Panel Discussion
Michinori Kabuto
National Institute for Environmental Studies
(NIES)
Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater - Technical and Policy Dimensions
73
Major Points Related to Health Risks Concerned
with As Exposures
・
Urgent promotion of As monitoring, mitigation, clinical intervention etc.
・
Assessment of intake through As pollution of agricultural products
(plants and animals) by groundwater use --- intensifying
environmental monitoring
・
Possible chronic effects of As exposures in relation to various
cancers, DM , HT etc. (including possible EDC actions) even a fter
cessation of extreme exposures. Interactive effects of F pollution
should also be considered. ----risk assessment researches including
epidemiological studies for setting safer standards
・
As pollution in terms of not only indoor but also possibly outdoor
air pollution in China --- more risk assessment researches
as in the case for water pollution are essential
This is the second workshop on this topic
for NIES since last year, although this
time in collaboration with UNU.
As for the 1 st workshop, please find the
proceeding available around at the
registration counter.
環境と健康リスクについて
の２調査地域
As pollution area
太原市
大気汚染地域
江蘇省
飲料水汚染
74
Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater - Technical and Policy Dimensions
In a village of Shanxi Province
December 2001
In a village of
Shanxi Province
December 2001
Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater - Technical and Policy Dimensions
75
In a village of Shanxi Province
December 2001
Special issue for China
n
Arsenicosis through As pollution of indoor
air -- special cases in Guiyang area with
2,500 reported patients
n
As pollution of outdoor air especially in
relation to lung cancer risk (our preliminary
finding in a recent WHO project)
Note) Both are related to As pollution due to coal
burning for heating and industries
As pollution of outdoor air especially in relation
to lung cancer risk
(our preliminary finding in a WHO project on
Environment and Health in China)
indirect evidence yet but highly suspicious
76
Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater - Technical and Policy Dimensions
Distribution of 28 subject cities where both cause-specific
mortality and air pollution data are available for 1991-98
log (Mortality)
Dose-response between SO2 and mortality of
lung cancer (total age group)
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
log (SO2)
Dose-response between SO2 and mortality of
neoplasm (total age group)
log (Mortality)
2.4
2.2
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
0
0.5
1
1.5
log (SO2)
2
2.5
3
Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater - Technical and Policy Dimensions
77
Estimated excess annual deaths due to
ambient SO2 pollution >60 μg/m3 in 28
Cities in China
Estimated excess death number from lung cancer
for all ages in all urban areas was estimated
to be 44,000 (SE: 2,100)
Note)
TSP (total suspended particulates) levels did
not show significant correlation with lung caner mortality,
Indicating an importance of PM2.5 or PM10 in relation to
the observed association with lung cancer
Hypothesis
Coal burning may produce not only SO2
aerosol and inhalable dusts containing
AS as carcinogen proportionally.
Thus, it is expected PM2.5 or PM10 may
correlate more stably with SO2 level
irrelevantly with TSP, which may vary
largely according to soil dusts
prevailing especially in NW part of China
環境と健康リスクについて
の２調査地域
As pollution area
太原市
大気汚染地域
江蘇省
飲料水汚染
78
Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater - Technical and Policy Dimensions
Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province
Indoor and outdoor NO2 and SO2
in Aug. and Dec. (Taiyuan City)
1000
Max level reaches about
2 mg/m3
ppb
100
10
1
NO2 in
No2 out
SO2 in
SO2 out
NO2 in
August
No2 out
SO2 in
SO2 out
December
2001
Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater - Technical and Policy Dimensions
79
PM2.5 or PM10 vs TSP in Outdoor Air
Taiyuan City (December, 2001)
PM2.5 or PM10 (μg/m3)
1200
1000
800
PM2.5
600
PM10
400
200
0
100
200
300
400
TSP (μg/m3)
500
600
PM2.5 or PM10 vs TSP in Outdoor Air
Taiyuan City (August,2001)
PM2.5 or PM10 (μg/m3)
1200
1000
800
PM2.5
600
PM10
400
200
0
100
200
300
400
TSP (μg/m3)
500
600
Research Recommendation
Extensive As monitoring is needed for
urban air especially in winter season
when SO2 levels are very high due to
coal combustion especially for heating
Conlusively
Transboundary and more integrated
approaches to global environmental
risks (climate change to local pollution issues)
as a whole become urgent
Vulnerability in terms of health risks and
ecosystem risks at the community and national
level must be evaluated together with their
adapting capacity
In every sense, we should shift more to global
environmental risk assessment
and management
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Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater - Technical and Policy Dimensions