New Study Finds Health Damage From Ohio Toxic Train Spill

A new study suggests that some people who lived near a toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, may have suffered lasting health damage. Researchers looked at blood samples taken from residents about six months after the crash in February 2023. The results showed signs that some people's bodies were still reacting to harmful chemicals from the wreck.

The train, operated by Norfolk Southern, derailed in the small town of about 4,700 people near the edge of the Appalachian hills. Dozens of train cars caught fire, and some carried a dangerous chemical called vinyl chloride. Two days after the crash, officials decided to burn off the vinyl chloride on purpose to prevent a bigger explosion, sending a giant fireball into the sky.

After the fire, a strong chemical smell stayed in the air for weeks. Scientists found that levels of a harmful substance called dioxin were up to 14 times higher than what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers safe. Other toxic chemicals, known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, were also released into the air and ground.

The new study is called a 'pilot study,' which means it was a small first step in a larger research effort. Scientists compared blood tests from East Palestine residents with blood tests from people who were not exposed to the chemicals. The residents near the crash site showed higher numbers of red blood cells, more inflammation, and changes in the cells their bodies use to fight off danger.

Researchers also found that the exposed residents had higher levels of proteins that help repair damaged tissue. At the same time, they had fewer of the cells that normally fight infections. These patterns suggest the body was working hard to deal with a chemical attack, not a typical illness.

'This pilot shows evidence that the bodies of those who lived in close proximity to the site were still fighting and repairing from a toxic exposure,' said Erin Haynes, a researcher at the University of Kentucky and a co-author of the study. She said VOCs can harm every organ in the human body. There is still much scientists do not know about how our bodies recover from chemical exposures.

One resident, Jessica Boersma, lives less than a quarter mile from the crash site. She is also a city council member, so she spent a lot of time at the wreck site helping to coordinate with emergency workers. Her blood test showed signs of inflammation and tissue repair, and she reported symptoms like gall bladder pain and an itchy throat and nose in the months after the crash.

Boersma told reporters that she wants to see clear, scientific data about how the disaster affected people's health. 'I feel pretty normal now, but I'm interested in getting involved because I want proof — clinical, and black-and-white data — that show health markers that I could follow,' she said. She added that some of her own patients had reported similar health problems after the crash.

Not everyone in the study showed the same results, though. Ron and Peggy Caratelli live about eight-tenths of a mile from the crash site, which is farther away than Boersma. They left town as soon as evacuation orders were given and stayed away for about a month, and their blood tests showed no signs of immune system damage.

The study's authors were careful to point out that the findings do not prove the train derailment caused the health changes they observed. They also said the results do not mean any one person is sick or will get sick in the future. Researchers at the University of Kentucky plan to study a larger group of residents and first responders to learn more about the long-term effects of the disaster.