Yang C Y, Wang J D, Chan C C, Chen P C, Huang J S, Cheng M F
School of Public Health, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan.
Environ Res. 1997;74(2):145-9. doi: 10.1006/enrs.1997.3762.
Reported herewith are the results from an ongoing study of outdoor air pollution and the health of persons living in the communities in close proximity to petrochemical industrial complexes. To determine if there is an excess of adverse health outcomes in the population exposed to petrochemical industrial emissions, a health survey was undertaken in 1996 in this area and in one reference area which has no local industrial emissions. The subjects were 436 adults (30-64 years of age) living in the Sanwei area (exposed area) and 488 in Taicei (reference area). For several indicators of respiratory health, including cough, wheezing, and chronic bronchitis, the prevalence rates were not significantly different between the study and the control populations. Acute irritative symptoms (eye irritation, nausea, throat irritation, and chemical odor perception) were significantly more common in the exposed area, particularly perception of chemical odors (84.6% vs 2.1%). It is concluded that exposure to petrochemical air emissions may be associated with increased rates of acute irritative symptoms. Future studies are needed to identify the potential role of petrochemical industrial emissions (particularly volatile organic compounds) in the genesis of acute irritative symptoms in a nearby petrochemical industrial area.
本文报告了一项正在进行的关于室外空气污染以及居住在石化工业园区附近社区居民健康状况的研究结果。为了确定接触石化工业排放物的人群中是否存在过多的不良健康后果，1996年在该地区以及一个没有当地工业排放的对照地区进行了一项健康调查。研究对象为居住在三维地区（暴露地区）的436名成年人（30 - 64岁）和台北的488名成年人（对照地区）。对于包括咳嗽、喘息和慢性支气管炎在内的几种呼吸健康指标，研究人群和对照人群的患病率没有显著差异。急性刺激症状（眼睛刺激、恶心、喉咙刺激和化学气味感知）在暴露地区明显更为常见，尤其是化学气味感知（84.6%对2.1%）。得出的结论是，接触石化空气排放物可能与急性刺激症状发生率的增加有关。未来需要开展研究，以确定石化工业排放物（特别是挥发性有机化合物）在附近石化工业区急性刺激症状发生过程中的潜在作用。
