Blood Cadmium Concentration of Residents Around Abandoned Metal Mines in Korea

Abstract

PP-31-157 Background/Aims: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the blood cadmium concentration and to analyze related factors of residents around the abandoned metal mines in comparison with a control group in Korea. Methods: Blood cadmium concentration was analyzed through investigations of age, sex, working history of mines, periods of residence, smoking habits, and dietary water type of subjects living around abandoned metal mines (exposure group) (n = 14,464) as compared with those living in designated control areas (control group) (n = 697). Results: The blood cadmium concentration (1.25 [1.24–1.27] μg/L) of exposure group was significantly higher than control group (1.17 [1.13–1.22] μg/L). The period of residence and working history of mines in exposure group were significantly higher than control group. The blood cadmium concentration was increased according to increasing age and period of residence in both groups. Blood cadmium concentration of current-smokers in both groups was higher than nonsmokers. Conclusion: This was the first report about the blood cadmium concentration of the exposure group who lived around all abandoned metal mines in Korea. The exposure group had higher blood cadmium concentration than the control group. We attributed the elevated blood cadmium concentration in the abandoned mine residents to the influence of the abandoned mine sites in Korea.