Elmendorf Air Force Base
Anchorage, AK
26
1940-Present
Base Background
The Elmendorf Air Force Base began operation in 1940 and is part of the Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson camp. The Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson merged in 2010, and this area is part of the largest human settlement in the state. The base serves as a training center for soldiers involved in wartime and humanitarian efforts. While the majority of the active duty population is from the air force, there are also army, coast guard, navy, and marine corps personnel present. Both military personnel and their families live on and around the base.
Known Toxins
The following chart outlines the medical conditions associated with toxic exposure at this base, classified by the strength of evidence required (strong, good or limited).* Please keep in mind that it is not a complete list.
| Toxin | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | Good | Limited | ||
| Arsenic | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Peripheral neuropathy Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation... Diabetes Type II Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis |
Steatosis (fatty liver) Skeletal malformations... Renal (kidney) cancer Raynaud's phenomenon Pneumonitis hypersensitivity Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Nasal septal perforation Myocardial ischemia Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Hypertension Hepatoportal Sclerosis Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Congenital malformations general Cirrhosis Cardiomyopathy Bladder cancer Arrhythmias Anemia hemolytic Alopecia Adult-Onset Leukemias |
Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Myelodysplastic syndrome... Metal fume fever Immune suppression Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias) Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Acute tubular necrosis |
| Benzene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Myelodysplastic syndrome Multiple myeloma... Aplastic anemia |
Scleroderma Renal (kidney) cancer... Preterm delivery Menstrual disorders Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias |
Peripheral neuropathy Neural tube defects/CNS malformations... Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer Lung cancer Immune suppression Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Cardiac congenital malformations Breast cancer Brain cancer adult Asthma irritant |
| Benzo A Pyrene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Lung cancer |
Skin cancer (nonmelanoma) Lung cancer... Immune suppression Bladder cancer |
Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) |
| Beryllium | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Skin ulceration Pneumonitis hypersensitivity... Pneumoconiosis Chronic renal disease Berylliosis |
Renal stones Pulmonary fibrosis... Pulmonary edema Pneumonia Nasal septal perforation Granulomatous disease (liver) Bronchitis acute |
Seizures Sarcoidosis... Mesothelioma Immune suppression Cardiomyopathy Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma |
| Carbon tetrachloride | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Steatosis (fatty liver) Cirrhosis... Acute tubular necrosis Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) |
Scleroderma Porphyria toxic... Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Childhood Leukemias Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias Aplastic anemia Adult-Onset Leukemias |
Renal (kidney) cancer Pancreatitis... Pancreatic cancer Oral clefts (cleft lip and palate) Nephrotic syndrome Melanoma Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Immune suppression Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Brain cancer adult |
| Dibenzo (A,H) anthracene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Dibenzos | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Dieldrin | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens) |
Uterine cancer Thrombocytopenia... Psychiatric disturbances Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens) Colorectal cancer Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Breast cancer Adult-Onset Leukemias |
| Diesel Fuel | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Ethylbenzene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Gasoline | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | Fetal solvent syndrome/ Fetal Ethanol Syndrome |
| Heavy metals (misc.) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Pneumonitis hypersensitivity |
- | Multiple myeloma Chronic renal disease |
| Indeno pyrene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Lead | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Seizures Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility)... Peripheral neuropathy Hypertension Gout Developmental Delay Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Chronic renal disease Behavioral problems Anemia hemolytic ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Psychiatric disturbances... Preterm delivery Porphyria toxic Pancreatic cancer Nephrotic syndrome Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Immune suppression Hearing loss Glomerulonephritis Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Delayed growth Cardiomyopathy Arrhythmias Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty) |
Wilm's Tumor Uterine cancer... Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism Stomach cancer Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Osteoporosis Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Lung cancer Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Erectile dysfunction Diabetes Type II Congenital malformation Cranio Facial Colorectal cancer Carcinoid Breast cancer Brain cancer adult Bladder cancer Alzheimer's Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty) ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
| Magnesium | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Metal fume fever |
- | - |
| Mercury | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Peripheral neuropathy Hearing loss... Behavioral problems Acute tubular necrosis |
Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Immune suppression... Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens) Glomerulonephritis Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Congenital malformations general Chronic renal disease Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Aplastic anemia Anemia hemolytic |
Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism Scleroderma... Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Nephrotic syndrome Myocardial ischemia Menstrual disorders Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis |
| Perchloroethylene (PCE) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Tetrachloroethene (PERC) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Thallium | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Peripheral neuropathy |
Alopecia |
Psychiatric disturbances Menstrual disorders |
| Toluene (BTEX compounds) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Fetal solvent syndrome/ Fetal Ethanol Syndrome Congenital malformation Cranio Facial |
Steatosis (fatty liver) Scleroderma... Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Menstrual disorders Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Developmental Delay Delayed growth Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias Acute tubular necrosis Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) |
Stomach cancer Peripheral neuropathy... Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Multiple myeloma Immune suppression Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias) Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Colorectal cancer Color vision disturbance Cirrhosis Brain cancer adult Asthma irritant Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
| Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) |
Scleroderma Renal (kidney) cancer... Psychiatric disturbances Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Cirrhosis Childhood Leukemias Cardiac congenital malformations Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias |
Trigeminal neuropathy Testicular cancer... Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Raynaud's phenomenon Prostate cancer Peripheral neuropathy Pancreatitis Pancreatic cancer Oral clefts (cleft lip and palate) Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Nephrotic syndrome Multiple myeloma Lung cancer Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Immune suppression Hodgkin's Disease (lymphoma) Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias) Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Choanal atresia Cervical cancer Brain cancer adult Adult-Onset Leukemias ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity Acute tubular necrosis |
| Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Rhinitis irritant |
- | - |
| White phosphorus | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Xylene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | Scleroderma Menstrual disorders... Arrhythmias |
Stomach cancer Peripheral neuropathy... Delayed growth Colorectal cancer Brain cancer adult Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) |
If you worked or trained at the Elmendorf Air Force Base, you may be eligible for compensation for medical conditions associated with toxic exposure.
*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.