Health Survey on Workers and Residents Near the Municipal Waste and Industrial Waste Incinerators in Korea.

Abstract

Hazardous substances, such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) also have been detected in Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)and industrial waste incinerators in Korea. In this study, we estimated the exposure status of these hazardous substances and their heath effects in workers and residents near the MSW incinerators and residents near the industrial waste incinerators. We interviewed 13 workers and 16 residents from the area around the two MSW incinerators, and further 10 residents from the area around one industrial waste incinerator, which is suspected to emit higher hazardous substances. During the interview we collected information including sociodemographic information, personal habits, work history, detailed gynecologic and other medical history. Blood samples from 45 subjects were also collected for analysis of PCDDs and PCDFs, which were analyzed by HRGC-HRMS (High Resolution Gas Chromatography -High Resolution Mass Spectrometer). In addition to a questionnaire survey, urinary concentrations of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured as oxidative injury biomarkers. Urinary concentrations of 8-OH-dG were determined by in vitro ELISA (JAICA, Fukuroi, Japan). MDA were determined by HPLC using adduct with TBA (thiobarbituric acid). The PCDD/F concentrations in residents from the area around industrial waste incinerator were higher than those in workers and residents from the area around MSW incinerator. The average toxic equivalency (TEQ) concentrations of PCDD/Fs in residents from the area around industrial waste incinerator were 53.4 pg I-TEQs/g lipid. The average TEQ concentrations of PCDD/Fs in workers and residents near MSW incinerator were 12.2 pg I-TEQs/g lipid. Estimated daily intake (EDI) of each person was calculated, and the EDI of all workers and residents near MSW incinerator were within the tolerable daily intake range. But for only 30% of 10 people near the industrial waste incinerator were the EDI within the tolerable daily intake range (1-4 pg I-TEQ/kg bw/day) suggested by WHO (1997). The oxidative stress of residents near the industrial waste incinerator was higher than that in workers and residents from the area around MSW incinerator. This oxidative stress may have been caused by hazardous substances, such as PCDD/Fs emitted by incinerators. The residents from the area around industrial waste incinerator were exposed to hazardous substances such as PCDD/ Fs. Proper protection strategies against these hazardous chemicals are needed.

Levels of metals and organic substances in workers at a hazardous waste incinerator: a follow-up study

“…In the current study, the mean PCDD/F concentration for all workers was 2.5 ng I-TEQ/kg lipid, while that corresponding to plant workers was 2.1 ng I-TEQ/kg lipid, which is remarkably lower than that found by Kim et al (2005b) 70.1 ng I-TEQ/kg lipid. The current mean PCDD/F concentration is also lower than those found in most of the above studies concerning blood of workers in MSW/infection incinerators (Hu et al 2004;Kumagai and Koda 2005;Kim et al 2005b;Chen et al 2005), while are similar to those reported by Leem et al (2003). Recently, Ichiba et al (2007) reported the concentrations of urinary 1-HP in 100 workers of three MSWIs and one HWI, before and after their work shifts.…”

“…However, studies concerning internal exposure of workers employed in these facilities are rather scarce. In addition, most of these studies have been carried out in workers at municipal waste incinerators (Hours et al 2003;Leem et al 2003;Kumagai et al 2004;Hu et al 2004;Charbotel et al 2005;Kim et al 2005a;Shih et al 2006b;Yoshida et al 2006), and excepting a survey performed in Germany, in which the levels of a number of metals and organic substances (PCBs, HCB, CLPs, 1-HP, BTEX) were biologically monitored (Angerer et al 1992), the remaining studies were mainly focused on determining PCDD/F concentrations in blood (Kumagai and Koda 2005;Moon et al 2005;Shih et al 2006a, b). Studies concerning the internal exposure of workers at industrial or hazardous waste incinerators are particularly scarce.…”

Effect of Industrial Waste Management on Workers Health in Selected Industries in Nigeria

“…Null hypothesis is rejected. This result is supported by the findings of Lee et al [7] that workers safety practices within an industry has a direct effect on their health and safety. A worker may be instructed to wear personal protective equipments which he or she may not comply with when there are no strict instructions.…”

“…Null hypothesis is rejected. This result is supported by the findings of Lee et al [7] who estimated the exposure status of hazardous substances and their health effects in workers and residents near a municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerators and residents near the industrial waste incinerators in Korea. They found that workers around industrial waste incinerator are exposed to hazardous substance such as Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) which causes respiratory infections and diarrhoea diseases.…”

Oxidative Damage of Workers in Secondary Metal Recovery Plants Affected by Smoking Status and Joining the Smelting Work

“…ROS are induced by endogenous oxygen metabolism in cells and by various environmental pollutants, which damage cellular macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and protein 2) . Hazardous substances such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), mercury vapors and other silicates have been demonstrated to involve the production of plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) 3,4) , which is one of the products of lipid peroxidation 5) . Therefore, exposure to those hazardous substances may elicit ROS.…”