GULF AIR POLLUTION

File: cia_65015_65015_01.txt
Page: 01
Total Pages: 1
Subject: GULF AIR POLLUTION

Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence







TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN

REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN

TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF

THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON

REQUEST.







MAR 91   DIRECTOR 561228







SUBJECT: GULF AIR POLLUTION







SHORT AND LONG EFFECTS OF MASSIVE AIR POLLUTION.

2. SHORTLY BEFORE THE GROUND OFFENSIVE BEGAN IN THE GULF, A

CONFERENCE WAS CONVENED          TO CONSIDER THE

IMPLICATIONS OF THE AIR POLLUTION THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE

CONSEQUENCES OF THE MULTIPLE OIL WELL FIRES.

3. A MAJOR HEALTH CONSIDERATION OF BURNING OIL WELL FIRES IS

HYDROGEN SULFIDE WHICH MAY CONSTITUTE UP TO 2 PERCENT OF THE GASES

RELEASED DURING BURNING. OIL PATCH WORKERS HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED

THIS GAS WHICH IS HEAVIER THAN AIR AND CAN COLLECT IN LOW LYING

PLACES AS A MAJOR HAZARD. HYDROGEN SULFIDE (APART FROM ITS

OBNOXIOUS SMELL-ROTTEN EGGS, AND ITS ABILITY TO CAUSE HEADACHES,

IRRITATION OF THE EYES, AND DIGESTIVE DISTURBANCES) IS DANGEROUS

BECAUSE IT DISPLACES THE AIR CONTAINING OXYGEN SO THAT IF AN

INDIVIDUAL NOT WEARING A RESPIRATOR WANDERS INTO A COLLECTION OF THE

GAS,HE CAN BECOME UNCONSCIOUS AND DIE IN ONLY A FEW SECONDS. THUS

THE PRESENCE OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE PRESENTS A MAJOR PROBLEM CLOSE IN

AROUND OIL WELLS AND IN PARTICULAR AROUND BURNING OIL WELLS. THE

CONFEREES RECOMMENDED THAT INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE WARNED NOT TO

VENTURE INTO AREAS THAT MIGHT COLLECT THE HYDROGEN SULFIDE GAS.

OTHER EFFECTS OF ACUTE EXPOSURE TO MASSIVE AIR POLLUTION (THE MT.

HELENA ERUPTION IS A POSSIBLE COMPARISON) SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE

EFFECTS OF THE SUSPENDED PARTICLES ON THE RESPIRATORY SYSYTEM.

SMOKE IS COMPOSED MOSTLY OF CARBON PARTICLES, MOST OF WHICH IS

TRAPPED IN THE UPPER AIRWAY. ALL INDIVIDUALS EXPOSED TO MASSIVE

AIR POLLUTION COULD BE EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE, EYE IRRITATION, UPPER

AIRWAY IRRITATION WITH RUNNY NOSES, SNEEZING, NASAL CONGESTION; AND

LOWER RESPIRATORY TRACT IRRITATION WITH COUGHING, SHORTNESS OF

BREATH, AND POSSIBLY CHEST PAIN. INDIVIDUALS WITH RESPIRATORY

DISEASE - BRONCHITIS, EMPHYSEMA, AND ASTHMA WOULD BE EXPECTED TO

HAVE INCREASED RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS INCLUDING ACUTE RESPIRATORY

INFECTIONS, PNEUMONIAS, AND EXACERBATIONS OF THE ASTHMATIC SYMPTOMS.

4. THERE IS LESS AGREEMENT AND LITTLE SUBSTANTIAL INFORMATION

ABOUT THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF THE MASSIVE AIR POLLUTION OF THE

NATURE BEING EXPERIENCED IN THE GULF. THERE ARE SOME ANIMAL STUDIES

SUGGESTING LONG TERM EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION BUT THERE IS A DEARTH

OF STUDIES OF THE LONG TERM EFFECTS IN HUMANS.







RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN THE REGION ARE (1)

NO SMOKING!! (2) DO NOT GO OUT OF DOORS MORE THAN NECESSARY, (3) DO

NOT PERFORM EXERCISES THAT INCREASE THE BREATHING RATE AND THE DEPTH

OF RESPIRATIONS. (4) SEEK EARLY MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR RESPIRATORY

SYMPTOMS. THE USE OF SURGICAL MASKS, PAPER MASKS, ETC MAY BE

HELPFUL IN LIMITING THE IRRITATION FROM THE CONTENTS OF THE AIR, BUT

THEIR USE REMAINS TO BE PROVEN BENEFICIAL.







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