Friday, July 9, 2010
Toxicologists: Corexit “Ruptures Red Blood Cells, Causes Internal Bleeding”, "Allows Crude Oil To Penetrate “Into The Cells” and “Every Organ System"
As I have previously noted, Corexit is toxic, is less effective than other dispersants, and is actually worsening the damage caused by the oil spill.
Now, two toxicologists are saying that Corexit is much more harmful to human health and marine life than we've been told.
Specifically Gulf toxicologist Dr. Susan Shaw - Founder and Director of the Marine Environmental Research Institute - dove into the oil spill to examine the chemicals present.
Dr. Shaw told CNN:
If I can tell you what happens — because I was in the oil — to people…
Shrimpers throwing their nets into water… [then] water from the nets splashed on his skin. …
[He experienced a] headache that lasted 3 weeks… heart palpitations… muscle spasms… bleeding from the rectum…
And that’s what that Corexit does, it ruptures red blood cells, causes internal bleeding, and liver and kidney damage. …
This stuff is so toxic combined… not the oil or dispersants alone. …
Very, very toxic and goes right through skin.
***
The reason this is so toxic is because of these solvents [from dispersant] that penetrate the skin of anything that’s going through the dispersed oil takes the oil into the cells — takes the oil into the organs… and this stuff is toxic to every organ system in the body. …
Similarly, marine biologist and toxicologist Dr. Chris Pincetich - who has an extensive background in testing the affects of chemicals on fish - says that Corexit disrupts cell membranes.
He also explains that EPA toxicity testing for Corexit is woefully inadequate, since EPA testing for mortality usually only requires a 96-hour time frame. His doctoral research found that fish that were alive at 96 hours after exposure to pesticide were dead at two weeks, so the chemicals were considered non-lethal for the purposes of the test.
Drs. Shaw and Pincetich are wildlife conservationists. But even industry scientists working for Exxon and the manufacturer of Corexit itself admit that the stuff is toxic.
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Posts
Hi.
ReplyDeleteInteresting posting ,i'll put a link to this story tomorrow on my humble blog.Bye the way with the clean up of Excon Valdez they used the same stuff, all those who used it during the clean up are dead.
The key word is “solvent”. The dispersant used is a solvent that on a molecular scale dissolves oil, chemicals, gases into a penetrate solution of those compounds that is absorbed through the skin or lungs; very dangerous stuff.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to an interesting first hand “skimmer” account.
http://scienceblogs.com/thepumphandle/2010/07/out_in_the_oil_with_captain_da.php
This is starting to get really messy.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to get really messy if the hurricane storm surges bring the Corexit onto the shores and into flood prone areas.
ReplyDeleteThose who don't evacuate can expect the symptoms described by GW in this post.
Then there's the local water supplies... I suspect they do not have the capabilities to filter this out of the drinking water...
Mac
the link to projectgulfimpact.com doesn't work anymore. are we surprised?
ReplyDeleteA BP rep. called me Fri. to see if I wanted to attend a 10 hour 'clean up' class here in the Keys on Sat....I asked him about respirators,he said we have them but they are not needed @ this time..(!?!?!) I asked him if they are specifically testing air quality here in the Keys,answer was no..I asked if they are testing for the lethal gases from Corexit such as Benzene,..he said NO..just the VOC's (!?!?!?)...
ReplyDelete@ SHTF Mac http://www.examiner.com/x-17299-Hernando-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2010m5d6-Is-the-Florida-drinking-water-supply-threatened-by-Gulf-oil-spill-invasion "The consequences of aquifer contamination from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill would be an immeasurable catastrophe for virtually every living thing on the Florida peninsula."
ReplyDeleteWill ... they did not use Corexit for the clean up during the Valdez situation.
ReplyDeleteThey should be using now what they used then... it's a powder that actually eats the oil.
Do some research and find truth before you confuse others with misinformation.
You don't mean if a hurricane washes this oil and dispersant on shore.. You mean WHEN.....
ReplyDeleteANYTIME DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, EVERY HIGH TIDE FROM A STORM OR HURRICANE WILL CONTAMINATE PROPERTY.. WILL IT BE YOURS.
theiceblog,
ReplyDeleteCOREXIT 9580 was used in the Exxon Valdez Spill in Alaska in 1989. In the 2010 BP Gulf Spill COREXIT 9527A and later 9500 were used.
A little more research on your part might be in order before you flame others. WINK WINK