Natural gas odorants: A scoping review of health effects

Journal Article · Tue Jul 25 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Current Environmental Health Reports

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-023-00403-w· OSTI ID:2470570

Michanowicz, Drew R. ^[1]; Leventhal, Olivia M. ^[2]; Domen, Jeremy K. ^[3]; Williams, Samuel R. ^[4]; Lebel, Eric D. ^[5]; Hill, Lee Ann L. ^[5]; Buonocore, Jonathan J. ^[6]; Nordgaard, Curtis L. ^[5]; Bernstein, Aaron S. ^[7]; Shonkoff, Seth B.C. ^[8]

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1. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA (United States); PSE Healthy Energy, Oakland, CA (United States)
2. University of California, San Francisco, CA (United States)
3. PSE Healthy Energy, Oakland, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
4. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA (United States)
5. PSE Healthy Energy, Oakland, CA (United States)
6. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA (United States); Boston University School of Public Health, MA (United States)
7. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA (United States); Boston Children’s Hospital, MA (United States)
8. PSE Healthy Energy, Oakland, CA (United States); University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Organosulfur compounds are intentionally added to natural gas as malodorants with the intent of short-term nasal inhalation to aid in leak detection. Regulatory exposure limits have not been established for all commonly used natural gas odorants, and recent community-level exposure events and growing evidence of indoor natural gas leakage have raised concerns associated with natural gas odorant exposures. We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed scientific publications on human exposures and animal toxicological studies of natural gas odorants to assess toxicological profiles, exposure potential, health effects and regulatory guidelines associated with commonly used natural gas odorants. We identified only 22 studies which met inclusion criteria for full review. Overall, there is limited evidence of both transient nonspecific health symptoms and clinically diagnosed causative neurotoxic effects associated with prolonged odorant exposures. Across seven community-level exposure events and two occupational case reports, consistent symptom patterns included: headache, ocular irritation, nose and throat irritation, respiratory complaints such as shortness of breath and asthma attacks, and skin irritation and rash. Of these, respiratory inflammation and asthma exacerbations are the most debilitating, whereas the high prevalence of ocular and dermatologic symptoms suggest a non-inhalation route of exposure. The limited evidence available raises the possibility that organosulfur odorants may pose health risks at exposures much lower than presently understood, though additional dose-response studies are needed to disentangle specific toxicologic effects from nonspecific responses to noxious organosulfur odors. Numerous recommendations are provided including more transparent and prescriptive natural gas odorant use practices.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 2470570
• Journal Information: Current Environmental Health Reports, Journal Name: Current Environmental Health Reports Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 10; ISSN 2196-5412
• Publisher: Springer
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
Public
Environmental & Occupational Health
community exposure
downstream natural gas
health effects
mercaptans
odorants
organosulfur compounds