2017: Mobile Sensing of Volatile Organic Compounds (Environmental Defense Fund, US Environnemental Protection Agency)
Controlling methane emissions from oil and gas wells is a vital step toward slowing climate change and protecting global public health – but other airborne pollutants associated with oil and gas may have local health impacts. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency manages a national network of only 34 stations to monitor long-term concentrations of volatile organic compounds, so little is known about the risk to communities near most oil and gas sites. This project will evaluate sensors that detect and quantify emissions of compounds such as benzene, using a mobile monitoring approach. This approach will reduce monitoring costs while giving communities and policymakers solid information about emissions levels and health risks.
Cornell Investigators: John Albertson (Civil and Environmental Engineering), Oliver Gao (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
EDF: David Lyon (Oil and Gas Program), Beth Trask
US-EPA: Eben Thoma (ORD)