• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2007

This study was designed to investigate the difference of airborne lead concentration by type of lead industries and type of lead exposure and to evaluate their association with lead biomarkers of lead workers in 11 lead using industries. Total of 182 lead workers (male: 167, female: 15) from 11 lead industries were participated for this study from March, 2004 to August, 2005. Airborne lead concentration were measured by representative personal sampling of workers in each unit workplace and applied same concentration value to the workers in the same unit workplace who did not measure their airborne lead with personal air sampling. Tibia lead, blood lead, zinc protoporphyrin in whole blood, ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid in urine, hemoglobin and hematocrit were selected as study variables of indices of lead exposure. Information about type of lead exposure (fume or non-fume other), age, work duration, smoking & drinking habit were also collected. Significant differences were seen in the means of zinc protoporphyrin, blood lead and tibia lead in lead workers by different airborne lead concentration in workplace. While blood lead and tibia lead in lead workers were significantly higher in secondary smelting than other types of lead industries, zinc protoporphyrin, ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid in urine and airborne lead concentration were significantly higher in litharge manufacturing. While the mean blood lead was significantly higher in the lead workers working in fume type unit workplace than those of non-fume lead workers, the mean airborne lead concentration of fume workers was significantly lower than non-fume lead workers. In the multiple regression analysis of airborne lead concentration and the type of lead exposure on tibia lead and lead exposure indices after adjustment of related covariates, airborne lead concentration was statistically significantly associated with blood lead and tibia lead, but the type of lead exposure was only associated with blood lead. To verify the causal association of airborne lead concentration on blood lead and tibia lead, further studies are needed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.195-207
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• 2019

Objectives: This study was performed to confirm whether plasma lead can be used as a chronic biomarker for the biological monitoring of exposure to lead. Methods: Lead concentrations in 66 plasma samples from retired lead workers (G.M. 60.25 years, Median 61.00 years) and 42 plasma samples from the general population (G.M. 53.76 years, Median 56.50 years) were measured using ICP/Mass. Tibia, whole blood, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and blood zinc protophorphyrin (ZPP) concentrations and urinary ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid (${\delta}-ALA$) were measured for correlation analysis with plasma lead. Results: The geometric mean concentration of lead in plasma was $0.23{\mu}g/L$ for the retired lead workers and $0.10{\mu}g/L$ for the general population sample. A simple correlation analysis of biomarkers showed that plasma lead concentration among the retired lead workers was highly correlated with lead concentration in the tibia and with blood lead concentration, and the plasma lead concentration among the general population correlated with ZPP concentration in the blood. The lead concentration in the tibia and the lead concentration in the whole blood increased with length of working period. As the period in the lead workplace increased, the ratio of lead in plasma to lead concentration in whole blood decreased. Conclusion: This study confirmed the possibility of a chronic biomarker of lead concentration in blood plasma as a biomarker. In the future, comparative studies with specific indicators will lead to more fruitful results.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1414-1418
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• 2007

This study was to examine the accumulated concentration of lead in the organ of Arabidopsis thaliana grown in the soil added three different concentrations of lead. The accumulated concentrations of lead in the stem of plant grown in the soil added official standard concentration of lead of pollutant exhaust notified by the Ministry of Environment (1 mg/l), concentration ten times higher than the official standard concentration (10 mg/l) and concentration fifty times higher (50 mg/l) were similar to the rate of increase between three different concentrations, and increased average 24% compared with normal plant stem. The accumulated concentrations of lead in the leaf of plant grown in the soil added three different concentrations of lead were increased average 57% compared with normal plant leaf. And accumulated concentrations of lead in the leaf was no significant difference according to increase of lead concentration added in the soil as stem, the rate of increase was similar to between three different concentrations. The accumulated concentrations of lead in the root of plant grown in the soil added official standard concentration of lead of pollutant exhaust and concentration ten times higher were increased average 114% compared with normal plant root, but increased about 861% in the concentration fifty times higher than the official standard concentration. This result contrast with the data of stem and leaf. The accumulated concentration of lead in the plant body of Arabidopsis thaliana was increased according to increase of lead concentration added in the soil. Especially, the accumulated concentration of lead in the plant body grown in the concentration fifty times higher than the official standard concentration was increased about 2.6 times than normal plant. These results show that lead contaminated within the soil was more accumulated in the root than the stem or leaf, and accumulated concentrations of lead in the stem and leaf were not increased in proportion to the concentration of lead in the soil, but very increased in proportion to the concentration in the root.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.319-325
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• 2002

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of heavy metals (copper, cadmium, lead and chrome) on the growth of plant and seed germination of Arabidopsis thaliana treated with various concentrations of heavy metals. Cadmium and chrome among the 4 heavy metals had no effect on the growth of stem even in the concentration fifty times higher than the official standard concentration of pollutant exhaust notified by the Ministry of Environment. The official standard concentration of cadmium, however, stimulated the growth of stem in general, increasing leaf size and surface area, although it had no effect on the length of stem. But the growth of stem was decreased about 18% in the official standard concentration of pollutant exhaust of lead and copper. There was no growth of root in the concentration of lead and copper ten times higher than the official standard concentration. Cadmium and chrome had no effect on the seed germination, but lead and copper decreased the rate of seed germination. Seeds were not germinated in the concentration of copper ten times higher than the official standard concentration and in the concentration of lead fifty times higher than the official standard concentration. From this research three peculiar results were obtained. Chrome in the soil did not have much effect on the plant growth and seed germination of Arabidopsis thaliana. Cadmium stimulated the stem growth in an optimum concentration. But lead and copper reduced the plant growth and seed germination even in a small concentration, especially copper had the worse effect.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.86-94
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• 2009

This study analyzed the concentration of the lead in blood (n=774) from May, 2007 to Oct 2007. The subject was residents in G, Y, H industrial area, Jeollanam-do, in which exposure to the lead is expected due to the adjacency of the industrial complex. As to the lead concentration in the blood of the residents in the whole exposed region and the comparing region, $2.81{\mu}g/dl$ in the exposed region group, and $2.86{\mu}g/dl$ in the comparing region group Respectively, which indicates that the concentration of the comparing group was higher than that of the exposed group. The geometric mean concentration of lead in blood was $3.26{\mu}g/dl$ as to men, and $2.46{\mu}g/dl$ as to women, which indicates that the concentration of men is higher than that of women (p<0.01). The lead concentration for each age group increased in proportion to age except those under 10 for some substances (p<0.01). As to geometric mean concentration in blood according to the smoking history of the subject, the concentration of the smoking group and the non-smoking group was $3.57{\mu}g/dl$ and $2.66{\mu}g/dl$ respectively, which indicates the former is higher than the latter (p<0.01). To clarify the factors affecting the heavy metal concentration in blood among the subjects, the multiple regression analysis was conducted. As a result, it turned out that as to lead content in blood, gender, age, smoking all affect the lead concentration of the subjects ($R^2$=23.3%).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.531-539
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• 1997

Lead sorption performances by biomass of nonliving, dried marine brown algae Undaria phnaunda, Hlzikia hsyormls. and Sugassum fulvellum used as biosorbent materials were investigated. As the amount of biosorbent materials added was increased, the lead removal by biosorbent materials Increased but the lead biosorption capacities decreased. However, with increasing Initial lead concentration the lead biosorption capacities by the biosorbent materials Increased but lead removal efficiencies decreased. In the range of Initial lead concentration(Co) 10-500 mg/L the lead biosorption capacities and removal efficiencies by the biosorbent materials Increased with increasing pH. Among the biosorbent materials used in this study, the lead biosorption capacities decreased in the following sequence: U. plilnaunda > H. fusiformis > S. fulvellum. The lead biosorption by biosorbent materials were expressed by the Langmuir Isotherm better than the Freundlich Isotherm. The biosorption rate could be expressed by the first order reaction rate equation for initial lead concentration like that rad : 0.288Co for U. phanda, rad = 0.255Co for H. fusiformis, and rad : 0.161Co for S. fulvellum. Key words : Lead, biosorption, biosorbent, Undaria pinnatinda, Hiztkia fusiformis, Sargassum fulvellum, Langmuir isotherm, Freundlich isotherm, biosorption rate.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.4 s.55
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• pp.747-764
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• 1996

This study intended to obtain an useful information for health management of lead exposed workers and determine biological monitoring interval in early period of exposure by measuring the lead exposure indices and work duration in all male workers (n=433 persons) exposed less than 1 year in 6 storage battery industries and in 49 males who are not exposed to lead as control. The examined variables were blood lead concentration (PBB), Zinc-protoporphyrin concentration (ZPP), Hemoglobin (HB) and personal history; also measured lead concentration in air (PBA) in the workplace. According to the geometric mean of lead concentration in the air, the factories were grouped into three categories: A; When it is below $0.05mg/m^3$, B; When it is between 0.05 and $0.10mg/m^3$, and C; When it is above $0.10mg/m^3$. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The means of blood lead concentration (PBB), ZPP concentration and hemoglobin(HB) in all male workers exposed to lead less than 1 year in storage battery industries were $29.5{\pm}12.4{\mu}g/100ml,\;52.9{\pm}30.0{\mu}g/100ml\;and\;15.2{\pm}1.1\;gm/100ml$. 2. The means of blood lead concentration (PBB), ZPP concentration and hemoglobin(HB) in control group were $5.8{\pm}1.6{\mu}g/100ml,\;30.8{\pm}12.7{\mu}g/100ml\;and\;15.7{\pm}1.6{\mu}g/100ml$, being much lower than that of study group exposed to lead. 3. The means of blood lead concentration and ZPP concentration among group A were $21.9{\pm}7.6{\mu}g/100,\;41.4{\pm}12.6{\mu}g/100ml$ ; those of group B were $29.8{\pm}11.6{\mu}g/100,\;52.6{\pm}27.9{\mu}g/100ml$ ; those of group C were $37.2{\pm}13.5{\mu}g/100,\;66.3{\pm}40.7{\mu}g/100ml$. Significant differences were found among three factory group(P<0.01) that was classified by the geometric mean of lead concentration in the air, group A being the lowest. 4. The mean of blood lead concentration of workers who have different work duration (month) was as follows ; When the work duration was $1\sim2$ month, it was $24.1{\pm}12.4{\mu}g/100ml$, ; When the work duration was $3\sim4$ month, it was $29.2{\pm}13.4{\mu}g/100ml$ ; and it was $28.9\sim34.5{\mu}g/100ml$ for the workers who had longer work duration than other. Significant differences were found among work duration group(P<0.05). 5. The mean of ZPP concentration of workers who have different work duration (month) was as follows ; When the work duration was $1\sim2$ month, it was $40.6{\pm}18.0{\mu}g/100ml$, ; When the work duration was $3\sim4$ month, it was $53.4{\pm}38.4{\mu}g/100ml$ ; and it was $51.5\sim60.4{\mu}g/100ml$ for the workers who had longer work duration than other. Significant differences were found among work duration group(P<0.05). 6. Among total workers(433 person), 18.2% had PBB concentration higher than $40{\mu}g/100ml$ and 7.1% had ZPP concentration higher than $100{\mu}g/100ml$ ; In workers of factory group A, those were 0.9% and 0.0% ; In workers of factory group B, those were 17.1% and 6.9% ; In workers of factory group C, those were 39.4% and 15.4%. 7. The proportions of total workers(433 person) with blood lead concentration lower than $25{\mu}g/100ml$ and ZPP concentration lower than $50{\mu}g/100ml$ were 39.7% and 61.9%, respectively ; In workers of factory group A, those were 65.5% and 82.3% : In workers of factory group B, those were 36.1% and 60.2% ; In workers of factory group C, those were 19.2% and 43.3%. 8. Blood lead concentration (r=0.177, P<0.01), ZPP concentration (r=0.135, P<0.01), log ZPP (r=0.170, P<0.01) and hemoglobin (r=0.096, P<0.05) showed statistically significant correlation with work duration (month). ZPP concentration (r=0.612, P<0.01) and log ZPP (r=0.614, P<0.01) showed statistically significant correlation with blood lead concentration 9. The slopes of simple linear regression between work duration(month, independent variable) and blood lead concentration (dependent variable) in workplace with low air concentration of lead was less steeper than that of poor working condition with high geometric mean air concentration of lead. The study result indicates that new employees should be provided with biological monitoring including blood lead concentration test and education about personal hygiene and work place management within $3\sim4$ month.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.147-157
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• 1989

To investigate the blood lead concentration, their interrelation, correlation factor and influence on pregnant women and newborn, lead concentration in the maternal blood and umbilical cord blood were determined. Samples were collected from 130 mothers who were living in the Taegu City, during March, 1989. Blood lead concentration was estimated using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer(IL. 551) equipped with Flameless Furnace Atomizer (IL. 665). The mean lead concentration of maternal and cord blood were $17.47{\pm}7.92{\mu}g/d{\ell}$, $15.31{\pm}7.98{\mu}g/d{\ell}$, respectively. A significant correlation was observed between the lead concentration of maternal and cord blood, r=0.663, Y=0.667X+3.646. No significant correlation was observed between previous spontaneous abortion and obstetric complication of mother and maternal blood lead concentration. Similarly, no significant correlation was observed between the sex, gestational age of neonate and cord blood lead concentration. But the birth weight of neonate had some negative correlation with cord blood lead concentration. The blood lead concentration of mother who had engaged in manufactures were higher than others and the longer working years were, the higher blood lead concentration were. Significant correlation was observed between husband's occupational exposure to lead and maternal blood lead concentration.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.12-22
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• 1994

Effects of very low level of lead in diet and exposure time on the accumulation and distribution in organs and tissues was investigated with growing rats. 21 days old Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to lead for 7, 14 and 21 days by feeding of 0.03, 0.42, 0.92 and 1.46mg/kg Pb as Pb-acetate containing diet, respectively. Lead concentrations in blood, liver, kidney and bone exhibit a linear relationship with lead levels in diet. After 7 days of exposure, the greatest dose dependent accumulation of lead was found in kidney and followed in bone. However, after 14 and 21 days, the dose dependent accumlation of lead in bone was about two fold greater than that in kidney. The accumulation of lead in liver and blood was relatively low. As continuous exposure to lead, the concentrations of lead in liver, kidney, blood and intestinal tracts were rather not increased with exposure time. However, bone lead concentration was increased with exposure time by feeding of 0.92 and 1.46mg/kg Pb in diet, but not 0.42mg/kg. The lead concentration in gastrointestinal tracts tends also to increasing with lead levels in diet after 7 and 14 days of exposure. However, by 21 days of exposure the lead concentration revealed relatively constant value regardless of the dietary lead levels. It is concluded that the binding capacity of the lead in blood, liver, kidney and bone seems to be increased with increasing lead levels in diet. The lead concentration in these organs, with the exception of the lead in bone, seems, however, to be standing under steady state regulation by continued exposure with the same dietary lead level. Therefore, by chronic exposure condition with environmental relevant lead level bone might be a principle targe organ for lead and blood lead repesents better the current lead exposure than the lead body burden.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.34-41
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• 2019

Objective: This study is conducted to evaluate airborne lead concentration in and around lead production plant. Methods: Airborne lead concentration was monitored simultaneously inside of the processes of lead recycling factory and outside of factory which include stack, boundary of factory and residential area 1 km and 7.5 km from factory, respectively. All samples were measured three times at 1.5 m from the ground and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer or flame atomic absorption spectrometer. Results: All airborne lead concentrations measured inside of factory($13.9{\mu}g/m^3-252.9{\mu}g/m^3$) and outside of factory($0.001{\mu}g/m^3-54.97{\mu}g/m^3$) showed log-normal distribution. Geometric mean lead concentration, $54.81{\mu}g/m^3$, measured inside of factory was significantly higher than outside of factory, $0.20{\mu}g/m^3$(p<0.01). Among the samples measured inside the factory, lead concentration was the highest in the refining process($59.02{\mu}g/m^3-252.9{\mu}g/m^3$). In the case of the samples outside the factory, the nearest chimney was the highest($3.84{\mu}g/m^3-54.97{\mu}g/m^3$), and the lead concentration at the farthest place, 7.5 km from the factory was the lowest($0.001{\mu}g/m^3-1.7{\mu}g/m^3$). The arithmetic lead concentration, $0.45{\mu}g/m^3$ in the residential area near the factory was below the atmospheric environment standard of $0.5{\mu}g/m^3$, but the maximum concentration of $3.4{\mu}g/m^3$ was exceeded. Conclusions: Airborne lead concentration in residential area, 1 km away from lead recycling plant, may exceed ambient air standard of $0.5{\mu}g/m^3$.