title: The wreckage of the oil tanker 'Erika'--human health risk assessment of beach cleaning, sunbathing and swimming.
abstract: In December 1999 the oil tanker 'Erika', carrying approximately 30 tons of heavy fuel oil, wrecked before the coast of Brittany (France), polluting the local beaches and rocks over a distance of some 500 km. Also numerous birds were affected. During the first months of 2000 the coastal area and many birds were cleaned. The health risk for people involved in these cleaning activities and for tourists was evaluated with emphasis on the carcinogenic properties of this oil. The outcome indicates that the risks were limited to people who had been in bare-handed contact with the oil. Firstly they had an increased risk for developing skin irritation and dermatitis, however, these effects are in general reversible. Secondly they had an increased risk for developing skin tumours, but since the dermal contacts with the oil were of relative short duration, this risk is considered to be very limited.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Centre for Substances and Risk Assessment (CSR), P.O. Box 1, NL 3720 BA Bilthoven, Netherlands. aj.baars@rivm.nl
authors.forename: Bert Jan
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Baars
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001493:Bathing Beaches; D001717:Birds; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005602:France; D005648:Fuel Oils / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D005648:Fuel Oils; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical