砷（Arsenic, As）是一類環境荷爾蒙（Endocrine disrupting chemical, EDC）， 在台灣西南沿海地區（包括嘉義、台南地區）地下水中含有大量的砷，曾經有過烏腳病 流行的紀錄，在自來水普及之後，該地區的民眾幾乎已經不再飲用地下水。但由於上述 地區（尤其布袋、義竹、北門、學甲等鄉鎮）是台灣的養殖重鎮，在河川污染、淡水匱 乏的情況下，近年來漁民開始汲取地下水進行養殖。該沿海地區之地下水養殖池已證實 遭到砷污染，然而養殖魚類吸收砷污染質後，進而被人們食用之危害性卻未有完善的研 究。本計畫針對台灣西南沿海烏腳病疫區居民對於環境荷爾蒙砷污染健康危害風險之認 識、觀點及行為反應進行研究，並藉由問卷、訪談和風險評估，瞭解當地居民暴露於環 境荷爾蒙環境中之健康危害風險。進而透過環境教育，讓當地居民（尤其養殖漁戶）認 識環境荷爾蒙砷污染之潛在危害。最後，制定岀相關環境教育方針及防制政策。 Arsenic (As) is a kind of endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) and may cause the blackfoot disease (BFD), correlated with the consumption of groundwater by local inhabitants living on the coastal area, southwest Taiwan. The BFD area consists mainly of four towns, Putai, Yichu, Peimen and Hsuehchia, located in Chiayi and Tainan counties. Nowadays, most of the people living in these areas do not drink water from wells because tap water has been made available; however, the groundwater is still used for aquaculture since the rivers have been polluted. The cultured ponds of fish in this coastal area have been evidenced contaminated by As, yet the risk of consumption on those groundwater-cultured fish containing As was not well analyzed. The aim of this study is to investigate the knowledge, opinion and reaction of the local residents concerning the health risk of intake of As. The health risk associated with the exposure to As will be analyzed, based on the questionnaire interview, focused interview and risk assessment. The environmental education concerning As will be designed and implemented for the local residents (especially for the disadvantaged people), as well as the Taiwanese out of the blackfoot disease area, to make them aware of the potential risk of As. Finally, the strategies regarding the education and policy on EDC (including As) will be recommended to the government of Taiwan.
