Patuxent River Naval Air Station

Location
Patuxent River, MD

Known Toxins
31

Years of Operation
1943-Present

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Base Background

The military approved construction for Patuxent River Naval Air Station following the attacks on Pearl Harbor, and the base officially opened in 1943. This site soon became a major employer in the area and one of the Navy’s most important bases in Maryland and nationwide. NAS Patuxent River is currently home to over 50 tenants, including the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and Naval Air Systems Command. Development, research, testing, and engineering are among their main missions, and these functions support a variety of land and air fleets.

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.

Search the table for a specific disease :

Toxin	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed
Toxin	Strong	Good	Limited
Alpha-chlordane	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Aluminium	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Lung cancer Bronchitis chronic MoreLess	Spasticity/Myoclonus Seizures... Pneumonitis hypersensitivity Dementia Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Asthma allergic MoreLess	Sarcoidosis Pulmonary fibrosis... Pulmonary edema Porphyria toxic Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Alzheimer's ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) MoreLess
Antimony	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Bronchitis chronic MoreLess	COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Arrhythmias MoreLess	Pulmonary edema Nasal septal perforation... Menstrual disorders Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Bladder cancer Anemia hemolytic Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) MoreLess
Arsenic	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Peripheral neuropathy Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation... Diabetes Type II Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis MoreLess	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 MoreLess	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 MoreLess
Barium	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	Sarcoidosis Arrhythmias MoreLess
Benzene	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Myelodysplastic syndrome Multiple myeloma... Aplastic anemia MoreLess	Scleroderma Renal (kidney) cancer... Preterm delivery Menstrual disorders Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias MoreLess	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 MoreLess
Beryllium	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Skin ulceration Pneumonitis hypersensitivity... Pneumoconiosis Chronic renal disease Berylliosis MoreLess	Renal stones Pulmonary fibrosis... Pulmonary edema Pneumonia Nasal septal perforation Granulomatous disease (liver) Bronchitis acute MoreLess	Seizures Sarcoidosis... Mesothelioma Immune suppression Cardiomyopathy Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma MoreLess
Cadmium	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Renal stones Osteoporosis... Itaiitai disease Chronic renal disease Acute tubular necrosis MoreLess	Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Prostate cancer... Pneumonia Nephrotic syndrome COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Cardiomyopathy Anemia hemolytic MoreLess	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) MoreLess
Carbon disculfide	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Psychiatric disturbances... Peripheral neuropathy Myocardial ischemia Hypertension Hearing loss Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) MoreLess	Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Menstrual disorders... Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Erectile dysfunction Dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia Decreased vision (includes blindness, retinopathy, optic neuropathy) Color vision disturbance Arrhythmias Adult-Onset Leukemias Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) MoreLess	Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism Preterm delivery... Nephrotic syndrome Glomerulonephritis Congenital malformations general Congenital malformation Cranio Facial MoreLess
Chloroethene	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Chromium	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Skin ulceration Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders... Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer Nasal septal perforation Nasal polyps Cholestasis Bronchitis acute Asthma allergic MoreLess	Stomach cancer Pulmonary fibrosis... Psychiatric disturbances Pneumonitis hypersensitivity Pneumonia Photosensitivity Peripheral neuropathy Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic renal disease Bronchitis acute Brain cancer adult ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity Acute tubular necrosis MoreLess	Soft tissue sarcoma Skeletal malformations... Renal (kidney) cancer Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Prostate cancer Peripheral neuropathy Pancreatic cancer Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Metal fume fever Immune suppression Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Esophageal cancer Erectile dysfunction Delayed growth COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Bladder cancer Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias Adult-Onset Leukemias Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) MoreLess
Cobalt	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism Hard metal disease... Cardiomyopathy Asthma allergic MoreLess	- MoreLess	Soft tissue sarcoma Sarcoidosis... Pancreatitis Lung cancer Arrhythmias MoreLess
Copper	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	- MoreLess	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 MoreLess	Sarcoidosis Pulmonary fibrosis... Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Myelodysplastic syndrome Immune suppression Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Acute tubular necrosis MoreLess
Dieldrin	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	- MoreLess	Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens) MoreLess	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 MoreLess
Ethylene glycol (antifreeze)	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	- MoreLess	Pancreatitis Aplastic anemia... Acute tubular necrosis MoreLess	- MoreLess
Gamma-chlordane	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Iron	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Bronchitis chronic MoreLess	- MoreLess	Soft tissue sarcoma Diabetes Type II... Brain cancer adult Alzheimer's MoreLess
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) MoreLess	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) MoreLess	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) MoreLess
Magnesium	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Metal fume fever MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Nickel	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Asthma allergic MoreLess	Stomach cancer Pulmonary fibrosis... Pulmonary edema Nasal septal perforation Laryngeal cancer Immune suppression MoreLess	Soft tissue sarcoma Renal (kidney) cancer... Prostate cancer Myocardial ischemia Myelodysplastic syndrome Metal fume fever Mesothelioma Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Arrhythmias MoreLess
Pesticides/Insecticides	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Contact dermatitis Irritant... Contact dermatitis Allergic MoreLess	Testicular cancer Renal (kidney) cancer... Porphyria toxic Photosensitivity Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Myelodysplastic syndrome Multiple myeloma Childhood Leukemias Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma MoreLess	Wilm's Tumor Vasculitis... Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism Thyroid cancer Thrombocytopenic purpura Soft tissue sarcoma Rheumatoid arthritis Retinoblastoma Pneumonia Melanoma Laryngeal cancer Esophageal cancer Congenital malformations general Cirrhosis Cervical cancer Bronchitis chronic Bronchitis acute Alzheimer's ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) MoreLess
PFAS (Firefighting Foam)	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	Testicular cancer Renal (kidney) cancer... Prostate cancer MoreLess
Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Scrotal cancer Porphyria toxic... Laryngeal cancer MoreLess	Skin cancer (nonmelanoma) Renal (kidney) cancer... Prostate cancer Photosensitivity Pancreatic cancer Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer Lung cancer Immune suppression Esophageal cancer Breast cancer Bladder cancer MoreLess	Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Oral cancer... Melanoma Early onset menopause Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis Colorectal cancer Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma Adult-Onset Leukemias MoreLess
Selenium	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	Pulmonary edema Cirrhosis... Alopecia MoreLess
Silver	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	Chronic renal disease MoreLess
Solvents (misc.)	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Contact dermatitis Irritant MoreLess	Lung cancer MoreLess	Vasculitis Seizures... Rheumatoid arthritis Multiple Sclerosis MoreLess
Thallium	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Peripheral neuropathy MoreLess	Alopecia MoreLess	Psychiatric disturbances Menstrual disorders MoreLess
Toluene (BTEX compounds)	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Fetal solvent syndrome/ Fetal Ethanol Syndrome Congenital malformation Cranio Facial MoreLess	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) MoreLess	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) MoreLess
Vanadium	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Bronchitis chronic... Asthma allergic MoreLess	Acute tubular necrosis MoreLess	Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Pneumonia... Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Bronchitis acute MoreLess
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Rhinitis irritant MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Zinc	Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed	Skin ulceration MoreLess	- MoreLess	Testicular cancer MoreLess

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*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.

Sewage treatment plant sludge, cesspool wastes, spent oil absorbents, paints, thinners, and photo lab wastes were also found on the site. If you were stationed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station and later experienced adverse health effects, you could be eligible for disability benefits from the state of Maryland or your state of residence. Our VA-accredited attorneys may be able to help you win your case and maximize compensation.