www.environmentalhealthproject.org
Case Study
#2
Child with
Recurrent Sinus
Infections
SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
Onset
 Mom
and dad and 4 year old
 Child has been having four upper
respiratory infections in last 6 months
 Diagnosed with otitis and sinusitis
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SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
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History
 Family
moved last year from Maryland to
find jobs in Pennsylvania
 Father has secured a job at a water
withdrawal station
 They live adjacent to a compressor station
SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
724.260.5504
History (continued)
 Mother
reports that when crossing the
yard she has a funny taste in mouth
 Father smokes outside the home
 Child did not have any upper respiratory
infections prior to moving to Pennsylvania
 What
other pieces of information do you
want to know?
SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
724.260.5504
Exam
 Playful
child
 Afebrile
 Normal growth chart
 Normal HEENT except some crusting nasal
discharge
 Occasional coarse upper respiratory
sounds
 Why
are children not small adults?
SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
724.260.5504
Children’s Susceptibility To Air
Hazards
 Have
increased respiratory rate and
breathe in more (i.e. more toxins) per
body weight than adults
 Play vigorously for long time periods
 Developmental stages predispose them
to activities and behaviors conducive to
environmental exposures
 Have little knowledge or awareness of
environmental hazards
SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
Known Emissions from
Compressors

Compressors and motors on the drilling and
production sites, injection well disposal sites
and along pipelines release combustion
products and volatile organic hydrocarbons
into the air and degrade the air quality

These combustion products also combine
with the volatile organic chemicals in the
presence of heat and sunlight to produce
ground level ozone
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Ground Level Ozone
Formation
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Potential for Air Pollution- VOC
& PM 2.5




Ground level ozone exacerbates underlying
asthma and COPD and causes lung injury
PM2.5 when inhaled lodge in the deep lung
(bronchioles and alveoli)
PM2.5 carbonaecous core adsorbs PAH, nitroPAH and heavy metals
PM2.5 invoke an inflammatory response and
contain probable lung carcinogens (IARC)
SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
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Units at Compressor Stations & Gas
Metering Stations Releasing
Emissions into the Air

Compressor Engines

Compressor Blowdowns

Condensate Tanks

Storage Tanks

Truck Loading Racks

Glycol Dehydration Units

Amine Units

Separators

Fugitive Emission Sources

90% of individuals reported experiencing odor events from these facilities
From survey conducted by Earthworks
SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
Examples of Chemicals
Detected in Air

Xylene

Ethane

Isobutane

Methane

Propane

Propylene

Nitrogen Oxide

Carbon Monoxide

Sulfur Dioxide
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SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
724.260.5504
Sample Air Test
What is elevated in this sample and what does the elevation
mean?
SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
724.260.5504
Important Variables with Air
Testing
 Type
of air monitor: summa canister, H2S
monitor, 24 hour personal air monitor
 Direction of wind, weather pattern that
day
 Location sampled
 Beware of sample contamination
especially with summa and what each air
monitor tests
SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
More
Potential for Air Pollution
 Diesel
trucks traffic
 Flaring
 H2S
 Preexisting air quality from coal industry
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SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
Recommendations
 Air
filters- incoming air vents or free
standing in bedrooms

Avoid ionizers
 Monitor
for signs of asthma
 Decrease second hand tobacco
exposure
 Father to change attire prior to coming
inside home after work
724.260.5504
SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROJECT
Answer Key
 See
Handout
724.260.5504