Photo: Zhang Jun
Months after the BP wells had been sealed, the health effects of the disaster of Deepwater Horizon Oil in the Gulf of Mexico could just start Forthcoming. Residents bordering the Gulf Coast have complained of mysterious symptoms, and some of their blood specimens show traces of chemicals linked to oil. Here is a free translation of the story of Jeff Young for Living on Earth seeking the answers hard to find, the frustration mounts in coastal communities. Gellerman: Living on Earth here, I'm Bruce Gellerman. It took over 6 months since BP has finally sealed his disastrous wells in the Gulf of Mexico. But now, reports are starting to talk to go about diseases and symptoms problems experienced by some residents along the Gulf Coast. Their blood contains high concentrations of chemicals found in oil and dispersants to clean the filth spread.
Many who suffer from these symptoms say clear answers and proper treatment are difficult to obtain, and the frustration increases vis-à-vis government agencies and medical community. Jeff Young's Living on Earth presents the first part of our special report: "Toxic Tide - Discovering The Health Effects Of The Deepwater Disaster" - The Toxic Tide: discover the health effects of the disaster Deepwater. 
Young: When the National Committee on Oil Spill Commission presented its final report to New Orleans (New Orleans), the commissioners are expected to bend the ears by the workers of the platform and the commercial fishermen because of their work. Instead, witness after witness was concerned about another issue: his health. 
Witness # 2:" The issue is still there: people fall ill and die. "Witness # 3:" I saw Small children with sores all over their bodies. We are very, very sick. And there are good opportunities now that I will not see my grandchildren. "
Young: Some had worked to clean oil, others lived in or visited places where oil had washed up on shore . All have complained of mysterious symptoms that have arisen after the spill.
Robin Young was one of those who spoke. She manages vacation properties for rent in Orange Beach, Alabama where she has lived for 10 years.
When the spill began, Young helped organize a citizens group called "Guardians of the Gulf." In Deut the group was not involved in health issues. Later, people, including Young, began to fall sick.
R. Young: "Headaches, nausea, and are all things unusual for me. I've always been very, very good shape. Then I started to cough, I coughed mucosal very disgusting. "
J. Young," Young said that the symptoms began after spending a day near the water in June, and is still recovering. She has heard that other people in his community and elsewhere on the Gulf Coast have similar problems.
R. Young: "We have too many people who are ill with symptoms very strange that they had never experienced before in their lives. So he goes about things, and everywhere along the coast and here appears to be primarily in areas where oil continues to wash up on shore.
J. Young: "A number of people contacted Young tried to seek treatment in the neighboring state, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, with Dr. Rodney Soto. Dr. Soto said he met many cases of respiratory problems and severe skin irritation.
Soto: "The multiple lesions all over their body and bruises. I tell you, people suffer a lot. The stress level is very high. So we see only the tip of the iceberg: we'll see much more and I do not think the medical community is well prepared to handle this crisis.
J. Young: "Dr. Soto said that the symptoms, histories of patients and in some cases, blood samples indicate that these diseases are probably due to exposure to chemicals from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But on the coasts of Alabama, there are a lot of skepticism. Kinnon Tony is the Mayor of Orange Beach.
Kinnon: "I do not doubt that people are sick. But I would tell them that if they want to say outright that it is the tide of oil that made them sick, they will have to prove it. "
Young:" Mr. Kinnon said the city hired an independent engineering firm to take samples air, water and soil. And he said that doctors did not place an unusual number of reported health problems that could be linked to oil. He says he wants to protect people's health and their jobs. "
Kinnon:" We live from tourism. And I do not know if you remember that old scene from Jaws when the mayor is standing on the beach and shouted: "Come to the beach, there are no sharks in the water!", And any of a sudden there's blood everywhere in the water! "
Young:" You do not want to be that guy! "
Kinnon:" Exactly! So, you know, I want people know that when I say that we are healthy, the water and our beaches are clean, because we've done our homework. "
Young:" The health departments in Alabama, Florida , Louisiana and Mississippi have initiated surveillance systems with emergency rooms and health clinics. There is very little in these data to argue that there are a number of diseases associated with the spill. But Dr. Rodney Soto said that cases of exposure to chemicals may be missed if physicians are not trained to detect, because the symptoms mimic other diseases. "
Soto:" The diagnoses in their records indicate colds, flu, weakness, immune system problems, what they will diagnose. Then, government agencies do discens nothing because there are no reports or documentation in the files.
Young: "Dr. Soto doubt that many people who have no health insurance are trying to self-medicate with drugs that do not require a prescription. Worse," said Dr. Soto Some doctors do not want to do anything deliberately. "
Soto: "And unfortunately, I hear a lot of my patients that their doctors back home. For some reason, they do not want to interfere in the connection between oil and disease. For legal reasons, or is it BP, who knows why they do this? Someone just told me that the doctor had told them: "We do not want to see patients who may have symptoms of the oil spill, period."
Young: "Some patients of Dr. Soto are analyzing their blood samples for traces of volatile organic compounds that could indicate exposure to oil. Robin Young has analyzed his blood.
R. Young:" They found of ethylbenzene, isooctane, 2-butyrol, 3-butyrol; levels of hexane were very high, so that the lab has made a big H on the side. It was scary, it was depressing. After I'm sorry. "
J. Young:" The Young Group has paid for more blood tests. The group Louisiana Environmental Action Network asked Wilma Subra, a bio-chemist and recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship evaluate the results. The blood specimens were collected from workers cleaning the spill, fishermen of crabs, a diver who swam in polluted water, and at least 2 children who live near the coast. All these people had complained health problems. Subra compared the concentrations of volatile organic compounds with samples from a national database of VOCs in blood compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Subra: "There are 5 to 10 times more than found in a population typical. We must remember that these chemicals are associated with raw chemical oil dispersants and BP applied to disperse the water of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. "
Young: "Benzene is a carcinogen and is associated with immune system problems and several diseases. Ethylbenzene may cause dizziness and cause kidney damage. Xylene may cause headaches, skin irritations and respiratory problems. But
blood samples alone can not prove that there is a link between diseases and oil. It is a small number of people: only a few dozen. Many of the chemicals break down quickly and are difficult to trace. Another way to be exposed to these chemicals is possible: benzene can come from gas stations, breathing in paint, vehicle emissions or even cigarette smoke. Subra but insists that his data are valid and wants the authorities medical use of their data for further studies and instigate treatment.
Subra: "I think this is proof that the chemicals in their environment is found in their blood. We talked to federal agencies to try to get them interested in the issue. They really want answers.
Young: "Serious answers take time. There is very little in the scientific literature on long-term effects of oil spill on health. In March, the Department National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences plans to recruit workers who have picked up the oil spill in the Gulf for a study long-term health. The chief investigator is Dale Sandler, chief of the NIEHS épidermiologue. She hopes to follow some 55,000 people for at least 5 years. "
Sandler:" This will be the largest study of individuals exposed to a disaster of oil that was ever made. We moved heaven and earth for that to happen quickly. "
Young:" The study of Sandler receives funding in part by BP. The study is a few months behind its original schedule. But researchers are facing another problem which could prove more difficult. Involve thousands of participants and to accept the results requires a lot of credibility and trust. After the disaster of Hurricane Katrina and BP, trust does not come easily for the residents of the Gulf of Mexico. Here is what does the Mayor of Orange Beach, Tony Kinnon:
Kinnon: "Frankly, few people trust government agencies. They think it is unhealthy cronyism between BP and the government, and I tend to agree with them. "
J. Young: "And even if Robin Young asks the government to help their community, the application is made with great suspicion."
R. Young: "I do not talk like a conspiracy theorist, but I'm starting to feel like. Because it is difficult to believe that this is happening in the U.S. and nobody wants to help. "
J. Young:" Those who hope to denounce openly the true impact of the oil spill from BP will also find a how to overcome mistrust. For "Living on Earth", I'm Jeff Young. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Toxic Tide: Discovering The Health Effects Of The Deepwater Disaster
Months after BP's well capped WAS, The Health Effects Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill May just be starting to surface. Residents Across the Gulf Coast report mysterious ailments, and some blood samples show traces of chemicals related to the oil. But as Living on Earth’s Jeff Young reports, firm answers are hard to come by and frustration is growing in coastal communities.
GELLERMAN: It's Living on Earth, I'm Bruce Gellerman. It's been more than six months since BP finally capped its runaway oil well in the Gulf of Mexico. But now come reports of a wave of illnesses and puzzling symptoms from some residents along the Gulf Coast. Their blood contains high levels of chemicals found in oil and the dispersants that were used to clean up the mess.
Many who are suffering say firm answers and adequate treatment are hard to come by, and there's a growing sense of frustration with government agencies and the medical community. Living on Earth's Jeff Young has the first part of our special report: "Toxic Tide - Discovering the Health Effects of the Deepwater Disaster".
[HEARING: OIL SPILL COMMISSIONER DON BOESCH Okay, questions and comments from the floor...]
YOUNG: When the National Oil Spill Commission presented its final report in New Orleans, commissioners expected to get an earful from rig workers and fishermen worried about their jobs. Instead they heard speaker after speaker worried about something else: their health.
SPEAKER 1: I worked 60 days on the frontline for BP out here. I'm sick today, nobody wants to take care of me.
SPEAKER 2: The issue is ongoing; people are getting sick and dying.
SPEAKER 3: I have seen small children with lesions all over their body. We are very, very ill. And there's a very good chance now that I won't get to see my grandbabies.
YOUNG: Some had worked cleaning up the oil, others lived in or had visited places where oil washed ashore. All complained of mysterious ailments that arose after the spill.
Robin Young was one of those who spoke out. She manages vacation rental properties in Orange Beach, Alabama, where she has lived for 10 years.
When the spill started, Young helped form a citizen group called Guardians of the Gulf. At first, the group was not focused on health issues. Then, people, including Young, started getting sick.
R YOUNG: Headaches, I would get nauseous - and these are all things that I don't normally experience at all, I've always been very, very, very healthy. Then the coughing - I coughed up so much nasty looking mess.
J YOUNG: Young says symptoms started after she spent a day near the water in June and she still hasn't fully recovered. She heard from others in her community and across the Gulf coast with similar problems.
R YOUNG: We have way too many people that are sick with very odd symptoms that they have never experienced before in their life. So there's something going on! And it's all the way up and down the coast and it seems to be in the predominant areas where the oil continues to come onshore.
J YOUNG: A number of people Young contacted sought treatment just across the state line in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, with Dr. Rodney Soto. Dr. Soto says he's seeing a lot of upper respiratory symptoms and severe rashes.
SOTO: Multiple lesions all over their bodies and bruising. I tell you, people are suffering a great degree. The stress level is through the roof. So we are barely scratching the surface in regards to what else we are going to see and I don't think the medical community is well prepared to handle this.
J YOUNG: Dr. Soto says the symptoms, patient histories and, in some cases, blood samples indicate these illnesses are likely due to chemical exposure from the spill. But back on the Alabama coast, there's skepticism about that. Tony Kinnon is mayor of Orange Beach.
KINNON: I would not doubt that these people are ill. But I would say for them to adamantly say the oil spill made them ill - they're gonna have to present evidence.
YOUNG: Kinnon says the city contracted an independent engineering firm to sample air water and soil. And he says local physicians have not reported any unusual number of health issues that might be oil-related. He says he wants to protect people's health and people's jobs.
KINNON: We're a tourism industry. And I don't know if you can remember that old scene in the movie Jaws where the mayor is standing on the beach saying "Come on to the beach, there's no shark in the water!" and, heh, you look in the water and there's blood everywhere!
YOUNG: You don't want to be that guy!
KINNON: That's exactly right. So you know, I want people to know that when I say we are healthy, the water and our beaches are fine - it's because we did our homework.
YOUNG: State health departments in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi set up surveillance systems with emergency rooms and health clinics. There is little in that data to suggest a large number of spill-related illness. But Dr. Rodney Soto says chemical exposure cases can fall through the cracks if physicians are not trained to detect them because the symptoms mimic other illnesses.
SOTO: The diagnoses in their records are gonna be cold, flu, weakness, immune problem, whatever they want to call it. And so the government agencies are not gonna pick up on anything because there is no report or no documentation in the records.
YOUNG: Dr. Soto suspects many people who lack health insurance are trying to treat their own symptoms with over-the-counter medicines. And worse, Dr Soto says, some physicians might be willfully turning a blind eye.
SOTO: And, unfortunately, I'm hearing a lot from patients that their doctors are turning them away. They, for whatever reason, don't want to get involved with dealing with this connection of oil to illness. Whether it's litigation, or whether it's BP, who knows what their motivations are. Somebody specifically told me the doctor said "We don't want to see any patients who potentially have symptoms of oil spill, period."
YOUNG: Some of Dr. Soto's patients are having their blood samples analyzed for traces of volatile organic compounds that might indicate oil exposure. Robin Young had her blood tested.
RYOUNG: They found that I had ethylbenzene, isooctane, 2-butyrol, 3-butyrol, the hexane levels were over the top – so the lab even put a big H by it. It was scary; it was depressing. And then I got mad.
J YOUNG: Young's group paid for more blood sampling. The Louisiana Environmental Action network asked biochemist and MacArthur grant winner Wilma Subra to analyze the results. The blood samples came from cleanup workers, crabbers, a diver who'd been in oiled water, and at least two children who live on the coast. All had reported recent health problems. Subra compared the levels of volatile organic compounds in those samples to a national database of VOC's in blood compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics.
SUBRA: They're as much as 5 to 10 times what you'd find in the normal population. And again, these are chemicals that relate back to chemicals in the BP crude and the dispersants.
YOUNG: Benzene is a carcinogen and is linked to immune system problems and a host of illnesses. Ethylbenzene can cause dizziness and kidney damage. Xylene can cause headaches, rashes and respiratory problems.
But this blood sampling alone does not prove a connection between the illnesses and the oil. It's a small number of people - just a few dozen. Many of the chemicals rapidly break down and are hard to track. And other routes of exposure might be to blame. Benzene can come from pumping gasoline, breathing paint fumes, vehicle exhaust, or cigarette smoke. But Subra defends her findings and wants health officials to use her data to guide further study and treatment.
SUBRA: I think it's demonstrating that the chemicals they are being exposed to are showing up in their blood. We've briefed the federal agencies on it, tried to get them interested - they are evaluating the results. And I think there's a lot of frustration in the community members across the coastal areas. They are really requesting answers.
YOUNG: Solid answers will take time. There's little in the scientific literature on long term health effects of oil spills. In March the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences plans to start enrolling Gulf spill cleanup workers in a long-term health study. The principal investigator is Dale Sandler, chief of epidemiology at NIEHS. She hopes to track some 55,000 subjects for at least five years.
SANDLER: This will be by far the largest study of individuals exposed during an oil spill disaster that's ever been conducted. So we have been moving heaven and earth to make this go quickly.
YOUNG: Sandler's study has funding, thanks in part to BP. The study is a few months behind its original schedule. But researchers face another hurdle that may prove more difficult. Signing up tens of thousands of participants and getting people to accept results depends on credibility and trust. After the BP spill and Hurricane Katrina, trust is in low supply on the Gulf Coast. Here's how Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kinnon sums up the attitude.
KINNON: The bottom line is very few people trust governmental agencies. They think there's this incestuous relationship between BP and the government, and I tend to agree with them.
J YOUNG: And even as Robin Young asks the government to help her community, the plea comes with a note of deep suspicion.
RYOUNG: I hate to sound like a conspiracy theorist - that's what I'm starting to feel like. Because it's hard to believe that something like this is going on in the United States and no one's helping.
J YOUNG: Those hoping to find the Gulf spill's real impact will also have to find a way to bridge a gulf of mistrust. For Living on Earth, I'm Jeff Young.
GELLERMAN: Our special report: "Toxic Tide - Discovering the Health Effects of the Deepwater Disaster" continues next week with Jeff's report on a key scientific finding in the Gulf's air and water.
KALTOFEN: And that's where we found something very interesting. It was not the crude oil that was responsible for most of the volatile compounds we're seeing, but it was actually the dispersant.
GELLERMAN: That's next week on Living on Earth.
Link:
http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=11-P13-00006&segmentID=3
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