Base Background
Location
McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, United States
Years of Operation
1941-Present
McGuire Air Force Base opened in 1941. After briefly shutting down, it re-opened in 1948. The base is currently known as the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The Air Force is the main branch on the base, and there are over 44,000 service members present. Currently, the 87th Air Base Wing, 305th Air Mobility Wing, and other associate tenants are on the base.
Known Toxins
The following chart outlines the toxins associated with this military location and the potential effects of exposure.*
| Toxin | Potential Effects | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | Good | Limited | ||
| Arsenic | Potential Effects | 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 |
| Barium | Potential Effects | - | - | Sarcoidosis, Arrhythmias |
| Cadmium | Potential Effects | Renal stones, Osteoporosis, Itaiitai disease, Chronic renal disease, Acute tubular necrosis | Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility), Prostate cancer, Pneumonia, Nephrotic syndrome, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Cardiomyopathy, Anemia hemolytic | Testicular cancer, Soft tissue sarcoma, Renal (kidney) cancer, Pulmonary fibrosis, Pulmonary edema, Peripheral neuropathy, Pancreatic cancer, Oral clefts (cleft lip and palate), Neural tube defects/CNS malformations, Metal fume fever, Menstrual disorders, Immune suppression, Hypoactivity, Hypertension, Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias), Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation, Congenital malformation Cranio Facial, Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span), Brain cancer adult, Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA, Arrhythmias, ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity, Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
| Chlorobenzene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Copper | Potential Effects | - | Nasal septal perforation, Metal fume fever, Lung cancer, Granulomatous disease (liver), Decreased vision (includes blindness, retinopathy, optic neuropathy), Chronic renal disease, Angiosarcoma (hepatic), Anemia hemolytic | Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary fibrosis, Neural tube defects/CNS malformations, Myelodysplastic syndrome, Immune suppression, Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA, Acute tubular necrosis |
| Lead | Potential Effects | 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, Nephrotic syndrome, 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), Hearing loss, Glomerulonephritis, Delayed growth, Cardiomyopathy, Arrhythmias, Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty) | Wilm's Tumor, Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism, Stomach cancer, Osteoporosis, Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome), Lung cancer, Erectile dysfunction, Congenital malformation Cranio Facial, Carcinoid, Brain cancer adult, Bladder cancer, Alzheimer's, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) |
| Mercury | Potential Effects | Peripheral neuropathy, Hearing loss, Behavioral problems, Acute tubular necrosis | Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age, Immune suppression, 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, Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens), Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis |
| Methyl ethyl ketone | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Nickel | Potential Effects | Asthma allergic | Stomach cancer, Pulmonary fibrosis, Pulmonary edema, Nasal septal perforation, Laryngeal cancer, Immune suppression | Soft tissue sarcoma, Renal (kidney) cancer, Prostate cancer, Myocardial ischemia, Myelodysplastic syndrome, Metal fume fever, Mesothelioma, Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth), Arrhythmias |
| Polychlorinated Byphenyls (PCBs) | Potential Effects | Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism, Porphyria toxic, Developmental Delay, Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation, Cirrhosis, Chloracne, Behavioral problems, ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity | Peripheral neuropathy, Pancreatic cancer, Menstrual disorders, Lymphoma non Hodgkin's, Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age, Immune suppression, Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer), Dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, Delayed growth, Congenital malformation Cranio Facial, Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span), Bronchitis chronic, Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis), Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) | Testicular cancer, Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility), Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders, Hypoactivity, Hypertension, Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation, Hearing loss, Endometriosis, Diabetes Type I, Breast cancer, Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma, Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty), Altered sex ratio |
| Toluene (BTEX compounds) | Potential Effects | 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), Arrhythmias, Acute tubular necrosis | Stomach cancer, Peripheral neuropathy, Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome), Neural tube defects/CNS malformations, Immune suppression, Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias), Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium, Colorectal cancer, Color vision disturbance, Brain cancer adult, Asthma irritant, Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis), Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
| Zinc | Potential Effects | Skin ulceration | - | Testicular cancer |
If you were stationed at McGuire Air Force Base and later experienced adverse health effects, you may be eligible for compensation.
*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.
