Health effects research in oil shale development

Technical Report · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5993819· OSTI ID:5993819

Schultz, T. W.; Witschi, H.; Smith, L. H.; Haschek, W. M.; Holland, J. M.; Epler, J. L.; Fry, R. J.M.; Rao, T. K.; Larimer, F. W.; Dumont, J. N.

This task includes the testing of primary effluents and products of oil shales to determine the risk posed to the shale oil industrial worker as well as consumer. Paraho/Sohio Shale Oil was found to be mutagenic in the Ames assay and confirmed in the yeast system. After chemical fractionation of the crude shale oil, it was found that the mutagenic activity was contributed by the organic constituents of the basic and neutral fractions. Hydrotreatment of the shale oil abolished the detectable mutagenic activity and also reduced the cytotoxicity as measured in cellular systems. Refined shale oil, jet fuel, and diesel fuel marine samples were not mutagenic. The samples rank for their mutagenic activity as coal oils > shale oil > natural petroleum crudes and only qualitatively agree with carcinogenic activity. Acute toxicity of Paraho Crude Shale Oil and its upgraded derivatives does not appear to be a problem of immediate concern. The data obtained in the lung adenoma bioassay suggest that Crude Shale Oil has tumorigenic potential. Paraho shale oil is carcinogenic in mouse skin. Hydrotreatment reduces but does not eliminate skin carcinogenicity and appreciable carcinogenic activity remains in the residue material. Kidney injury was noted following chronic dermal exposure to shale and petroleum derived middle distillates.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5993819
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-8034; ON: DE82002911
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040700 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Health & Safety
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
294004 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Oil Shales & Tar Sands
560302 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Microorganisms-- (-1987)
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMPHIBIANS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BACTERIA
BIOASSAY
BODY
CARCINOGENESIS
CILIATA
DATA
DISTILLATES
EMBRYOS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GUINEA PIGS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INVERTEBRATES
LIQUID WASTES
MAMMALS
MICE
MICROORGANISMS
MINERAL OILS
MUTAGEN SCREENING
MUTAGENESIS
NUMERICAL DATA
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATHOGENESIS
PROTOZOA
RABBITS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RODENTS
SALMONELLA
SCREENING
SHALE OIL
SKIN
TERATOGENESIS
TETRAHYMENA
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER