Asbestos and Non-Asbestos Fiber Content in Lungs of Autopsied Subjects in Pohang with no Known History of Occupational Asbestos Exposure.
- Author:
Hyun Sul LIM
1
;
Ji Yong KIM
;
Dong Hoon KIM
;
Kiyoshi SAKAI
;
Naomi HISANAGA
Author Information
1. Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dongguk University Environmental Health Department.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Asbestos;
Non-asbestos fiber;
Reference value;
Lung;
Korean
- MeSH:
Asbestos*;
Asbestos, Serpentine;
Asian Continental Ancestry Group;
Female;
Gyeongsangbuk-do*;
Humans;
Incidence;
Japan;
Korea;
Lung*;
Male;
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission;
Reference Values
- From:Korean Journal of Preventive Medicine
2000;33(4):477-483
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: To obtain reference values for the pulmonary asbestos and non-asbestos fiber contents of residents in Korea and to compare them with similar results from Japan. METHODS: The autopsied lung specimens from 22 deceased people (20 males and 2 females) in Pohang, without any known occupational history of asbestos exposure, were analyzed for incidence of asbestos and non-asbestos fibers by transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis after using low temperature ashing procedures. RESULTS: Chrysotile fiber (46.2%) was the major fiber type found in the lungs of the subjects. The asbestos fiber concentrations found in males and females were 0.09x106 fibers/(g of dry lungs) and 0.30x106 fibers/(g of dry lungs), respectively, showing a geometric mean concentration 0.09x106 fibers/(g of dry lung tissue), due to the predominance of males in the sample. The non-asbestos fiber contents in males and females were 4.61x106 fibers/(g of dry lungs) and 17.79x106 fibers/(g of dry lungs), respectively, with a geometric mean concentration 5.21x106 fibers/(g of dry lung tissue). CONCLUSIONS: Residents in Pohang had significantly lower levels of both asbestos and non-asbestos fibers than urban residents in Korea. Furthermore, Koreans had significantly lower levels of both asbestos and non-asbestos fibers than Japanese.
