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Angelsmile -> BP - Gulf Oil Spill Health Hazards !!!!!! Will we all get cancer ? (5/27/2010 1:18:42 AM)
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Own annotation: Airborne and waterborn oil and the very toxic chemicals used by BP's own company will certainly be spread all over the world and rain down everywhere (gardens, fields, agricultural area, food for animals, lakes, ponds, rivers, ground water, etc.) and we will breeth it in with the air and have it on our food everywhere on the planet.
found on: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/23616374/detail.html
article with the subject: Spill Workers Say BP Chemicals Sickening
Toxicologist Says Chemicals Harmful, Can Lead To Death
The article can be viewed by clicking on the link and it says that some fishermen are already sickening by airborne toxics.
found on: http://www.care2.com/causes/health-policy/blog/bp-oil-spill-and-the-cost-to-human-health/
BP Oil Spill and the Cost to Human Health
posted by: Ann Pietrangelo 5 days ago
Earlier this week, Louisiana Congressman Charlie Melancon sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius, requesting temporary health care clinics to serve volunteers and workers in Louisiana.
The clinics would be used to provide medical exams to workers who have come into contact with oil and monitor affects of the oil disaster in the gulf. He also sought the appointment of a health care coordinator to oversee the health care response. The letter read, in part:
“Many residents and volunteers are being exposed to hazardous materials on a daily basis, and some will have to travel hours to get treatment at the nearest health care facility. It is imperative that temporary health care clinics be established to provide basic health care services in this geographic area.”
Congressman Melancon also stated that BP should be responsible for all costs related to the recovery, including any additional health care services needed in southern Louisiana, writing that “It is the companies’ responsibility and theirs alone in light of their negligence in this situation.”
HealthDay News reported earlier this month that some people along the cost have already reported headaches, nausea and throat irritation.
Health risks to humans would be the result of pollution and contamination of the food chain. Those involved directly in the clean up of crude oil may face additional health hazards. The Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 resulted in 11,000 clean-up workers making 5,600 visits to health clinics for upper respiratory symptoms alone.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that crude oil:
“...may contain various portions of straight and branched chain paraffins, cycloparaffins, and naphthenic, aromatic, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. In addition, crude oil contains trace amounts of sulfur containing chemicals such as sulfides, mercaptans, thiophenes, and other more complex sulfur compounds. Although the chemical composition of crude oil varies by source, crude oils and petroleum products share certain toxic characteristics.”
In addition to prolonged exposure to crude oil, workers and volunteers may also be faced with the dangers associated with the clean-up itself -- heat, working in water and in swamps, wildlife, and heavy machinery.
The crisis is far from over. With crude oil still pouring into the Gulf, it is far too early to comprehend the long-term cost to human health. But one thing is clear -- BP is the culprit and BP should cover the costs of clean-up, including health care costs.
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found on: http://hooloha.com/news/news.htm
Gulf Oil Spill Health Hazards
Dr. Michael Harbut, Karmanos Cancer Institute
Dr. Kathleen Burns, Sciencecorps
Many people will be exposed to airborne and waterborne chemicals as a result of the BP Gulf of Mexico spill. It is important to understand the potential toxic effects and take appropriate steps to prevent or reduce exposure and harm.
Crude Oil Fact Sheet
Crude oil contains hundreds of chemicals, comprised primarily of hydrogen and carbon (e.g., simple straight chain paraffins, aromatic ring structures, naphthenes), with some sulfur, nitrogen, metal, and oxygen compounds (see Table D-1 in CDC, 1999 linked below). Crude oil composition varies slightly by its source, but its toxic properties are fairly consistent. Chemicals such as benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are very toxic components of crude oil and of high concern. These and other chemicals are volatile, moving from the oil into air. Once airborne, they blow over the ocean for miles, reaching communities far from the oil spill. They can be noticed as petroleum odors. Those working on the spill and people far from it can be exposed to crude oil chemicals in air.
We have prepared 1 page summaries for the public and for workers. You can download and print them.
www.sciencecorps.org/crudeoilhazards-public.pdf
www.sciencecorps.org/crudeoilhazards-workers.pdf
[image]http://hooloha.com/Image/Oil%20Spill/Oil%20Spill%20Smoke.jpg[/image]
Chemicals being applied to the water, such as dispersants, are also of concern. We don't have chemical composition details at this time, so can't provide information on health hazards, beyond noting that most are reported to contain petroleum distillates, which pose health hazards when aspirated. See EPA's summary of oil spill response products (March 2010): http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/docs/oil/ncp/notebook.pdf
[image]http://hooloha.com/Image/Oil%20Spill/Oil%20Spill.jpg[/image]
Exposure
Exposure can occur through skin contact, inhalation of contaminated air or soil, and ingestion of contaminated water or food. These can occur simultaneously. Exposure pathways may result in localized toxicity (e.g., irritation of the skin following contact), but most health effects are systemic because ingredients can move throughout the body. Exposure varies based on the duration and concentrations in contaminated media. Differences may result from location, work and personal activities, age, diet, use of protective equipment, and other factors. Concurrent exposure to other toxic chemicals must be considered when evaluating toxic effects. Some chemicals in crude oil are volatile, moving into air easily, and these can often be detectable by smell.
Basic Physiological Effects
Crude oil is a complex mixture of chemicals that have varying abilities to be absorbed into the body through the skin, lungs, and during digestion of food and water. Most components of crude oil enter the bloodstream rapidly when they are inhaled or swallowed. Crude oil contains chemicals that readily penetrate cell walls, damage cell structures, including DNA, and alter the function of the cells and the organs where they are located. Crude oil is toxic, and ingredients can damage every system in the body:
respiratory nervous system, including the brain
liver reproductive/urogenital system
kidneys endocrine system
circulatory system gastrointestinal system
immune system sensory systems
musculoskeletal system
Damaging or altering these systems causes a wide range of diseases and conditions. In addition, interference with normal growth and development through endocrine disruption and direct damage to fetal tissue is caused by many crude oil ingredients (CDC, 1999). DNA damage can cause cancer and multi-generational birth defects.
Acute Exposure Hazards - brief exposure at relatively high levels[1]
[image]http://hooloha.com/Image/Oil%20Spill/Oil%20Spill%20Burned.jpg[/image]
Crude oil contains many chemicals that can irritate the skin and mucous membranes on contact. Irritant effects can range from slight reddening to burning, swelling (edema), pain,and permanent skin damage. Commonly reported effects of acute exposure to crude oil through inhalation or ingestion include difficulty breathing, headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and other central nervous system effects. These are more likely to be noticed than potentially more serious effects that don't have obvious signs and symptoms: lung, liver and kidney damage, infertility, immune system suppression, disruption of hormone levels, blood disorders, mutations, and cancer.
Chronic Exposure Hazards - long-term exposure at relatively low level
This type of exposure should be avoided, if at all possible, because the potential for serious health damage is substantial. Chronic health effects are typically evaluated for specific crude oil components (see CDC, 1999), and vary from cancer to permanent neurological damage. They cover a range of diseases affecting all the organ systems listed above.
Susceptible Subgroups
Children are vulnerable to toxic chemicals in crude oil that disrupt normal growth and development. Their brains are highly susceptible to many neurotoxic ingredients. Endocrine disruptors in crude oil can cause abnormal growth, infertility, and other health conditions. Children's exposures may be higher than adults and can include contaminated soil or sand. Newborns are especially vulnerable due to incompletely formed immune and detoxification systems.
Many people with medical conditions are more susceptible to crude oil toxicity because chemical ingredients can damage organ systems that are already impaired. Specific susceptibilities depend on the medical condition (e.g., inhalation poses risks for those with asthma and other respiratory conditions).
People taking medications that reduce their detoxification ability, and those taking acetaminophen, aspirin, haloperidol, who have nutritional deficiencies or who concurrently drink alcohol may be more susceptible. Some inherited enzyme deficiencies also increase susceptibility (listed in CDC, 1999).
People exposed to other toxic chemicals at work or home may be at higher risk.
Pregnancy places increased stress on many organ systems, including the liver, kidneys, and cardiovascular system. Chemicals in crude oil that are toxic to these same systems can pose serious health risks. Pregnancy also requires a careful balance of hormones to maintain a health pregnancy and healthy baby. Endocrine disruptors in crude oil can jeopardize the hormone balance.
The developing fetus is susceptible to the toxic effects of many chemicals in crude oil. Many cause mutations, endocrine disruption, skeletal deformities, and other types of birth defects.
Personal and Public Protection
It is critical that people who work with or around crude oil wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks, respirators, and water repellant clothing, to minimize exposure. The necessary equipment will depend on the kind of exposure that can occur (dermal, inhalation, ingestion). See OSHA guidance at OSHA 2010 link below. Susceptible members of the public require notice when exposure may occur (e.g., when contaminated air masses move inland) so they can take protective actions.
Sources
CDC, 1999: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles/tp123.pdf
OSHA, 2010: http://www.osha.gov/Publications/3172/3172.html
NLM: http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/dimrc/oilspills.html - very limited information on human health
The National Toxicology Program (NIEHS-NIH) provides information on carcinogenic crude oil ingredients (e.g., benzene) & limited information on reproductive hazards http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/
California's EPA provides a list of chemicals know to cause cancer and/or reproductive harm: http://www.oehha.org/prop65/prop65_list/files/P65single040210.pdf
Children's Health - International pediatric consensus statement regarding children's susceptibility to toxic chemicals: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/119425377/HTMLSTART This contains a link to 120 scientific papers presented at the Conference on Children's Susceptibility to Environmental Hazards.
Federal focus on children's environmental health including policies designed to protect children: http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/homepage.htm
It is useful to directly consult the medical literature to obtain current information. The National Library of Medicine access to peer reviewed medical studies on chemicals and mixtures including crude oil is at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&TabCmd=Limits
For up to date information and ways to help with the Gulf oil disaster see: www.waterkeeper.org
Authors
Michael R. Harbut, MD, MPH, FCCP
Professor, Internal Medicine, Wayne State University
Chief, Center for Occupational & Environmental Medicine
Director of the Environmental Cancer Initiative
Karmanos Cancer Institute
Providence Hospital
118 N. Washington, Royal Oak, Michigan 48067-1751
248.547.9100
e-mail: [email protected]
Kathleen Burns, Ph.D.
Director
Sciencecorps
Lexington, Massachusetts
(781) 861-1108
e-mail: [email protected]
www.sciencecorps.org
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