Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (15)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bates, M. N
Right arrow Articles by Read, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bates, M. N
Right arrow Articles by Read, D.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1998 Oxford University Press

research-article

Cancer incidence, morbidity and geothermal air pollution in Rotorua, New Zealand

Michael N Batesa, Nicholas Garretta, Bruce Grahama,b and Deborah Readc,d

aInstitute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) Po Box 50-348, Porlrua. New Zealand
Current address: bWorks Environmental Management Auckland, New Zealand
cPublic Health Commission Wellington, New Zealand
dCurrent address: Central Regional Health Authority Wellington, New Zealand

BACKGROUND: The New Zealand city of Rotorua sits on a geothermal field. However, little is known about the possible health impacts of the geothermal emissions. This was an ecological study that examined cancer incidence and morbidity data for Rotorua.

METHODS: Cancer registry and hospital discharge (morbidity) data were obtained for the decade 1981–1990. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were calculated comparing Rotorua residents with those living in the rest of New Zealand. Diagnostic categories examined were based on known target organ systems of hydrogen sulphide toxicity.

RESULTS: Of the cancer sites, there was an elevated rate for nasal cancers. However, this was based on only four cases. The SIR for cancers of the trachea, bronchus and lung in Maori women was 1.48 (95% CI: 1.03–2.06). This was not explained by higher smoking rates. In the hospital discharge data, a number of diseases showed elevated SIR, notably diseases of the nervous system and the eye. To some extent, these effects were characteristic of effects induced by hydrogen sulphide and also mercury compounds. However, there were few data with which to assess whether significant mercury exposures had occurred, and other explanations were possible.

CONCLUSIONS: There are inadequate exposure data for Rotorua to permit conclusions on likely causal associations. However, some of the elevated disease rates were at least consistent with what one might expect to find if sufficient exposures to hydrogen sulphide and/or mercury were occurring.

Keywords Hydrogen sulphide, mercury, geothermal pollution, epidemiology, ecological study, Rotorua, New Zealand

Accepted 18 June 1997


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.