Research Triangle Park, NC - The EI Group, Inc. (EI) has recently been retained to monitor air quality in the Gulf of Mexico associated with the BP oil spill. EI’s industrial hygienists are looking for evidence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as hydrogen sulfide, benzene and naphthalene that can evaporate into the air and result in symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, eye irritation and respiratory issues. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is also closely monitoring these hazardous airborne compounds resultant from the oil pollution.
The environmental effects of the chemicals and dispersants in crude oil are well documented but the health effects for individuals in contact with the airborne VOC’s are less certain. John Howard, representing the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), noted that the VOC’s present in near proximity to the oil leak source pose a greater risk of inhalational exposure than the risk encountered in weathered crude oil near the shoreline. For this reason, EI’s hygienists have been stationed aboard a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ship to monitor VOC’s as the oil is aerosolized at “ground zero.”
About The EI Group, Inc. - The EI Group was founded in 1988 as an environmental, health and safety consulting firm dedicated to providing quality, cost-effective consulting, training and engineering services to the public and private sectors nationwide. EI, a privately owned company, employs approximately one hundred (100) professionals and is headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, with branch offices in Charlotte and Wilmington, North Carolina; Richmond and Roanoke, Virginia; Greenville, South Carolina; Louisville, Kentucky; and Dallas, Texas.
For more information on The EI Group and its service offerings, please contact Mr. Chris Murray, CIH, at cmurray@ei1.com or 919.459.5257.
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