TABLE 2. Potential Health Effects of Air Pollutants Associated with Shale Gas Development.
Pollutant | Potential health effects |
---|---|
Methane | • Explosion and fire |
• Asphyxiation in confined space | |
• Global climate change | |
Nonmethane volatile organic compounds including BTEXa | • Ozone precursors |
• Leukemia and other hematological effects (benzene, formaldehyde) | |
• Upper respiratory tract inflammation | |
• Central nervous system effects in confined spaces | |
Oxides of nitrogen | • Ozone precursors |
• Asthma and other acute respiratory effects | |
Ozone including photochemical oxidants | • Asthma and other acute respiratory effects |
• Loss of lung function | |
• Premature mortality | |
Particulates including diesel exhaust | • Asthma and other acute and chronic respiratory effects |
• Premature mortality | |
• Cancer | |
Silica dust | • Chronic lung disease (silicosis; particularly among workers) |
aBTEX: benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylenes.