Atmospheric Particulate Matter in Proximity to Mountaintop Coal Mines

Allan Kolker1, Mark A. Engle1,2, William H. Orem1, Calin A. Tatu1, Michael Hendryx3, Michael McCawley3, Laura Esch3, Nick J. Geboy1, Lynn M. Crosby1, and Matthew S. Varonka1

1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, USA2The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA3West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

Introduction

• Mountaintop mining (MTM) is a common method of coal extraction in parts of the U.S. Appalachian region.

• The method exposes coal for production by explosion and removal of non-coal bearing siliceous overburden.

• Past studies have primarily concerned the impact of overburden disposal in stream valleys on aquatic life.

• Recent epidemiologic work suggests disparities in the rates of some diseases between comparable MTM and non-MTM areas1.

1Hendryx et al., 2011, J. Community Health

Approach

• The present study considers the potential for human exposure to air- and water-sourced contaminants from MTM activities.

• Initial results from air sampling studies are presented here.• Samples collected include:

1) High-volume 24-hour sampling of sized ambient particulate matter. Separate inorganic and organic sampling.

2) Geochemical window-wide samples for inorganic and organics.

3) Extended sampling on greased surrogate deposition surfaces.

• Study compares active MTM areas with internal (coal mining by other methods) and external (no coal mining) controls.

Study Area

• Study area in south central West Virginia (WV), USA.

• Control areas in southern WV (internal control) and southeastern WV (external control).

• Sampling in June, Aug., Dec., 2011; Feb., May, 2012

• Results to date for 2011.

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Sampling Activities

MTM

INT.CNTRL.

EXT.CNTRL.

Total suspended particulate (TSP) samplers

Exposed TSP Filters

Sampling Activities

Geochemical window wipes Greased surrogate deposition surfaces

Comparison of MTM Areas E and T with External Control

(June, 2011)

June, 2011 V As Cd Al Ga Rb CeE/EC fine 2.4 1.8 2.0 15.8 20.1 9.3 10.6T/EC fine 1.7 1.6 1.7 8.4 12.1 5.2 6.5E/EC coarse ND ND 2.4 9.5 6.8 7.6 10.1T/EC coarse ND ND 3.4 7.5 5.5 5.6 5.9

Results indicate more pronounced enrichment in “crustal” elements (e.g. Al, Ga, Rb, Ce) in MTM areas E and T vs. external control (EC).

Crustal Sources

AnthropogenicSources

Comparison of MTM Areas E and T with Internal Control

(August, 2011)

Aug., 2011 V As Cd Al Ga Rb CeE/IC fine ND 1.2 0.90 1.1 0.28 1.1 1.1T/IC fine ND 0.90 2.1 1.4 0.39 1.3 1.4E/IC coarse ND ND 2.7 0.73 0.69 0.90 0.74T/IC coarse ND ND 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.1 1.1

Results indicate similar enrichment in most “crustal” elements (e.g. Al, Ga, Rb, Ce) in MTM areas E and T vs. internal control (IC).

Crustal Sources

AnthropogenicSources

Comparison of MTM Area S with Internal and External Controls

(December, 2011)

Results indicate higher concentration of nearly all constituents in MTM area S vs. internal (IC) and external (EC) control sites.

Crustal Sources

AnthropogenicSources

Dec. 2011 V As Cd Al Ga Rb Ce

S/IC fine 22 5.6 5.3 37 11 17 49

S/EC fine 14 3.1 2.7 15 8.3 13 20

S/IC coarse 25 ND 3.4 20 23 14 46

S/EC coarse 13 ND 4.4 25 23 24 20

Comparison of Window- Wipe Samples in MTM Areas and Controls

(June and August, 2011)

V As Cd Al Ga Rb CeMTM 0.59 120 17 0.26 0.46 0.26 1Int. Cntrl. 0.89 490 50 0.30 0.42 0.36 1Ext. Cntrl 2.39 382 33 0.40 0.58 0.55 1

Results indicate enrichment in “anthropogenic” elements (Se, As, Bi, Cd, Ni, Sn) is less in MTM areas than internal control, consistent with dilution by “crustal” material in proximity to MTM operations.

Crustal Sources

AnthropogenicSources

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Results for organics in MTM areas are dominated by alkylated low mol. wt. compounds and low mol. wt. PAH’s (circled) indicating contribution by a coal source, as opposed to coal combustion.

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Conclusions

• Proportions of crustal elements in MTM areas studied are greater than, or similar to, those in external and internal controls, respectively.

• Concentrations of anthropogenic elements derived primarily from combustion sources, are proportionally lower in MTM areas relative to control areas.

• These results are consistent with dilution of anthropogenic elements by locally-derived siliceous material.

• Organics are dominated by low molecular weight alkylated compounds consistent with derivation from coal itself rather than coal combustion.

Ongoing Work

• Integrate air- and water quality sampling.• Further use of surrogate surfaces to obtain

time-integrated particulate samples.• Integrate environmental sampling with

epidemiologic studies conducted by WVU.• Focus environmental sampling on specific

communities with evidence of health impacts.