Literature DB >> 28144104

Cancer risk of general people due to using joss stick for religious worshiping.

Beuy Joob1, Viroj Wiwanitkit2.   

Abstract

Entities:  

Year:  2016        PMID: 28144104      PMCID: PMC5234174          DOI: 10.4103/0971-5851.195741

Source DB:  PubMed          Journal:  Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol        ISSN: 0971-5851


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Sir, Worshipping is the basic religious practice seen anywhere around the world. In Asian, the use of joss stick for worshipping is common, and burning of joss stick can cause smoke that contains several hazardous chemicals.[12] The exposure is a great concern for the workers in worship places, shrine, and temples.[34] It is noted that the long-term exposure might result in carcinogenesis. In a recent publication from Thailand, a country where joss stick is widely used for religious worshipping, it is estimated that the lifetime cancer rates of the worker at worship place due to exposure to benzene and ethylbenzene in joss stick smoke are equal to 1–345 and 0.3–19 cases per million.[5] Nevertheless, the risk for general people has not been assessed. Basically, in Thailand, general people will visit worship place on a specific period, which is called “temple day,” about 4 times per month, and the people will stay and worship at the temple about half an hour per time. Hence, the period of exposure for the general people is significantly less than that of temple workers who have to work in temple every day for about 12 h per day. Here, the authors try to estimate the cancer risk due to exposure to joss stick smoke in religious worshipping. Based on the previous data from Thailand, the estimated cancer risk can be calculated. The period of exposure for general people compared to the temple worker is estimated to be about 0.0056 ([0.5 h/12 h] × 4 day/30 day). Hence, the estimated calculated lifetime cancer rates of general people due to exposure to benzene and ethylbenzene in joss stick smoke are equal to 0.0056–1.9167 and 0.0017–0.1056 cases per million.[5] Based on the observed rate, the risk is very low, and it might imply that the general worshiping practice of the local people should not be considered as a cancer risk behavior. In fact, this result can also support the previous report that addresses no respiratory problem due to joss stick use on.[6]

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Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.
  5 in total

1.  Worshippers' exposure to particulate matter in two temples in Taiwan.

Authors:  Shih-Chun Candice Lung; Mei-Chung Kao
Journal:  J Air Waste Manag Assoc       Date:  2003-02       Impact factor: 2.235

2.  Trace metals in Chinese joss stick smoke.

Authors:  T S Lin; F M Shen
Journal:  Bull Environ Contam Toxicol       Date:  2003-07       Impact factor: 2.151

3.  Investigation into the oxidative potential generated by the formation of particulate matter from incense combustion.

Authors:  Hsiao-Chi Chuang; Kelly BéruBé; Shih-Chun C Lung; Kuan-Jen Bai; Tim Jones
Journal:  J Hazard Mater       Date:  2012-11-23       Impact factor: 10.588

4.  Respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function among wood dust-exposed joss stick workers.

Authors:  S H Liou; J L Yang; S Y Cheng; F M Lai
Journal:  Int Arch Occup Environ Health       Date:  1996       Impact factor: 3.015

5.  The exposure of temple workers to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Authors:  Chung-Yih Kuo; Yu-Huan Yang; Mu-Rong Chao; Chiung-Wen Hu
Journal:  Sci Total Environ       Date:  2008-05-27       Impact factor: 7.963

  5 in total

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