Use of Tracer Elements for Estimating Community Exposure to Marcellus Shale Development Operations

Maya Nye, Travis Knuckles, Beizhan Yan, James Ross, William Orem, Matthew Varonka, George Thurston, Alexandria Dzomba and Michael McCawley
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Maya Nye: West Virginia University School of Public Health, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Travis Knuckles: West Virginia University School of Public Health, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Beizhan Yan: The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
James Ross: The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
William Orem: US Geological Survey, Reston, VA 201924, USA
Matthew Varonka: US Geological Survey, Reston, VA 201924, USA
George Thurston: Program in Exposure Assessment and Human Health Effects at the Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, Tuxedo, NY 10987, USA
Alexandria Dzomba: West Virginia University School of Public Health, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Michael McCawley: West Virginia University School of Public Health, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-16

Abstract: Since 2009, unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) has significantly increased in Appalachia’s Marcellus Shale formation. Elevations of fine particulate matter <2.5 µm (PM2.5), have been documented in areas surrounding drilling operations during well stimulation. Furthermore, many communities are experiencing increased industrial activities and probable UNGD air pollutant exposures. Recent studies have associated UNGD emissions with health effects based on distances from well pads. In this study, PM2.5 filter samples were collected on an active gas well pad in Morgantown, West Virginia, and three locations downwind during hydraulic stimulation. Fine particulate samples were analyzed for major and trace elements. An experimental source identification model was developed to determine which elements appeared to be traceable downwind of the UNGD site and whether these elements corresponded to PM2.5 measurements. Results suggest that 1) magnesium may be useful for detecting the reach of UNGD point source emissions, 2) complex surface topographic and meteorological conditions in the Marcellus Shale region could be modeled and confounding sources discounted, and 3) well pad emissions may be measurable at distances of at least 7 km. If shown to be more widely applicable, future tracer studies could enhance epidemiological studies showing health effects of UNGD-associated emissions at ≥15 km.

Keywords: tracer elements; unconventional natural gas development; source identification; particulate matter; PM2.5; community exposure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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