and there were very significant differences among the processes (p<0.005). 3. The ZPP level in the whole blood showed significant differences between industry (p<0.10). The average ZPP level of the lead battery manufactures is 133.0 + 106.3 $\mu$g/100ml and that of the secondary lead smelters is 149.6 + 110.9 $\mu$g/100ml. 4. The correlation coefficients between the airborne lead concantration and ZPP level were 0. 426 (p<0.001) for the lead battery manufactures and 0.484 (p<0.001) for the secondary lead smelters. The correlation coefficients between the work duration (in months) and the ZPP level were 0.238 (p<0.001) for the lead battery mannfactures and 0.075 (p>0.10) for the secondary lead smelters. 5. The linear regression equation, with the airborne lead concentration as an independent variable and the ZPP level as a dependent variable, is Y=96.84+1300.34X (r=0.448, p<0.001) for the 26 plants which deal with lead. The linear regression equation, with the work duration(in months) as an independent variable and the ZPP level as a dependent variable, is Y=127.28 +0.49X (r=0.162, p<0.05). 6. The correlation coefficients between the amount of inhaled lead and ZPP level were 0.349 (p < 0.001) for the lead battery manufactures and 0.318(p<0.001) for the secondary lead smeltes. The linear regression equation for the 26 plants surveyed, with the amount of inhaled lead as an independent variable and ZPP level as a dependent variable, is Y=123.63+18.82X (r=0. 335, p<0.001).

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.265-271
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• 1996

This study was conducted to investigate distribution of lead particles by operation of industry, to evaluate the effect of particle size on the absorption to workers, and to recommend the Occupational Health Standard for lead. Total lead concentrations in the secondary smelting industry were higher than those in the battery and litharge manufacturing industry. Total lead concentrations in other industries except radiator manufacturing industry exceeded the standard of $50{\mu}g/m^3$. Only radiator manufacturing industry indicated lead concentrations significantly lower than those in other industries(p<0.05). Average blood lead level of workers was $85.1{\mu}g/dl$ in secondary smelting manufacturing, $51.3{\mu}g/dl$ in the battery manufacturing, and below $40{\mu}g/dl$ in the litharge and radiator manufacturing industry. Blood lead levels of workers by industry were significantly different(p<0.05). From relationship between airborne lead concentrations by size and lead in blood, confidence limits of airborne lead concentration equivalent to $40{\mu}g/dl$ of permissible limit in blood, was $147.9-489.8{\mu}g/m^3$ as total lead and $28.8-79.4{\mu}g/m^3$ as ACGIH-RPM. It is recommended that two separate occupational health standards for lead should be established by particle size. Airborne concentration of $150{\mu}g/m^3$ as fatal lead dust and $30{\mu}g/m^3$ as respirable lead dust was recommended.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.34-41
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• 2019

Objective: This study is conducted to evaluate airborne lead concentration in and around lead production plant. Methods: Airborne lead concentration was monitored simultaneously inside of the processes of lead recycling factory and outside of factory which include stack, boundary of factory and residential area 1 km and 7.5 km from factory, respectively. All samples were measured three times at 1.5 m from the ground and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer or flame atomic absorption spectrometer. Results: All airborne lead concentrations measured inside of factory($13.9{\mu}g/m^3-252.9{\mu}g/m^3$) and outside of factory($0.001{\mu}g/m^3-54.97{\mu}g/m^3$) showed log-normal distribution. Geometric mean lead concentration, $54.81{\mu}g/m^3$, measured inside of factory was significantly higher than outside of factory, $0.20{\mu}g/m^3$(p<0.01). Among the samples measured inside the factory, lead concentration was the highest in the refining process($59.02{\mu}g/m^3-252.9{\mu}g/m^3$). In the case of the samples outside the factory, the nearest chimney was the highest($3.84{\mu}g/m^3-54.97{\mu}g/m^3$), and the lead concentration at the farthest place, 7.5 km from the factory was the lowest($0.001{\mu}g/m^3-1.7{\mu}g/m^3$). The arithmetic lead concentration, $0.45{\mu}g/m^3$ in the residential area near the factory was below the atmospheric environment standard of $0.5{\mu}g/m^3$, but the maximum concentration of $3.4{\mu}g/m^3$ was exceeded. Conclusions: Airborne lead concentration in residential area, 1 km away from lead recycling plant, may exceed ambient air standard of $0.5{\mu}g/m^3$.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2006

This study was performed to investigate airborne lead concentration and surface lead contents in preschool facilities. Arithmetic mean of indoor lead concentration in urban area was $44.7\;ng/m^3$ (Geometric mean $32.1\;ng/m^3$) whereas outdoor concentration was $39.5\;ng/m^3$ (GM $22.8\;ng/m^3$). In rural area, airborne lead concentrations were $14.2\;ng/m^3\;(GM\;7.9 ng/m^3),\;12.6\;ng/m^3\;(GM\;5.6 ng/m^3)$, respectively. There is statistical significance of the lead concentrations among the locations of preschool facilities. About $37\%$ of qualitative lead check samples was positive and mainly was found in lead based paint. Though lead concentrations on the floor and window sill were well below the US EPA and HUD standard (floor $40\;{\mu}g/ft^2\;(4.3\;{\mu}g/100\;cm^2)$, window sill $250\;{\mu}g/ft^2\;(26.9\;{\mu}g/100\;cm^2)$, respectively), there were much samples which exceed the standard, i.e., $29\%$ of surface wall, $20\%$ of the desk and chair, $100\%$ of painted wood box of tested samples. In view of our study and hazard of lead to children, we recommended that the contents of lead in preschool facilities should be lowered as possible.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.293-302
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• 2008

Lead chromate is made by sodium dichromate and lead acetate, and has being used widely in the part of pigment, paints, inks, plastics and so on. Even though lead chromate has health hazards which like both lead and chromium, there are a few study about pigment workplaces using lead chromate in Korea. The purpose of this study is to evaluate workers' exposure levels and airborne lead and chromium concentration in the pigment workplaces using lead chromate. There are 20 workers in the total 5 workplaces. 10 workers(50%) have been exposed to lead and 3 workers(15%) have been exposed to chromium, which exceeded the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists(ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (Pb: $0.05\;mg/m^3$, Cr: $0.012\;mg/m^3$) and Korean Ministry of Labor's Standard. Geometric mean (GM) of airborne lead was highest in pigment ($0.0421\;mg/m^3$), paint ($0.0020\;mg/m^3$) and PVC coloring ($0.0007\;mg/m^3$), respectively(p<0.05). The result of airborne chromium concentration was paint ($0.0033\;mg/m^3$), paint ($0.0004\;mg/m^3$) and PVC coloring ($0.0003\;mg/m^3$). Also the lead and chromium concentration in the manual process is each 30 times and 10 times higher than the value in automatic process(p<0.01). In the classified process by detail, the concentration of airborne lead was $0.0638\;mg/m^3$ in grinding & packaging, mixture & after-measuring ($0.0436\;mg/m^3$), filtration & drying ($0.0402\;mg/m^3$), lead nitrate & dissolution($0.0129\;mg/m^3$), pigment commitment & mixture ($0.0013\;mg/m^3$) and dispersion & grinding ($0.0010\;mg/m^3$) (p<0.05). Moreover the concentration of a sample in weighting & packaging was $0.0023\;mg/m^3$. The concentration of lead in workers' blood was pigment (15.12 ug/dl), paint (4.74 ug/dl) and PVC coloring (2.50 ug/dl), and some samples have exceeded biological exposure limit. In conclusion, the depending on their work industry and process, workers have been exposed to the high lead chromate.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제3권3호
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• pp.216-223
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• 2012

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the lead levels in blood samples from nielloware workers, to determine airborne lead levels, to describe the workers' hygiene behaviors, and to ascertain and describe any correlations between lead levels in blood samples and lead levels in airborne samples. Methods: Blood samples and airborne samples from 45 nielloware workers were collected from nielloware workplaces in Nakhon Sri Thammarat Province, Thailand. Lead levels were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), at a wavelength of 283.3 nm. FAAS was used especially adequate for metals at relatively high concentration levels. Results: The geometric mean of the 45 airborne lead levels was 81.14 ${\mu}g/m^3$ (range 9.0-677.2 ${\mu}g/m^3$). The geometric mean blood lead level of the 45 workers was 16.25 ${\mu}g/dL$ (range 4.59-39.33 ${\mu}g/dL$). No worker had a blood lead level > 60 ${\mu}g/dL$. A statistically significantly positive correlation was found between airborne lead level and blood lead levels (r = 0.747, p < 0.01). It was observed that personal hygiene was poor; workers smoked and did not wash their hands before drinking or eating. It was concluded that these behaviors had a significant correlation with blood lead levels (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Improvements in working conditions and occupational health education are required due to the correlation found between blood leads and airborne lead levels.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.145-152
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• 2001

This study was performed to evaluate the coke oven emissions (COE) and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon levels in coke manu-facturing industry, secondary lead smelting industry and glass bottle manufacturing industry. 1. There were no significant difference between the means of personal samples and area samples by the types of industry(p>0.05). The levels of airborne total particulates of the secondary lead smelting industry was the highest($2.30mg/m^3$), and those of the coke manu-facturing industry and glass bottle manu facturing industry were $1.95mg/m^3$ and $1.37mg/m^3$. The concentration of COE was the highest in the glass bottle manufacturing industry($0.79mg/m^3$), and in order of $0.19mg/m^3$ in the coke manufacturing industry and $0.06mg/m^3$ in the secondary lead smelting industry. COE/total particulates(%) was highest in the glass bottle manufacturing industry(58.1%) and in order of 10.3% in the coke manufacturing industry and 3.1% in secondary lead smelting industry. There were significant differences in the total particle concentration and COE by the types of industry(p<0.05). 2. The levels of airborne total particulates was the highest at the smelting process of secondary lead smelting industry($2.30{\pm}0.72mg/m^3$), and the lowest at the smelting process of glass bottle manufacturing industry ($0.99{\pm}1.22mg/m^3$) Concentration of COE was the highest at the casting process of glass bottle manufacturing industry ($1.09{\pm}1.15mg/m^3$), the lowest at the smelting process of secondary lead smelting industry ($0.06{\pm}0.03mg/m^3$). The COE/total particulates(%) was the highest at the casting process of glass bottle manufacturing industry($65.9{\pm}20.5%$), and the lowest at the smelting process of secondary lead smelting indusry($3.1{\pm}2.7%$). 3. There were positive correlations between level of The airborne total particulates and concentration of COE in coke manufacturing industry and glass bottle manufacturing industry (p<0.05), but negative correlation in secondary lead smelting industry. 4. The numbers of case and rates that over the Threshold Limit Values(TLVs) were 24 (77.4%)cases in glass bottle manufacture, 14(23.7%) cases in the coke manufacturing industry and no one case in secondary lead smelting industry. Total numbers of case and rates that over TLVs were 38( 35.5%) cases. 5. The limit of detection(LOD) for PAH was $10{\mu}g/ml$ in standard sample. All PAH levels of the cokes manufacturing industry and the secondary lead smelting industry and the glass bottle manufacturing industry were trace or not to detect.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.160-171
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• 1995

The size characteristics of lead particle which is one of the important factors associated with absorption of lead were ignored in establishing lead standard. This study was conducted to investigate distribution of lead particles by operation of industry. Aerodynamic Mass Median Diameters (MMD) of airborne lead particles in the battery and litharge manufacturing industry were $14.1{\mu}m$ and $15.1{\mu}m$, respectively. There was no significant difference between those two values(p>0.05). However, the diameters in radiator manufacturing and secondary smelting industry were $1.3{\mu}m$, $4.9{\mu}m$, respectively. Those were significantly smaller than the particle sizes in other industries(p<0.05). Total lead concentrations in the secondary smelting industry were higher than those in the battery and litharge manufacturing industry. Total lead concentrations in other industries except radiator manufacturing industry exceeded the standard of $50{\mu}g/m^3$. Only radiator manufacturing industry indicated lead concentrations significantly lower than those in other industries(p<0.05). Concentrations of lead particles smaller than $1{\mu}m$ defined as respirable fraction by OSHA's CPA model assumption were $72.4{\mu}g/m^3$ in the secondary smelting industry, exceeding $50{\mu}g/m^3$. The relationship of concentrations between total lead and lead of particles smaller than $1{\mu}m$ was log Y = 0.46 logX + 0.06(n=119, $r^2=0.44$, p=0.0001). Relationship of respirable lead concentrations between OSHA and ACGIH was significantly detected in the litharge and battery manufacturing industry(p=0.0001), but was not significant in the radiator(p=0.2720) and secondary smelting manufacturing industry(p=0.2394). As MMDs of lead particles generated in industry were small, difference of respirable lead concentration between OSHA and ACGIH became smaller. There was a significant difference between concentrations respirable lead defined by two organizations such as OSHA and ACGIH in the battery and litharge manufacturing industry. Average concentration of respirable lead by ACGIH definition was 43.3 % of total lead in secondary smelting and 48.9 % in radiator manufacturing industry, and lower fractions were indicated in battery and litharge manufacturing industry. Relationships of total lead with IPM, TPM, and RPM were significant respectively(p=0.0001) and lead concentrations by particle size could be estimated using this relationship. Linear regression equation between total lead concentration(X) and ACGIH-RPM concentration(Y) was log Y = 0.76 log X - 0.40($r^2=0.89$, p=0.0001).

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.11-18
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• 1986

In order to evaluate the state of the environmental pollution by vehicle exhaust in Seoul area the correlation between lead in air and leaves of roadside trees has been investigated during August in 1985. The dust in the atmosphere was collected by high volume air sampler to measure the concentration of lead. On the other hand, lead as a pollution indicator was extracted from the leaves of roadside trees (Ginkgo biloba, Salix pseudo/lasiogyne, platanus occidentalis) by conventional method and their concentrations were determined. The following results were obtained : 1. Lead concentrations in the leaves of roadside trees varied with trees, for example, the average concentrations of lead in each of the leaves of Ginkgo biloba, Salix pseudo/lasiogyne and Platanus occidentalis were 20.66 ppm, 9.37 ppm, and 10.58 ppm, respectively. 2. The dust sampled along heavily traveled highways showed that lead content tended to increase with traffic volume. 3. The correlation coefficients between lead correlation in air and leaves of Gingo biloba, Salix pseudo/lasiogyne, and Platanus orientalis were 0.80, 0.85, and 0.87, respectively.