연제련 근로자들의 만성적 연폭로에 관한 연구 = Study of Chronic Occupational Exposure to Lead of Smelter Workers

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

For the purpose of obtaining of effective biological monitoring data, studies to evaluate the health consequences of lead absorption were conducted smelter workers who have been exposed to lead occupationally.
The 103 smelter lead workers and the 102 smelter non-lead workers were observed and the questionnaire covered age, work history, symptoms possibly associated with lead poisoning.
The biological parameters chosen for this study were as follows; blood lead(PbB), urine lead(PbU), δ-aminolevulinic acid in urine(ALAU), coproporphyrin in urine(CPU), zinc protoporphyrin in whole blood(ZPP), hemoglobin(Hb), δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase(ALAD) activity & ALAD activity ratio(A/R; absorbance at substrate pH 6.6/absorbance at substrate pH 5.8).
The results obtained were as follows;
1. The average age were 39.1±7.4 years and 39.2±7.7 years in smelter lead workers and smelter non-lead workers, respectively. In smelter lead workers and smelter non-lead workers, the average work duration were 131.7±63.3 months and 138.1±63.1 months, respectively.
2. The mean value of blood lead were 45.0+8.8㎍/100ml and 36.4±6.8㎍/100ml in smelter lead workers and non-lead workers, respectively. In smelter lead workers and non-lead workers, the mean value of zinc protoporphyrin were 89.6+45.1㎍/100ml and 46.5+21.5㎍/100ml, respectively. The mean value of other biological parameters except ALAD & A/R of smelter lead workers were in normal range.
3. Among various pairing of the biological parameters of lead exposure in smelter lead workers and smelter non-lead workers, the correlation between PbB & ZPP showed highest coefficient value.
4. A simple regression analysis was done between PbB and ZPP, and between PbB and CPU, taking PbB as a dependent variable. In smelter lead workers and smelter non-lead workers, coefficients of determination between PbB and ZPP were 67.1% and 59.2%, respectively. Also, the coefficients between PbB and CPU were 45.1% and 26.7%, respectively Consequently, ZPP is better indicator than CPU in estimation PbB levels in screening test of lead absorption.
5. Gastrointestinal compliants were the most frequent self-reporting symptoms. As more frequent are the compliants, the mean concentration levels of PbB and ZPP increased.