| Title: | Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Impacts of Hurricane Florence on Criteria Air Pollutants and Air Toxics in Eastern North Carolina |
| Author(s): | Bhandari S; Casillas G; Aly NA; Zhu R; Newman G; Wright FA; Miller A; Adler G; Rusyn I; Chiu WA; |
| Address: | "Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA. Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA. Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77844, USA. Bioinformatics Research Center, Departments of Statistics and Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, CA 27695, USA. Entanglement Technologies, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA. Breezometer, Haifa 3303124, Israel" |
| Journal Title: | Int J Environ Res Public Health |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1660-4601 (Electronic) 1661-7827 (Print) 1660-4601 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Natural and anthropogenic disasters are associated with air quality concerns due to the potential redistribution of pollutants in the environment. Our objective was to conduct a spatiotemporal analysis of air concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzne, and xylene (BTEX) and criteria air pollutants in North Carolina during and after Hurricane Florence. Three sampling campaigns were carried out immediately after the storm (September 2018) and at four-month intervals. BTEX were measured along major roads. Concurrent criteria air pollutant concentrations were predicted from modeling. Correlation between air pollutants and possible point sources was conducted using spatial regression. Exceedances of ambient air criteria were observed for benzene (in all sampling periods) and PM2.5 (mostly immediately after Florence). For both, there was an association between higher concentrations and fueling stations, particularly immediately after Florence. For other pollutants, concentrations were generally below levels of regulatory concern. Through characterization of air quality under both disaster and 'normal' conditions, this study demonstrates spatial and temporal variation in air pollutants. We found that only benzene and PM2.5 were present at levels of potential concern, and there were localized increases immediately after the hurricane. These substances warrant particular attention in future disaster response research (DR2) investigations" |
| Keywords: | *Air Pollutants/analysis *Air Pollution/analysis *Cyclonic Storms Environmental Monitoring North Carolina Vehicle Emissions/analysis air pollution criteria pollutants geospatial analyses volatile organic compounds; |
| Notes: | "MedlineBhandari, Sharmila Casillas, Gaston Aly, Noor A Zhu, Rui Newman, Galen Wright, Fred A Miller, Anthony Adler, Gabriela Rusyn, Ivan Chiu, Weihsueh A eng P30 ES029067/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/ P42 ES027704/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/ T32 ES026568/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/ R44 ES022538/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Switzerland 2022/02/16 Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Feb 3; 19(3):1757. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031757" |
