It is difficult to objectively estimate the exposure level of
subjects in studies investigating environmental calamities
caused by accidental chemical substance leakage. Although
we measured the airborne concentrations of chlorine
gas released across the community concerned 2 h
after the accidental leakage, this was not enough to quantitatively
estimate the individual exposure levels of the
subjects. Officially confirmed exposure data was very important
to describing health effects. In unexpected community
environmental accident, timely environmental
exposure monitoring is essential to prevent and evaluate
health effects of victims. In a previous study investigating
the accidental release of hydrogen fluoride that occurred
in Gumi-si in September 2012 [36], patients’ individual exposure
levels of were not known, and the distance from
the leakage site was used as a proxy marker. The distance
from the leakage site was also used in our study as an indicator
indirectly reflecting the subjects’ exposure levels.
There were many other factors that influences the exposure
level of individual victims, such as wind direction,
exact location of victims. But, we could not collect data
about exact location of individual patient at the time of
exposure except distance from accident site. If the patient
was working in a space with all closed windows or doors,
he would be minimally affected by the chlorine exposure,
even though he was within 100 meters radius.
Another limitation of this study was that we could not
estimate the total number of exposed victims. We could
not find any formal accident report of government or
other authorities which contain information about in
total how many people were exposed. Additionally, the
leakage site was located just aside to heavy traffic road
and surrounded by many buildings, it was almost impossible
to apprehend all exposed workers.
This study also had limited evaluation of the health
effects on the non-hospitalized patients because of the
lack of pulmonary function and bronchial hyperresponsiveness
tests. In the 2 hospitalized patients, the limitations
might be that no histopathological study was conducted
for a more accurate diagnosis of RADS. Additionally, bronchial
hyperresponsiveness was examined only in case 1.
According to a follow-up study conducted on 279 residents
of adjacent areas 5 months after the accident
where chlorine gas was released in Graniteville [37], 76
of 94 subjects included in the final analysis complained
of chronic symptoms associated with chlorine exposure,
and 47 were being treated in health-care institutions.
Moreover, 44 subjects showed positive results of posttraumatic
stress disorder in the questionnaire survey. The
presence of residual symptoms in a large proportion of
subjects even after several months suggests the necessity
for follow-up observations for the subjects exposed to
chlorine gas in the present study as well.
Conclusions
The 2 patients hospitalized because of accidental chlorine
gas release in Gumi-si showed clinical progressions
corresponding to RADS. All 209 non-hospitalized patients
complained of upper airway and mucous membrane irritation
symptoms only and showed no abnormalities in clinical
laboratory tests. Patients who were closer to the
accident spot more frequently complained of symptoms
such as shortness of breath, sore throat, eye pain, itching,
dizziness, anxiety, general weakness, and fatigue. We consider
it necessary to conduct a follow-up study to determine
the long-term health effects of acute chlorine gas
exposure.
จึงยากที่จะประเมินระดับความเสี่ยงของการเป็นในการตรวจสอบสิ่งแวดล้อม calamities การศึกษาเกิดจากการรั่วไหลของสารเคมีโดยไม่ได้ตั้งใจ ถึงแม้ว่าเราวัดความเข้มข้นในอากาศของคลอรีนก๊าซที่ปล่อยออกมาในชุมชนที่เกี่ยวข้อง 2 hหลังจากการรั่วไหลโดยไม่ได้ตั้งใจ นี้ไม่พอ quantitativelyประเมินความเสี่ยงแต่ละระดับของการหัวข้อนี้ ทางแสงยืนยันข้อมูลเป็นสิ่งสำคัญมากการอธิบายผลกระทบสุขภาพ ในชุมชนที่ไม่คาดคิดอุบัติเหตุด้านสิ่งแวดล้อม เวลาสิ่งแวดล้อมตรวจสอบแสงเป็นสิ่งจำเป็นเพื่อป้องกัน และประเมินผลกระทบสุขภาพของผู้ประสบภัย ในก่อนหน้านี้การศึกษาตรวจสอบการปล่อยฟลูออไรด์ไฮโดรเจนที่เกิดขึ้นโดยบังเอิญในกูใน 2555 กันยายน [36], เปิดรับแสงที่แต่ละผู้ป่วยระดับของคำไม่รู้จัก ระยะห่างจากเว็บไซต์รั่วถูกใช้เป็นเครื่องหมายของพร็อกซี ระยะห่างจากการรั่วไหล ไซต์ถูกใช้ในการศึกษาของเราเป็นตัวบ่งชี้อ้อมสะท้อนระดับความเสี่ยงของเรื่องมีหลายอื่น ๆ ปัจจัยที่มีผลต่อความเสี่ยงระดับของเหยื่อแต่ละราย เช่นทิศทางลมสถานที่แน่นอนของผู้ประสบภัย แต่ นอกจากนี้เราไม่สามารถรวบรวมข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับตำแหน่งแน่นอนของผู้ป่วยแต่ละครั้งของแสงยกเว้นห่างจากไซต์อุบัติเหตุ ถ้าผู้ป่วยทำงานในพื้นที่พร้อมทั้งปิดหน้าต่างหรือประตูเขาจะสามารถผ่าได้รับผลกระทบจากการสัมผัสคลอรีนeven though he was within 100 meters radius.Another limitation of this study was that we could notestimate the total number of exposed victims. We couldnot find any formal accident report of government orother authorities which contain information about intotal how many people were exposed. Additionally, theleakage site was located just aside to heavy traffic roadand surrounded by many buildings, it was almost impossibleto apprehend all exposed workers.This study also had limited evaluation of the healtheffects on the non-hospitalized patients because of thelack of pulmonary function and bronchial hyperresponsivenesstests. In the 2 hospitalized patients, the limitationsmight be that no histopathological study was conductedfor a more accurate diagnosis of RADS. Additionally, bronchialhyperresponsiveness was examined only in case 1.According to a follow-up study conducted on 279 residentsof adjacent areas 5 months after the accidentwhere chlorine gas was released in Graniteville [37], 76of 94 subjects included in the final analysis complainedof chronic symptoms associated with chlorine exposure,and 47 were being treated in health-care institutions.Moreover, 44 subjects showed positive results of posttraumaticstress disorder in the questionnaire survey. Thepresence of residual symptoms in a large proportion ofsubjects even after several months suggests the necessityfor follow-up observations for the subjects exposed tochlorine gas in the present study as well.ConclusionsThe 2 patients hospitalized because of accidental chlorinegas release in Gumi-si showed clinical progressionscorresponding to RADS. All 209 non-hospitalized patientscomplained of upper airway and mucous membrane irritationsymptoms only and showed no abnormalities in clinicallaboratory tests. Patients who were closer to theaccident spot more frequently complained of symptomssuch as shortness of breath, sore throat, eye pain, itching,dizziness, anxiety, general weakness, and fatigue. We considerit necessary to conduct a follow-up study to determinethe long-term health effects of acute chlorine gasexposure.
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