Urinary Cadmium Concentration of Residents around Industrial Complex in Gwangyang and Yeosu

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the distribution of urine cadmium levels of residents in the surrounding areas of an industrial complex. Methods: During the period of three month from August to October 2012, informed consent was obtained from a total of 362 residents in Kwangyang and Yeosu. We collected urine sample from all subjects and their demographic characteristics, including alcohol drinks and smoking habits, using a questionnaire. The urine samples were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrometer. Results: The urinary cadmium geometric mean concentration of total participants was 0.87 μg/g cr. The results of this study showed that higher urine cadmium levels were observed in females and some subjects with a higher level of education level and a lower BMI. Also, those subjects who preferred to take vegetables and took fish 3 days before urine sampling procedure revealed higher urine cadmium concentrations. The urine cadmium concentrations of subjects in the exposed area(0.91 μg/g cr) were significantly higher than those in the control area(0.78 μg/g cr). Conclusions: An additional study is needed to assess health risks of residents in the vicinity of environment-unfriendly areas, coupled with endeavors to examine possible heavy metals contamination factors that may affect the human body.