Oil-Dispersant Mixtures: A Deadly Combination
The human experience from dispersant exposure is now defined by the post-BP Deepwater Horizon disaster science and the personal stories of direct contact with Corexit dispersants. Even a brief encounter with these dispersants, or the oil-dispersant mixtures that result from their use during an oil spill response, can cause life-long health impacts.
The Lori B Story: All This Awfulness
Lori B’s story describes her life-changing encounter with Corexit 9527A at a BP decontamination wash station in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Lori had photos to document her experience.
“Never compare resilience from a storm with an oil disaster. I can rebuild after a storm, but life after toxins is an everyday life sentence for the rest of my life.” ~ Lori Bosarge
Oil Dispersant (Lab) Studies by Impact
As of April 20205, EPA has listed three new dispersants for use in oil spill response – Accell Clean DWD, Dasic Ecosafe OSD, and Finasol oil spill response 52 IBC. Each of these contain the same compounds of concern – the surfactants DOSS and Span 80 – that were in the deadly and discontinued Corexit dispersants 9500A and 9500A. Global stockpiles of Corexit 9500A are even being considered as a feedstock for Ecosafe.
During the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, the mixture of Corexit dispersants and oil caused more harm to each body system studied – respiratory, integumentary (skin), blood, cardiovascular, neurological, and endocrine – than either dispersant or oil alone.
Will these new dispersants harm humans and wildlife like discontinued Corexit products did?
Or are these new dispersants safe to use?
You decide.
Health Hazards with No Safe Exposure Levels
Respiratory and Skin Sensitizers
- Anderson et al., 2011: Corexit 9500A is classified as a potent sensitizer and DOSS as a moderate sensitizer (e.g., exposure to sensitizers are linked with reoccurring respiratory and/or skin conditions).
Carcinogens
- Shi et al., 2013: In lab studies with human bronchial epithelial cells, Corexit dispersants 9500A and 9527A triggered enhanced production of reactive oxygen species at the highest test level and significantly higher cell death with more pronounced response in the 9527A tests.
- Wise et al., 2014: In lab studies with sperm whale skin cells, Corexit 9500A and 9527A were cytotoxic (toxic to living cells) and genotoxic (damage genetic material).
- Major et al., 2016: In lab studies with human bronchial epithelial cells, oil-Corexit mixtures (whole and water-accommodated fractions) promoted more double- and single-stranded DNA breaks and activation of DNA damage response mechanisms than oil alone.
- Liu et al., 2016: In lab studies with human bronchial epithelial cells, an oil-9527A mixture induced a pattern of change towards cancer development by promoting a greater number of RNA transcription errors that blocked various receptors for protein processing and signaling than found in cells after tests with oil-9500A.
- Liu et al., 2017: In lab studies with human bronchial epithelial cells, an oil-9527A mixture elicited the most pronounced effects on DNA damage and proliferation by initiating 27 cancer pathways compared to 8 for the oil-9500A mixture; also, oil-9527A functionally shifted the small lung cancer pathway to a smaller set of genes that have even more cancer pathways.
- Liu et al., 2020: In lab studies with mice models, exposure to oil-dispersant mixtures promoted more genotoxicity and DNA damage, cell death, inflammation, and tumor formation in the pulmonary system than exposures to oil or dispersant alone; also, tests with Corexit 9527A triggered more cancer pathways than tests with Corexit 9500A (19 vs. 7, respectively).
Reproductive Toxins
- Chen and Reese, 2016: A lab study with mouse P19 embryonal pluripotent cells (type of stem cell key to development) found Corexit 9527A interferes with retinol signaling and neuronal differentiation (of brain and spinal cord) that are critical to survival; DOSS was a major, if not the only, ingredient responsible for the observed adverse effects; Corexit 9500A was more cytotoxic. Finding suggests 9527 and DOSS are potential teratogens (harm developing embryos).
Health Hazards with Specific Target Organ Toxicity
Respiratory System Impacts
- Li et al., 2015: In a lab study across species, Corexit 9500A altered membrane permeability of respiratory epithelial cells from human and mice lungs and gills of zebrafish and blue crab through inflammation of cell tissue and cleavage of key proteins, leading to cell death (apoptosis).
Skin (Integumentary) System Impacts
- Zheng et al., 2014: In a lab study, Corexit 9500A altered intracellular oxidative states and led to mitochondrial dysfunction (disruption of cell powerhouses, energy generators) and apoptosis (cell death) in mice skin cells.
Central and Peripheral Nervous System Impacts
- Sriram et al., 2011: In a lab study with male rats, whole-body inhalation exposure to Corexit 9500A altered the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, allowing toxic chemicals to flood into the brain and disrupting neurotransmitter signaling in the brain in ways that would change the behavior and performance of the affected individual.
- Zheng, et al., 2014: In a lab study, Corexit 9500A altered intracellular oxidative states and led to mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis (cell death) in human glial cells (cells that hold nerves in place, “glue” of the nervous system) and rat neuronal cells (nerve cells that transmit electrical and chemical signals) from the hippocampus (an area of the brain involved in memory, learning, and emotion), and others impacts (see also urinary system and skin system).
Endocrine System Impacts
- Bowers, et al., 2016: A lab study found that the Corexit component Span 80:
- Has RXRα transactivation activity (RXRs are receptor proteins that bind to DNA) that promotes differentiation of stem cells into preadipocytes (precursors of mature fat cells); and
- Combines with DOSS to increase adipocyte differentiation (creation of fat cells) substantially more than treatment with either chemical by itself, likely increasing the obesogenic potential of Corexit dispersants. (Adipose tissue stores energy and releases hormones and cytokines that regulate metabolism; an obesogen is a chemical that promotes weight gain or obesity by interfering with the body’s normal hormonal and metabolic processes.)
- Temkin et al., 2016: A lab study classified DOSS as a probable obesogen in humans and male mice, based on increased PPARγ activity after exposure to oil and Corexit mixtures. (PPARs are receptor proteins that bind to DNA and promote ligand-dependent transcription of target genes that regulate energy production, lipid metabolism, and inflammation):
- Other main ingredients of Corexit – Span 80, petroleum distillates, and propylene glycol – did not have PPARγ activity and, therefore, are not considered obesogens by themselves.
- Temkin et al., 2019: A lab study with mice found DOSS exposure to pregnant females led to increased adiposity (obesity), inflammation, metabolic disorder (any condition that disrupts the body’s chemical processes that convert nutrients into energy and building blocks for growth, repair, and other vital functions), and dyslipidemia (abnormal levels of lipids (fat) in blood) in adult male (but not female) offspring:
- Study suggested that developmental DOSS exposure during human pregnancy might contribute to long-term obesity-related health concerns in offspring.
Urinary System Impacts
- Ramesh et al., 2018: A lab study found that male mice treated with either Deepwater Horizon oil or Corexit had altered white blood cells and platelet counts and altered lipid profiles that induced toxic effects on liver and kidney functions; Impacts were more pronounced when the mice were treated with a mixture of oil and Corexit.
Gastrointestinal System Impacts
- Jones et al., 2017: A 2017 lab study with adult sheepshead minnows found significant changes to hepatic (relating to liver) gene expression, with Corexit and an oil-Corexit mixture having a more pronounced effect on expression pathways in the liver than oil alone. (Hepatic system is a unique circulatory system that carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver for processing before returning it to the heart.)
- The majority of altered pathways related to immunity, followed by blood, and circulation processes.
- Alterations suggest that low-concentration exposures may have adverse effects on survival.
