Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Impacts of Hurricane Florence on Criteria Air Pollutants and Air Toxics in Eastern North Carolina

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.

Air Pollutant Patterns and Human Health Risk following the East Palestine, Ohio, Train Derailment

“…While vinyl chloride levels varied during this time, all concentrations were also under established levels of health concern. To contextualize these measurements to another environmental disaster scenario, we compared concentrations with those from our previous mobile monitoring 2 in response to Hurricane Florence in eastern North Carolina ( Figure 2 B). Median concentrations of benzene, toluene, and xylenes were similar to median concentrations detected by mobile monitoring in East Palestine and in Pittsburgh.…”

“…Substantial releases of hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere following both natural and anthropogenic disasters are increasingly recognized, as exemplified by the changes in hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions along the Texas Gulf Coast after Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and in eastern North Carolina following Hurricane Florence in 2018. In the aftermath of the Intercontinental Terminals Company fire in 2019 in Deer Park, TX, high levels of benzene, a known human carcinogen, necessitated a shelter in place as a public health measure …”

Gas and Propane Combustion from Stoves Emits Benzene and Increases Indoor Air Pollution

“…We measured benzene using an Entanglement Technologies, Inc. AROMA VOC analyzer (model ARVOC-191E, RSO), a cavity ring-down analyzer that quantifies benzene concentrations based on the molecule’s infrared spectroscopic absorbance signature. 45 The AROMA analyzer collects one data point every 855 s (14.25 min) and collects sample air for 5 min of each measurement cycle. Thus, each AROMA data point represents a concentration average over 5 min taken once every 15 or so minutes.…”

Adapting to Climate Change: Leveraging Systems-Focused Multidisciplinary Research to Promote Resilience

“…SRP researchers have developed and used cutting edge tools to detect contaminants in air, water, and soil, during and after a variety of disasters including Hurricane Florence in North and South Carolina [ 46 , 47 , 48 ], Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico [ 49 , 50 ], and wildfires [ 51 , 52 ]. They have also documented direct and indirect health effects following hurricanes [ 53 , 54 ].…”