Gulf Spill Dispersants Sickening Residents?

If there is anything that modern history has proven, it is the limits of human understanding. Every human solution seems to create new and interesting problems. The Gulf Oil Spill is no exception. While direct environmental damage appears to have been much lighter than the Exxon Valdeez spill, evidence is mounting that the chemicals used to prevent oil slicks - called "dispersants" - are ravaging the bodies of some residents.

Many of the chemicals present in the oil and dispersants are known to cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, kidney damage, altered renal function, and irritation of the digestive tract. They have also caused lung damage, burning pain in the nose and throat, coughing, pulmonary edema, cancer, lack of muscle coordination, dizziness, confusion, irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat, difficulty breathing, delayed reaction time and memory difficulties.

Further health problems include stomach discomfort, liver and kidney damage, unconsciousness, tiredness/lethargy, irritation of the upper respiratory tract, hematological disorders, and death. Pathways of exposure to the chemicals are inhalation, ingestion, skin, and eye contact...

Since the onset of his symptoms, Doom has been dealing with ongoing internal bleeding, nose bleeds, bleeding from his ears, blood in his stool, headaches, severe diarrhea, two to five seizures per day, paralysis in his left leg and arm, and failing vision.

"A toxicologist that interpreted my blood VOC results told me they didn't know how I was alive," Doom explained. "My Hexane was off the charts, and I have 2 and 3 Methylpentane, Iso-octane, Ethylbenze, and mp-Xylene."

While I have great sympathy for those affected by this disaster, I will admit that I am shocked by the high number of people in this article who chose to go swimming in the Gulf during the disaster. Did they expect that there would be no consequences for swimming in seawater tainted by oil and chemical dispersants?

The Gulf Oil Spill could still get worse

Take this one with a grain of salt, as it comes from a comment on a discussion board. But the reasoning seems sound and predicts that the broken oil well is more broken than we think and getting worse. The cusp of the argument is speculation that the break is not just at the head of the well, but that the actual pipes deep in the seabed are broken as well. This would mean the more done to cap the well, the more flow will simply come from the hidden leaks farther down the pipe.

Contrary to what most of us would think as logical to stop the oil mess, actually opening up the gushing well and making it gush more became direction BP took after confirming that there was a leak. In fact if you note their actions, that should become clear. They have shifted from stopping or restricting the gusher to opening it up and catching it. This only makes sense if they want to relieve pressure at the leak hidden down below the seabed.....and that sort of leak is one of the most dangerous and potentially damaging kind of leak there could be. It is also inaccessible which compounds our problems. There is no way to stop that leak from above, all they can do is relieve the pressure on it and the only way to do that right now is to open up the nozzle above and gush more oil into the gulf and hopefully catch it

How big is the Gulf Oil Spill *REALLY*?

This site lets you overlay the spill onto your own hometown or any address in the world. It is scary to realize just how large this thing has become.