| Title: | "Twelve-year trends in ambient concentrations of volatile organic compounds in a community of the Alberta Oil Sands Region, Canada" |
| Author(s): | Bari MA; Kindzierski WB; Spink D; |
| Address: | "School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 3-57 South Academic Building, 11405-87 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1C9, Canada. Electronic address: mdaynul@ualberta.ca. School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 3-57 South Academic Building, 11405-87 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1C9, Canada. Pravid Environmental Inc., 62 Lucerne Crescent, St. Albert, Alberta T8N 2R2, Canada" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.envint.2016.02.015 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1873-6750 (Electronic) 0160-4120 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Environmental exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ambient air is one of a number of concerns that the First Nation Community of Fort McKay, Alberta has related to development of Canada's oil sands. An in-depth investigation of trends in ambient air VOC levels in Fort McKay was undertaken to better understand the role and possible significance of emissions from Alberta's oil sands development. A non-parametric trend detection method was used to investigate trends in emissions and ambient VOC concentrations over a 12-year (2001-2012) period. Relationships between ambient VOC concentrations and production indicators of oil sands operations around Fort McKay were also examined. A weak upward trend (significant at 90% confidence level) was found for ambient concentrations of total VOCs based on sixteen detected species with an annual increase of 0.64mug/m(3) (7.2%) per year (7.7mug/m(3) increase per decade). Indicators of production (i.e., annual bitumen production and mined oil sands quantities) were correlated with ambient total VOC concentrations. Only one of 29 VOC species evaluated (1-butene) showed a statistically significant upward trend (p=0.05). Observed geometric (arithmetic) mean and maximum ambient concentrations of selected VOCs of public health concern for most recent three years of the study period (2010-2012) were below chronic and acute health risk screening criteria of the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Thirty-two VOCs are recommended for tracking in future air quality investigations in the community to better understand whether changes are occurring over time in relation to oil sands development activities and to inform policy makers about whether or not these changes warrant additional attention" |
| Keywords: | Air Pollutants/*analysis Alberta Alkenes/analysis Environmental Monitoring/statistics & numerical data Hydrocarbons *Oil and Gas Fields United States Volatile Organic Compounds/*analysis Fort McKay Oil sands Trends Volatile organic compounds; |
| Notes: | "MedlineBari, Md Aynul Kindzierski, Warren B Spink, David eng Netherlands 2016/02/26 Environ Int. 2016 May; 91:40-50. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.02.015. Epub 2016 Feb 22" |
