Distance decay gradients in hazardous air pollution concentrations around oil and natural gas facilities in the city of Los Angeles: A pilot study

Diane A Garcia-Gonzales; Bhavna Shamasunder; Michael Jerrett

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2019.03.027

Distance decay gradients in hazardous air pollution concentrations around oil and natural gas facilities in the city of Los Angeles: A pilot study

Environ Res. 2019 Jun:173:232-236. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.03.027. Epub 2019 Mar 14.

Authors

Diane A Garcia-Gonzales¹, Bhavna Shamasunder², Michael Jerrett³

Affiliations

¹ Environmental Health Sciences Division, 50 University Hall, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; University of California at Los Angeles, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, 619 Charles E. Young Drive East La Kretz Hall, Suite 300, Box 951496, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1496, USA. Electronic address: dgonzales98@ucla.edu.
² Urban and Environmental Policy Department, Occidental College, USA. Electronic address: bhavna@oxy.edu.
³ Environmental Health Sciences Division, 50 University Hall, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health University of California, Los Angeles, USA; Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Fielding School of Public Health University of California, Los Angeles, USA. Electronic address: mjerrett@ucla.edu.

PMID: 30928853
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.03.027

Abstract

In this work, we investigate air pollutant distance decay gradients around an upstream oil and natural gas (ONG) facility located within a densely populated urban community in South Los Angeles. Despite the difficulties associated with interpreting air quality measurements in complex, multi-source urban environments, this pilot investigation was able to identify distance decay around the target ONG site and distinguish added air quality burden of several volatile organic compounds associated with ONG operations. Moving forward, we recommend additional research to better distinguish air quality contributions from ONG in urban environments.

Keywords: Air quality; Distance decay; Hazardous air pollutants; Jefferson drill site; Oil and natural gas.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants*
Air Pollution / statistics & numerical data*
Environmental Monitoring*
Los Angeles
Natural Gas*
Pilot Projects

Substances

Air Pollutants
Natural Gas