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Your Award-Winning News Source for the Upper Delaware River Valley Region Since 1975

Vol. 34 No. 49  DECEMBER 4-10, 2008  www.riverreporter.com  $1.00

What’s in that fracking fluid?


Pennsylvania discloses the chemicals used
by the drilling companies
By SANDY LONG is a non-profit organization that reviews and interprets scien-
sandylong@riverreporter.com tific research focused on the effects of synthetic chemicals on
human and animal health. TEDX president Dr. Theo Colborn

P
ENNSYLVANIA — It’s something many people in the has published, lectured and testified extensively on the effects of
Upper Delaware region want to know: what chemicals chemicals on the developing endocrine, immune, metabolic and
are being used by the natural gas industry in its drilling nervous systems.
processes? The tables and graphs presented here were generated by that
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection organization. Of the 59 chemicals on the list, several were syn-
(DEP) notes that while companies may keep their fracking onyms for the same chemical (e.g. Isopropanol, Isopropyl Al-
“formulas” proprietary, the individual ingredients are public cohol, Propan-2-01). When this occurred, the names were com-
record in Pennsylvania. The agency supplied The River Re- bined to create a final list of 54 chemicals.
porter with a list of chemicals that may be used during the TEDX staff searched the literature for health effects associat-
fracking process. Any of them may be present in the wastewa- ed with the 54 chemicals and broke them into 14 different health
ter generated and may be stored temporarily in open pits at effect categories commonly used in government toxicological
the site. literature. The table below shows the number of chemicals out
We asked researchers at The Endocrine Disruption Exchange of the 54 that have effects on at least 10 health categories.
(TEDX) to analyze theTable
list for1.its
Chemicals
potentialassociated with 10
health effects. or more health effect categories
TEDX

Chemical # of Chemical # of
Categories Categories
2-butoxyethanol 13 Monoethanolamine 11
Ethylhexanol 13 Dazomet 10
Formaldehyde 13 Acetic Anhydride 10
Glutaraldehyde 13 Isopropanol 10
Boric Acid 12 Propargyl Alcohol (Prop-2-yn-1-01) 10
Ethane-1,2-diol (ethylene glycol) 12 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazotin-3-one 10
Ethylene Glycol 12 Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO3) 10
Methanol 11 Diesel 10
Fracking chemicals associated with ten or more health effect categories.

Controlling
The following tables summarize fracking
the health effect fluidswith the chemicals.
categories associated
Defenders of the fracking process say that in the Marcellus that are intended to prevent fracking fluids from entering the
Figure it is safe becauseTable
Shale 2. 2. Total
the process chemicals
takes (N=54)
place well below the wa- ground water supply have failed in the past, and will likely fail
ter table that provides drinking water. in the future in at least some instances.
The water is injected deep underground through lined wells Further,
Number a large amount of fracking fluid comes back out
that prevent the fracking fluid from contaminating the water of the well after drilling, and can then contaminate air and
of Percent of
in the higher part of the earth beneath the drill site. ground water if not properly handled. The chemicals pose a
Healththe
Critics, however, argue that the casings around Effect
wellCategory
bore Chemicals
threat to humanChemicals
health until they are disposed of.
Skin, eye and sensory organ 42 78%
100%
Respiratory 40 74%
90% 54 chemicals
Gastrointestinal and liver identified
36 by the 67%
DEP as being used in fracking fluids,
and the percentage of which have effects on health categories.
Other 30 56%
80% Cardiovascular and blood 29 54%
Brain and nervous system 29 54%
70%
Kidney 25 46%
60% Ecological 23 43%
Immune 22 41%
50% Cancer 16 30%
40%
Mutagen 14 26%
Developmental 14 26%
30% Endocrine disruptors 13 24%
Reproductive 11 20%
20%

10%
Most of the chemicals were associated with skin, eye and sensory organ irritation and toxicity,
0% followed by respiratory effects, gastrointestinal and liver effects. The ‘Other’ category includes
Skin, eye and Respiratory Gastrointesti- Result in other Cardiovascular Brain and Kidney Ecological Immune Cancer Mutagen Developmental Endocrine Reproductive
sensory organ such effects
nal and liver as death, teeth
disorders and bloodeffects,
nervousetc. The most often cited effect in this category is the ability disruptors

of chemical to cause death.


Most of the chemicals in the above chart were The “Other” category includes such effects The “Ecological” category refers to damage
associated with skin, eye and sensory organ as death, teeth effects, etc. The most often to a wide variety of birds, fish, amphibians, or
irritation and toxicity, followed by respiratory cited effect in this category is the ability of the other aquatic species.
effects, gastrointestinal and liver effects. chemical to cause death.

SPANNING 3 STATES, 5 COUNTIES, 60 COMMUNITIES AND A RIVER


Table 3. Volatile chemicals (N=21)

Number of Percent of
Fracking fluid Health that
Chemicals
OfGastrointestinal
Effect canCategory
the 54 chemicals identified and
move through air
liver
by DEP
Chemicals Chemicals
21fluid, 21 are readily airborne.
as being used in fracking 100%
complaints Table 3. Volatile chemicals
As noted in the table(N=21)
Respiratory
gastrointestinal
below, all of these chemicals can harm the eyes, skin, respiratory tract,
tract or liver. 21 100%
and Skin, eye and sensory organ Number 21 of 100% of
Percent
identification Other
Health Effect Category
Cardiovascular and
Gastrointestinal andblood
liver
20
Chemicals
19
21
95%
Chemicals
90%
100%
According to a report from the Brain and nervous system
Respiratory 19
21 90%
100%
Oil & Gas Accountability Project,
citizens from many states have Kidney
Skin, eye and sensory organ 17
21 81%
100%
reported negative impacts to wa- Other
Ecological 20
15 95%
71%
ter quality in the wake of hydrau-
lic fracturing.
Cardiovascular
Immune and blood 19
11 90%
52%
The report says, “Common com- Brain and
Developmental nervous system 19
10 90%
48%
plaints include: murky or cloudy
water, black or gray sediments,
Kidney
Reproductive 17
9 81%
43%
iron precipitates, soaps, black jel- Ecological
Mutagen 15
7 71%
33%
ly-like grease, floating particles, Immune 11 52%
diesel fuel or petroleum odors, in- Endocrine disruptors 7 33%
creased methane in water, rashes Developmental
Cancer 10
6 48%
29%
from showering, gassy taste and Reproductive 9 43%
decrease or complete loss of water
flow.” Mutagen 7 33%
chemicals Endocrine
are readilydisruptors 7 all of these33%
The report continues, “In most
cases, the agenciesThese conducting airborne. As noted in the table, chemicals can ha
follow-up water quality sampling Cancer 6 29%
eyes, skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract or liver.
do not know what chemicals have
been used in fracturing opera- Chemicals that can move through water
tions because companiesTable chemicals
4. Soluble
are not chemicals
Of the 54 chemicals (N=34)
identified by DEP as being used in fracking fluids, 34 are soluble, allowing
required to discloseThese
this informa- are
them to readily airborne.
move into surface As noted
and underground water.in the table, all of these chemicals can ha
tion. Consequently, state agencies
eyes, skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract or liver.
do not test for all fracturing fluid Number of Percent of
chemicals. Citizens have also ex-
Tablewater
perienced soil and surface
Health (N=34)
4. Soluble chemicals Effect Category Chemicals Chemicals
contamination from spills of hy- Skin, eye and sensory organ 34 100%
draulic fracturing fluids.”
Respiratory 32 of
Number 94% of
Percent
Health Effect
Gastrointestinal andCategory
liver Chemicals
31 Chemicals
91%
Skin, eye and sensory
Cardiovascular organ
and blood 34
26 100%
76%
Respiratory
Other 32
26 94%
76%
Gastrointestinal
Brain and nervousandsystem
liver 31
25 91%
74%
Cardiovascular
Kidney and blood 26
21 76%
62%
Other
Ecological 26
21 76%
62%
Brain
Immuneand nervous system 25
19 74%
56%
Kidney 21 62%
Developmental 14 41%
Ecological 21 62%
Cancer 11 32%
Immune 19 56%
Endocrine disruptors
Developmental 11
14 32%
41%
Reproductive
Cancer 11
11 32%
32%
Mutagen disruptors
Endocrine 10
11 29%
32%
Reproductive 11 32%
Mutagen 10 29%
These chemicals are soluble, allowing them to move intosurface and underground water T

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