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

Our plain-English summary of Activity-Based Exposure Levels and Cancer Risk Assessment Due to Naturally Occurring Asbestos for the Residents Near Abandoned Asbestos Mines in South Korea, by S. Lee, D. Kang, Y. Kim, et al (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021).

The study

• Authors: S. Lee, D. Kang, Y. Kim, Y.J. Kim, S.Y. Kim
• Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Published: 2021;18(10)
• Cited by: 6 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

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.

In plain English

This study pooled data from 15 earlier studies and government reports on airborne naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) near abandoned asbestos mines in South Korea. Of 38 mines identified, 19 had air measurements. The authors grouped them into two regional clusters: cluster A, centered on Chungcheongnam-do, and cluster B, centered on Chungcheongbuk-do. Measurements came from outdoor and indoor air and from activity-based sampling during soil-disturbing activities, grouped as transportation, agricultural and daily life activities. In both clusters, average concentrations during these activities exceeded the Korean exposure limit of 0.01 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc). The highest averages were for agricultural activity in cluster A (5.49 × 10−2 f/cc) and daily life activity in cluster B (6.95 × 10−2 f/cc). Using resident survey data, the authors estimated excess lifetime cancer risk. In cluster A, no activity category exceeded the Korean Ministry of the Environment's soil purification criterion of 0.0001. In cluster B, daily life activity reached 1.08 × 10−4, which exceeded it. The authors concluded that health damage to nearby residents was not negligible. They noted that their risk estimates were simplified.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Pooled analysis of 15 previously published studies and government reports (an integrated literature review), combined with an excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) assessment using the US EPA formula
• Who was studied: Residents living near abandoned asbestos mines in South Korea; air measurements were available for 19 of 38 mines with a mining history, grouped into cluster A (centered on Chungcheongnam-do) and cluster B (centered on Chungcheongbuk-do); resident survey data from the source studies supplied activity hours, days, starting age and duration
• Exposure: Airborne naturally occurring asbestos, counted in f/cc by transmission electron microscopy, measured outdoors, indoors, and by activity-based sampling during 11 activities (bicycle, car, motorcycle, cultivator, walking, weeding, weed whacking, digging, field sweeping, physical training, children playing in the dirt), grouped as transportation, agricultural and daily life activity
• Main results:
  • Highest mean airborne NOA concentration: agricultural activity in cluster A (5.49 × 10−2 f/cc); daily life activity in cluster B (6.95 × 10−2 f/cc)
  • Mean concentrations for the activity-based scenarios (transportation, agricultural, daily life) exceeded the South Korean exposure limit of 0.01 f/cc in both clusters
  • Cluster A concentrations were higher than cluster B, except for daily life activity
  • Indoor airborne NOA concentration was below 0.0001 f/cc
  • Highest excess lifetime cancer risk: agricultural activity in cluster A (9.71 × 10−5); daily life activity in cluster B (1.08 × 10−4)
  • In cluster A, ELCR did not exceed the 0.0001 soil purification criterion for any activity category. In cluster B, daily life activity exceeded it.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that activity-based NOA exposure exceeded current South Korean environmental exposure limits. They judged health damage to residents near the abandoned mines not negligible, and called for continuous monitoring and cleanup.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • Results are hard to generalize to all abandoned mines, because measurements were available for only 19 of the 38 identified mines
  • The analysis ignored the conditions of each measurement (weather, season) and geological differences between the two clusters
  • The ELCR calculation was simplified and applies only to the defined activity scenarios
  • The ELCR did not account for differences among adults, children and adolescents, so it is hard to say which activity category is more dangerous

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: naturally occurring asbestos (NOA), Asbestos Exposure, Environmental Exposure.

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• Impact of Naturally Occurring Asbestos on Asbestos Ban: Regulations and Experience of the Republic of Korea — J. Kwon (2022)
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