Oil spills sp 09: Difference between revisions
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The Prestige Oil spill affected the entire Galician coastline as well as parts of the Asturias, Cantabria, and Basque County coastlines. Affected areas were coated with a high-density crude oil, the Prestige’s own potent mixture of hydrocarbons, resins, asphaltenes, and heteromolecules. As a result of the spill’s immediate detrimental affect on natural aquatic and coastal ecosystems, thousands of volunteers were quickly mobilized to assist in the implementation of several remediation efforts. Through their work in affected areas volunteers were exposed to elevated levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other toxic substances found in crude oil. Several of the VOCs found in the Prestige fuel, such as benzene, are known carcinogens as classified by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). Other volatiles present in the oil included toluene and ethylbenzene, possible human carcinogens. Exposure to these volatiles was largely through respiratory, skin, and mucous membrane sources. Several studies conducted post-spill found that volunteers tended to have elevated levels of hydrocarbons in their lungs and other organs high in fat content. | The Prestige Oil spill affected the entire Galician coastline as well as parts of the Asturias, Cantabria, and Basque County coastlines. Affected areas were coated with a high-density crude oil, the Prestige’s own potent mixture of hydrocarbons, resins, asphaltenes, and heteromolecules. As a result of the spill’s immediate detrimental affect on natural aquatic and coastal ecosystems, thousands of volunteers were quickly mobilized to assist in the implementation of several remediation efforts. Through their work in affected areas volunteers were exposed to elevated levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other toxic substances found in crude oil. Several of the VOCs found in the Prestige fuel, such as benzene, are known carcinogens as classified by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). Other volatiles present in the oil included toluene and ethylbenzene, possible human carcinogens. Exposure to these volatiles was largely through respiratory, skin, and mucous membrane sources. Several studies conducted post-spill found that volunteers tended to have elevated levels of hydrocarbons in their lungs and other organs high in fat content. | ||
Revision as of 01:08, 28 April 2009
The Economic and Environmental Impact of the Prestige Oil Spill
Background Information
The Prestige
The Spill
Surrounding Environment
Causes
What Went Wrong
Regulation Before the Spill
Environmental Impact
Impact on Wildlife
Aquatic Life
Birds
Impact on Fisheries
Coastal Ecosystems
Health Effects on Humans
Acute Exposure
The Prestige Oil spill affected the entire Galician coastline as well as parts of the Asturias, Cantabria, and Basque County coastlines. Affected areas were coated with a high-density crude oil, the Prestige’s own potent mixture of hydrocarbons, resins, asphaltenes, and heteromolecules. As a result of the spill’s immediate detrimental affect on natural aquatic and coastal ecosystems, thousands of volunteers were quickly mobilized to assist in the implementation of several remediation efforts. Through their work in affected areas volunteers were exposed to elevated levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other toxic substances found in crude oil. Several of the VOCs found in the Prestige fuel, such as benzene, are known carcinogens as classified by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). Other volatiles present in the oil included toluene and ethylbenzene, possible human carcinogens. Exposure to these volatiles was largely through respiratory, skin, and mucous membrane sources. Several studies conducted post-spill found that volunteers tended to have elevated levels of hydrocarbons in their lungs and other organs high in fat content.
Case Studies- Symptoms of Exposure
Key studies conducted after major remediation efforts indicated that the spill caused many health problems in volunteers. Reported health problems correlated to the spill include irritated eyes, headaches, throat irritation, and breathing difficulty. Initial data on the affects of exposure was first drawn from medical records provided by a local health service, the Plan Sanitario Combinado del Servicio Gelego de Saude. This data showed a dramatic increase in medical visits directly after the spill and for a full year after. Documented symptoms include irritated eyes, headache, throat irritation, and nausea and vomiting. A second study, done 4-6 months after the spill studied 835 participants in highly polluted areas and measured the internal exposure of workers and volunteers to toxics by measuring hydrocarbon metabolites in urine and metal concentrations in blood. This study found that VOC levels found in the blood of workers and volunteers was comparable to persons living in some of the world’s most polluted cities. Blood samples had especially high levels of light hydrocarbons such as benzene and toloune.
Long Term Health Impacts
Little research has been done on the long-term health effects of the Prestige spill. However, a study conducted 6 months after the spill by Gestal Otero determined that the spill was genetically toxic. Genetic toxicity was measured by the amount of DNA damage volunteers sustained due to beach cleanup activities and interactions with toxic substances. The study concluded that volunteers involved in cleanup activities experienced clear DNA damage. The degree of DNA damage can be correlated with the level of exposure of each person to VOCs, with those sustaining the most DNA damage being those exposed to the greatest levels of VOCs. This research, along with the identification of VOCs present in the spill as human carcinogens indicates that the spill will most likely be responsible for long-term health problems in many affected persons.
Economic Impact
Economic Assessment
Fisheries
Continued Remediation
Regulation After the Spill
References
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4100-prestige-oil-spill-far-worse-than-thought.html http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=1&did=438008581&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1239991859&clientId=4534 http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=242940391&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1239991784&clientId=4534http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=10&did=1537082041&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1239991592&clientId=4534http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=31&did=1521199841&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1239991709&clientId=4534 http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=24&did=1526375871&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1239991684&clientId=4534 http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=17&did=1530993371&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1239991592&clientId=4534 http://etc-lusi.eionet.europa.eu/en_Prestige http://www.unep-wcmc.org/latenews/emergency/spain_2002_update/ http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/314/5807/1861a?maxtoshow=&HITS=&hits=&RESULTFORMAT=&title=Spain%27s+Prestige+Oil+Spill+Resurfaces&andorexacttitle=phrase&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&volume=314&firstpage=1861&resourcetype=HWCIT
