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Volume 18
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Article

Activity-Based Exposure Levels and Cancer Risk Assessment Due to Naturally Occurring Asbestos for the Residents Near Abandoned Asbestos Mines in South Korea

by
Seungho Lee
1,
Dongmug Kang
1,2,3,
Youngki Kim
1,2,3,
Yoon-Ji Kim
2,3 and
Se-Yeong Kim
1,2,*
1
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea
2
Department of Preventive and Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Medical College, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea
3
Environmental Health Center of Asbestos, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(10), 5225; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105225
Submission received: 23 March 2021 / Revised: 10 May 2021 / Accepted: 10 May 2021 / Published: 14 May 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Asbestos and Cancers: Exposure from Neighboring Factories and Mines, Contaminated Soil, and Slate Roofs)
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Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the overall asbestos exposure intensity and assess the health risk to residents due to naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) near abandoned asbestos mines in South Korea. Of 38 mines, we found 19 with measured concentrations of NOA. We evaluated the average of airborne NOA concentrations according to the environmental exposure category. When evaluated regionally by dividing into two clusters, the mean concentrations in activity-based sampling (ABS) scenarios exceeded the Korean exposure limit (0.01 f/cc) in both clusters. Moreover, airborne NOA concentrations in agricultural activity (5.49 × 10−2 f/cc) and daily activity (6.95 × 10−2 f/cc) had the highest values for clusters A and B, respectively. The excess lifetime cancer risk of one region (cluster A) by the ABS scenarios did not exceed the Korean Ministry of the Environment’s criteria for soil purification (1 × 10−4). However, one of the ABS scenarios—the daily life activity of clusters centered on Chungcheongbuk-do (cluster B)—showed an exposure of 1.08 × 10−4, greater than the limit (1 × 10−4). This indicates non negligible health damage to residents living near the abandoned asbestos mines, and it is necessary to continuously monitor and clean up the asbestos contamination.
Keywords: naturally occurring asbestos; abandoned asbestos mine; activity-based sampling; excess lifetime cancer risk naturally occurring asbestos; abandoned asbestos mine; activity-based sampling; excess lifetime cancer risk

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MDPI and ACS Style

Lee, S.; Kang, D.; Kim, Y.; Kim, Y.-J.; Kim, S.-Y. Activity-Based Exposure Levels and Cancer Risk Assessment Due to Naturally Occurring Asbestos for the Residents Near Abandoned Asbestos Mines in South Korea. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 5225. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105225

AMA Style

Lee S, Kang D, Kim Y, Kim Y-J, Kim S-Y. Activity-Based Exposure Levels and Cancer Risk Assessment Due to Naturally Occurring Asbestos for the Residents Near Abandoned Asbestos Mines in South Korea. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(10):5225. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105225

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lee, Seungho, Dongmug Kang, Youngki Kim, Yoon-Ji Kim, and Se-Yeong Kim. 2021. "Activity-Based Exposure Levels and Cancer Risk Assessment Due to Naturally Occurring Asbestos for the Residents Near Abandoned Asbestos Mines in South Korea" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 10: 5225. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105225

APA Style

Lee, S., Kang, D., Kim, Y., Kim, Y.-J., & Kim, S.-Y. (2021). Activity-Based Exposure Levels and Cancer Risk Assessment Due to Naturally Occurring Asbestos for the Residents Near Abandoned Asbestos Mines in South Korea. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10), 5225. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105225

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