title: Community health assessment following mercaptan spill: Eight Mile, Mobile County, Alabama, September 2012.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2008, a lightning strike caused a leak of tert-butyl mercaptan from its storage tank at the Gulf South Natural Gas Pumping Station in Prichard, Alabama. On July 27, 2012, the Alabama Department of Public Health requested Centers for Disease Control and Prevention epidemiologic assistance investigating possible health effects resulting from airborne exposure to mercaptan from a contaminated groundwater spring, identified in January 2012.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the self-reported health effects in the community, to determine the scope of the reported medical services received, and to develop recommendations for prevention and response to future incidents.
  
  
  METHODS
  In September 2012, we performed a representative random sampling design survey of households, comparing reported exposures and health effects among residents living in 2 circular zones located within 1 and 2 miles from the contaminated source.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight Mile community, Prichard, Alabama.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected 204 adult residents of each household (≥ 18 years) to speak for all household members.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reported mercaptan odor exposure, physical and mental health outcomes, and medical-seeking practices, comparing residents in the 1- and 2-mile zones.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the past 6 months, 97.9% of respondents in the 1-mile zone and 77.6% in the 2-mile zone reported mercaptan odors. Odor severity was greater in the 1-mile zone, in which significantly more subjects reported exposures aggravating their physical and mental health including shortness of breath, eye irritations, and agitated behavior. Overall, 36.5% sought medical care for odor-related symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term odorous mercaptan exposures were reportedly associated with physical and psychological health complaints. Communication messages should include strategies to minimize exposures and advise those with cardiorespiratory conditions to have medications readily available. Health care practitioners should be provided information on mercaptan health effects and approaches to prevent exacerbating existing chronic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Epidemic Intelligence Service (Drs Behbod and Parker), National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects (Drs Behbod, Bayleyegn and Yip), National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (Dr Parker), and Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Office of Science and Public Health Practice, Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program (Ms Morrison), US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Boston University Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Jones); Alabama Department of Public Health, Montgomery, Alabama (Drs Guarisco, McIntyre and Ms Morrison); and Mobile County Health Department, Mobile, Alabama (Ms Knight and Dr Eichold).
authors.forename: Behrooz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Behbod
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Erin A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Tesfaye
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bayleyegn
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guarisco
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Mary G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eichold
authors.forename: Fuyuen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yip
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000407:Alabama; D055884:Chemical Hazard Release / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011634:Public Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds