Oil spills and community health: Implications for resource limited settings

Abstract

Oil spillage has become of increased relevance in recent times because of the magnitude with which it occurs, the effects it has on the environment, and the quality of life of people residing in the affected areas. The World Health Organization (WHO) has drawn the attention of many member states to the burden of non-communicable diseases on the limited resources available to health. Much emphasis has been placed on environmental factors influencing the health of populations. Oil spillage affects both living and non-living components of the environment which in turn affect man directly and indirectly. This paper discusses the health implications of oil spillage, including the gastro-intestinal dermatologic and neurological effects associated with it. It advocates for better environmentally-friendly and sustainable techniques, particularly in resource-limited communities, where the socioeconomic, physical and invariably the health consequences will be least mitigated and most severe. Effective response and mitigation are necessary to cushion the adverse effects of inadvertent spills on the populations around effected regions.

Mini‐review highlighting toxic effects of triflumuron in insects and mammalian systems

“…[1] Despite the advantages provided by these chemical molecules, they can affect environmental fauna and flora and lead to serious pathologies, especially if they are not used with authorized standards and with precautions. [2][3][4][5] It is known that pesticides are responsible for causing many human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and nephropathies, as well as neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and autoimmune diseases. [6] Molecularly, pesticides disrupt cellular oxidative status by interfering with membrane lipids, proteins, and DNA leading to their oxidation.…”

Detection and Classification of Land Crude Oil Spills Using Color Segmentation and Texture Analysis

“…Direct or indirect contact with crude oil can result in short-term symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and lethargy, eye, nose and throat irritation, loss of concentration and co-ordination, dizziness, nervousness, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, visual disorders, drowsiness, depression, heightened anxiety, skin rashes and sores, respiratory disorders like shortness of breath, and exacerbation of asthma [25,26]. Long-term effects on humans include DNA degradation, cancers, birth and reproductive defects, irreversible neurological and endocrine damage, and impaired cellular immunity [1,19,21,27,28].…”