US EPA

1486042 

Technical Report 

Oil spill accident in the Sea of Japan 

Kizu, R; Ando, K; Hayakawa, K 

1998 

BIOSIS/99/05034 

44 

5 

321-333 

jpn 

BIOSIS COPYRIGHT: BIOL ABS. The Russian tanker Nakhodka met a hull-broken accident in sailing in the Sea of Japan on January 2, 1997, releasing approximately 6200 kl of heavy oil into the Sea of Japan. The spilled oil was driven by the prevailing winds and water currents and polluted the coastline from the Shimane Prefecture through the Yamagata Prefecture. While much effort was made to remove the reached oil, many workers engaged in oil-removing complained of an eyeache, giddiness, a headache, etc. These symptoms were considered to be caused by volatile chemicals in the oil. Although the greater part of the oiled coastline was cleaned shortly after the oil pollution, there is concern that sands, rocks and sea water of the shore were still contaminated with chemicals included in the oil. Furthermore, some part has remained not to be treated. Extensive scientific studies were conducted to 1) evaluate the influence of volatile chemicals in the spilled oil on the health of oil-removing workers, 2) ass 

Ecology; Biochemical Studies-General; Toxicology-Environmental and Industrial Toxicology; Public Health: Environmental Health-Air; Hominidae