Toluene

More than 5,000 people live within a 7.0 km circle surrounding the Combustion Superfund site east of Baton Rogue, LA. As much as 9 million gallons of used motor oil and waste chemicals were processed here in 1975-76 and 3-4 million gallons each year from 1977 to 1983. Lesser amounts had been handled before 1975. The residents noted an apparent excess of cancers and cancer deaths including a cluster of acute leukemia in kindergarten children which triggered community concern by 1989. Preliminary investigation showed many cancers and a high frequency of health complaints in residents and confirmed the large through-put of neurotoxic solvents and tetraethyl lead at the site.

Our hypothesis that neurotoxicity had occurred due to proximity to the site was based on the exposure and the complaints. A neurobehavioral evaluation was planned to compare a self selected group of "worse case" residents to an unexposed group from 35 km away, outside the modeled plume of contamination. Neurobehavioral testing was appropriate because toluene and lead, known neurotoxicants, were most abundant in the chemicals which passed through the site. They were also most common in samples of sludge. Based on bills of lading and admissions of waste chemical disposed at the site during 17 years of operation, the plant is presumed to have emitted toluene, hexane, benzene, xylene, styrene, hydrocarbons, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, 1,1,1 trichloroethane, chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene, tri(ortho) cresyl phosphate, tetraethyl and tetramethyl lead, ethylene dibromide, ethylene dichloride, carbon monoxide, PCBs, dibenzofurans, lead, cadmium, mercury, thallium and other metals. After operations ceased in 1983 the ponds, grounds and run-off water were contaminated with these and many other chemicals so the site was placed on state and national Superfund lists.