scholarly journals Deepwater Horizon oil spill impacts on Alabama beaches

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 3639-3649 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Hayworth ◽  
T. P. Clement ◽  
J. F. Valentine

Abstract. From mid June 2010 to early August 2010, the white sandy beaches along Alabama's Gulf coast were inundated with crude oil discharged from the Deepwater Horizon well. The long-term consequences of this environmental catastrophe are still unfolding. Although BP has attempted to clean up some of these beaches, there still exist many unanswered questions regarding the physical, chemical, and ecological state of the oil contaminated beach system. In this paper, we present our understanding of what is known and known to be unknown with regard to the current state of Alabama's beaches in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Motivated by our observations of the evolving distribution of oil in Alabama's beaches and BP's clean-up activities, we offer our thoughts on the lessons learned from this oil spill disaster.

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 6721-6747 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Hayworth ◽  
T. P. Clement ◽  
J. F. Valentine

Abstract. From mid June 2010 to early August 2010, the white sandy beaches along Alabama's Gulf coast were inundated with crude oil discharged from the Deepwater Horizon well. The long-term consequences of this environmental catastrophe are still unfolding. Although BP has attempted to clean up some of these beaches, there still exist many unanswered questions regarding the physical, chemical, and ecological state of the oil contaminated beach system. In this paper, we present our understanding of what is known and known to be unknown with regard to the current state of Alabama's beaches in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Motivated by our observations of the evolving distribution of oil in Alabama's beaches and BP's clean-up activities, we offer our thoughts on the lessons learned from this oil spill disaster.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joohee Lee ◽  
Bret J. Blackmon ◽  
David M. Cochran ◽  
Bandana Kar ◽  
Timothy A. Rehner ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveThis study examined the role of community resilience and psychological resilience on depressive symptoms in areas on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that have experienced multiple disasters.MethodsSurvey administration took place in the spring of 2015 to a spatially stratified, random sample of households. This analysis included a total of 294 subjects who lived in 1 of the 3 counties of the Mississippi Gulf Coast at the time of both Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. The survey included the Communities Advancing Resilience Toolkit (CART) scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 10), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).ResultsThere was a significant inverse relationship between psychological resilience and depressive symptoms and a significant positive relationship between community resilience and psychological resilience. The results also revealed that community resilience was indirectly related to depressive symptoms through the mediating variable of psychological resilience.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the importance of psychological resilience in long-term disaster recovery and imply that long-term recovery efforts should address factors associated with both psychological and community resilience to improve mental health outcomes. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:241–248)


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 889-897 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajeev Ramchand ◽  
Rachana Seelam ◽  
Vanessa Parks ◽  
Bonnie Ghosh-Dastidar ◽  
Matthew R. Lee ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTObjective:The aim of this study was to (1) assess the long-term mental and behavioral health outcomes of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill of residents in the Gulf Coast and to (2) identify populations that may be particularly vulnerable to future disasters.Methods:The Survey of Trauma, Resilience, and Opportunity in Neighborhoods in the Gulf (STRONG) is a population-representative sample of 2520 coastal residents surveyed in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida in 2016. We present prevalence estimates for positive screens of depression, anxiety, and alcohol misuse, as well as receipt of health care services. We examine differences in these outcomes across states, affected occupational groups, and demographic groups.Results:Resource loss attributed to the spill was associated with positive screens for depression and anxiety. Almost 50% of adults screened positive for depression, anxiety, or alcohol misuse, but less than 20% of these currently access mental health care. Black residents were less likely to have health insurance and a usual source of care but were more likely to have visited the emergency room in the past 12 months.Conclusions:Surveillance data from STRONG can help policy-makers and other stakeholders develop targeted approaches to foster resilience, particularly among vulnerable populations, and thereby mitigate the effects of future disasters.


2001 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 17-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Stone

This article describes my EPA/SfAA Fellowship experience with the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, conducted between August 1999 and October 2000. It generally follows the format of Robert Wulff's and Shirley Fiske's Anthropological Praxis: Translating Knowledge into Action (Boulder CO: Westview. 1987), with major sections devoted to "Client and Problem," "Process and Players," "Results and Evaluation," and "The Anthropological Difference." The article concludes by summarizing the lessons learned through the fellowship and its potential long-term consequences for public consultation in Great Lakes environmental management. I gratefully acknowledge support provided by my fellowship host, sponsors, and supervisors; however, the positions I take in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect their opinions.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary Goldman ◽  
John A. Kaufman ◽  
J. Danielle Sharpe ◽  
Amy F. Wolkin ◽  
Matthew O. Gribble

Introduction: In April 2010, a fatal explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in the largest accidental marine oil spill in history. This research describes the association of oil exposure with anxiety after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and evaluates effect modification by self-mastery, emotional support, and cleanup participation. Methods: To assess the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted the Gulf States Population Survey, a random-digit-dial telephone cross-sectional survey completed between December 2010 and December 2011 with 38,361 responses in four different Gulf Coast states­: Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. Anxiety severity was measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder symptom inventory. We used Tobit regression to model underlying anxiety as a function of oil exposure and hypothesized effect modifiers, adjusting for socio-demographics. Results: Latent anxiety was higher among those directly exposed to oil than among those who were not directly exposed to oil in confounder-adjusted models (β=2.84, 95% CI: 0.78, 4.91). Among individuals exposed to oil, there was no significant interaction between participating in cleanup activities and emotional support for anxiety ( P=0.16). However, among those directly exposed to oil, in confounder-adjusted models, participation in oil spill cleanup activities was associated with lower latent anxiety (β=-3.50, 95% CI: -6.10, -0.90). Conclusion: Oil contact was associated with greater anxiety, but this association appeared to be mitigated by cleanup participation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 ◽  
pp. 106593
Author(s):  
Melissa Rohal ◽  
Noe Barrera ◽  
Elva Escobar-Briones ◽  
Gregg Brooks ◽  
David Hollander ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Daniel Jackson ◽  
Meng Huang ◽  
Harshica Fernando ◽  
Ghulam Ansari ◽  
Marilyn Howarth ◽  
...  

This article provides a description of the rationale and processes adopted by the Gulf Coast Health Alliance: Health Risks related to the Macondo Spill consortium to evaluate and communicate the risk of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seafood over several years following the Deepwater Horizon disaster and subsequent oil spill. We examined gaps in knowledge associated with PAH toxicity following exposure to petrogenic (oil-derived) PAHs by studying the metabolic fate of PAHs and their potential toxicity using sophisticated analytical methods. Using the data generated, we developed a risk communication strategy designed to meet the needs of the stakeholder communities including a consumption guideline calculator, a web-based tool to reconcile seafood consumption with risk of adverse health effects.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (7) ◽  
pp. 295-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen K. White ◽  
Shelby L. Lyons ◽  
Sarah J. Harrison ◽  
David M. Findley ◽  
Yina Liu ◽  
...  

1997 ◽  
Vol 1997 (1) ◽  
pp. 265-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chantal C. Guénette ◽  
Linn Aasnes ◽  
Odd Arne Folium

ABSTRACT A summary of shoreline cleanup case studies in Norway is presented. Six spills, spanning more than two decades, are reviewed in terms of spill size, oil type, shoreline type, extent of oiling, cleanup techniques that were used, and lessons learned. This evaluation is based on situation reports, follow-up studies, and papers. The lessons learned and recommendations for improving the current response practices are discussed in terms of recent advances regarding current state of knowledge in oil spill behavior and cleanup techniques. These issues are addressed with reference to the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority's stated aim to strengthen shoreline cleanup response capabilities in Norway.


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