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Video: Is Fracking Affecting Our Air Quality? -The Longmont Open Forum

fractracker.org Presentation by Dr. David Nolan. Dr.
Longmont Public Forum
Is Fracking Affecting Our Health Qualtiy Talk by Dr. Detlev Helmig

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

fractracker.org

Presentation by Dr. David Nolan.

Dr. Detlev Helmig and his team of research scientists and CU interns presented the results of a 15-month long study of the air quality at the Boulder Reservoir, sponsored by a grant from Boulder County Public Health.  This research took place from 3-1-17 to 9-31-18. They analyzed 6805 samples for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) (16 Compounds), 49,000 measurements of methane, and 167,000 measurements of nitrogen oxides. The Purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of oil and natural gas emissions at the Boulder Reservoir.

Results from the study:

Air that showed influence from emissions from oil and natural gas extraction contained highly elevated levels of methane and VOCs such as ethane, propane, n-butane, iso-butane, n-pentane, iso-pentane, benzene, toluene, and xylenes.

While nitrogen oxides and methane are also emitted from other sources, ethane is emitted mostly from oil and gas extraction activity alone, so ethane detection is an excellent measure of the oil and gas by itself. the ratio of iso-pentane to n-pentane is another indicator of the influence of oil and gas emissions. Lower numbers are found where high levels of oil and gas influence are present. Ethane levels were 10% higher in summer 2018 compared to 2017. The concentration of ethane is dependent on the wind direction. When the wind direction is from the northeast (region of higher oil and gas activity in Weld County), measurements reached much higher levels. A study done by the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and published in Environmental Science and Technology on October 12, 2018, stated: "We find that ambient concentrations of PM2.5 and ozone, and associated health impacts, are highest in a handful of states including Colorado, Texas, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia." Ozone is created when atmospheric oxygen + nitrogen oxides + VOCs are combined and react in the presence of sunlight. According to the results from the Boulder Study, "Air transported from oil and gas regions have elevated ozone and contributes to exceedances of the ozone standard."

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