Assessing the Effects of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill on Human Health. A Summary of the June 2010 Workshop

摘要

On April 20, 2010, 11 oil workers lost their lives when the Deepwater Horizon, a semi-submersible offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, exploded and created one of the largest environmental disasters in U.S. history. In the weeks and months that followed, hundreds of millions of liters of crude oil spewed into the Gulf of Mexico, threatening the waters and surrounding lands, marshes, and beaches; damaging fish and wildlife; and disrupting the lives of many residents and communities in the Gulf region. This is not the first oil spill disaster. Other oil spill catastrophes have occurred in the United States and around the world. But, the Gulf oil spill is distinctive in its magnitude, in its duration, and in the complexity of its assessment. Unlike most spills in which there is a single event and measurable release of oil, the Deepwater Horizon spill has been plagued not only by its resolution but also by its wide-reaching and likely prolonged impact on communities in the affected regions. The extensive, prolonged use of dispersants is also unprecedented, and the risks associated with their use are unknown, as are risks associated with fumes from the oil and controlled burns. In fact, it may be the sheer level of uncertainty that best defines the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Since the Gulf oil spill began, there have been concerns about the extent to which related hazards, such as physical and chemical exposures and social and economic disruptions, will impact human health. In addition to concerns about the spills impact on the general population of the Gulf region, some populations are potentially at increased risk of short and long-term physical and psychological health damage.