Air Pollution and Health

Energypath 2011

June 29, 2011

Thurman Brendlinger

Program Director-Clean Air Council

• Identify major problem air pollutants from energy

generation and use

• Discuss pollution health effects

Objectives

• O3 (Ozone)• VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)• PM (Particulate Matter) and Dust• NOx (Nitrogen Oxides)

• SO2 (Sulfur Dioxide)

• CO (Carbon monoxide)• GHG (Greenhouse gases)

CO2 (Carbon Dioxide)

CH4 (Methane)

Air Pollutants

Ground level Ozone • Unhealthy and considered “summertime air pollutant”

Sources:• NOx: Fuel combustion in motor vehicles, electric utilities, etc• VOCs: Human-made (ex. gasoline vapors) and chemical solvents

The Smog Story: Ozone (O3) Forms from UV radiation

VOCs or NOx O3(heat + UV )

Upper atmosphere• Ozone occurs naturally at 10 to 30 miles above earth’s surface

• Forms a protective layer around earth to protect from sun’s harmful rays

http://www.xpatathens.com/news/23632

Ozone: Health Effects

• Even low levels can trigger health problems

Short-term exposure (up to 8 hrs): • Reduction in lung function, coughing, painful breathing, and shortness of breath, nausea, headache, inflammation of airways

• Children and people with respiratory problems (aggravates asthma) and anyone active outdoors is at risk

Long-term exposure: • May lead to induction of asthma, increased risk of respiratory related death

Mixture of acids (ex. nitrates and sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil and dust particles.

PM2.5: Fine airborne particles that are < 2.5 micrometers in diameter

PM10: Airborne particles larger than 2.5 mm but smaller than 10 mm

Main sources: • Development of oil, gas, coal operations ( heavy construction and mining)• Incinerators, and wood burning• Emissions from petroleum coke

• Highest PM levels are in summer• According to the Clean Air Task Force, fine particulate matter pollution from U.S. power plants leads to more than 24,000 deaths a year

Particulate Matter (PM)

Particulate Matter (PM): Health Effects

• Size of particles is proportional to potential for causing health problems.

• PM reduces visibility and forms smog when combined with other chemicals.

• PM10 poses the greatest risk because it can get deep into a person’s lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing serious health problems.

• Studies show correlation between PM levels and increased respiratory morbidity and mortality, especially among those with heart/lung disease and even cancer

Symptoms:• Irritates the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing, decreased lung function, aggravated asthma, chronic bronchitis, irregular heartbeat, and premature death in people with heart or lung disease.

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Formed from the incomplete combustion of fuel (ex. Combustion Engines, Coal, Automobile exhaust)

Higher CO levels in areas with heavy traffic

Highest levels occur in winter

In the United States, 56% of CO (up to 95% in cities) is emitted by on-road vehicles.

Health Effects: Carbon Monoxide (CO)

People with heart disease are most at risk.

Low Level Exposure

• Fatigue and chest pain with reduced ability to exercise in people with heart disease

High Level Exposure

• CO can cause vision problems, reduced ability to work/learn along with impaired vision and coordination; headaches; dizziness; confusion; and nausea.

• It can damage the central nervous system and become poisonous in the blood stream causing death.

Nitrogen Oxide (NOx)• Created by fuel combustion in motor vehicles (especially) and industry, electric utilities, etc.

• In the atmosphere NOx reacts with other compounds to form smog and acid rain

Health Effects

• Forms nitrous acids and accumulates in upper respiratory tracts causing:Lung tissue damage

Difficulty breathingAggravated heart diseasePremature death

•Asthmatics, elderly, kids are most at risk

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)• Created when fuel containing sulfur (ex. coal, oil) is burned; gasoline is extracted from oil; metals extracted from ores

• SO2 reacts in air to form sulfate (a form of PM) and acid rain

Health Effects

• Elderly, children, heart and lung patients are most at risk

• SO2 can cause temporary breathing problems for asthmatics who are active outdoors

• Acute expose includes coughing, tightness in chest and bronchoconstriction

Long term exposure: can cause respiratory illness and aggravated heart disease

Acid Rain• Caused by atmospheric pollution of SO2 and NOx

• When reacted in air forms PM (dry deposition) and Rain (wet deposition)

• The when inhaled these chemicals can exacerbate heart and lung illnesses

Acid Rain

Mercury (Hg)• Coal fire power plants release the most amount of Hg in the air

• Hg can also be released in crude oil processing

Health Effects

• Detrimental Hg exposure from the atmosphere is mainly through ingestion.

• Once in the water ways elemental mercury is converted into methylmercury a more toxic form in the body.

• Methylmercury accumulates in the tissues of various organs disrupting normal cellular function.

• It especially effects the Central Nervous System killing off nerve cells

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)Sources

• Fossil fuel combustion, Engine Exhaust, Incineration Waste, Biomass Production, Natural gas systems

Health Effects

• Higher concentrations can affect respiratory function

• Combines with hydrogen to make a greenhouse gas

• Oxygen deficiency in the body

• Carbon dioxide itself can cause headache, dizziness and nausea after exposure for many hours

• At high levels of CO2 can cause asphyxiation

Methane (CH4)• Greenhouse gas that remains in atmosphere for around a decade

• 20 times more effective in trapping heat in atmosphere than carbon dioxide

Sources

• Fossil fuel production, Biomass burning, Waste Management, Landfills, Coal mining, Natural gas and Petrochemical systems

Health Effects

• Extremely volatile and flammable and may form explosive when mixed in air

•Oxygen deficiency / asphyxiation in the body

• At high levels of methane can disrupt the central nervous system

Coal Energy• Almost half of the electricity generated in the US is from coal.

• The coal is mined from the surface or underground, cleaned, processed and burned to make steam which is used to turn steam turbines that generate electricity.

• By-products of coal burning (such as methanol and ethylene) are used in industry for making plastics, tar, fertilizers, medicines and steel.

• Harmful emissions from coal include: NOx

MercurySOxCO2

Natural Gas Extraction

• Hydraulic fracturing is the process of extracting natural gas from underground using highly pressurized fluid made of water/sand/solvent chemicals.

• The pressurized fluid causes the rock formation to crack and release the natural gas which flows back up the well and is collected for processing.

Natural Gas Extraction

From start to finish natural gas extraction involves a number processes that emit pollutants in the air

• Trucks (movement of materials and water): PM, NOx, CO, SOx

- Thousands of gallons of water are used for each frack completion

- Trucks are used to transport fracking fluid, water and waste to and from the site.

• Compressor Engines: CO, NOx, HAPs, VOC, Methane

• Heater and Boilers: NOx, VOC

• Dehydrators: BTEX (Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene), VOC, CO

• Fugitives: Methane, VOC, BTEX

Natural Gas Extraction

Chemical Acute health effect

VOC Irritant, neurological

Benzene Neurological, anemia

Naphthalene Anemia

Combustion Products

Respiratory, cardiovascular, irritants

Hydrochloric acid Irritant

Glutaraldehyde Irritant, allergic reactions

Health Effects

Example: Town of DISH, Texas

Natural Gas ExtractionOpen Impoundments• Large pits are used to contain flow back fluid from the fracking process

• Most are lined with thick reinforced plastic sheeting

• The can emit odors and VOCs into the air

• Health risks due to exposure include, cancer, breathing difficulties, intestinal or stomach disorders, burning of nose and throat

Gas Migration• Gas migration is a result of gas that seeps through fissures or holes in pipes and filling up spaces in the ground such as basements or water wells

• Little is know about gas migration in western PA-being studied at present

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arimoore/4142044706/#/

Clean Air Alternatives

Energy Conservation and Efficiency

•The electron not used is best for our environment

•Act 129 – requires PA utilities like PPL to reduce the demand for electricity by consumers.

Clean Air Alternatives

Renewable Energy

• Solar

•Wind

•Geothermal

Thank you !

• Thurman Brendlinger

Program Director

brendlinger@cleanair.org

215-567-4004, Ext.