Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers (대한환경공학회지)

Korean Society of Environmental Engineers (대한환경공학회)
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Comparative Study on the Human Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination between Two Abandoned Metal Mines in Korea

국내 두 폐금속 광산의 중금속오염 인체위해성평가 비교

  • Lim, Tae-Yong (Department of Geology and Research Institute of Natural Science (RINS), Gyeongsang National University (GNU)) ;
  • Lee, Sang-Woo (Department of Geology and Research Institute of Natural Science (RINS), Gyeongsang National University (GNU)) ;
  • Park, Mi Jeong (Institute of Mine Reclamation Technology, Mine Reclamation Corporation (MIRECO)) ;
  • Lee, Sang-Hwan (Institute of Mine Reclamation Technology, Mine Reclamation Corporation (MIRECO)) ;
  • Kim, Soon-Oh (Department of Geology and Research Institute of Natural Science (RINS), Gyeongsang National University (GNU))
  • 임태용 (경상대학교 지질과학과 및 기초과학연구소) ;
  • 이상우 (경상대학교 지질과학과 및 기초과학연구소) ;
  • 박미정 (한국광해관리공단 광해기술연구소) ;
  • 이상환 (한국광해관리공단 광해기술연구소) ;
  • 김순오 (경상대학교 지질과학과 및 기초과학연구소)
  • Received : 2015.11.03
  • Accepted : 2015.11.30
  • Published : 2015.11.30
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Abstract

This study was conducted to propose the methodology of human risk assessment specialized to domestic mine areas and to quantify the human risk of heavy metal (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) contamination around two abandoned metal mines. To attain the goals, we established a relevant exposure scenario, including 7 exposure pathways and extracted a variety of exposure factors reflecting the characteristics of inhabitants around abandoned metal mine areas. Finally, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks were compared between two areas, exposure pathways, heavy metal contaminants, and receptors. The total excess carcinogenic risks of two mine areas of concern were calculated to be larger than the acceptable carcinogenic risk ($1{\times}10^{-6}$), indicating those two areas are not safe for carcinogenic hazard. In addition, the hazard indices of two areas were computed to be higher than unit risk (1), suggesting that the areas of concern have non-carcinogenic risk. Ingestion of crop and intake of groundwater were evaluated to be main exposure pathways contributing to carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks within the areas. Also, the results show that carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic hazards were mostly attributed to As and As, Cd, and Pb, respectively.

본 연구는 국내 폐금속 광산에 특화된 인체위해성평가 방법을 제시하고, 두 폐금속 광산 지역에 시범적으로 적용하여 광산별 중금속 오염물질(As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn)에 대한 인체위해도를 정량적으로 산출하고자 수행되었다. 이를 위해 폐금속 광산에 적합한 7가지 노출경로 등의 노출시나리오를 설정하고, 폐금속 광산 지역 거주 주민의 특성에 맞는 노출인자를 추출하여 인체위해성평가에 활용하였다. 또한 최종적으로 얻어진 발암 및 비발암 위해특성을 광산별, 노출경로별, 오염물질별, 수용체별로 비교 분석하였다. 두 광산 모두에서 총 초과발암위해도가 허용 가능한 위해도인 $1{\times}10^{-6}$의 값보다 크게 나타나서 발암위해성이 있는 것으로 판명되었으며, 두 광산에서의 발암위해성은 유사한 것으로 조사되었다. 또한 두 광산 모두에서 성인에 대한 위험지수가 1보다 큰 값을 보여 비발암위해성이 있는 것으로 나타났고, 어린이의 경우에는 위험지수가 1보다 작은 값을 보여 상대적으로 비발암위해성이 낮은 것으로 조사되었다. 비발암위해성은 대정광산에서 봉광산보다 상대적으로 큰 것으로 나타났다. 그리고 발암 및 비발암위해성을 유발하는 주요한 노출경로는 농작물섭취와 지하수섭취로 평가되었다. 어린이의 경우에는 성인에 비해 상대적으로 표토섭취와 표토피부접촉 경로에 의한 발암 및 비발암 위해성이 큰 것으로 조사되었다. 오염물질별 위해성을 살펴보면, 발암위해성은 As, 비발암위해성은 As, Cd, Pb 등으로부터 주로 유발되어 As가 발암 및 비발위해성의 주요한 오염물질로 조사되었다.

Keywords

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  1. Inorganic As Concentration in Rice Grown Around the Abandoned Mining Areas and its Health Risk Assessment vol.49, pp.5, 2016, https://doi.org/10.7745/KJSSF.2016.49.5.584