Table 1 Health effects of the Bhopal methyl isocyanate gas leak exposure [8, 30-32].
Early effects (0–6 months) | |
|---|---|
Ocular | Chemosis, redness, watering, ulcers, photophobia |
Respiratory | Distress, pulmonary edema, pneumonitis, pneumothorax. |
Gastrointestinal | Persistent diarrhea, anorexia, persistent abdominal pain. |
Genetic | Increased chromosomal abnormalities. |
Psychological | Neuroses, anxiety states, adjustment reactions |
Neurobehavioral | Impaired audio and visual memory, impaired vigilance attention and response time, Impaired reasoning and spatial ability, impaired psychomotor coordination. |
Late effects (6 months onwards) | |
Ocular | Persistent watering, corneal opacities, chronic conjunctivitis |
Respiratory | Obstructive and restrictive airway disease, decreased lung function. |
Reproductive | Increased pregnancy loss, increased infant mortality, decreased placental/fetal weight |
Genetic | Increased chromosomal abnormalities |
Neurobehavioral | Impaired associate learning, motor speed, precision |