Health Risk Related to Environmental Pollution in Map Ta Phut Area, Rayong Province - ความเสี่ยงภัยต่อสุขภาพประชาชนจากมลพิษสิ่งแวดล้อมในพื้นที่มาบตาพุด จังหวัดระยอง

Abstract

            This cross-sectional study was aimed to study the population health risk database in Map Ta Phut, located in the central district of Rayong province, as part of an ongoing the health surveillance system for health impact from environmental pollution.  Rayong province had high growth of industrial development by Eastern Seaboard Master Plan since 1985 and Map Ta Phut area has been designated to be a heavy chemicals industrial area.  Presently, people who lives in Map Ta Phut subdistrict, located in the central district of Rayong province, complains about respiratory tract diseases, allergy, and cancer related to the environmental pollution from those chemicals manufacture in the vicinity.  Hazardous chemicals in the industries were volatile organic compounds (VOCs), acids, bases, gases, and heavy metals.  Thus, the methodology of this study focused mainly on health examinations, questionnaire, and analysis of the urinary metabolites of VOCs accompanied with geographical locations of the exposed individual order to assess the exposure of three kinds of VOCs, benzene, styrene, and toluene.  The analysis results of 2,177 urine samples during June 2007 - August 2007 showed that exceedances of level of t,t-muconic acid (urinary metabolites of benzene) above BEIs limit recommended by American Conference of Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), 2005 was 15.8 percent (329 persons).  Associations between sample groupีs urinary t,t-muconic acid concentration and illness whose habitats located far from factories more than 1 kilometer (control group) and located within 1 kilometer (study group) were confirmed by chi-square.  The results indicates that the people in Rayong province had been substantially exposed to benzene, a leukemia carcinogens.  Statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) of levels of t,tmuconic acid in population living wthin a 1-km radius around the oil refinery and those in the outer perimeter was eatablished.  In conclusion, the health surveillance system for health impact assessment of benzene exposure related to the industrial plants and other activities is critical.  Therefore, sustainable management on health impact caused by environmental pollution should be proceeded by cooperating with the local communities and empowerment of the network.

Key words:  health risk assessment, health surveillance system, environmental pollution, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), Map Ta Phut