| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 環境與職業衛生研究所 === 103 === Background/Objectives
Recently, incinerator would produce many toxics caused adverse effects on residents living near incinerator. However, government usually assessed metals levels using environment monitoring, lack of biological monitoring of metals was used to assess the impacts from incinerator. The objective of this study was to assess the metal levels in urine and nails correlated with oxidative stress and renal damage among residents living near the incinerator.
Materials and methods
Two exposed groups were conveniently selected from upwind area and downwind area in the incinerator compared to the control group which was selected from ten miles outside from the incinerator. Questionnaire, urine and nails were collected from the five- or six-grade students in three elementary schools and their parents. Nine heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn) of urine and nails concentrations were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Urinary MDA levels were measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/UV and urinary NAG levels were measured using 505 nm wavelength of spectrophotometer. Strcitly quality assurance / quality control (QA /QC) were conducted or assessed in all analysis.
Results
Urinary As level and levels of Cd, Cr, Cu and lead in nails in exposed schoolchildren group were significantly high the levels than in the control schoolchildren group. Only urinary Hg levels (μg/L) had a significant positive correlation (r=0.360, p<0.05) between schoolchildren students and their parents in the exposed group. There are significant correlation between levels (μg/g cre.) of urinary Cr (r=0.428, p<0.01) and Cu (r=0.324, p<0.05). Only Cu level in nail had a significant positive correlation (r=0.324, p<0.05) in schoolchildren students and their parents. Schoolchildren parents in the exposed group, Cu and Zn levels in urine significant correlated with levels of NAG, and levels of Cr, Hg, Ni and Se significantly correlated with MDA in urine Schoolchildren in the exposure groups, levels of Cr, Ni and Pb in urine had significantly correlation with levels of MDA. Urinary As levels and Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb levels in nail had significantly high among schoolchildren in the exposed group. Moreover, urinary NAG and MDA levels in schoolchildren from the exposed group was significantly higher than those who the control group.
Conclusions and Suggestion
Although significant high levels of some metals in urine and nail, as well as high levels of NAG and MDA in urine were found among schoolchildren in the exposed group. there are no emprical evidence to support the causal relationship that high levels of heavy metals in urine or and nails correlated with emission from the incinerator. It is vital for Taiwan Environmental Protection Adminstration (EPA) should conduct long-term monitoring of heavy metal levels in air, soil and water from incinerator for assessing the adverse effects of residents that caused by incinerator .
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