Juntarawijit Chudchawal
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture Natural Resources and Environment, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand,
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2013 Oct;26(5):813-21. doi: 10.2478/s13382-013-0142-y. Epub 2014 Jan 25.
Electricity generation from biomass has become a boom business. However, currently, concerns over their environmental and health impact have emerged. This study aimed to explore these health problems by studying two small biomass power plants in Thailand.
Data concerning chronic diseases and health symptoms was collected from 392 people by trained interviewers by the use of a questionnaire.
Residents living within 1 km from the power plants had a higher prevalence of allergies (Odds ratio = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.5-4.0), asthma (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.0-4.4) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.0-8.4). The risks of other symptoms, itching/rash, eye irritation, cough, stuffy nose, allergic symptoms, sore throat, and difficulty breathing among those living within 0.5 km from the power plants (OR = 2.5-8.5) were even more marked.
It has been concluded that without a proper control, pollution from the biomass power plants can cause significant health problems to the nearby residents.
生物质发电已成为一项蓬勃发展的业务。然而，目前人们已开始关注其对环境和健康的影响。本研究旨在通过对泰国两家小型生物质发电厂的研究来探讨这些健康问题。
由经过培训的访谈人员使用问卷从392人那里收集有关慢性病和健康症状的数据。
居住在距发电厂1公里范围内的居民患过敏症（优势比=2.4，95%置信区间：1.5 - 4.0）、哮喘（优势比=2.1，95%置信区间：1.0 - 4.4）和慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）（优势比=2.7，95%置信区间：1.0 - 8.4）的患病率更高。居住在距发电厂0.5公里范围内的居民出现其他症状，如瘙痒/皮疹、眼睛刺激、咳嗽、鼻塞、过敏症状、喉咙痛和呼吸困难的风险（优势比=2.5 - 8.5）更为明显。
得出的结论是，如果没有适当的控制，生物质发电厂的污染会给附近居民带来重大健康问题。
