Hurricane Katrina caused an aboveground storage tank to break loose and release 1.05 million gallons of crude oil into a residential area of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, contaminating over 1700 homes and numerous waterways. Initial testing of the contaminated areas found elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs), and arsenic, which are known to cause health effects like cancer, reproductive issues, and immune system harm. Cleanup efforts like hosing down oil from streets and canals took place over subsequent months.

1. Consequences of Katrina:Consequences of Katrina:
Present and Potential Toxic Effects of
Crude Oil Contaminants
St. Bernard Parish, LA
By
Arloe Fontenot

2. August 30, 2005August 30, 2005
Hurricane Katrina comes ashore along the
Louisiana and Mississippi coast
Katrina’s storm surge causes an
aboveground storage tank to float off it’s
base and release 1.05 million gallons of
mixed crude oil into a residential area
Over 1700 homes and numerous waterways
affected

3. Murphy Oil SpillMurphy Oil Spill
 Aerial photo of Murphy Oil spill in Chalmette, Louisiana,
showing oil tanks & streets covered with oil slick.

4. Damaged Storage TankDamaged Storage Tank

5. CleanupCleanup
 Photo of a Murphy Oil
contractor hosing down
the side of a canal
 Oil residue on the green
Waste Management
garbage can be seen in the
foreground. The trees
along the banks of the
canal have turned brown
at the oil line.
 Taken about a month after
Hurricane Katrina


6. ContaminationContamination
Initial testing showed elevated levels of
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),
total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs), and
arsenic

7. Polycyclic AromaticPolycyclic Aromatic
Hydrocarbons (PAHs)Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
 2 or more fused
aromatic rings, no
constituents
 Large sticky
molecules
 Benzo [a] pyrene first
chemical carcinogen
classified
 Low water solubility,
accumulate in soils
easily
 Reproductive
difficulty in mice
 Harmful to immune
system in humans

8. Total Petroleum HydrocarbonsTotal Petroleum Hydrocarbons
(TPHs)(TPHs)
 Largest component of
crude oil
 Diesel and Oil range
hydrocarbons
 Benzene-linked to
leukemia and immune
suppression

9. Toxic Metals in Crude OilToxic Metals in Crude Oil
Arsenic, well known poison, inorganic form
more toxic than organic form
Cadmium, competitive inhibition with zinc,
extremely toxic in low concentrations,
increased breast cancer risk
Hexavalent chromium (Cr+6) causes cell
damage (genotoxic); Erin Brockovich

10. Toxic Metals in Crude OilToxic Metals in Crude Oil
Arsenic, well known poison, inorganic form
more toxic than organic form
Cadmium, competitive inhibition with zinc,
extremely toxic in low concentrations,
increased breast cancer risk
Hexavalent chromium (Cr+6) causes cell
damage (genotoxic); Erin Brockovich