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Clark CJ, Casey JA, Bell ML, Plata DL, Saiers JE, Deziel NC. Accuracy of self-reported distance to nearest unconventional oil and gas well in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia residents and implications for exposure assessment. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41370-023-00637-8. [PMID: 38448680 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00637-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Self-reported distances to industrial sources have been used in epidemiology as proxies for exposure to environmental hazards and indicators of awareness and perception of sources. Unconventional oil and gas development (UOG) emits pollutants and has been associated with adverse health outcomes. We compared self-reported distance to the nearest UOG well to the geographic information system-calculated distance for 303 Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia residents using Cohen's Weighted Kappa. Agreement was low (Kappa = 0.18), and self-reports by Ohioans (39% accuracy) were more accurate than West Virginians (22%) or Pennsylvanians (13%, both p < 0.05). Of the demographic characteristics studied, only educational attainment was related to reporting accuracy; residents with 12-16 years of education were more accurate (31.3% of group) than those with <12 or >16 years (both 16.7%). Understanding differences between objective and subjective measures of UOG proximity could inform studies of perceived exposures or risks and may also be relevant to adverse health effects. IMPACT: We compared objective and self-reported measures of distance to the nearest UOG well for 303 Appalachian Basin residents. We found that residents' self-reported distance to the nearest UOG well had limited agreement with the true calculated distance category. Our results can be used to inform the collection and contextualize the use of self-reported data in communities exposed to UOGD. Self-reported metrics can be used in conjunction with objective assessments and can be informative regarding how potentially exposed populations perceive environmental exposures or risks and could provide insights into awareness of distance-related policies, such as setbacks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra J Clark
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
| | - Joan A Casey
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, 3980 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Michelle L Bell
- Yale School of the Environment, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Desiree L Plata
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Parsons Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 15 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - James E Saiers
- Yale School of the Environment, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Nicole C Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
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2
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Siegel HG, Nason SL, Warren JL, Prunas O, Deziel NC, Saiers JE. Investigation of Sources of Fluorinated Compounds in Private Water Supplies in an Oil and Gas-Producing Region of Northern West Virginia. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:17452-17464. [PMID: 37923386 PMCID: PMC10653085 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of toxic organic compounds that have been widely used in consumer applications and industrial activities, including oil and gas production. We measured PFAS concentrations in 45 private wells and 8 surface water sources in the oil and gas-producing Doddridge, Marshall, Ritchie, Tyler, and Wetzel Counties of northern West Virginia and investigated relationships between potential PFAS sources and drinking water receptors. All surface water samples and 60% of the water wells sampled contained quantifiable levels of at least one targeted PFAS compound, and four wells (8%) had concentrations above the proposed maximum contaminant level (MCL) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Individual concentrations of PFOA and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid exceeded those measured in finished public water supplies. Total targeted PFAS concentrations ranged from nondetect to 36.8 ng/L, with surface water concentrations averaging 4-fold greater than groundwater. Semiquantitative, nontargeted analysis showed concentrations of emergent PFAS that were potentially higher than targeted PFAS. Results from a multivariate latent variable hierarchical Bayesian model were combined with insights from analyses of groundwater chemistry, topographic characteristics, and proximity to potential PFAS point sources to elucidate predictors of PFAS concentrations in private wells. Model results reveal (i) an increased vulnerability to contamination in upland recharge zones, (ii) geochemical controls on PFAS transport likely driven by adsorption, and (iii) possible influence from nearby point sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen G. Siegel
- School
of the Environment, Yale University, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Sara L. Nason
- Connecticut
Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New
Haven, Connecticut 06504, United States
| | - Joshua L. Warren
- School
of Public Health, Yale University, 60 College Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - Ottavia Prunas
- Swiss
Tropical and Public Health Institute, 2 Kreuzstrasse, Allschwill, Basel 4123, Switzerland
| | - Nicole C. Deziel
- School
of Public Health, Yale University, 60 College Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - James E. Saiers
- School
of the Environment, Yale University, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
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3
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Berberian AG, Rempel J, Depsky N, Bangia K, Wang S, Cushing LJ. Race, Racism, and Drinking Water Contamination Risk From Oil and Gas Wells in Los Angeles County, 2020. Am J Public Health 2023; 113:1191-1200. [PMID: 37651660 PMCID: PMC10568503 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2023.307374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Objectives. To evaluate the potential for drinking water contamination in Los Angeles (LA) County, California, based on the proximity of supply wells to oil and gas wells, and characterize risk with respect to race/ethnicity and measures of structural racism. Methods. We identified at-risk community water systems (CWSs) as those with supply wells within 1 kilometer of an oil or gas well. We characterized sociodemographics of the populations served by each CWS by using the 2013-2017 American Community Survey. We estimated the degree of redlining in each CWS service area by using 1930s Home Owners' Loan Corporation security maps, and characterized segregation by using the Index of Concentration at the Extremes. Multivariable regression models estimated associations between these variables and CWS contamination risk. Results. A quarter of LA County CWSs serving more than 7 million residents have supply wells within 1 kilometer of an oil or gas well. Higher percentages of Hispanic, Black, and Asian/Pacific Islander residents and a greater degree of redlining and residential segregation were associated with higher contamination risk. Conclusions. Redlining and segregation predict drinking water contamination risks from oil development in LA County, with people of color at greater risk. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(11):1191-1200. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307374).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alique G Berberian
- Alique G. Berberian and Lara J. Cushing are with the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Jenny Rempel and Nicholas Depsky are with the Energy and Resources Group, Rausser College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley. Komal Bangia is with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland. Sophia Wang is with the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA
| | - Jenny Rempel
- Alique G. Berberian and Lara J. Cushing are with the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Jenny Rempel and Nicholas Depsky are with the Energy and Resources Group, Rausser College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley. Komal Bangia is with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland. Sophia Wang is with the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA
| | - Nicholas Depsky
- Alique G. Berberian and Lara J. Cushing are with the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Jenny Rempel and Nicholas Depsky are with the Energy and Resources Group, Rausser College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley. Komal Bangia is with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland. Sophia Wang is with the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA
| | - Komal Bangia
- Alique G. Berberian and Lara J. Cushing are with the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Jenny Rempel and Nicholas Depsky are with the Energy and Resources Group, Rausser College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley. Komal Bangia is with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland. Sophia Wang is with the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA
| | - Sophia Wang
- Alique G. Berberian and Lara J. Cushing are with the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Jenny Rempel and Nicholas Depsky are with the Energy and Resources Group, Rausser College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley. Komal Bangia is with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland. Sophia Wang is with the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA
| | - Lara J Cushing
- Alique G. Berberian and Lara J. Cushing are with the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Jenny Rempel and Nicholas Depsky are with the Energy and Resources Group, Rausser College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley. Komal Bangia is with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland. Sophia Wang is with the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA
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4
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Gaughan C, Sorrentino KM, Liew Z, Johnson NP, Clark CJ, Soriano M, Plano J, Plata DL, Saiers JE, Deziel NC. Residential proximity to unconventional oil and gas development and birth defects in Ohio. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 229:115937. [PMID: 37076028 PMCID: PMC10198955 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemicals used or emitted by unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) include reproductive/developmental toxicants. Associations between UOGD and certain birth defects were reported in a few studies, with none conducted in Ohio, which experienced a thirty-fold increase in natural gas production between 2010 and 2020. METHODS We conducted a registry-based cohort study of 965,236 live births in Ohio from 2010 to 2017. Birth defects were identified in 4653 individuals using state birth records and a state surveillance system. We assigned UOGD exposure based on maternal residential proximity at birth to active UOG wells and a metric specific to the drinking-water exposure pathway that identified UOG wells hydrologically connected to a residence ("upgradient UOG wells"). We estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all structural birth defects combined and specific birth defect types using binary exposure metrics (presence/absence of any UOG well and presence/absence of an upgradient UOG well within 10 km), adjusting for confounders. Additionally, we conducted analyses stratified by urbanicity, infant sex, and social vulnerability. RESULTS The odds of any structural defect were 1.13 times higher in children born to mothers living within 10 km of UOGD than those born to unexposed mothers (95%CI: 0.98-1.30). Odds were elevated for neural tube defects (OR: 1.57, 95%CI: 1.12-2.19), limb reduction defects (OR: 1.99, 95%CI: 1.18-3.35), and spina bifida (OR 1.93; 95%CI 1.25-2.98). Hypospadias (males only) was inversely related to UOGD exposure (OR: 0.62, 95%CI: 0.43-0.91). Odds of any structural defect were greater in magnitude but less precise in analyses using the hydrological-specific metric (OR: 1.30; 95%CI: 0.85-1.90), in areas with high social vulnerability (OR: 1.27, 95%CI: 0.99-1.60), and among female offspring (OR: 1.28, 95%CI: 1.06-1.53). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest a positive association between UOGD and certain birth defects, and findings for neural tube defects corroborate results from prior studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey Gaughan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale College, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Keli M Sorrentino
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Zeyan Liew
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nicholaus P Johnson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Cassandra J Clark
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mario Soriano
- Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Julie Plano
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Desiree L Plata
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James E Saiers
- Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nicole C Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
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5
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Soriano MA, Warren JL, Clark CJ, Johnson NP, Siegel HG, Deziel NC, Saiers JE. Social Vulnerability and Groundwater Vulnerability to Contamination From Unconventional Hydrocarbon Extraction in the Appalachian Basin. GEOHEALTH 2023; 7:e2022GH000758. [PMID: 37064218 PMCID: PMC10100439 DOI: 10.1029/2022gh000758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Unconventional oil and gas (UOG) development, made possible by horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing, has been fraught with controversy since the industry's rapid expansion in the early 2000's. Concerns about environmental contamination and public health risks persist in many rural communities that depend on groundwater resources for drinking and other daily needs. Spatial disparities in UOG risks can pose distributive environmental injustice if such risks are disproportionately borne by marginalized communities. In this paper, we analyzed groundwater vulnerability to contamination from UOG as a physically based measure of risk in conjunction with census tract level sociodemographic characteristics describing social vulnerability in the northern Appalachian Basin. We found significant associations between elevated groundwater vulnerability and lower population density, consistent with UOG development occurring in less densely populated rural areas. We also found associations between elevated groundwater vulnerability and lower income, higher proportions of elderly populations, and higher proportion of mobile homes, suggesting a disproportionate risk burden on these socially vulnerable groups. We did not find a statistically significant association between elevated groundwater vulnerability and populations of racial/ethnic minorities in our study region. Household surveys provided empirical support for a relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and capacity to assess and mitigate exposures to potentially contaminated water. Further research is needed to probe if the observed disparities translate to differences in chemical exposure and adverse health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario A. Soriano
- School of the EnvironmentYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
- Integrated GroundWater Modeling CenterHigh Meadows Environmental InstitutePrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
| | - Joshua L. Warren
- Department of BiostatisticsSchool of Public HealthYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Cassandra J. Clark
- Department of Environmental Health SciencesSchool of Public HealthYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Nicholaus P. Johnson
- Department of Environmental Health SciencesSchool of Public HealthYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
| | | | - Nicole C. Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health SciencesSchool of Public HealthYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
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6
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Epuna F, Shaheen SW, Wen T. Road salting and natural brine migration revealed as major sources of groundwater contamination across regions of northern Appalachia with and without unconventional oil and gas development. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 225:119128. [PMID: 36162296 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
High methane and salt levels in groundwater have been the most widely cited unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) related water impairments. The attribution of these contaminants to UOGD is usually complex, especially in regions with mixed land uses. Here, we compiled a large hydrogeochemistry dataset containing 13 geochemical analytes for 17,794 groundwater samples from rural northern Appalachia, i.e., 19 counties located on the boundary between Pennsylvania (PA; UOGD is permitted) and New York (NY; UOGD is banned). With this dataset, we explored if statistical and geospatial tools can help shed light on the sources of inorganic solutes and methane in groundwater in regions with mixed land uses. The traditional Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicates salts in NY and PA groundwater are mainly from the Appalachian Basin Brine (ABB). In contrast, the machine learning tool - Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) highlights that road salts (in addition to ABB) account for 36%-48% of total chloride in NY and PA groundwaters. The PCA fails to identify road salts as one water/salt source, likely due to its geochemical similarity with ABB. Neither PCA nor NMF detects a regional impact of UOGD on groundwater quality. Our geospatial analyses further corroborate (1) road salting is the major salt source in groundwater, and its impact is enhanced in proximity to highways; (2) UOGD-related groundwater quality deterioration is only limited to a few localities in PA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Favour Epuna
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, United States
| | - Samuel W Shaheen
- Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Tao Wen
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, United States.
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7
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Siegel HG, Soriano MA, Clark CJ, Johnson NP, Wulsin HG, Deziel NC, Plata DL, Darrah TH, Saiers JE. Natural and Anthropogenic Processes Affecting Domestic Groundwater Quality within the Northwestern Appalachian Basin. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:13761-13773. [PMID: 36129683 PMCID: PMC9536308 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c04011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Domestic wells serve as the primary drinking-water source for rural residents in the northern Appalachian Basin (NAB), despite a limited understanding of contaminant distributions in groundwater sources. We employ a newly collected dataset of 216 water samples from domestic wells in Ohio and West Virginia and an integrated contaminant-source attribution method to describe water quality in the western NAB and characterize key agents influencing contaminant distributions. Our results reveal arsenic and nitrate concentrations above federal maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in 6.8 and 1.3% of samples and manganese concentrations above health advisory in 7.3% of samples. Recently recharged groundwaters beneath upland regions appear vulnerable to surface-related impacts, including nitrate pollution from agricultural activities and salinization from road salting and domestic sewage sources. Valley regions serve as terminal discharge points for long-residence-time groundwaters, where mixing with basin brines is possible. Arsenic impairments occurred in alkaline groundwaters with major-ion compositions altered by ion exchange and in low-oxygen metal-rich groundwaters. Mixing with as much as 4-10% of mine discharge-like waters was observed near coal mining operations. Our study provides new insights into key agents of groundwater impairment in an understudied region of the NAB and presents an integrated approach for contaminant-source attribution applicable to other regions of intensive resource extraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. G. Siegel
- School
of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06411, United States
| | - M. A. Soriano
- School
of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06411, United States
| | - C. J. Clark
- School
of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - N. P. Johnson
- School
of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - H. G. Wulsin
- School
of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - N. C. Deziel
- School
of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - D. L. Plata
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - T. H. Darrah
- School
of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Ohio
State University Global Water Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - J. E. Saiers
- School
of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06411, United States
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8
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Soriano MA, Deziel NC, Saiers JE. Regional Scale Assessment of Shallow Groundwater Vulnerability to Contamination from Unconventional Hydrocarbon Extraction. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:12126-12136. [PMID: 35960643 PMCID: PMC9454823 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c00470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Concerns over unconventional oil and gas (UOG) development persist, especially in rural communities that rely on shallow groundwater for drinking and other domestic purposes. Given the continued expansion of the industry, regional (vs local scale) models are needed to characterize groundwater contamination risks faced by the increasing proportion of the population residing in areas that accommodate UOG extraction. In this paper, we evaluate groundwater vulnerability to contamination from surface spills and shallow subsurface leakage of UOG wells within a 104,000 km2 region in the Appalachian Basin, northeastern USA. We test a computationally efficient ensemble approach for simulating groundwater flow and contaminant transport processes to quantify vulnerability with high resolution. We also examine metamodels, or machine learning models trained to emulate physically based models, and investigate their spatial transferability. We identify predictors describing proximity to UOG, hydrology, and topography that are important for metamodels to make accurate vulnerability predictions outside their training regions. Using our approach, we estimate that 21,000-30,000 individuals in our study area are dependent on domestic water wells that are vulnerable to contamination from UOG activities. Our novel modeling framework could be used to guide groundwater monitoring, provide information for public health studies, and assess environmental justice issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario A. Soriano
- School
of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Nicole C. Deziel
- School
of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - James E. Saiers
- School
of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
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9
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Hu C, Liu B, Wang S, Zhu Z, Adcock A, Simpkins J, Li X. Spatiotemporal Correlation Analysis of Hydraulic Fracturing and Stroke in the United States. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:10817. [PMID: 36078531 PMCID: PMC9518207 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing or fracking has led to a rapid growth of oil and gas production in the United States, but the impact of fracking on public health is an important but underresearched topic. We designed a methodology to study spatiotemporal correlations between the risk of fracking and stroke mortality. An annualized loss expectancy (ALE) model is applied to quantify the risk of fracking. The geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model is used to analyze spatiotemporal correlations of stroke mortality, fracking ALE, and nine other socioeconomic- and health-related factors. The analysis shows that fracking ALE is moderately correlated with stroke mortality at ages over 65 in most states of fracking, in addition to cardiovascular disease and drug overdose being positively correlated with stroke mortality. Furthermore, the correlations between fracking ALE and stroke mortality in men appear to be higher than in women near the Marcellus Shale, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia, while stroke mortality among women is concentrated in the Great Plains, including Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Lastly, within two kilometers of the fracking mining activity, the level of benzene in the air was found to be significantly correlated with the fracking activity in Colorado.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanbo Hu
- Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Management Information Systems, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
| | - Shuo Wang
- Department of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Zhenduo Zhu
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Amelia Adcock
- Department of Neurology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
| | - James Simpkins
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
| | - Xin Li
- Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
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10
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Clark CJ, Johnson NP, Soriano M, Warren JL, Sorrentino KM, Kadan-Lottick NS, Saiers JE, Ma X, Deziel NC. Unconventional Oil and Gas Development Exposure and Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Case-Control Study in Pennsylvania, 2009-2017. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:87001. [PMID: 35975995 PMCID: PMC9383266 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) releases chemicals that have been linked to cancer and childhood leukemia. Studies of UOGD exposure and childhood leukemia are extremely limited. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate potential associations between residential proximity to UOGD and risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common form of childhood leukemia, in a large regional sample using UOGD-specific metrics, including a novel metric to represent the water pathway. METHODS We conducted a registry-based case-control study of 405 children ages 2-7 y diagnosed with ALL in Pennsylvania between 2009-2017, and 2,080 controls matched on birth year. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between residential proximity to UOGD (including a new water pathway-specific proximity metric) and ALL in two exposure windows: a primary window (3 months preconception to 1 y prior to diagnosis/reference date) and a perinatal window (preconception to birth). RESULTS Children with at least one UOG well within 2 km of their birth residence during the primary window had 1.98 times the odds of developing ALL in comparison with those with no UOG wells [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06, 3.69]. Children with at least one vs. no UOG wells within 2 km during the perinatal window had 2.80 times the odds of developing ALL (95% CI: 1.11, 7.05). These relationships were slightly attenuated after adjusting for maternal race and socio-economic status [odds ratio (OR) = 1.74 (95% CI: 0.93, 3.27) and OR = 2.35 (95% CI: 0.93, 5.95)], respectively). The ORs produced by models using the water pathway-specific metric were similar in magnitude to the aggregate metric. DISCUSSION Our study including a novel UOGD metric found UOGD to be a risk factor for childhood ALL. This work adds to mounting evidence of UOGD's impacts on children's health, providing additional support for limiting UOGD near residences. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11092.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra J. Clark
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Nicholaus P. Johnson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Center for Perinatal, Pediatric and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Mario Soriano
- Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Joshua L. Warren
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Keli M. Sorrentino
- Center for Perinatal, Pediatric and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Nina S. Kadan-Lottick
- Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - James E. Saiers
- Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Xiaomei Ma
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Nicole C. Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Center for Perinatal, Pediatric and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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11
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Liao K, Wei M, Fu L, Ma Q, An J, Bai J, Wang M, He Y. Study on the Relationship between the Relative Molecular Mass of a Polymer Clay Stabilizer and the Permeability of a Tight Reservoir. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:25751-25759. [PMID: 35910143 PMCID: PMC9330246 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c03051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Water-sensitivity damage is inevitable during hydraulic fracturing for tight reservoir stimulation. A polymer clay stabilizer is the most effective and commonly used agent for reducing this kind of permeability damage. However, due to the small pore throat radii of tight reservoirs, polymers may be captured and detained, resulting in secondary permeability damage caused by polymer plugging. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the matching relationship between the relative molecular mass of the clay stabilizer and the permeability of tight cores, which has not been reported yet. In response to this problem, the residual resistance factor and the permeability damage rate of PDMDAAC (poly dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride, a kind of commonly used polymer clay stabilizer) to tight cores from Xinjiang Oilfield were investigated in cores with permeabilities of 0.10 × 10-3 μm2 (0.08-0.17 × 10-3 μm2), 0.05 × 10-3 μm2 (0.035-0.065 × 10-3 μm2), and 0.01 × 10-3 μm2 (0.007-0.020 × 10-3 μm2) through flow experiments. It was found that the relative molecular masses of PDMDAAC, which did not cause obvious core permeability damage, should be less than 10 000, 5000, and 2000, respectively. In addition, the bridging flocculation principle between the hydrodynamics radius of the clay stabilizer and the radius of the tight core pore throat can be used to explain the matching relationship between the relative molecular mass of the polymer clay stabilizer and the permeability of the tight reservoir. This study points out the direction for the optimization of the polymer clay stabilizer used in tight reservoir hydraulic fracturing and provides some references for the construction of hydraulic fracturing fluid systems for the efficient development of unconventional oil and gas resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaili Liao
- School
of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 21306, China
| | - Meng Wei
- School
of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 21306, China
| | - Lipei Fu
- School
of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 21306, China
| | - Qianli Ma
- School
of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 21306, China
| | - Junnan An
- School
of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 21306, China
| | - Jinmei Bai
- School
of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 21306, China
| | - Menglin Wang
- School
of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 21306, China
| | - Yanfeng He
- School
of Overseas Education, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China
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12
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Xiong B, Soriano MA, Gutchess KM, Hoffman N, Clark CJ, Siegel HG, De Vera GAD, Li Y, Brenneis RJ, Cox AJ, Ryan EC, Sumner AJ, Deziel NC, Saiers JE, Plata DL. Groundwaters in Northeastern Pennsylvania near intense hydraulic fracturing activities exhibit few organic chemical impacts. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2022; 24:252-264. [PMID: 35018906 PMCID: PMC11094648 DOI: 10.1039/d1em00124h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Horizontal drilling with hydraulic fracturing (HDHF) relies on the use of anthropogenic organic chemicals in proximity to residential areas, raising concern for groundwater contamination. Here, we extensively characterized organic contaminants in 94 domestic groundwater sites in Northeastern Pennsylvania after ten years of activity in the region. All analyzed volatile and semi-volatile compounds were below recommended United States Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels, and integrated concentrations across two volatility ranges, gasoline range organic compounds (GRO) and diesel range organic compounds (DRO), were low (0.13 ± 0.06 to 2.2 ± 0.7 ppb and 5.2-101.6 ppb, respectively). Following dozens of correlation analyses with distance-to-well metrics and inter-chemical indicator correlations, no statistically significant correlations were found except: (1) GRO levels were higher within 2 km of violations and (2) correlation between DRO and a few inorganic species (e.g., Ba and Sr) and methane. The correlation of DRO with inorganic species suggests a potential high salinity source, whereas elevated GRO may result from nearby safety violations. Highest-concentration DRO samples contained bis-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and N,N-dimethyltetradecylamine. Nevertheless, the overall low rate of contamination for the analytes could be explained by a spatially-resolved hydrogeologic model, where estimated transport distances from gas wells over the relevant timeframes were short relative to the distance to the nearest groundwater wells. Together, the observations and modeled results suggest a low probability of systematic groundwater organic contamination in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boya Xiong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Mario A Soriano
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Nicholas Hoffman
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Cassandra J Clark
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Helen G Siegel
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Glen Andrew D De Vera
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Yunpo Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Rebecca J Brenneis
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Austin J Cox
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Emma C Ryan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Tufts University, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Andrew J Sumner
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Nicole C Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - James E Saiers
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Desiree L Plata
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
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