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PubMed1989

Blood dyscrasia in unofficial vendors of petrol and heavy oil and motor mechanics in Nigeria.

The risk of blood dyscrasia has been measured in Nigerians exposed to benzene in petrol through inhalation and ingestion while employed selling petrol syphoned from oil-drums at the roadside. Significant degrees of anaemia, hypochromia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were found in male vendors of heavy oil for motor scooters (n = 20), vendors of petrol and heavy oil (n = 52) and vendors of petrol alone (n = 46) compared to adolescent (n = 49) and adult (n = 80) male controls. Motor mechanics (n = 57) working at small repair workshops were also at risk of anaemia through exposure to petroleum products. Petrol pump attendants (n = 38) at modern filling stations did not appear to have any such occupational hazard. The practices of unofficial roadside vendors of petrol and heavy oil, and to a less extent motor mechanics, in the developing world are dangerous to health, being associated with blood dyscrasia and probably with increased incidence of aplastic anaemia and leukaemia. Education of the public and legislation are required to stop these practices.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

An integrated decision support system for the management of petroleum-contaminated sites.

In this study, a decision-support system was developed for providing environmental managers with an integrated way for concisely analyzing and visualizing the subsurface contamination problem as well as a means for evaluating alternative remediation technologies. It integrated contaminant-transport modeling, risk assessment, and remediation-system design within a general framework. The developed system was applied to a site in western Canada that is contaminated by petroleum products. A three-dimensional multiphase multicomponent model was established, which provided a basis for further risk assessment. Several approaches based on different environmental guidelines were used to analyze risks due to the site contamination. The results suggested the urgency of taking remediation actions. Six remedial alternatives for cleaning up the site were recommended. Decisions could then be made based on a series of analyses and comparisons among the given alternatives.

Conservation of Natural Resources↗

PubMed1986

Occupational factors and pancreatic cancer.

The relation between occupational factors and pancreatic cancer has been studied by two different approaches: a population based case-control study with two series of controls and a retrospective cohort study based on register data. With both approaches, some support was found for an association with occupational exposure to petroleum products. Associations were also indicated with exposure to paint thinner (case-control study) and work in painting and in paint and varnish factories (cohort study), for exposure to detergents, floor cleaning agents, or polish (case-control study) and with floor polishing or window cleaning (cohort study), and for exposure to refuse (case-control study) and work in refuse disposal plants (cohort study).

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Determination of trace volatile organic compounds in fish tissues by gas chromatography.

Several volatile organic compounds associated with petroleum fuels (mainly alkylated benzenes) were extracted from spiked fish tissue samples with a stream of air, trapped on charcoal, eluted with a solvent, and analyzed by gas chromatography. These volatile compounds are among the most water-soluble components of crude oils and petroleum products, and they have been associated with tainting in fish tissues. Recoveries for these compounds were about 90% when spiked directly either onto traps or into fish tissues although naphthalene desorbed poorly from the charcoal; recoveries of this compound were about 50%. Relative standard deviations (RSD) for most recoveries of spiked samples were in the 2-10% range based on 6 samples analyzed in duplicate. However, when live fish were contaminated experimentally by adding the aromatic compounds to the aquarium water, the RSDs were higher (10-30%).

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Effect of background interference on accelerant detection by canines.

Additional studies were performed with respect to examining the lower limits at which canines can reliably detect products commonly used as accelerants and distinguish them from pyrolysis products or background hydrocarbons. As part of a testing exercise performed in conjunction with a national conference of the Canine Accelerant Detection Association (CADA), 34 canines were subjected to a series of tests, some of them were a recertification proficiency. In one of the tests, the dogs were nearly unanimously successful in locating one can (out of five) containing 50% evaporated gasoline at the 5 microL level on a burnt carpet matrix, and pinpointing the 6-in. square sector on a piece of plain carpeting where the same amount of gasoline (5 microL) was applied. However, only half were able to detect a second doped sample containing a lesser amount (0.05, 0.1, or 0.2 microL) of gasoline, and registered a number of alerts on samples containing only burnt carpeting material. The dogs were also tested on measured amounts (2 or 5 microL) of a variety of other light, medium, and heavy petroleum products applied to a variety of substances containing significant pyrolysis products. As a group, the canines were much less successful in pinpointing these products than they were with gasoline at this same level, and again registered a number of alerts on cans containing only pyrolysis products. The significant number of alerts by canines on samples not containing gasoline or other products points out the importance of obtaining laboratory confirmation on samples on which dogs alert, and on keeping accurate field and training records of canines to establish their credibility.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Occupational exposures of parents of children with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia: a report from the Childrens Cancer Study Group.

The Childrens Cancer Study Group conducted a case-control study of occupational exposures of parents of 204 children (under 18 yr of age) with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia. The most consistent finding was an association of acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia risk with pesticide exposure. Controls matched by date of birth and race were obtained through random digit dialing. Odds ratio (OR) for paternal pesticide exposure in jobs held for longer than 1000 days was 2.7 (95% confidence interval, 1.0 to 7.0; trend, P = 0.06), and seven case mothers and no control mothers had prolonged exposure (trend, P = 0.008). Risk estimates for parental pesticide exposure were substantially increased for children under age 6 at diagnosis (OR for prolonged exposure to either parent = 11.4; trend, P = 0.003) and for those with myelomonocytic and monocytic subtypes (OR, 13.6; trend, P = 0.007). Moreover, there were significantly elevated risks for direct exposure of the child to pesticides in the household (OR for exposure most days = 3.5; trend, P = 0.04) and for maternal exposure to household pesticides at the time of pregnancy (eight case mothers versus no controls for exposure most days; trend, P = 0.05). Paternal exposures to solvents (OR, 2.1; P = 0.003) and petroleum products (OR, 2.4; P = 0.002) were reported more commonly for cases than controls. Other occupational exposures reported significantly more often by case parents were paternal exposure to plastics or lead and maternal exposure to paints and pigments, metal dusts, and sawdust. These data provide further evidence for a role of occupational risk factors in the etiology of childhood cancer.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of the dermal carcinogenicity of lubricant base oils by the mouse skin painting bioassay and other proposed methods.

Lubricant base oils are petroleum products that are predominantly derived from the vacuum distillation of crude oil. Various types of refinement can be employed during the manufacturing process, and evidence suggests that certain of the associated process streams produce skin cancer. Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), some of which are considered as the causative agents, are removed, concentrated or chemically converted during the refinement process. In order to understand the effects of various types of refinement processes on carcinogenic potential, 94 oils were evaluated in the mouse epidermal cancer bioassay. This Exxon database is unique, because of the wide range of crude oils and processing histories represented. Seven processing history classifications are described, and conclusions concerning the impacts of each refinement process on dermal carcinogenicity are discussed. This research also included an evaluation of selected biological and chemical test methods for predicting carcinogenic potential. These included a modified version of the Ames test for mutagenicity, as well as analytical characterizations of the polycyclic aromatic structures in the oils. For classification purposes, a sample was considered to be carcinogenic if it resulted in the production of two or more tumor-bearing animals (in test groups of either 40 or 50 animals). The modified Ames test was considered to be positive if the mutagenicity index was > or = 2.0, and PAC analyses were similarly designated as positive or negative according to proposed guidelines. All of the alternative test methods showed similar agreement with dermal carcinogenicity bioassay data; concordance values were > or = 80%. However, each test was incorrect in ca. 10%-20% of the cases evaluated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Outbreak of hepatitis A on an offshore petroleum platform, Alaska.

An outbreak of 8 cases of hepatitis A among the 36-member crew of an offshore Alaska petroleum production platform was linked to a previous outbreak in an urban day-care center. Transmission of hepatitis A on the platform related most plausibly to refrigerated food items contaminated by a cook with mild disease. Control efforts included identifying and treating contacts of case patients who had traveled far from the platform before becoming ill. Early serologic confirmation of diagnosed cases and rapid reporting to public health authorities are essential to prevent disease transmission. Timely investigation can limit the administration of immune globulin to persons at high risk of contracting the disease.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Epidemiologic evidence for an association between gasoline and kidney cancer.

A recent animal experiment suggests that gasoline exposure may be a cause of human kidney cancer. This is a literature review to see whether there is any epidemiologic support for these animal findings. Trends and geographic patterns in gasoline consumption and kidney cancer mortality are moderately supportive of a relationship, although this cannot be considered important evidence for a causal relationship. Most other ecological correlations are not supportive of a relationship. Eleven oil refinery populations and one population of petroleum products distribution workers have been studied. These studies taken as a group do not appear to support the notion of a relationship between gasoline exposure and kidney cancer. However, most were not designed or analyzed with this hypothesis in mind. An examination of these data which attempts to consider the ages of the populations studied provides some evidence of a small kidney cancer excess among older workers or among workers exposed for long periods. Because of the importance of gasoline and the potential for exposure by the public further study of exposed populations is needed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) continues to be a frustrating tumor for clinicians to manage and treat. Progress has been made in the identification of risk factors, particularly dietary risk factors. An increased risk has been seen with frequent consumption of fried meat and poultry. Citrus fruits, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and alpha-tocopherol have demonstrated a protective effect against RCC. Other factors that have been associated with the risk of RCC are smoking (which doubles the risk), obesity, hypertension, and exposure to asbestos and petroleum products. Response rates for systemic treatment of RCC continue to hover at about 20%; however, some nonchemotherapy treatments may provide palliation with few side effects. In addition, lower dose combinations of interleukin-2 and interferon alfa may be as beneficial as higher dose regimens, but with less toxicity. Molecular prognostic factors, including proliferation markers, karyometric analyses, oncogenes, and cell adhesion molecules and proteases are areas of intense investigation and may provide mechanisms for identifying patients who require more (or less) aggressive treatment.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed2005

A hierarchical approach measures the aerial extent and concentration levels of PAH-contaminated shoreline sediments at historic industrial sites in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

A field study was conducted in 2003 to estimate the areal distribution and concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in intertidal sediments at sites of past human and industrial activity (HA sites) in Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska, the site of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. More than 50 HA sites, primarily in western PWS, were identified through analysis of historic records and prior field studies, and nine sites were selected for detailed surveys. The areal assessment process consisted of seven steps: (1) identify site from historic records and field surveys; (2) locate visual evidence of surface oil/tar at a site; (3) prepare a site map and lay out a sampling grid over the entire site with 10-m grid spacing; (4) excavate pits to 50 cm depth on the grid; (5) perform a field colorimetric test to estimate total PAH (TPAH) in sediments from the wall of each pit and record the results in the ranges <1 ppm; 1-10 ppm; >10 ppm TPAH; (6) expand grid size if necessary if elevated PAH levels are detected colorimetrically; (7) select 20 samples from each site for same-day shipboard PAH analysis by immunoassay (SDI RaPID PAH) and, based on these results, select sediment samples from each site for full PAH analysis in the laboratory to identify PAH sources. A total of 416 pits were dug at the nine sites. Nine acres of sediments with TPAH >2500 ppb dry wt. were mapped at the nine sites. TPAH concentrations obtained by immunochemical analysis of 181 samples from the nine sites ranged from 20 to 1,320,000 ppb (wet wt.). The contaminants are mixtures of petroleum products (2-3 ring PAH) and combustion products (4-6 ring PAH) unrelated to the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Mussels and clams collected at these sites have elevated levels of PAH that are compositionally similar to the PAH in the sediments. These findings indicate that at least a portion of the sediment PAH is bioavailable. The PAH sources at these historic industrial sites are chronic. They include relict fuel oil tanks and works located above and within the intertidal zone, with contamination at some locations extending into nearshore sub-tidal sediments. This study shows how a hierarchical approach can be used to quickly and successfully map, quantify, and subsequently, identify sources of PAH in shoreline sediments.

Alaska↗

PubMed2001

Effects of chitin on microbial emulsification, mineralization potential, and toxicity of bunker C fuel oil.

Bunker C, one of the most frequently spilled petroleum products in the US, is difficult to remove from oiled surfaces and is relatively recalcitrant to biodegradation; therefore, emulsification and biodegradability must be optimized before bioremediation can be considered a viable treatment option. Sand from a freshly oiled beach near Dutch Harbor, Alaska, was incubated at 10 degrees C with nutrients (Bushnell-Haas (BH)) or nutrients with crab shell chitin (BH-C). BH-C amendment resulted in greater numbers of bunker C emulsifiers and greater mineralization potentials for hexadecane, phenanthrene, and fluorene than with BH only. Compared to BH alone, mineralization potentials for bunker C also were higher in BH-C, with an estimated 8% of fuel oil mineralized after 6 weeks. Microbially emulsified oil was more toxic than in uninoculated controls (p < 0.05) as measured by Microtox assays. However, toxicity was significantly lower in BH-C than BH after 4 and 6 weeks incubation (p < 0.05).

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Estimation of origins of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in size-fractionated road dust in Tokyo with multivariate analysis.

This study aimed to estimate the origins of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in size-fractionated road dust in Tokyo. First, seven categories of PAHs sources were defined: diesel vehicle exhaust, gasoline vehicle exhaust, tire, pavement, asphalt or bitumen, petroleum products excluding tire and asphalt, and combustion products except for those in vehicle engines. The 189 source data of 12-PAHs profiles were classified into 11 groups based on cluster analysis combined with principal component analysis. Next, 18 road dust samples were collected from eight streets in Tokyo and fractionated into four different particle-size-fractions: 0.1-45, 45-106, 106-250, and 250-2000 microm. In order to estimate the contributions of the classified source groups (S1-S11) to PAHs in the road dust, multiple regression analysis was performed with 12-PAH profile of the road dust as dependent variable and average 12-PAHs profiles of the 11 source groups as 11 explanatory variables. Diesel vehicle exhaust, tire and pavement were the major contributors of PAHs in the fractionated road dust. Although the estimated contributions of the 11 source groups varied among the particle-size-fractions, there was no clear and consistent relationship between particle size and the major PAH contributor.

Cluster Analysis↗

PubMed1992

Health effects of tank cleaners.

A total of 29 tank cleaners and 31 referent controls participated in the study. In most cases, the tank cleaners were employed in small companies, usually specialized subcontractors such as firms only working in refineries cleaning oil tanks and handling oil spills. The air concentrations of hydrocarbons (HCs) in tanks containing residuals from heavy fuel oil were generally low, unless the oil was still warm. Addition of light fuel oil to facilitate the cleaning of tanks containing viscous, heavy fuel oils resulted in total airborne HC levels of 1000-1500 mg/m3. High levels of HC were measured in tanks with low-boiling petroleum fractions (naphtha and light fuel oils) of 1000-2600 mg/m3 (maximum). Today, most cleaners use air-supplied respirators or air-purifying respirator cartridges inside tanks with petroleum products or other chemicals. The exception is small firms handling fuel oils for heating purposes where only 50% of the workers use protective equipment regularly; the other workers only occasionally use protective equipment even if the air concentrations of HC are high. Protective equipment is rarely used in small, domestic tanks. Measurements of heart rate showed that tank cleaning is, at times, a highly strenuous job. No differences between tank cleaners and controls were found with respect to spirometry, liver enzymes, or frequency of micronuclei. Acute intoxications were not frequently reported in this group. However, this investigation may underestimate the true risk, as it is a cross-sectional study that found that exposures were highly variable, both quantitatively and qualitatively. In many cases, the tank cleaners knew very little about the potential hazards or the proper use of protective equipment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Relation between bacterial strain resistance to solvents and biodesulfurization activity in organic medium.

Microorganisms used in biodesulfurization of petroleum products have to withstand high concentrations of hydrocarbons. The capacities of seven desulfurizing strains of Rhodococcus to be active in the presence of solvents were evaluated. Octanol and toluene (log P=2.9) were selected as toxic solvents. The effect of the solvents was determined by measuring either inhibition of growth or the decrease in respiratory activity of the cells. Differences among strains in their resistance to solvent responses were observed, but these variations were dependent on the test used. Resistance to solvents was then compared to the capacity of the different strains to retain biodesulfurization activity in the presence of hexadecane. Inhibition of desulfurization by high concentrations of hexadecane was found to be well correlated to the sensitivity of the strains to respiration inhibition by toluene, but not to growth inhibition. This result also showed that the respirometric test was a rapid and reliable test to select solvent-resistant strains for use as resting cells in biocatalysis processes, such as biodesulfurization, in organic media.

Alkanes↗

PubMed2002

Development and verification of a screening model for surface spreading of petroleum.

Overflows and leakage from aboveground storage tanks and pipelines carrying crude oil and petroleum products occur frequently. The spilled hydrocarbons pose environmental threats by contaminating the surrounding soil and the underlying ground water. Predicting the fate and transport of these chemicals is required for environmental risk assessment and for remedial measure design. The present paper discusses the formulation and application of the Oil Surface Flow Screening Model (OILSFSM) for predicting the surface flow of oil by taking into account infiltration and evaporation. Surface flow is simulated using a semi-analytical model based on the lubrication theory approximation of viscous flow. Infiltration is simulated using a version of the Green and Ampt infiltration model, which is modified to account for oil properties. Evaporation of volatile compounds is simulated using a compositional model that accounts for the changes in the fraction of each compound in the spilled oil. The coupling between surface flow, infiltration and evaporation is achieved by incorporating the infiltration and evaporation fluxes into the global continuity equation of the spilled oil. The model was verified against numerical models for infiltration and analytical models for surface flow. The verification study demonstrates the applicability of the model.

Disasters↗

PubMed1999

The fate of heavy oil wastes in soil microcosms. II: A performance assessment of source correlation indices.

Chemical fingerprinting is commonly undertaken to assist in the resolution of multi-party liability disputes, particularly when contaminants have migrated beyond property boundaries, in litigation-driven environmental assessments related to oil spills, and in assessing potential environmental impacts following releases of petroleum products into the environment. In this paper, we present data relating to the performance of source correlation indices for selected heavy oils over the course of a 9-month microcosm study. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that hopane pair indices varied little in magnitude, and may therefore be considered reliable source correlation indices. Over the course of the 9-month microcosm study [17 alpha(H)21 beta(H)-norhopane: 17 alpha(H)21 beta(H)-hopane] exhibited mean values of 0.7 +/- 0.1 for a heavy ballast oil, and mean values that varied between 0.6 and 0.7 (+/- 0.05) for a crude oil. Similarly [(17 alpha(H)21 beta(H)-homohopane (22S): 17 alpha(H)21 beta(H)-homohopane (22R)] gave a mean value of 1.3 (precisions less than 0.05) and [17 alpha(H)21 beta(H)-bishomohopane: 17 alpha(H)21 beta(H)-methylhopane] varied between 1.3 and 1.6 (precision up to 0.1) for the same crude oil. These source correlation indices may be used to support a correlation between fresh and weathered oil samples for source identification purposes involving heavy and crude oil contamination of the terrestrial environment.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

PubMed2001

Environmental management in resource-rich Alberta, Canada: first world jurisdiction, Third World analogue?

Economic growth is frequently touted as a cure for environmental ills, particularly for those in Third World countries. Here we examine that paradigm in a case study of Alberta, Canada, a wealthy, resource-rich province within a wealthy nation. Through provincial-scale datasets, we examine the increasing pressures of the forest, petroleum, and agricultural industries upon the ecosystems of Alberta within management, economic, and political contexts. We advance the thesis that economic activity leads to environmental degradation unless ecosystem-based management is integrated into economic decision making. Agricultural lands cover 31.7%, and forest management areas leased to industry cover 33.4% of Alberta; both continue to increase in extent. The rate of logging (focused on old-growth by government policy) continues a decades-long exponential rise. Current Alberta annual petroleum production is 52.5 million m3 crude oil and 117 billion m3 of gas. As of early 1999, there were approximately 199,025 oil and gas wells and a conservative total of approximately 1.5-1.8 million km of seismic lines in Alberta. Fire occurrence data indicate no downward trends in annual area burned by wildfire, which may be characterized as driven by climate and inherently variable. When logging and wildfire are combined, the annual allowable cut in Alberta is unsustainable, even when only timber supply is considered and the effects of expanding agriculture and oil and gas activities are ignored. Ecosystem degradation in Alberta is pervasive and contrasts prominently with a high standard of living. A wealth of ecological data exists that indicates current resource-based economic activities are non-sustainable and destructive of ecosystem health yet these data are not considered within the economic decision making process. Given the complex, compounded, and increasing ecosystem perturbations, a future of unpleasant ecological surprises is likely. We conclude with tentative predictions as to where current trends in Alberta may lead if decisions biased against ecosystems continue.

Agriculture↗