24.10.2013
Environmental emergencies Major chemical incident = an event in which a chemical causes, or threatens to cause, a disaster Chemical disaster = an event in which a chemical causes the death or injury of so many people that the normal health and emergency services are or threaten to become overburdened Ferner RE. Pharmac. Ther. 1993, 58, 157-171
Chemical disasters Chemical warfare & terrorism Cl 2, COCl 2, mustard gas, sarin,... Volcanic eruptions [Lake Nyos, 1986 (CO 2 )] Industrial disasters (fires, explosions, leaks,...) & transportation accidents (trains, trucks, ships,...) Gases: NH 3, AsH 3, Cl 2, Br 2, COCl 2, SO 2, H 2 S,... CH 3 NCO [Bhopal, 1984] Complex chemicals: TCDD [Seveso, 1976],... Food or water contamination TOCP, PCBs, HCB, HgCH 3 [Minamata, 1956], Toxic Oil Syndrome [Spain, 1981], As, Cd,...
Bhopal 3 December 1984 Union Carbide pesticide plant 30 T methyl isocyanate (MIC, CH 3 -N=C=O) ± 150.000 people affected 6.000-10.000 severely affected ± 2.000 deaths in subsequent days? with permanent damage Time, 17 Dec 1984
Wetteren Saturday 04.05.2013, ~2 a.m. Freight train transporting chemicals derailed fire/explosion + release of acrylonitrile emergency response: firefighting + evacuation of residents within 250 m health complaints + severe poisoning (incl. 1 death) outside evacuation area = contamination of sewage system by acrylonitrile further evacuation of residents
Acrylonitrile CH 2 =CHCN Liquid, water soluble Volatile heavy (AN/air = 1.8) 1 ppm 2.15 mg/m 3 sharp odour: threshold 1.6-36.3 ppm, clear 145 ppm (Rapid) broken down in air, water, soil Combustion some HCN, NO 2,... Good respiratory absorption
Acrylonitrile Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) AEGL-1 (nondisabling): 4,6 ppm AEGL-2 (disabling): 290 ppm (10 min) 8,6 ppm (8h) AEGL-3 (lethality): 480 ppm (10 min) 19 ppm (8h) CDC-NIOSH: Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH): 85 ppm NIOSH REL: 1 ppm TWA, 10 ppm 15-minute CEILING ACGIH: TLV 2 ppm TWA [skin], A2 [skin]
Acrylonitrile metabolism CH 2 =CHCN + GSH O CH 2 CHCN Metabolites in urine (CEMA), SCN - CN -
Symptoms Acute exposure (< 24 h) Mucosal irritation Central Nervous System Headache, nausea, dizziness Consciousness coma death
Issues Emergency response Environmental contamination? Risks of long-term effects (especially cancer)? Biomonitoring of human exposure Further monitoring of population? Communication!!!
Artsenkrant 17.05.2013
Artsenkrant 31.05.2013
24.10.2013
Administrative Issues Emergency response: Local and provincial authorities, civil protection (Federal Ministry of Interior Affairs) Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain & Environment Cell Disaster Management Federal Agency Food Safety Environmental issues Flemish Ministry of Environment Preventive health Flemish Ministry of Health
Advisory bodies Health Council (HGR-CSS) Advice to Ministry of Health Flemish Centre of expertise on Environment and Health (Steunpunt Milieu & Gezondheid) Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP) Epidemiology / Chemical Safety) Biomonitoring study
Biomonitoring van blootstelling aan CH 2 =CHCN Acrylonitril + GSH O CH 2 CHCN CN - Metabolieten in urine (CEMA), SCN - SNEL (uren enkele dagen)
Biomonitoring van blootstelling aan CH 2 =CHCN Acrylonitril O CH 2 CHCN Rode bloedcel (RBC) HEMOGLOBINE Adduct Val-N CH 2 CH 2 CN CyanoEthylValine (CEV)
CEV (pmol/g globine) CEV in Rode Bloedcellen 10000 1000 100 10 referentiewaarde mei juni juli augustus Maanden
CEV CEV in Rode Bloedcellen 10000 1000 100 10 mei juni juli augustus Maanden
CEV CEV in Rode Bloedcellen 10000 1000 100 10 mei juni juli augustus Maanden
CEV CEV in Rode Bloedcellen 10000 1000 100 10 mei juni juli augustus Maanden
Referentiewaarden voor CEV Niet-rokers: 10 pmol/g globine Rokers: 200 pmol/ g globine Die referentiewaarden werden bepaald op basis van de statistische distributie van metingen bij mensen zonder blootstelling aan acrylonitril (95 e percentiel) Boven de referentiewaarde betekent niet ziek of at risk, maar wel blootgesteld (licht, matig of hoog) Referentiewaarde voor rokers is enigszins dubieus (100 tot 300 pmol/g globine)
CEV CEV in Rode Bloedcellen 10000 1000 100 Rokers 10 Niet-Rokers mei juni juli augustus Maanden