• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.65-74
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• 2013

Objectives: This study attempted to develop a method to measure ultra-trace lead concentrations in plasma using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry(ICP-MS) and to test whether plasma lead can be used as a biomarker for the biological monitoring of exposure to lead. Methods: Lead concentrations in 160 plasma samples of field workers and 42 plasma samples from the control group were measured by ICP-MS. Blood zinc protophorphyrin(ZPP) concentrations and urinary ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid${\delta}-ALA$) were measured for correlation analysis with plasma lead. Results: The mean lead level in the plasma of the workers exposed to lead at work were 786.1 ng/L. Plasma lead levels were not correlated with blood ZPP or urinary ${\delta}-ALA$ concentrations. Otherwise, plasma lead levels showed a good correlation coefficient of 0.400 with blood lead levels, and their correlation coefficient had a better value of 0.552 for the non-smoking and drinking group. In the general population group which was not exposed to lead in the workplace and was considered the control group, the mean concentration of plasma lead was 123.1 ng/L. The plasma lead levels for the general population group showed a good correlation coefficient of 0.520 with blood ZPP and urinary ${\delta}-ALA$ concentrations.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.373-385
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• 1995

The association between blood lead of children and Intelligent Quotient(I.Q) was investigated in a sample of 100 boys and girls aged $6\sim8$ years from one primary school within an industrial area of Pusan. The trained undergraduates in school of public health administered an 1.0. test one by one. Parents answered a questionnaire on demographic, perinatal and socioeconomic variables. Atomic Absorbtion Spectrophotometer was used to determine blood lead levels. The geometric mean of blood lead value was $7.99{\mu}g/dl$. In total children, there was no significant relationship between blood lead level and I.Q. But in the children who were born of gestational age of less than 38 weeks, children with higher levels of blood lead performed more poorly on I.Q test with correlation coefficient from -0.68 to -0.71. But, the children who were born of gestational age of 38 weeks and more were same as total children. These results suggest that exposure to low levels of lead in the children who were born premature probably may result in impaired intelligent development. But, We think that more profound study should be performed with sufficient numbers of subjects.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.141-151
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• 1993

Blood samples obtained from 200 adults who had visited the "S" general hospital were analyzed to compare the zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) levels quantified by high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) and by hematofluorometer (HF) to investigate the methodological difference if any and the relationship between the levels of blood lead and ZPP among no-lead exposed adults. Also investigated were the distribution of ZPP and protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) concentrations, the establishment of normal levels of blood ZPP and blood lead, and the contribution of age and sex factors to these values. These subjects had no previous occupational exposure to lead. The results obtained were as follows : 1. The mean values of blood lead for male and female subjects were $9.46{\pm}2.44{\mu}g/dl$ and $8.09{\pm}2.17{\mu}g/dl$, respectively. The difference observed in the mean concentrations between male and female subjects was statistically very significant. 2. The mean values of blood ZPP by HPLC for male and female subjects were $15.94{\pm}4.55{\mu}g/dl$ and $22.26{\pm}6.61{\mu}g/dl$, respectively. The difference observed in the mean concentrations between male and female subjects was statistically not significant. The mean values of blood PPIX by HPLC for male and female subjects were $2.51{\pm}1.78{\mu}g/dl$ and $2.81{\pm}1.56{\mu}g/dl$, respectively. The difference observed in the mean concentrations between male and female subjects was statistically not significant. 3. The mean values of blood ZPP by HF for male and female subjects were $28.44{\pm}7.11{\mu}g/dl$ and $37.77{\pm}8.04{\mu}g/dl$, respectively. The difference observed in the mean concentrations between male and female subjects was statistically very significant. 4. No statistically significant correlation was found between the levels of blood ZPP and blood lead. 5. The ratio of ZPP and protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) concentration to erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP, EP=ZPP+PPIX) concentration was 87.4% and 12.6%, respectively. 6. A statistically very significant correlation was found between the ZPP concentrations determined by HPLC and the values by HF (r=0.7565). The ZPP concentraitons quantified by HF were 1.75 times as high as the values obtained by HPLC. 7. The blood ZPP concentrations quantified by HPLC, HF, and spectrofluorometer (SF) from the blood samples obtained from 14 lead-exposed workers and from 16 no-lead exposed adults showed wide variations. The ZPP concentrations by HF were the highest followed by the levels obtained by SF and by HPLC. In the exposed group, no statistically significant difference was found among three methods of quantifying blood ZPP levels. In the no-lead exposed group, however, statistically significant difference was observed among these methods. The ZPP concentrations by HF were about twice as high as those of by HPLC or by SF. Among three methods of quantifying blood ZPP (HPLC, SF and HF), the results revealed significant difference. Therefore it is suggested that objective methods of quantifying blood ZPP and a system of correcting different ZPP levels be developed by the ministry of Labor.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제24권6호
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• pp.829-836
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• 1995

우리나라 농촌 성인 남녀의 납 섭취량, 혈중 농도, 소변 중 배설량과 혈압, 혈청 지질수준과의 관계를 알아보기 위하여 농촌에 거주하고 신체 건강한 성인 남녀 30명을 대상으로 신체계측, 3일간의 식이섭취조사 및 식이와 소변수거, 혈액체쥐를 통해 납의 섭취량, 혈중농도, 소변 중 배설량과 혈압 및 혈청 지질 함량을 측정하고 이들간의 관계를 살펴본 결과는 다음과 같다. 연구 대상자들의 평균 납 섭취량, 혈중 수준 및 뇨중 배설량은 각각 $226.1{\pm}263.8\mu\textrm{g}/day,\;10.8{\pm}3.6\mu\textrm{g}/dl\;및\;36.5{\pm}9.5\mu\textrm{g}$이었다. 수축기와 이완기 혈압은 $113.0{\pm}16.9mmHg와\;76.7{\pm}12.1mmHg$였고, 혈청 총콜레스테롤, 중성지질, HDL-콜레스테롤, LDL-콜레스테롤 및 ${\beta}-lipoprotein$ 함량은 각각 $158.8{\pm}32.9mg/dl,\;104.6{\pm}48.8mg/dl,\;45.7{\pm{9.9mg/dl,\;92.2{\pm}28.5mg/dl\;및\;426.4{\pm}141.5\;mg/dl$인 것으로 나타났다. 납의 섭취량, 혈중 수준 및 뇨중 배설량과 혈압간에는 유의한 상관성이 나타나지 않았으나 납 섭취량과 에너지 및 당질 섭취량간에 유이한 정의 상관성이 있었다. 납과 혈청 지질수준과의 관계에서 납 섭취량과 HDL-콜레스테롤 함량간에 유의한 부의 상관성이 나타난 납의 섭취로 동맥경화 발생의 가능성이 높았으며 납과 그밖의 지질간에는 유의한 상관성이 없었다. 본 연구는 조사 지역과 규모면에서 많은 제한점이 있지만 앞으로 본 연구를 기본으로 다양한 지역과 납의 노출수준이 다른 많은 대상자 및 다양한 중금속을 비교 분석할 수 있는 다각적인 연구가 필요하다고 생각한다.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.380-390
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• 2018

Objective: A significant association between blood lead levels and hypertension has been reported in many studies. The relationship between cadmium and hypertension has been debated as well. We aimed to study the association of lead, cadmium, and both with hypertension in the Korean general population. Methods: We examined 5,967 adult men and 6,074 women who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III-VI (2005, 2008-2013 years). Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between blood lead concentration and blood cadmium concentration and hypertension using logtransformed blood lead and cadmium concentrations as independent variables after covariate adjustment. Results: Adjusted for general characteristics, the odds ratio of log-lead to hypertension was 2.71 (1.82-4.03), and log-cadmium to hypertension was 2.52 (1.83-3.47). Estimates were found to be statistically significant (p<0.001). When a multiple logistic model was applied, the odds ratio of log-lead and log-cadmium for hypertension were 2.24 (1.50-3.36) and 2.24 (1.62-3.10), respectively. The standardized estimate coefficients of log-lead and logcadmium for hypertension were 4.77 and 6.65, respectively. Conclusion: We observed the association of blood lead concentration, blood cadmium concentration, and both with hypertension. This study suggests that exposure to lead and exposure to cadmium are both risk factors for hypertension.

• 한국환경보건학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경보건학회 2001년도 Proceedings of the 3rd Annual Meeting of Yellow Sea Environment
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• pp.30-41
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• 2001

Rapid economic development and industrialization has been accompanied by an increase of energy demand and environmental pollution. The consumption of gasoline has increased totally, but decreased in use of leaded gasoline after 1988 in Korea. On the other hand, risk assessment of environmental pollutants requires reliable dose estimates. Source oriented monitoring is not providing adequate information to estimate human exposure. The Health Surveillance Project has been launched in Korea from 1980, which questioned their symptoms based on questionnaires and medical examinations for inhabitants in the vicinity of 13 industrial areas and 2 non-industrial areas. 10, 598 inhabitants living in these 15 areas had medical checkups and donated their blood f3r heavy metal analysis from 1980 to 2000 through this project. Especially lead levels in inhabitants' blood of these areas were determined and monitored. Totally 4, 967 samples in target areas were used to review the trend of blood lead level in this paper. Average lead concentrations by areas were from 15.2 to 21.0 ug/dl in 1981 and 22.3 to 34.3 ug/dl in 1988, but were 8.8 to 11.1 ug/dl in 1992 and 4.4 to 4.8 ug/dl in 1995. On the other hand, the consumption of leaded gasoline was at a peak in 1958. Blood lead level showed a very close relationship with the consumption of leaded gasoline in the change pattern(p<0.01) and showed a rapid declining trend since the use of unleaded gasoline, especially from 1988 when Seoul held the olympic games. For example, the blood lead levels were 15.2 ug/dl in 1981, 20.2 ug/dl in 1955. 24.3 ug/dl in 1988 and 3.9 ug/dl in 1993 in Yochon area. China also had monitored blood lead levels of general population. 7, 015 inhabitants living in 28 areas donated their blood far heavy metal analysis from 1981 to 1988. Average lead concentrations by areas were from 5.1 to 5.6 ug/dl before. 1984 but were form 2.8 to 11.2 ug/dl after 1984. Average lead concentration in blood showed increasing trends clearly in most of the areas. The recent policy of unleaded gasoline use for automobile will be a very beneficial policy for the management of atmospheric lead pollution & health risk assessment for the general population in China. It is recommended that it should be propelled more widely and rapidly to the entire country.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제42권3호
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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.

• 월간산업보건
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• 통권167호
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• pp.19-32
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• 2002

The Relationship between Blood Examination Values and Blood Lead Levels of Male Lead Workers

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.336-346
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• 2009

As a follow-up survey of A Study of Monitoring Method on Exposure Level and Biomarkers of Environmental Pollutants-Focused on Ulsan Industrial Comlpex Area, published in 2005, a close examination of the health status was conducted for selected Ulsan residents. Based on the previous study, a total number of 129 subjects were divided into two groups: the exposure group consisted of 39 residents whose blood levels of lead, mercury and/or cadmium were higher than international reference values, and 90 residents of control group with normal levels. Environmental exposure level and its association with health condition were examined by various methods such as questionnaire, analyses of lead, mercury and cadmium in blood and medical examinations. The geometric mean concentrations of lead, mercury and cadmium in blood were respectively $2.07{\mu}g/d{\ell}$ (exposure $2.54{\mu}g/d{\ell}$, control $1.90{\mu}g/d{\ell}$), $5.94{\mu}g/L$ (exposure $8.57{\mu}g/L$, control $5.07{\mu}g/L$), $1.32{\mu}g/L$ (exposure $1.30{\mu}g/L$, control $1.33{\mu}g/L$). The concentrations of the three heavy metals in blood showed lower levels than internationally recommended values except for blood mercury. Also, any abnormal or, peculiar disease, or target tissue damage related to the heavy metals was not observed among the all subjects. Therefore, it can be said that no significant difference of heavy metal concentrations and health conditions was found between the two groups.

• 한국환경보건학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경보건학회 2003년도 Challenges and Achievements in Environmental Health
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• pp.24-25
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• 2003

Lead is ubiquitous in the human environment as a result of industrialization. China's rapid industrialization and traffic growth have increased the potential for lead emissions. Lead poisoning in children is one of the most common public health problems today, and it is entirely preventable. Children are more vulnerable to lead pollution and lead in their bodies can affect their nervous, circulatory, and digestive systems. Children are exposed to lead from different sources (such as paint, gasoline, and solder) and through different pathways (such as air, food, water, dust, and soil). Although all children are exposed to some lead from food, air, dust, and soil, some children are exposed to high dose sources of lead. Significant sources of lead for China's children include industrial emissions (often close to housing and schools), leaded gasoline, and occupational exposure that occurs when parents wear lead-contaminated clothing home from work, burning of coal for home heat and cooking, contaminated food, and some traditional medicines. To assess the blood lead level in children in China, a large-scale study was conducted in 19 cities among 9 provinces during 1997 to 2000. There were 6502 children, aged 3-5 years, were recruited in the study The result indicates that the mean blood lead level was 8.83ug/dl 3-5 year old living in city area. The mean blood lead level of boys was higher than that of girls (9.1l ug/dl vs 8.73ug/dl). Almost 30 percent childrens blood lead level exceeded 10ug/dl. The average blood lead level was higher than that of in 1985 (8.83ug/dl vs 8.lug/dl). An epidemiological study was carried on the children living around the cottage industries recycling the lead from battery. Nine hundreds fifty nine children, aged 5-12 years, living in lead polluted villages where the lead smelters located near the residential area and 207 control children live in unpolluted area were recruited in the study. The lead levels in air, soil, drinking water and crops were measured. The blood lead and ZnPP level were tested for all subjects. The results show that the local environment was polluted. The lead levels both in the air and crops were much higher than that of in control area. In the polluted area, the average blood level was 49.6ug/dl (rang 19.5-89.3ug/dl). Whereas, in the unpolluted area, the average blood level was 12.4ug/dl (rang 4.6-24.8ug/dl). This study indicates that in some countryside area, some cottage industries induce seriously lead pollution and cause children health problem. For the introducing of unleaded gasoline in some large cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, the blood lead level showed a declined trend since 1997. By 2000, the use of leaded gasoline in motor vehicles has been prohibited in China. The most recent data available show that levels of lead in blood among children in Shanghai decreased from 8.3ug/dl in 1997 to 7.6ug/dl in 1999. The prevalence rate of children lead poisoning (blood lead >10ug/dl) was also decreased from 37.8% to 24.8%. In children living in downtown area, the blood lead level reduced dramatically. To explore the relationship between gene polymorphisms and individual susceptibility of lead poisoning, a molecular epidemiological study was conducted among children living in lead polluted environment. The result showed that the subjects with ALAD2 allele has higher ZPP level, and the subjects with VDR B allele has larger head circumference than only with b allele. In the present study, we demonstrated that ALAD genotypes modify lead effects on heme metabolism and VDR gene variants influence the skull development in highly exposed children. The polymorphism of ALAD and VDR genes might be the molecular inherited factor modifying the susceptibility of lead poisoning. Recently, Chinese government pays more attention to lead pollution and lead poisoning in children problem. The leaded gasoline was prohibited used in motor vehicles since 2000. The government has decided to have a clampdown on the high-polluted lead smelters for recycling the lead from battery in countryside. It is hopeful that the risk of lead poisoning in children will be decreased in the further