Lung function in subjects exposed to crude oil spill into sea water

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 56; no. 1; pp. 88 - 94
• Main Authors: Meo, Sultan Ayoub, Al-Drees, Abdul Majeed, Meo, Imran M.U., Al-Saadi, Muslim M., Azeem, Muhammad Abdul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Disasters; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Exposure; Forced Expiratory Volume; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Lung - physiopathology; Lung function; Male; Marine and brackish environment; Maximal Voluntary Ventilation; Middle Aged; Oceans and Seas; Oil spill; Pakistan; Petroleum - adverse effects; Respiratory Tract Diseases - chemically induced; Respiratory Tract Diseases - physiopathology; Sea water ecosystems; Spirometry; Synecology; Tasman Spirit; Vital Capacity; Water Pollutants, Chemical - adverse effects; Pakistan; ISW, Pakistan, Sindh, Karachi; Oil spill; Tasman Spirit; Lung function; Marine environment; Aquatic environment; Hydrocarbon; Crude oil; Lung; Water pollution; Organic compounds; Seawater
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.09.039

A Greek oil-tanker ran aground, resulting in a huge oil spill along the costal areas of Karachi, Pakistan. The purpose of this study was to assess the lung function and follow up change after one year in subjects exposed to crude oil spill in sea water. It was a cross sectional study with follow up in 20 apparently healthy, non-smoking, male workers, who were exposed to a crude oil spill environment during oil cleaning operation. The exposed group was matched with 31 apparently healthy male control subjects. Pulmonary function test was performed using an electronic Spirometer. Subjects exposed to polluted air have significant reduction in forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV 1), forced expiratory flow (FEF 25–75%) and maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) compared to their matched controls. This impairment was reversible and lung functions parameters were improved when the subjects were withdrawn from the polluted air environment.