Beyond Gas Home | Volunteer | Donate | Petition | Resources |
Sci Total Environ. 2016 Dec 6. pii: S0048-9697(16)32572-4. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.118. [Epub ahead of print]
Public health implications of environmental noise associated with unconventional oil and gas development.
Hays J, McCawley M, Shonkoff SB.
The authors reviewed non-auditory health outcomes from environmental noise exposure. They found that potential outcomes include annoyance, sleep disturbance, and cardiovascular disease. Oil and gas operations produce noises at levels that may increase health risks. They recommend additional noise exposure research for oil and gas operations.
Int J Environ Health Res. 2016 Aug;26(4):361-80. doi: 10.1080/09603123.2015.1111314. Epub 2015 Nov 26.
High volume hydraulic fracturing operations: potential impacts on surface water and human health.
Mrdjen I, Lee J.
Surface water contamination risks include: increased structural failure rates of unconventional wells, issues with wastewater treatment, and accidental discharge of contaminated fluids. Human health risks associated with exposure to surface water contaminated with HVHF chemicals include increased cancer risk and turbidity of water, leading to increased pathogen survival time.
Sci Total Environ.2016 Oct 23;576:138-147. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.072. [Epub ahead of print]
Unconventional oil and gas development and risk of childhood leukemia: Assessing the evidence.
Elliott EG, Trinh P, Ma X, Leaderer BP, Ward MH, Deziel NC.
There is evidence that more than 20 compounds associated with unconventional oil and gas development cause increased risk of leukemia/lymphoma. In addition, more than 100 of these air and water contaminants have not been tested for carcinogenicity.
Environ Health Perspect.2016 Aug 25; [Epub ahead of print]
Associations between unconventional oil and gas development and nasal and sinus, migraine headache, and fatigue symptoms in Pennsylvania.
Tustin AW, Hirsch AG, Rasmussen SG, Casey JA, Bandeen-Roche K, Schwartz BS.
This study examined the results of over 7000 health questionaires filled out by Pennsylvania residents. Those with the highest exposure to active natural gas wells operated by the hydraulic fracturing – or fracking – industry are nearly twice as likely to suffer from a combination of migraine headaches, chronic nasal and sinus symptoms, and severe fatigue.
JAMA Intern Med. 2016 Jul 18. 576:138-147. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.2436. [Epub ahead of print]
Association Between Unconventional Natural Gas Development in the Marcellus Shale and Asthma Exacerbations.
Rasmussen SG1, Ogburn EL2, McCormack M3, Casey JA4, Bandeen-Roche K2, Mercer DG5, Schwartz BS6.
This study looked at thousands of asthma patients in Pennsylvania over a seven year period and compared incidents (need for new medicine up to hospitalizations) for those near fracking sites to matched controls not near drilling. Unconventional [fracked] gas development activity was statistically associated with increased risk of mild, moderate, and severe asthma exacerbations.
Env Sci Technol. 2016 Jul 19;50(14):7732-42. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5b05327. Epub 2016 Jun 29.
Estimating the Potential Toxicity of Chemicals Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing Operations Using Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship Modeling.
Yost EE, Stanek J, DeWoskin RS, Burgoon LD.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified 1173 chemicals associated with hydraulic fracturing fluids, flowback, or produced water, of which 1026 (87%) lack chronic oral toxicity values for human health assessments. This study used a QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationship) computer model to try and estimate toxicity levels for the untested chemicals. They identified many chemicals that are frequently used in fracking with a high toxicity estimate that should be researched with high priority.
Sci Total Environ. 2016 Jul 1;557-558:901-10. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.113. Epub 2016 Apr 10.
Endocrine disrupting activities of surface water associated with a West Virginia oil and gas industry wastewater disposal site.
Kassotis CD1, Iwanowicz LR2, Akob DM3, Cozzarelli IM3, Mumford AC3, Orem WH4, Nagel SC5.
Currently, disposal of almost all hydraulic fracturing wastewater in the US occurs via injection wells. This study measured endocrine disrupting activity levels in water near a disposal site as well as upstream and downstream from it. Compared to reference water extracts upstream or far from the disposal well, samples collected adjacent and downstream exhibited considerably higher antagonist activity for the estrogen, androgen, progesterone, glucocorticoid and thyroid hormone receptors. The measured concentrations were high enough to disrupt reproduction and/or development in aquatic animals.
PLoS One. 2016 Apr 20;11(4):e0154164. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154164. eCollection 2016.
Toward an Understanding of the Environmental and Public Health Impacts of Unconventional Natural Gas Development: A Categorical Assessment of the Peer-Reviewed Scientific Literature, 2009-2015.
Hays J1,2, Shonkoff SB3,4,5.
The authors reviewed 685 relevant papers published in peer-reviewed journals and found 84% of public health studies contain findings that indicate public health hazards, elevated risks, or adverse health outcomes; 69% of water quality studies contain findings that indicate potential, positive association, or actual incidence of water contamination; and 87% of air quality studies contain findings that indicate elevated air pollutant emissions and/or atmospheric concentrations.
Rev Environ Health. 2016 Mar;31(1):47-51. doi: 10.1515/reveh-2015-0055.
Hydraulic fracturing for natural gas: impact on health and environment.
Carpenter DO.
This article reviews the types of threats posed by fracking. Immediate ones include air pollution from volatile oranic compounds and hydrogen sulfide which is a potent neuro- and respiratory toxin. There are also major concerns about water contamination because the chemicals used can get into both ground and surface water. There are also significant long-term threats including increasing cancer risk, exacerbation of climate change and increased earthquake activity due to disruption of subsurface tectonic plates.
Epidemiology. 2016 Apr 20;11(4):e0154164. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154164. eCollection 2016.
Unconventional Natural Gas Development and Birth Outcomes in Pennsylvania, USA.
Casey JA1, Savitz DA, Rasmussen SG, Ogburn EL, Pollak J, Mercer DG, Schwartz BS.
This study used electronic health records of over 10,000 births from January 2009 to January 2013 in Pennsylvania, where fracking activity has expanded rapidly. Prenatal residential exposure to unconventional [fracked] gas development activity was associated with high-risk pregnancies and preterm births.
Environ Health Perspect. 2016 Feb 19. [Epub ahead of print].
Adequacy of Current State Setbacks for Directional High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing in the Marcellus, Barnett, and Niobrara Shale Plays.
Haley M1, McCawley M2, Epstein AC3, Arrington B4, Bjerke EF5
This study investigated whether legal setback distances between well pad sites and the public are adequate in three areas - the Marcellus, Barnett, and Niobrara Gas Basins. The evidence suggests that presently utilized setbacks may leave the public vulnerable to explosions, radiant heat, toxic gas clouds, and air pollution from hydraulic fracturing activities.
J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng. 2016 Apr 20;11(4):e0154164. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154164. eCollection 2016.
Current Perspectives on unconventional shale gas extraction in the Appalachian Basin.
Lampe DJ1, Stolz JF.
This review presents an overview of unconventional gas extraction highlighting the environmental impacts and challenges.
Environ Health. 2014 Oct 30;13:82. doi: 10.1186/1476-069X-13-82.
Air concentrations of volatile compounds near oil and gas production: a community-based exploratory study.
Macey GP, Breech R, Chernaik M, Cox C, Larson D, Thomas D, Carpenter DO1.
Air samples were collected by trained volunteers at locations near nontraditional oil and gas production sites and later analyzed for 75 volatile organics. Levels of eight volatile chemicals exceeded federal guidelines under several operational circumstances. Benzene, formaldehyde, and hydrogen sulfide were the most common compounds to exceed acute and other health-based risk levels.
Environ Sci Technol. 2014;48(15):8334-48. doi: 10.1021/es405118y. Epub 2014 Mar 7.
A critical review of the risks to water resources from unconventional shale gas development and hydraulic fracturing in the United States.
Vengosh A1, Jackson RB, Warner N, Darrah TH, Kondash A.
A review of published data on fracking through January 2014 shows evidence for stray gas contamination, surface water impacts, and the accumulation of radium isotopes in disposal and spill sites. The direct contamination of shallow groundwater from hydraulic fracturing fluids and deep formation waters by hydraulic fracturing itself remains unclear.