Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Impacts of Hurricane Florence on Criteria Air Pollutants and Air Toxics in Eastern North Carolina

Sharmila Bhandari, Gaston Casillas, Noor A. Aly, Rui Zhu, Galen Newman, Fred A. Wright, Anthony Miller, Gabriela Adler, Ivan Rusyn and Weihsueh A. Chiu
Additional contact information
Sharmila Bhandari: Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Gaston Casillas: Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Noor A. Aly: Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Rui Zhu: Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77844, USA
Galen Newman: Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77844, USA
Fred A. Wright: Bioinformatics Research Center, Departments of Statistics and Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, CA 27695, USA
Anthony Miller: Entanglement Technologies, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA
Gabriela Adler: Breezometer, Haifa 3303124, Israel
Ivan Rusyn: Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Weihsueh A. Chiu: Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: Natural and anthropogenic disasters are associated with air quality concerns due to the potential redistribution of pollutants in the environment. Our objective was to conduct a spatiotemporal analysis of air concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzne, and xylene (BTEX) and criteria air pollutants in North Carolina during and after Hurricane Florence. Three sampling campaigns were carried out immediately after the storm (September 2018) and at four-month intervals. BTEX were measured along major roads. Concurrent criteria air pollutant concentrations were predicted from modeling. Correlation between air pollutants and possible point sources was conducted using spatial regression. Exceedances of ambient air criteria were observed for benzene (in all sampling periods) and PM2.5 (mostly immediately after Florence). For both, there was an association between higher concentrations and fueling stations, particularly immediately after Florence. For other pollutants, concentrations were generally below levels of regulatory concern. Through characterization of air quality under both disaster and “normal” conditions, this study demonstrates spatial and temporal variation in air pollutants. We found that only benzene and PM2.5 were present at levels of potential concern, and there were localized increases immediately after the hurricane. These substances warrant particular attention in future disaster response research (DR2) investigations.

Keywords: air pollution; geospatial analyses; criteria pollutants; volatile organic compounds (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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