Approximately 1.8 million gallons (6.8 million liters) of chemical oil dispersant were used during the oil spill response and cleanup following the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The large quantity of these dispersants, Corexit™ EC9500A and EC9527A, used and the large number of individuals involved in the oil spill response and cleanup effort provide a unique opportunity to study human health effects associated with dispersant exposure. Such research is important given the limited data from animal models and the dearth of previous epidemiologic research on this topic. The GuLF STUDY includes 32,608 individuals who participated in the oil spill response and cleanup or received safety training but were not hired. Participants in this prospective cohort study were enrolled between 2011 and 2013 and interviewed at that time about their spill-related activities, demographics, lifestyle, and health. Almost 11,200 cohort members also completed a home visit after enrollment, during which they were administered a spirometry test and underwent a number of anthropometric measurements. We have used detailed data from the enrollment interviews on participant-reported tasks during the oil spill response and cleanup to determine each individual’s potential exposure to either dispersant and to potential confounding factors, including total hydrocarbon exposure and other cleanup-related exposures. Findings to date in the GuLF STUDY indicate significant associations between potential exposure to either of the dispersants and a range of health symptoms at the time of the oil spill response, including burning in the nose, throat, or lungs; tightness in the chest; and burning eyes, even after taking into account exposure to the crude oil. Weaker, but still significant, associations were observed between dispersant exposure and symptoms present at the time of study enrollment, 1-3 years after the spill. No associations were observed between overall exposure to dispersants and lung function, as measured by spirometry. However, personally working with dispersants was associated with a slightly lower FEV1/FVC ratio. These findings will be discussed in the context of the existing literature on dispersant health effects.

Health effects associated with dispersant exposure during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response: Findings from the GuLF STUDY

255th National Meeting (2018)

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