Document Z8oL172eav2pBMdaG86r4O8OY

r ,(0,r% * <S=7>7 3 UNIT' l v it #- Pfe/4Cc%(f /Vo t >ITAL PROTECTION AGENCY D.C. 20460 'OFFICE O F T O X IC S U B S T A N C E S SUMMARY OF SEQUENCE'OF EVENTS IN THE STURGEON SPILL OF JANUARY 10, 1979 . * m * * . m -A OFFICE OF TESTING AND EVALUATION * * ,* January 10 Spill of orthochlorophenol and othefc phenols. February 5 EPA headquarters notified* of spill. February 6 V February 8 Services of Dr. William-Deichmann, ^Professor of Pharmacology and^Head of the'Research Teaching Center of Toxicology, School of Medicine,' University .of Miami, Florida,), a recognized expert on the'toxicology of phenols including-. ortho<Alorophenol were enlisted. Exhibit 1A Report by -Lenora Barnes-to Dave* 6*Connorslj ,; *<. * Deichmann, Landau (APHA), Charles Poole (EPA) and Joseph- Seifter (EPA) represented headquarters EPA at a town hall meeting.. Analysis of- urines from spill workers for possible content of * orthochlorophenols and phenols were recommended. These were requested .to serve as indicators for the need for an epidemiology study of the less exposed resident population. Action was instituted. (Exhibits 1A and 27] .February 9 Monsanto Chemical Company notified`EPA that ..tne spill contained a ;dxoxin which was not'. 2.3.7;8 TCDD. As a result blood analysis for dioxins were" requested, in the 3 spill workers who were diagrfosed* by a layman to have "chemical bums"*. The purpose of the bloOd analysis was to determine if *any TCDD had entered their'bodies, even though the published literature had no reports of blood level determination in humans.*; Blood levels *a *! * Analysis of feces was not done because the presence of *TCDD * in feces would not establish that any of the compound had been asborbed and passed through body compartments, excepting Dossibly the liver where it might be excreted by the ' -*-- 1* -- r-c vhen dves - 2- 'can show that a chemical has passed through *most compartments of the body thereby exposing various organs to its effects. This was instituted. [Exhibits 1A and 27] March 9 M a r c h -21 V April 16 April 20 Written results of -urine 'analyses of the' spill workers were received. No urine contained either..*. orthochlorophenol or phenol in amounts of ___ toxicological significance. (Exhibits 3 and 47^ / Written confirmation was received that blppd from 2'of the'3 spill workers contained 31 and. 7 ppt TCDD. Exhibits. 1, page 2 and* 4a . The possibility of a needle fat biopsy for TCDD analysis was considered. The analytical chemists. * supporting, the Agency Pesticides program indicated that the degree of -exposure required a sample of fat at least 1 inch cube. Because .this would require surgery that "was not of diagnostic, or. therapeutic relevance, and would have involved approval by .a human experimentation committee a fat-biopsy was notrecommended. 1- A repeat urine analysis on the spill .workers .with the'highest ,orthochlorphanol values was requested. In addition, urine analysis was requested on 9 residents with; complaints of their possible exposure to the spill. .. 't A request for a second round of blood specimens was made for spill workers for a profile of liver function, including enzyme induction, and for the advisability of; liver biopsy. -.Finally, a dermatological examination of spill workers andpermanent residents*was requested to check for any signs of exposure to TCDD, especially chloracne. [Exhibits 2 and 47] Dr. Stephen B. Tucker,(Department of Dermatology, University of Minnesota Hospitals), a recognized expert in skin manifestations of dioxin exposure, found no local or systemic manifestations of such exposure in 12 subjects he examined on April 11; (Exhibit STJ Results of the second round of urine analyses showtd that no specimen contained detectable amounts of orthochlorophenol or unusual amounts of phenol. Even the'most heavily exposed worker was rid of orthochlorophenol. (Exhibit 7]] - 3- April 25 June 4 June 5 J u n e '18 N .Report from Dr. Carlo H. Tamburro,(Professor of Medicine and Chief, Division of Digestive- .. .. Diseases and Nutrition, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center)was received . that 3 spill workers had abnormality in liver function but- only that of the most heavily exposed worker might be the result of exposure. *There* was. rto indication of enzyme induction, however. Exhibit 63 This worker was advised to * consult his physician for advice for further study. He is now under care of his physician who repeated the blood profile and has concluded that no invasive studies are justified at present- Instituted studies on spill wprkers who are now in Oregon. (Exhibit 87] i' ^* Received results of repeat^ blood analysis for Liver function.. There is no evidence of liver injury due to TCDD. ^xhalbit S Q Received verbal report that blood level of TCDD irom the most heavily eagposed spi 11 worker had decreased from. 31 ppt to 3 .ppt,' His physician has agreed to collect: a third blood sample for verification of decrease. [Exhibit loTj '* . Prepared by: . i * ` Joseph Seifter, M.D. Senior Medical Advisor June 19//1979 *<1UT;t * -- 'A C T X lZ?3d. - h'L / - W / - J-/?/?? pp y Lo*uS or C/r<//yArD Di(4+o-J - O/Of/A 0/6/fefoj4/5 O- o\<t.,,fi//r!rr / XA'Qc'<OfC i * I y * xT r ? ! f 02070i AAlpU J. .0/CX/ Pv*/i4i ^3516),lco(i) z/o(i) 3Y 6) 0*5f^j() Sincri) AJUfJ/<* A/H/O 0 < 7 o m < - 07-19 f3>W a tfozoioj fiffacai* 3O/avsj I.2io0)lto(z) /ro() %( ) m <t 0 4 o 0 <&> 4/ fonasi foiOTCf h p u c a t K . i/OJfrfii renasi () iuiiorii % 6> US1-1 M*fi 07.70 //}i o cp rfriurJl ! i30f. CO, 10T 77V/0 <4f/n i/oyjj /ois' t/<* t/b 0 < rvRA#f /rn^s t ti M n ito M IS 0710 WW 0770 M<& 0 << MKZ w & \p >&r0! $ (} \# ' S o l i s t i o jett * *# i/Af c ^ / ) ^ i tffM }'Xf/ffiT*\ copic&TffiTtof- AAl I ,jrflAOEflto ' i /~j&LX0y,uur. I ^ 3 j t i S^rlA/A7ar- f a i, . KL f e ? y 3 , 9 , -1 / corinzi1 I