Corexit: the final kill in the Gulf of Mexico (Conclusion)

The large amount of Corexit used to battle the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has exacerbated the current situation. Studies conclude that the Corexit/oil mixture is far more toxic and dangerous to humans and maritime life than oil alone. The widespread use of toxic dispersants are the final kill for the Gulf, its residents and the natural ecosystem for a decade to come.

In our first part of this article, we focused on the chemical component of Corexit9500A and Corexit9527A together with the role of the EPA and the efficiency ratings of dispersants.

• Corexit: the final kill (Part I)

Toxicity levels of Corexit-oil mixture and its effects

Several biologists have tested the impact of the toxic mixture that is now present in the Gulf of Mexico, either on the beaches, in the surface water or deep at the bottom of the ocean.
Dr. Nyman of Louisiana State University began comparative tests early May to determine the impact of oil and the impact of Corexit laced oil on maritime life.
The tests concluded that maritime life, although negatively affected by the toxicity of oil, recovered over a period of time and restored itself to a natural state after 6 to 9 months, depending on the size of the animal.
Large mammals were the least affected by the presence of oil, while the small bottom creatures, worms that are the food source for bottom feeders, were affected the most.
The conclusion was that an oil spill is disruptive to maritime life but does not negatively impact the seafood population on a permanent basis. The impact is temporary and can reverse and restore itself over a period of time.

The same cannot be said when natural waters contain a Corexit-oil mixture. Dr. Nyman’s studies show that the recovery period is twice or three times as long when maritime life is exposed to the toxic mixture of Corexit and oil. While the large mammals ultimately recover, the smaller fish population is reduced dramatically by 25% or more, depending on the concentration.
The bottom of the natural food chain however, does not recover and is killed in its entirety which affects all the bottom feeders in the Gulf of Mexico, including shrimp, crawfish, crabs and lobster.

The above mentioned species are also more prone to eat, swallow and absorb the toxic mixture from the early stages as eggs and larvae but full grown specimens will harbor minuscule amounts of Corexit as well and are unsafe to eat.

Small amounts of Corexit-oil have already been detected in crabs and oysters. The chemical and toxic compound will naturally climb up the food chain since the process cannot be stopped or reversed.

The effect of Corexit toxicity on humans

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the acceptable level of Corexit in the human body is 5 ppm (parts per million). Any higher level is considered toxic and dangerous.
Several cleanup workers, primarily in the Louisiana and Mississippi area, initially reported ill and complained about headaches, nausea, dizziness, vertigo and respiratory problems.
Blood tests showed that workers who were directly exposed to Corexit and/or oil, either through direct contact or inhalation, had a Corexit concentration in their bloodstream of 10 ppm, twice the amount allowed by the CDC.
Once Corexit enters the blood stream it causes the red blood cells to fracture (hemolysis), a permanent and irreversible condition that causes a malfunction of the liver and kidneys over time.

Conclusion and the future

Unfortunately there is no cure or medicine available for humans to decrease the Corexit levels in the bloodstream, nor is there a solution for the damage done to the ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico.
What was done was done. The one thing we can do is make sure that all parties involved in the irrational decision making process of spraying more than 2 million gallons of a toxic dispersants over water, beaches, residential coastal areas and at the bottom of the ocean take full responsibility for their actions.
BP, the EPA, the Coast Guard and the US Government should be held liable to the fullest extent of the law.

That does not alter or reverse the health problems many cleanup workers will suffer from nor does it compensate their families for what was done.

Five years from now we will all witness the human sacrifice the “Vessels of Opportunity” made to clean their land, their water and restore their livelihood.