Oil from the Gulf Spill Causes Respiratory Risks for Cleanup Workers and Area Residents

Bonded activated carbon filters from UltraViolet Devices (UVDI) provide air cleaning solutions to keep cleanup crews and others safe from the hazardous off-gassing from the oil spill.

Last week the Associated Press reported that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has already released between 42 to more than 100 million gallons of oil. This has not only created a natural disaster for wildlife in the area, but has also had a devastating impact on area residents.

Thousands of people have been hired to help remove the oil and recently the American Lung Association sent a letter to the Secretary of Labor expressing their concern about the respiratory impact on the workers on and near the Gulf. According to the American Lung Association’s website “the letter urges swift action to monitor air pollution levels and to assure that all workers near and at the spill site are properly trained, equipped with appropriate respirators and protected from dangerous air pollutants and toxics they may inhale.”

The crude oil and natural gases that have contaminated the Gulf are complex chemicals. Crude oil contains hundreds of compounds, comprised primarily of hydrogen and carbon along with some sulfur, nitrogen, metal, and oxygen compounds. When exposed to air they create volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hydrocarbons in the form of gases. Chemicals such as benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are very toxic components of crude oil and of high concern. These and other chemicals are volatile, moving from the oil into air. Once airborne they can blow over the ocean for miles reaching communities far from the oil spill. Those working on the spill, and people far from it, can be exposed to crude oil chemicals in the air.

Granular activated carbon filters remove these hazardous air pollutants and UVDI’s Sparks Technology™ brand of bonded activated carbon is ideally suited for removing these harmful gases. Sparks Technology utilizes a proprietary bonded activated carbon manufacturing process known as BPS™ (Bonded Particulate Structure) technology that increases their effectiveness.

“The natural disaster is tragic enough, we need to make sure those area residents and cleanup crews are not having their health jeopardized by breathing toxic fumes,” reported Ashish Mathur, PhD, UVDI’s Director of Filtration Technology. “Sparks Technology BPS carbon products are designed to remove these harmful gases from the air and offer protection for people and the environment.” Mathur continued.

To learn more about activated carbon filtration or UVDI please visit www.UVDI.com, email info@UVDI.com or call (877) 787-3882.

About UltraViolet Devices, Inc.
UVDI is a leading manufacturer and supplier of UV products for both air, surface and water disinfection. Under the ALTRU-V® brand, UVDI markets a full line of UV-C products for the HVACR market, providing the key benefits of reduced energy consumption and lower maintenance costs while delivering cleaner, healthier air. Sparks Technology™ advanced filtration brand provides bonded activated carbon and for use in commercial and industrial applications worldwide.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

Director of Public Relations

UVDI

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