EAST PALESTINE, Ohio, May 11, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Dr. Beatrice Golomb, professor of medicine at University of California San Diego School of Medicine (https://www.golombresearchgroup.org/#intro), and Scott Smith, Chief Sustainability Officer of ECO Integrated Technologies, Inc. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-smith-h2o/), announced today that they are collaborating to help the residents of East Palestine and surrounding communities impacted by the chemicals released from the Feb. 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern train derailment and subsequent controlled burn.
This study will secure information on exposures (related to the when and where), as well as use of local water (for drinking, cooking, bathing, etc.) and exposures to air, local food, etc.
The team will also collect blood — both for testing now of health-relevant markers that may be affected by train-derailment toxins and to archive samples to enable future testing of "early" samples when new information emerges and new scientific ideas require testing.
The intent is to follow people over time to assess how early exposures, symptoms and objective blood markers may predict or relate to health developments going forward. Note: Examples of markers previously reported to be affected by East Palestine-relevant toxins include liver, kidney and thyroid function; "metabolic" markers like blood sugar and cholesterol; and reproductive hormone levels.
Dr. Golomb stated, "We are so excited to work with Scott Smith and have the benefit of his environmental testing for this East Palestine health effects study. His involvement elevates the exposure assessments and robustness of this effort."
Smith stated, "It is simple. Whether it is blood, urine, soil, water, air intake vents and/or furnace filters, you can't find what you don't look for. I am honored to be working with Dr. Golomb and her team to help the residents of East Palestine and surrounding communities."
Dr. Golomb has more than 25 years' experience working with mixed-toxin exposure in relation to Gulf War illness: The 1990-91 operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield involved an unprecedented number of exposures that left a third of Gulf War veterans with chronic illness attributable to their deployment — and these individuals also have increased risk of a range of "comorbid" health conditions as a consequence of their valorous service. Many lessons learned are directly applicable to the East Palestine mixed-toxin exposure scenario, particularly since critical mechanisms of toxicity that Dr. Golomb's lab has shown are central to the resulting (Gulf War) illness also constitute mechanisms of toxicity for East Palestine toxins.
Of potential relevance, too, in the Gulf War, there were exposures to plumes of burned toxins, both following a munitions depot demolition that led ~100,000 individuals to be exposed as well as following exposures to "burn pits," in which multiple toxic substances were incinerated with resulting toxic combustion products aerosolized and breathed in, to the health detriment of military personnel.
This study has now been approved by the Human Research Protections Program at University of California San Diego, so is poised to move forward. This is a grass-roots study, and donations make a difference.
Link to donate to help with this study and associated laboratory tests is: https://giveto.ucsd.edu/giving/home/gift-referral/3844fa41-d8ae-4ca1-9405-89d4e5c2a50a.
There will be more announcements in the coming weeks, including a Zoom press conference to discuss more details.
Contact Information:Paloma Chavez
Research Coordinator
golombresearch@ucsd.edu
Original Source: Study Initiated to Track Health and Laboratory/Blood Markers in Residents of East Palestine and Beyond in Areas Apparently Affected by the Plume
