Environmental and public health effects of spent drilling fluid: An updated systematic review

Crude oil extraction and exploration activities have, alongside the provision of sources of energy, brought harm to both humans and the environment. Researchers have over the years explored the negative impacts and pollution from oil spills with little attention paid to the implications of the disposal of spent drilling fluids. Although these wastes are said to be treated before disposal, it is feared that some components of these waste products may be detrimental to humans. Using PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysesthis paper has evaluated the health impact of these components of the drilling fluids. Low levels of heavy metals in spent drilling mud even after treatment pose great threats to the health of the ecosystem and inferably humans due to the presence of non-threshold genotoxic carcinogens. This review has provided evidence and assessed the potential of spent drilling mud to induce uncontrolled cell growth and division (cancer) on experimental animals and humans.