Evaluation of impact of shale gas operations in the Barnett Shale region on volatile organic compounds in air and potential human health risks
Evaluation of impact of shale gas operations in the Barnett Shale region on volatile organic compounds in air and potential human health risks
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DOI：
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.08.080
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发表时间：
2014-01-15
影响因子：
9.8
通讯作者：
Haws, L. C.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Bunch, A. G.;Perry, C. S.;Haws, L. C.
页岩气勘探和生产（E&P）在过去十年中在美国经历了大幅增长。巴内特页岩位于德克萨斯州中北部，是北美最大、最活跃的陆上气田之一，占地5000平方英里，截至2011年估计有15,870口生产威尔斯井。鉴于这些作业可能发生在相对靠近人口稠密/城市地区的地方，人们对可能对人类健康产生的影响表示关切。针对这些问题，得克萨斯州环境质量委员会在该地区建立了一个广泛的空气监测网络。该网络为评估页岩气勘探和生产活动对人类健康的潜在影响提供了独特的数据集。因此，本研究的目的是评估巴内特页岩地区社区范围内挥发性有机化合物（VOCs）的暴露情况。在目前的研究中，评估了超过460万个数据点（代表来自六个地点的七个监测器的数据，每个监测器多达105个VOC，记录时间可追溯到2000年）。将测量的空气浓度与联邦和州基于健康的空气比较值（HBACVs）进行比较，以评估潜在的急性和慢性健康影响。测量的VOC浓度均未超过适用的急性HBACV。只有一种化学品（1，2-二溴乙烷）超过其适用的慢性HBACV，但不知道它与页岩气生产活动有关。还在确定性和概率性风险评估中对年平均浓度进行了评价，所有风险/危害均低于关注水平。分析表明，对于大量测量的挥发性有机化合物，页岩气生产活动并没有导致整个社区暴露于这些挥发性有机化合物，其水平会造成健康问题。由于该地区活跃威尔斯井密度高，这些发现可能有助于了解其他页岩油气区的潜在健康风险。(C)2013作者Elsevier B. V.出版，保留所有权利。
Shale gas exploration and production (E&P) has experienced substantial growth across the U.S. over the last decade. The Barnett Shale, in north-central Texas, contains one of the largest, most active onshore gas fields in North America, stretching across 5000 square miles and having an estimated 15,870 producing wells as of 2011. Given that these operations may occur in relatively close proximity to populated/urban areas, concerns have been expressed about potential impacts on human health. In response to these concerns, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality established an extensive air monitoring network in the region. This network provides a unique data set for evaluating the potential impact of shale gas E&P activities on human health. As such, the objective of this study was to evaluate community-wide exposures to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the Barnett Shale region. In this current study, more than 4.6 million data points (representing data from seven monitors at six locations, up to 105 VOCs/monitor, and periods of record dating back to 2000) were evaluated. Measured air concentrations were compared to federal and state health-based air comparison values (HBACVs) to assess potential acute and chronic health effects. None of the measured VOC concentrations exceeded applicable acute HBACVs. Only one chemical (1,2-dibromoethane) exceeded its applicable chronic HBACV, but it is not known to be associated with shale gas production activities. Annual average concentrations were also evaluated in deterministic and probabilistic risk assessments and all risks/hazards were below levels of concern. The analyses demonstrate that, for the extensive number of VOCs measured, shale gas production activities have not resulted in community-wide exposures to those VOCs at levels that would pose a health concern. With the high density of active wells in this region, these findings may be useful for understanding potential health risks in other shale play regions. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.