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a I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ANALYSIS OF THE CORRELATION BETWEEN ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION AND LUNG CANCER IN GUANGZHOU, CHINA Huang Lan-fang," Feng Zhen-zhi,' Wu Xia-fang,' Yan Li-ying" and Du Ying-xiu°" The Municipal Health & Antiepidemic station of Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China `" Guangzhou Environmental Monitoring Center, Guangzhou, China "" Guangzhou Research Center for Lung Cancer, Guangzhou, China To investigate the complicated correlation between atmospheric pollution and lung cancer, long term survey data are needed. This paper analyzes systematically 20 years of data on atmospheric pollution, combined with 12 years of data on lung cancer deaths in Guangzhou. Atmospheric pollution data included: 1. About 30 sampling locations monitoring sedimentary dust and SO2 for 1972-1979. 2. Four stations (part of WHO's global monitoring of atmospheric pollution) monitoring SO2 and total suspended particles (TSP) in 1982-1990. n Ci Using these data and the formula API = _ E _ where: n i=1 Si M = air pollutant tested; C; = concentration of air pollutant; S; = acceptable level of pollutant (according to government guidelines) the yearly average air pollution index (API) was calculated and evaluated. 3. Collection of data by aerial remote control sensors was organized by the Scientific Technical Committee of Guangzhou in December 1984. Data on lung cancer deaths were collected from 63 police sub-stations in the city which kept complete and systematic household registration records. Individual lung cancer deaths had been investigated since 1980. A database of lung cancer mortality rate by police sub-station was established. The results of the investigation on air pollution and lung cancer death rates are as shown in Table 1. O ~ O W ~ y W ep I CA

I Table 1. Correlation between atmospheric pollution (AP) and lung cancer death rates in the four districts of Guangzhou t.t~ I vuax(o . . s,uzbu n®V&- coao-w AP lodex (19T2-19/9) 2.49 1.68 1.64 1.17 0.57 AP Index (1982-1990) 0.898 0.Td1 --- 0.470 0.246 PoIM1t&n Stab.s (a) 1984 Mutzgenicity of TSP (b) aeveMllwry 7,600 Hnvylmed'vml 6,600 Medimdlight -- Medium/liglu 6,100 Clean Lung Cauccr Dwuh Raro (1976-1987) 37.94 35.99 31.50 30.79 (a) Pollution auwa was maniiored by aemae-ano-ol aerial aeuson. (b) Totil wpntled pattldea. Muugeoicity was cvaluated by the Ames iert aod bued on t1e m®1or of inecuv[ caloniea/IOO m3. The results indicate that in Guangzhou, atmospheric pollution is most serious in the Liwan district, followed by Yuexiu, Haizhu and Dongshan districts. Over 20 years, the highest mortality rate for lung cancer was also in the Liwan district (37.94/100,000), followed in decreasing order by Yuexiu, Haizhu, and Dongshan districts. There was a good positive correlation between the severity of the atmospheric pollution in the district and the lung cancer mortality rate. The carcinogenic substance benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) (0.35-1.95 µg/100 m3) can be detected from sedimentary dust and total suspended particles. An Ames test (TA98 strain+59) conducted using an organic solvent extract of the total air suspended particles corresponded to the above observation showed that the mutagenicity of total suspended particles was highest for the Liwan district (7,600/100 m' revertants), followed by Yuexiu and Dongshan. The mutagenicity data are consistent with the mortality rate of lung cancer, suggesting that atmospheric pollution may produce potential carcinogenic hazards and further illustrating that atmospheric pollution may be a causative factor in the etiology of lung cancer. -4 ~ W w -2- ~ I I I I t I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I