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PubMed1992

A rapid in situ respiration test for measuring aerobic biodegradation rates of hydrocarbons in soil.

An in situ test method to measure the aerobic biodegradation rates of hydrocarbons in contaminated soil is presented. The test method provides an initial assessment of bioventing as a remediation technology for hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. The in situ respiration test consists of ventilating the contaminated soil of the unsaturated zone with air and periodically monitoring the depletion of oxygen (O2) and production of carbon dioxide (CO2) over time after the air is turned off. The test is simple to implement and generally takes about four to five days to complete. The test was applied at eight hydrocarbon-contaminated sites of different geological and climatic conditions. These sites were contaminated with petroleum products or petroleum fuels, except for two sites where the contaminants were primarily polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Oxygen utilization rates for the eight sites ranged from 0.02 to 0.99 percent O2/hour. Estimated biodegradation rates ranged from 0.4 to 19 mg/kg of soil/day. These rates were similar to the biodegradation rates obtained from field and pilot studies using mass balance methods. Estimated biodegradation rates based on O2 utilization were generally more reliable (especially for alkaline soils) than rates based on CO2 production. CO2 produced from microbial respiration was probably converted to carbonate under alkaline conditions.

Aerobiosis↗

PubMed1995

Cell-type-specific leukemia analyses in a combined cohort of more than 208,000 petroleum workers in the United States and the United Kingdom, 1937-1989.

A large number of epidemiologic studies of workers in the petroleum industry have been conducted to investigate the carcinogenic and other health effects of exposure to petroleum products during manufacture and distribution. Of particular interest is the relationship between exposure to benzene or benzene-containing liquids in the petroleum industry and leukemia risk. However, few studies have investigated cell-type-specific leukemia risk. In the present investigation, all cohort studies of petroleum workers in the United States and the United Kingdom were combined into a single database for cell-type-specific leukemia analysis. The majority of these workers were petroleum refinery employees, but production, pipeline, and distribution workers in the petroleum industry were also included. The combined cohort consisted of 208,741 petroleum workers. Between 1937 and 1989, these workers contributed a total of 4,665,361 person-years of observation. More than 56 thousand deaths were reported among these workers during the 53 years of observation. Cell-type-specific leukemia risks were calculated using a meta-analysis procedure appropriate for combining occupational cohort studies. These risks were expressed in terms of cell-type-specific leukemia standardized mortality ratios (meta-SMRs). The meta-SMR for acute myelogenous leukemia was 0.96. The lack of an increase of acute myelogenous leukemia was attributed to the low levels of benzene exposure in the petroleum industry, particularly in comparison to benzene exposure levels in some previous studies of workers in other industries, who had been found to experience increased risk of acute myelogenous leukemia. Similarly, no increase in chronic myelogenous, acute lymphocytic, or chronic lymphocytic leukemias was found in petroleum workers (meta-SMRs of 0.89, 1.16, and 0.84, respectively). Meta-analyses restricted to refinery studies or to studies with at least 15 years of follow-up yielded similar results. The findings of the present investigation are consistent with those from several recent case-control studies.

Benzene↗

PubMed2003

The microbiology of hydrocarbon degradation in subsurface petroleum reservoirs: perspectives and prospects.

The majority of the Earth's petroleum resource is partly biodegraded. This is of considerable practical significance and can limit economic exploitation of petroleum reserves and lead to problems during petroleum production. Knowledge of the microorganisms present in petroleum reservoirs, their physiological properties and the biochemical potential for hydrocarbon degradation benefits successful petroleum exploration. Anaerobic conditions prevail in petroleum reservoirs and biological hydrocarbon degradation is apparently inhibited at temperatures above 80-90 degrees C. We summarise available knowledge and conjecture on the dominant biological processes active during subsurface petroleum biodegradation.

Aerobiosis↗

PubMed1989

Health effects of the alkylbenzenes. II. Xylenes.

The alkylbenzenes are a class of six-membered ring aromatic compounds that have a variety of alkyl groups attached. These chemicals are liquids with relatively low boiling points used primarily as solvents or as starting materials in the synthesis of other chemicals and drugs. They are integral components of gasoline, distillate fuels and other petroleum products and are economically important in the chemical, petroleum, pharmaceutical, polymer, paint and dye industries. Alkylbenzenes such as toluene, the xylenes, ethylbenzene, styrene and cumene are produced and utilized in large quantities and therefore, present the possibility of exposure to humans and to wildlife. Fortunately, the toxicity of alkylbenzenes has been found to be rather low and therefore, the human and environmental risks are probably low. In modern industrial activities, exposures to the alkylbenzenes are minimized by workplace controls or personal protective equipment which meet guidelines for maximum allowable exposure concentrations that have been established for the workplace. Nevertheless, considerable quantities of alkylbenzenes are released to the environment each year through solvent and fuel evaporation, accidental spills and misuse, and considerable toxicological information for these materials has appeared in the recent literature. This present paper, the second in a series reviewing the potential health effects of alkylbenzenes, covers the toxicology and disposition of the dimethyl-substituted benzenes (the xylenes) in animals and man.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Acute poisoning in children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency, etiology, clinical presentation and outcome of acute poisoning in children presenting to a tertiary care hospital. DESIGN: Descriptive and observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Emergency Department of the Children's Hospital and the Institute of Child Health, Lahore. Over five years from September 1998 to August 2003. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All cases of suspected or confirmed acute poisoning in children (1 month to 15 years) were retrospectively analyzed by retrieving data from hospital records and from patients files where possible. Variables like demographic data, season of presentation, type of agent, route of exposure and outcome were studied for all cases. Detailed files were available for 90 patients in whom place of exposure, risk factors and clinical features were also studied. RESULTS: Three hundred and forty-six cases of acute poisoning were registered during the study period, which constitute 0.93% of all ER admission. Most (59%) were less than 2 years of age with median age of 18 months (SD+ 32.6). Majority (80%) belonged to urban areas and presented during summer and monsoon season (57%). Pharmaceutical products were the leading cause (51%) followed by petroleum products (23%), chemicals (8.4%), household substances (7.6%) and unidentifiable agents in 10% cases. Anti-diarrhoeal drugs and kerosene oil were the two most frequent agents involved and ingestion remained the primary route of exposure. Gastrointestinal system was primarily involved in 40% patients. Eighty percent patients were discharged, 6% with residual damage while 11% patients died of poisoning or its complications. CONCLUSION: Acute poisoning carries a significant impact as regards morbidity and mortality. Awareness and education about the potential toxicity of commonly used drugs and household substances may help in reducing the burden of acute poisoning in children.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2006

Soybean-derived biofuels and home heating fuels.

It is environmentally enticing to consider replacing or blending petroleum derived heating fuels with biofuels for many reasons. Major considerations include the soaring worldwide price of petroleum products, especially home heating oil, the toxicity of the petroleum-derived fuels and the environmental damage that leaking petroleum tanks afford. For these reasons, it has been suggested that domestic renewable energy sources be considered as replacements, or at the least, as blending stocks for home heating fuels. If recycled soy restaurant cooking oils could be employed for this purpose, this would represent an environmental advantage. Renewable plant sources of energy tend to be less toxic than their petroleum counterparts. This is an important consideration when tank leakage occurs. Home fuel oil storage tanks practically always contain some bottom water. This water environment has a pH value that factors into heating fuel stability. Therefore, the question is: would the biofuel help or exacerbate fuel stability and furnace maintenance issues?

Acids↗

PubMed1988

Health effects of the alkylbenzenes. I. Toluene.

The alkylbenzenes, toluene being the most common example, represent a class of six-membered ring aromatic compounds that have a variety of alkyl groups attached. These chemicals are liquids with relatively low boiling points and are used primarily as solvents or as starting materials in the synthesis of other chemicals and drugs. They are also integral components of gasoline, distillate fuels and other petroleum products. These substituted aromatics are economically important in the chemical, petroleum, pharmaceutical, polymer, paint and dye industries. Alkylbenzenes such as toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene and cumene are toxicologically important since they are produced, used or disposed of in the largest quantities and therefore might pose significant and potential health risks to man and the environment. In general, the toxicity of alkylbenzenes has been found to be relatively low. Also, for the most part, human and environmental risks are low; however, there may be a few operations where the potential for high exposure could exist. These exposures are minimized by workplace controls or personal protective equipment. Furthermore, health risks for humans are minimized by guidelines for maximum allowable exposure concentrations which have been established for the workplace. This present paper reviews the toxicology and disposition of toluene in animals and humans.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Hydrocarbon exposures at petroleum bulk terminals and agencies.

Occupational exposures to the 55 hydrocarbon components of gasoline and petroleum products were measured at the bulk terminals and agencies of six Ontario petroleum companies during the summer of 1986. A total of 82 long-term (full-shift) and 111 short-term personal samples were taken over 3 months. The data, expressed as concentrations in milligrams per cubic meter, were highly variable and appeared to fit the lognormal distribution well. Full-shift exposures of bulk terminal drivers, agency drivers, and plantmen to total hydrocarbons (THC), computed as an n-hexane equivalent, and other hydrocarbon components for which exposure limits exist can be expected to exceed their respective 1986-1987 threshold limit value-time-weighted average (TLV-TWA) no greater than 1% of the time on the basis of the lognormal model. The short-term THC exposures of agency truck drivers can be expected to exceed the 1986-1987 TLV-short-term exposure limits about 7% of the time while top-loading and more than 17% while off-loading. For benzene, the short-term exceedance percentages are 1% and 4% for top- and off-loading operations, respectively. For long-term benzene exposures, up to 69% of the assessments can be expected to exceed the 1990-1991 proposed TLV-TWA of 0.3 mg/m3 (0.1 ppm). The full-shift hydrocarbon exposures of agency drivers were significantly higher than those for bulk terminal drivers. At the bulk terminals, the short-term hydrocarbon exposures during top-loading were significantly higher than during bottom-loading.

Dose-Response Relationship, Drug↗

PubMed1992

Toxicosis in sheep following ingestion of natural gas condensate.

Thirty of 200 ewes died or were euthanatized during a 21-day period following a 1-day accidental exposure to natural gas condensate, a complex mixture of hydrocarbons obtained during collection of natural gas from wells. Despite access to potable well water, the poisoned ewes willingly consumed toxic doses of condensate that contaminated surface water. Eight animals died without premonitory signs; the remainder became ill over the course of a few days to 3 weeks. The principal cause of mortality was aspiration pneumonia, but myocardial degeneration and necrosis, renal tubular damage, gastritis, enteritis, and meningeal edema and hyperemia were also observed. Gas chromatographic analysis identified chemical traces of the hydrocarbons in the tissues, and "fingerprinting," the process of matching chromatographic tracings, provided forensic proof of the contamination source. Atomic absorption spectroscopy and cholinesterase analyses were performed to eliminate the possibility of toxicosis by heavy metal contaminants or other constituents. This appears to be the first reported incidence of natural gas condensate toxicity involving sheep or other ruminants. Although the available literature presents a suggestive pattern of clinical signs and pathologic lesions of petroleum product poisoning, diagnostic investigations should employ detailed analytic examination because each source of petroleum hydrocarbons contains unique sets of components that may produce different toxic effects.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1997

Hazard proximities of childhood cancers in Great Britain from 1953-80.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Firstly, to examine relationships between the birth and death addresses of children dying from leukaemia and cancer in Great Britain, and the sites of potential environmental hazards; and secondly to measure relative case densities close to, and at increasing distances from, different hazard types. DESIGN: Home address postcodes (PCs) and their map coordinates were identified at birth and at death in children who died from leukaemia or cancer. Potentially hazardous industrial addresses and PCs were listed from business and other directories, and map coordinates obtained from the Central Postcode Directory or else located directly on Ordnance Survey (OS) maps. Railway lines and motorways were digitised from OS maps. Numbers of deaths (and births) at successive radial distances from these hazards were counted and compared with expected numbers. The latter were based on a count of all PCs at similar distances. Relative case density ratios at successive distances from the hazards were obtained from observed and expected numbers, aggregated over similar sites. This was repeated for different hazard types and results were tested for evidence of systematic centrifugal case density gradients. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: All 22,458 children dying from leukaemia or cancer aged 0-15 years, in England, Wales, and Scotland, between 1953 and 1980. MAIN RESULTS: Relative excesses of leukaemias and of solid cancers were found near the following: (1) oil refineries, major oil storage installations, railside oil distribution terminals and factories making bitumen products; (2) motor car factories, coach builders, and car body repairers; (3) major users of petroleum products including manufacturers of solvents, paint sprayers, fibreglass fabricators, paint and varnish makers, plastics and detergent manufacturers, and galvanisers; (4) users of kilns and furnaces including steelworks, power stations, galvanisers, cement makers, brickworks, crematoria and aluminium, zinc, and iron/steel foundries; (5) airfields, railways, motorways and harbours. The findings for leukaemias and for solid cancers were indistinguishable. The hazard proximities of birth addresses were stronger than for death addresses. For children who had moved house between birth and death, the proximity effect was limited to the birth addresses. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood cancers are geographically associated with two main types of industrial atmospheric effluent namely: (1) petroleum derived volatiles and (2) kiln and furnace smoke and gases, and effluents from internal combustion engines.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1975

Some health aspects of high-energy society.

The intensive use of inanimate energy in industrialized or high-energy society has subsidized research, development, and higher education and has brought about changes in nutrition and life-style that have led to great advances in public health and medicine. The emergence of high-energy society, however, has brought with it a new set of health problems, within which the direct effects of measurable pollution may turn out to be more easily dealt with than some of the indirect and hard-to-calculate consequences of high energy use. High-energy society is critically dependent on energy-intensive transport systems, and these systems in turn are dependent upon a continual supply of petroleum products. In the short-term, the aorta of any industrialized nation is its petroleum-supply network. In the longer run, high-energy society faces the depletion and exhaustion of all the nonrenewable resources on which it has fed. Even if technology provides adequate substitute energy systems, high-energy society may deteriorate socially from inability to cope with affluence.

Environmental Pollution↗

PubMed1999

Development and characterization of a cell line from Pacific herring, Clupea harengus pallasi, sensitive to both naphthalene cytotoxicity and infection by viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus.

A cell line, PHL, has been successfully established from newly hatched herring larvae. The cells are maintained in growth medium consisting of Leibovitz's L-15 supplemented with 15% fetal bovine serum (FBS), and have been cryopreserved and maintain viability after thawing. These cells retain a diploid karotype after 65 population doublings. PHL are susceptible to infection by the North American strain of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) virus, and are sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of naphthalene, a common environmental contaminant. Naphthalene is a component of crude and refined oil, and may be found in the marine environment following acute events such as oil spills. In addition, chronic sources of naphthalene contamination include offshore drilling and petroleum contamination from areas such as docks and marinas that have creosote-treated docks and pilings and also receive constant small inputs of petroleum products. This cell line should be useful for investigations of the toxicity of naphthalene and other petroleum components to juvenile herring. In addition, studies of the VHS virus will be facilitated by the availability of a susceptible cell line from an alternative species.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in homosexual men in the San Francisco Bay Area: occupational, chemical, and environmental exposures.

Chemical, occupational, and other exposures as risk factors for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) among homosexual men are reported from a population-based case-control study of 1593 eligible subjects with NHL and 2515 control subjects conducted in the San Francisco Bay Area between 1988 and 1995. Results are presented for 312 homosexual men with NHL and 420 homosexual control subjects. HIV-positive patients were less likely than control subjects to have worked in technical, sales, and administrative occupations; service occupations; and precision production, craft, or repair-related occupations. They were likely to have had less exposure to petroleum products, aldehydes, cleaning solvents, adhesives, insecticides, welding fumes, and tar, pitch, soot, or ash. The HIV-negative patients were less likely than the control subjects to have worked in managerial or professional specialty occupations and in technical, sales, or administrative occupations. HIV-negative patients were somewhat more likely than control subjects to have been exposed to herbicides (OR = 2.0, CI = 0.89 to 4.7), to radioactivity (OR = 4.7, CI = 1.7 to 13), and to tar, soot, pitch, or ash (250+ hours: OR = 2.3, CI = 0.96 to 5.6). HIV-negative NHL patients also were somewhat more likely to have lived on a farm as children than the control subjects (OR = 2.4, CI = 1.0 to 5.6). Pooled over HIV status, patients were somewhat more likely to have worked as motor vehicle or rail operators for more than 1 year (OR = 2.1, CI = 0.98 to 4.4). Most occupational exposures were of brief duration and many chemical exposures were reported as minimal. No clear and strong associations were found, although the risk for NHL related to exposure to several chemicals generally was reduced among HIV-positive men and elevated among HIV-negative men.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Parkinsonism caused by petroleum waste ingestion.

A 20-year-old laborer developed moderate parkinsonism 1 week after accidentally ingesting a petroleum waste mixture. Parkinsonism persisted for 3 months and then began to improve, although subtle signs remained 29 months after exposure. 6-Fluorodopa-labeled positron emission tomography (6-FD PET) performed 3 months postexposure revealed a striatal dopamine rate constant level of 0.170 ml/striatum/min, nearly 3 SD below the mean for age-matched controls. However, subsequent PETs demonstrated 6-FD PET rate constants not significantly different than controls. Although the causative agent has not yet been identified, this case suggests that compounds capable of causing parkinsonism may exist in commonly used petroleum products.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine↗

PubMed1989

Comparative acute toxicity of shale and petroleum derived distillates.

In anticipation of the commercialization of its shale oil retorting and upgrading process, Unocal Corp. conducted a testing program aimed at better defining potential health impacts of a shale industry. Acute toxicity studies using rats and rabbits compared the effects of naphtha, Jet-A, JP-4, diesel and "residual" distillate fractions of both petroleum derived crude oils and hydrotreated shale oil. No differences in the acute oral (greater than 5 g/kg LD50) and dermal (greater than 2 g/kg LD50) toxicities were noted between the shale and petroleum derived distillates and none of the samples were more than mildly irritating to the eyes. Shale and petroleum products caused similar degrees of mild to moderate skin irritation. None of the materials produced sensitization reactions. The LC50 after acute inhalation exposure to Jet-A, shale naphtha, (greater than 5 mg/L) and JP-4 distillate fractions of petroleum and shale oils was greater than 5 mg/L. The LC50 of petroleum naphtha (greater than 4.8 mg/L) and raw shale oil (greater than 3.95 mg/L) also indicated low toxicity. Results demonstrate that shale oil products are of low acute toxicity, mild to moderately irritating and similar to their petroleum counterparts. The results further demonstrate that hydrotreatment reduces the irritancy of raw shale oil.

Alkanes↗

PubMed1983

Poisoning in childhood.

Several variables must be considered in the treatment of a poisoned child, including the particular substance, the individual child, and the child's home environment. General principles of treatment are described, and the management of particular substances, including household cleaning products, petroleum distillate hydrocarbons, and salicylates, is detailed. The family should not leave the emergency room without instruction on prevention of poisoning.

Alcoholic Intoxication↗

PubMed1987

Clinical characteristics, pathophysiology, and management of hydrocarbon ingestion: case report and review of the literature.

Accidental ingestion of hydrocarbons is an important cause of childhood poisoning. Due to the number of hydrocarbon products available as solvents, fuels, and cleaning agents, increased awareness is necessary on the part of health caretakers. The scope of complications involving the respiratory system in petroleum products ingestion is frequently overlooked. Physicians may thus apply standard therapeutic modalities used in treating common poisonings to the child who drank a petroleum distillate. Prompt recognition of presenting symptoms and understanding of pathophysiology are important to planning and providing treatment. The two cases of hydrocarbon ingestion reported in this paper illustrate the wide spectrum of problems associated with this condition. The pathophysiology, current management, and a review of the literature of hydrocarbon ingestion are presented.

Accidents, Home↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Hygienic aspects of the impact of solid waste disposal sites on the habitat].

The "Dmitrovsky" solid garbage (SG) ground is one of the largest enterprises of this kind in the Moscow Region. A total of 200,000-750,000 tons of solid garbage (91%) and industrial waste products (9%) annually come to the ground. A total of 5,500,000 tons of garbage and waste products have been accumulated since it was put into operation. From the accumulated SG deposits, iron, manganese, beryllium, titanium, barium, boron, petroleum products enter the surface and underground waters, methane, carbon oxide, ammonia, toluene, xylene, hydrogen sulfide, cresol, phenol come into the atmospheric air; the compounds of zinc, lead, cadmium, copper, nickel, magnesium, and cobalt do into the soil. The studies conducted in 1997-2002 make it possible to establish that the ground has a negative impact on the environment and to evaluate the efficiency of nature-conservation and hygienic measures, and to improve the technological process of SG utilization.

Environment↗