Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture (한국환경농학회지)

The Korean Society of Environmental Agriculture (한국환경농학회)
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Health Risk Assessment through Residents Exposure to Toxic Metals in Soil and Groundwater in the Vicinity of Sanyang Metal Mine

  • Park, Jeong-Hun (Department of Environmental Engineering, Chonnam National University) ;
  • Choi, Kyoung-Kyoon (Soil Technology Research Institute, Chonnam National University)
  • Received : 2012.05.18
  • Accepted : 2012.06.17
  • Published : 2012.06.30
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Metal mines were actively developed in the early twentieth century in Korea; however, most of these mines were closed and abandoned without proper management. Therefore, toxic metal contamination in the vicinity of Korean abandoned metal mines has been reported. A risk assessment for these metals was performed for residents near by abandoned Sanyang metal mine. METHODS AND RESULTS: Soil and groundwater samples were collected from May to October 2007 around the mine. After pretreatment of these samples, metal concentrations were measured and then a risk assessment was performed using the Korean soil-contamination risk assessment guidelines. Cancer risk was the highest from inhalation of Pb-contaminated soil, followed in descending order by As-contaminated soil inhalation and water ingestion. The sum of carcinogenic risks was $3.35{\times}10^{-3}$. The noncarcinogenic risk was observed for inhalation of Hg-contaminated soil (5.71). CONCLUSION: Inhalation of soil in dust was the principal pathway to cause the health risk and most of the risk was attributed to As, Pb,Cd, and Hg contamination.

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