2019

Current methods may inadequately measure human health impacts from oil and natural gas extraction

pollution

FINDINGS

An examination of peer-reviewed studies published over six years on hazardous air pollutants associated with the extraction of oil and natural gas finds that measurements of hazardous air pollutant concentrations near operational sites have generally failed to capture levels above standard health benchmarks; yet, the majority of studies continue to find poor health outcomes increasing as distance from these operations decreases.

While it is unclear why there is a gap in the evidence between environmental sampling and health-based studies, the current review provides insights into methodological shortcomings that may help explain this discrepancy. Authors state that current health benchmarks may not provide accurate risk estimates from the broad range of pollutants associated with oil and natural gas development, and fail to adequately address potential risks associated with long-term, chronic, lower levels of exposure or from a mixture of chemicals.  Further, a failure of sampling methods to properly account for degradation and dispersion of pollutants, or inappropriate sampling timeframes that may not capture peak emission periods that are characteristic of oil and natural gas extraction, may also contribute to the current gap in the literature.

The authors call for additional investigations of emissions using measurements and research that incorporate appropriate timeframes and proximity to oil and gas extraction on health impacts from chronic, low-level ambient hazardous air pollutant exposures, among others.

BACKGROUND

Energy demands have increased over several decades as technical innovations have led to more extraction of oil and natural gas, making the United States one of the world’s leading producers of petroleum and natural gas hydrocarbons. Several hazardous air pollutants such as benzene, toluene, and ethyl-benzene are listed by the Environmental Protection Agency as known or suspected carcinogens, or that carry other health effects, have been measured at elevated concentrations around oil and natural gas extraction sites.

METHOD

The researchers reviewed 37 peer-reviewed journal articles published between Jan. 1, 2012 and Feb. 28, 2018. One focused on Poland and the rest on the U.S.

IMPACT

This review will help guide future research on air quality near oil and natural gas development sites by highlighting future research priorities. It may also bring insights into possible exposures of communities near oil and natural gas development and storage sites such as Aliso Canyon in Los Angeles’ Porter Ranch, where there was a major methane leak that affected the community.

AUTHORS

Diane Garcia-Gonzales and Michael Jerrett of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health; Seth Shonkoff of UC Berkeley; and Jake Hayes of Cornell University

JOURNAL

The review article was published in the 2019 volume of Annual Review of Public Health

FUNDING

The National Science Foundation funded this review through Garcia-Gonzales’ Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship fellowship.


Media Contact
Enrique Rivero
310-267-7120
erivero@mednet.ucla.edu

Faculty Referenced by this Article

Michael Jerrett
Michael Jerrett
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Angelo J Bellomo
Angelo Bellomo
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Tao Huai
Tao Huai
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Rachael Jones
Rachael Jones
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Jared Diamond
Jared Diamond
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Dr. Beate Ritz
Beate Ritz
Environmental Health Sciences Epidemiology
Read Faculty Profile
Dr. Yifang Zhu
Yifang Zhu
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Dr. Jane Valentine
Jane Valentine
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Faculty/staff profile placeholder image
Kirsten Schwarz
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Pablo Cicero-Fernandez
Pablo Cicero-Fernandez
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Faculty/staff profile placeholder image
Jesus Araujo
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Brian Cole
Brian Cole
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Dr. Daniel Uslan
Daniel Uslan
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Arabzadah, Hamid
Hamid Arabzadeh
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Arthur Cho
Arthur Cho
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Rosenstock
Linda Rosenstock
Environmental Health Sciences Health Policy and Management
Read Faculty Profile
Richard Ambrose
Richard Ambrose
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Faculty/staff profile placeholder image
Arthur Winer
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Dr. Candace Tsai
Candace Tsai

Associate Professor for Industrial Hygiene and Environmental Health Sciences

Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Dr. Wendie Robbins
Wendie Robbins
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Faculty/staff profile placeholder image
Niklas Krause
Environmental Health Sciences Epidemiology
Read Faculty Profile
Faculty/staff profile placeholder image
Timothy Malloy
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Dr. Pouran D. Faghri
Pouran D. Faghri
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Mel Suffet
Irwin Suffet
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Dr. Kevin Njabo
Kevin Njabo
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Faculty/staff profile placeholder image
Nicole Green
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Dr. Shane Que Hee
Shane Que Hee

Industrial Hygiene & Analytical Chemistry

Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Richard J. Jackson
Richard J. Jackson
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Dr. Robert Schiestl
Robert Schiestl
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Andre Nel
André Nel
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Michael Collins
Michael Collins
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Miriam Marlier
Miriam Marlier
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Curtis Eckhert
Curtis Eckhert
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Jian Li
Jian Li
Environmental Health Sciences Epidemiology
Read Faculty Profile
Dr. Oliver Hankinson
Oliver Hankinson

Dr. Hankinson is a Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and of EHS, and Chair of the Molecular Toxicology IDP

Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Dr. Lara Cushing
Lara Cushing
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile
Feng Gao
Feng Gao
Environmental Health Sciences
Read Faculty Profile