Air Quality Levels in the Gulf States

[Razmear]

I'm still piecing all the numbers together, so this post is also my workpad for getting the data formated, but seeing how you all are folks that I'd like to not see die, I'm sharing here first. (no, I'm not the first raising the alarm on this.)

Anyways, your basic hazardous materials sheet on Benzene can be found here:
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/benzene.html#ref9

And it states in the hard to read bar graph that the maximum safe level of exposure for a 15 minute interval or less is: 3.2 mg/m3.
The max for an 8 hour workday is 0.32 mg/m3
note 1mg/m3 = 1000 ug/m3, so .32 mg = 320 ug


You can check the reporting charts from the EPA monitoring stations in the gulf, viewable in a PDF file here:
http://epa.gov/bpspill/data/air_sampling_update.pdf
linked from:
http://epa.gov/bpspill/air.html#datarep

....

I was seeking to find dangerously high levels of Benzene in these charts, and although they don't reach the 'gonna kill you in 15 minutes' levels, they do increase starting at the bottom of the PDF (oldest dates) and the most recent reports are mainly ND for no data.
One other thing on the charts is Naphthalne, upto 150 ng/m3 which I wasn't really looking for.
Data sheet on that is here: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/naphthal.html#ref6

K, I'm going blind from looking at all these charts, not sure how toxic the air is over the gulf, but heres some raw data so you can research yourselves too.

eb

[Razmear]

Forgot to add this link:
http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/gulf-air-is-contaminated/

and video:
YouTube - BP Death Clouds Already Onshore! Benzene-3400ppb & Hyrdrogen Sulfide-1200ppb TOXIC AIR ALERT (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGxGVGiD3yk&feature=player_embedded)

eb

[Anti Federalist]

At the well site, levels of all VOCs are in the 70 ppm range.

[Razmear]

From:
http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/



Air Data
EPA's air monitoring conducted through June 15, 2010, has found that air quality levels for ozone and particulates are normal on the Gulf coastline for this time of year.

EPA has observed odor-causing pollutants associated with petroleum products along the coastline at low levels. Some of these chemicals may cause short-lived effects like headache, eye, nose and throat irritation, or nausea. People may be able to smell some of these chemicals at levels well below those that would cause short-term health problems.

Now aren't these two paragraphs in direct contradiction with each other?
eb

[Anti Federalist]

From:
http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/



Now aren't these two paragraphs in direct contradiction with each other?
eb

Not considering the naturally occurring oil seeps that amount to roughly 43 million gallons a year.

[Anti Federalist]

Releases of oil from naturally occurring seeps on the sea floor amount to over 43 million gallons each year.

140,000 metric tonnes x 7.33 to convert to barrels = 1,026,200 bbls.

1,026,200 x 42 (gallons per barrel) = 43,100,400 gallons



[N]ew technologies, particularly remote sensing techniques, have provided better means of natural seep detection and assessment. Studies in parts of the Gulf of Mexico (MacDonald et al., 1993; MacDonald, 1998; Mitchell et al., 1999), using these new technologies, have resulted in an estimated seepage rate for the entire Gulf of Mexico of 140,000 tonnes per year (range of 80,000 to 200,000 tonnes per year).

http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?re...=10388&page=70