Gulf Oil Spill Health Hazards

[cory777]

Source: www.sciencecorps.org

Many people will be exposed to chemicals in air, water, sand, soil, and food as a result of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It is important to understand the potential toxic effects and take appropriate protective actions to reduce exposure and harm.

Executive Summary

Chemicals in crude oil and dispersants can cause a wide range of health effects in people and wildlife, depending on the level of exposure and susceptibility. Crude oil has many highly toxic chemical ingredients that can damage every system in the body. Dispersant chemicals can affect many of the same organs. These include:

respiratory system/ nervous system, including the brain
liver/ reproductive/urogenital system
kidneys/ endocrine system
circulatory system/ gastrointestinal system
immune system/ sensory systems
musculoskeletal system/ hematopoietic system (blood forming)
skin and integumentary system/ disruption of normal metabolism

Damage to these systems can cause a wide range of diseases and conditions. Some may be immediately evident, and others can appear months or years later. The chemicals can impair normal growth and development through a variety of mechanisms, including endocrine disruption and direct fetal damage. They cause mutations that may lead to cancer and multi-generational birth defects. Some are known carcinogens, such as benzene (CDC, 1999).

Many of the chemicals in crude oil and the dispersants target the same organs in the human body, and this increases the risk and may increase the severity of harm. In addition, the dispersants currently used can increase the uptake (dose) of crude oil chemicals and movement of chemicals into critical organs.

Read more: http://www.sciencecorps.org/crudeoilhazards.htm

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[dipsydoodle]

1. The most damaging being 2-Butoxyethanol

which is also used in some baby wipes.

[Lorien]

2. K&R

I hope that this gets at least half the notice that the mall that requires teens after hours to have adult escorts story is.

[Karenina]

3. But, but... "They say" the seafood is safe to eat!

:eyes:

[indepat]

4. Gee, wonder what part of the medical bills precipitated by the Gulf oil gusher/geyser will ever be

borne by BP et al? My best guesstimate is less than 1%, but hopefully, I'll be proved wrong. :P

[HCE SuiGeneris]

5. Shhh.

Truth is unwelcome by the government and its corporate puppet-masters. 30 years from now this information will be accepted and validated, but the anger will be diminished enough for this to be palatable.