PREVENTIVE MEDICINE SUPPORT DURING OPERATION DESERT SHIELD

File: 970101_sep96_decls50_0003.txt
Page: 0003
Total Pages: 6

Subject: PREVENTIVE MEDICINE SUPPORT DURING OPERATION DESERT SHIELD      

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box  ID: BX003205

Folder Title: INFORMATION PAPERS                                                                              

Document Number:          4

Folder Seq  #:         33











                                                            SPSP-PSP-E
                                                           I February 1991


                                     INFORMATION PAPER

            SUBJECT: Preventive Medicine Implications from Crude Oil

            1. Purpose. To provide information on preventive medicine
            implications of human contact with Kuwaiti crude oil or its
            contamination of field water supplies used in operation Desert
            Storm.


            2. Facts.

                a. Human Health Hazards. Kuwaiti crude oil is a variable
            mixture: 34-57 percent by weight aliphatic hydrocarbons (HC)
            (e.g., parafins - relatively nontoxic; prolonged exposure can
            result in skin irritation, CNS depression)t 23 percent
            alicyclic IIC (e.g., naphthenes - high concentrations can
            produce CNS narcosis), and 24-40 percent aromatic HC (e.g.,
            benzene, toluene, xylene - implicated as carcinogenic, CNS
            hazard, renal and hepatic toxicity); non-HC components include
            sulfides, most notably hydrogen sulfide (H2S). H2S is toxic,
            is not effectively filtered by the M17 and 40-series masks and
            exposure to concentrations over 1000 ppm can result in coma or
            death in minutes, which can readily occur in non-ventilated
            areas like storage tanks. Hazards can also occur from trace
            heavy metals found in crude oil, such as lead and mercury, but
            typically would require ingestion of large quantities over an
            extended time. Militarily, the overall health threat from
            Kuwaiti crude oil is low as long as prolonged contact is
            avoided, unprotected skin is promptly washed with any
            commercial liquid dishwashing soap and entry into confined
            spaces where the volatile components can accumulate is
such
            as an air-line respirator.

                b. Field Water Treatment and Distribution. The Reverse
            Osmosis Water Purification Units (ROWPU) used in Desert Storm
            will )reclude                 oil 'into'@tnklnq water.
            However, the ROWPU membranes wi=.                quickly fouled
            so that water quality and quantity quickly deteriorates.
            Removal of oil from the ROWPU in the field would be
            time-consuming, difficult and would require replacement of the
            membranes. Field cleaning of oil contaminated fabric or
            rubberized storage tanks would not be possible. Canteens and
            5-gallon cans could be cleaned using strong soap solutions.
            Removal of oil from water prior to treatment by the ROWPU can
            be successfully accomplished using one of more of the following
            steps: gravel screens over intake lines, holding ponds serving
            as oil/water separators, use of activated carbon pretreatment
            columns, use of infiltration lagoons at beaches.

Document 6 f:/Week-36/BX003205/INFORMATION PAPERS/preventive medicine support during operation des:12249609313851
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003205
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = INFORMATION PAPERS
Folder Seq # = 33
Subject = PREVENTIVE MEDICINE SUPPORT DURING OPERATION DES
Document Seq # = 4
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 24-DEC-1996