Acute health problems among the people engaged in the cleanup of the Nakhodka oil spill

To determine if the Nakhodka oil spill and subsequent cleanup efforts had a ny health effects on the residents along the oil-contaminated coast, we inv estigated the health status of Ante residents who resided nearest to the co ast where the bow ran aground, Two hundred eighty-two men and women involve d in the cleanup activities between January 7 and January 20 were interview ed and examined by public health nurses to determine whether they suffered physical symptoms after exposure to the oil spill. Urine examinations for h ydrocarbon toxicological markers were performed on 97 residents, The averag e number of days worked on cleanup activities was 4.7 days for men and 4.3 for women, Seventeen percent of the subjects had worked on cleanup activiti es for more than 10 days. Protective equipment was used against direct expo sure to oil during the cleanup jobs and consisted of gloves used by almost 100% of the subjects and masks used by 87.1% of women and by only 35.4% of men. Glasses were worn by less than 30% of the subjects. Many symptoms emer ged after the beginning of cleanup activities. The principal symptoms inclu ded low back pain and leg pain, headache, and symptoms of eyes and throat. Among the subjects undergoing urine tests, only three people showed a highe r level of hippuric acid, although they returned to normal in the second ex amination. Accordingly, the exposure to the oil and the subsequent cleanup efforts were suggested to inflict acute health problems on local residents. (C) 1999 Academic Press.