Leading Toxicologists Unveil Significant Findings on Ecological and Health Effects from the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill at the Society of Toxicology’s 50th Annual Meeting

Scientific Research Findings on Human, Vegetative and Wildlife Effects Offers Greater Understanding of the Oil Spill’s Impact

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading toxicologists will present new findings related to adverse vegetative, wildlife and human health effects resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill affecting 2,500 square miles in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010. Panelists will share findings based on data from other spills, including the types of adverse health effects that may occur over time. Findings will be presented in a Symposium titled, “Toxicological Considerations in the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill” on March 7, 2011, at the Society of Toxicology’s 50^th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

The Deepwater Horizon oilrig explosion that occurred near Louisiana resulted in a release of petroleum crude oil 41 miles offshore and one mile deep. While potential effects of the catastrophe have not been totally understood, new findings offer an understanding of the exposure factors, and the conditions present at and near the spill site.

“The Society of Toxicology is pleased to be able to be a part of the ongoing effort to understand the adverse affects of the spill on vegetation, animals, and human health. Understanding the magnitude of the short-term effects will aid greatly in devising strategies to address potential long-term effects and in controlling adverse health outcomes,” according to Dr. Michael Holsapple, 2011 President of the Society of Toxicology.

Key topics and presenters at the Symposium are:

• Toxicological Considerations in the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill: Introduction, Michael Ottlinger, U.S. EPA, Cincinnati, OH.
• The Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem: Consequences of the BP Oil Spill, William Benson, U.S., EPA, Gulf Breeze, Fl.
• The Fate, Behavior, and Weathering of Spilled Oil from the Deepwater Horizon Spill, Jacqueline Michel, Research Planning, Inc. Columbia SC.
• Oil Spill Chemical Dispersants: The Good, the Bad, or the Ugly? Carys Mitchelmore, University of Maryland, Solomons, MD.
• Short-term Health Effects from Oil Spills, Nalaini Sathiakumar, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
• Risk Assessment of the Spill: Critical Information Needs, William Farland, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.

About the Society of Toxicology

The Society of Toxicology (SOT) is a professional and scholarly organization of scientists from academic institutions, government, and industry representing the great variety of scientists who practice toxicology in the U.S. and abroad. SOT is committed to creating a safer and healthier world by advancing the science of toxicology. The Society promotes the acquisition and utilization of knowledge in toxicology and aids in the protection of public health. The Society has a strong commitment to education in toxicology and to the recruitment of students and new members into the profession.

To learn more about the results of the 2010 Gulf Oil spill and to schedule a media interview with key presenters at the Society of Toxicology’s 50^th Annual Meeting, please contact:

Martha Lindauer: [e-mail] or 703-438-3115

Kelley Connors: [e-mail] or 203-856-3732

Leigh Fazzina: [e-mail] or 610-316-4126

Members of the news media may visit http://www.toxicology.org/ai/meet/am2011/media.asp to learn about other key topics being presented by the nation’s top scientific researchers at the Society of Toxicology’s 50^th Annual Meeting.