Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    TopBuzzMagazine.com
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    • Home
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Music
    • Fashion
    • Books
    • Science
    • Technology
    • Cover Story
    • Contact
      • About
      • Amazon Disclaimer
      • Terms and Conditions
      • Privacy Policy
      • DMCA / Copyrights Disclaimer
    TopBuzzMagazine.com
    Home»Science»New study finds that natural gas leaked from interstate pipelines
    Science

    New study finds that natural gas leaked from interstate pipelines

    By AdminOctober 22, 2022
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

    Natural gas transported by interstate pipelines contains hazardous air pollutants and known human carcinogens, according to a first of its kind study published in Environmental Research Letters by researchers at the nonprofit research institute PSE Healthy Energy.

    In the United States, interstate transmission pipelines that transport natural gas release significant quantities of unburned gas during routine operations and unintentional leaks (e.g., blowdowns and blowouts). In 2020 alone, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated that natural gas transmission infrastructure leaked over 1.4 million tons of methane—a potent greenhouse gas. Despite this, no previous analysis has evaluated whether the gas in this system contains hazardous air pollutants.

    “Interstate natural gas pipelines are critical energy infrastructure that is normally off limits to researchers,” said the study’s leading author Curtis Nordgaard, an environmental health scientist at PSE Healthy Energy and a board-certified pediatrician. “This is the first study to investigate the chemicals moving through our nation’s vast natural gas transmission network. Our results indicate that there are surprising levels of harmful air pollutants and carcinogens, creating potential health risks if gas leaks into nearby communities.”

    Using industry-reported data from infrastructure applications submitted to federal regulators, PSE scientists calculated the concentration of hazardous air pollutants in natural gas transmission pipelines. The researchers found BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) and hexane reported in nearly all filings that disclosed hazardous air pollutant data.

    Industry reports also included other health-damaging compounds, including mercury, the radioactive gas radon, and hydrogen sulfide. While concentrations of these chemicals varied, some were health-relevant. In the case of benzene, concentrations were reported as high as 299 parts per million, or 30,000 times the short-term exposure level considered low-risk by the California Environmental Protection Agency. Many of the chemicals reported are known to cause neurodevelopmental impairments, lung cancer, leukemia, and respiratory illness.

    “We know that natural gas transmission infrastructure is responsible for methane emissions that damage the climate. This new study indicates that these leaks may also contain chemicals that are dangerous for human health,” said PSE Healthy Energy Executive Director Seth B.C. Shonkoff. “Stopping natural gas leaks is critical for the climate and to protect the health of our communities.”

    The researchers used industry-reported data from natural gas infrastructure expansion applications approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) between 2017-2020 and ongoing industry measurements reported for five interstate pipelines from December 2020 through June 2021.

    Because the industry is not strictly required to report the presence of hazardous air pollutants in expansion applications, over 50% of applications did not report any hazardous pollutant data. The pipelines evaluated represent 45% of all onshore natural gas transmission systems by mileage.

    Natural gas used in homes contains hazardous air pollutants, shows Boston-area study More information: Curtis L. Nordgaard et al, Hazardous air pollutants in transmission pipeline natural gas: An analytic assessment, Environmental Research Letters (2022). DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac9295

    Provided by PSE Healthy Energy

    Citation: New study finds that natural gas leaked from interstate pipelines contains hazardous air pollutants and carcinogens (2022, September 20) retrieved 22 October 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-09-natural-gas-leaked-interstate-pipelines.html

    This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

    Read The Full Article Here

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Related Posts

    Mysterious glow at the Milky Way’s center could reshape a major cosmic theory

    October 22, 2025

    Antidepressants vary widely in their physical side effects

    October 22, 2025

    Geophysical-machine learning tool developed for continuous subsurface geomaterials characterization

    October 21, 2025

    Pair of ‘holy’ islands in eerily green African lake hold centuries-old relics and mummified emperors — Earth from space

    October 21, 2025

    A distant comet is forming new rings while we watch in real time

    October 20, 2025

    Flood reckoning for Bali on overdevelopment, waste

    October 20, 2025
    popular posts

    ‘Inside Outlander’ Aftershow: Stars on Love & Medicine (VIDEO)

    The Chip Shortage Is Easing—but Only for Some

    Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 3-17-25 Bring A Legendary Character Back For The Most Heartbreaking Reason

    All the News We Covered This Week

    Solana Saga Smartphone: Titanium Accent, Seed Vault Make for Web3

    J Lo’s Micro Mini-Shorts and Leather Choker Are Straight Out

    A Poignant Tale of Pursuing Romance in the Face of

    Categories
    • Books (3,486)
    • Cover Story (8)
    • Events (20)
    • Fashion (2,570)
    • Interviews (47)
    • Movies (2,786)
    • Music (3,071)
    • News (162)
    • Politics (6)
    • Science (4,637)
    • Technology (2,781)
    • Television (3,511)
    • Uncategorized (932)
    Archives
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube Reddit TikTok
    © 2025 Top Buzz Magazine. All rights reserved. All articles, images, product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement unless specified. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie SettingsAccept
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT