Health and environmental aspects of oil shale technology: status report. [138 references]

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5976881

Chappell, W R

The production of oil from shale presents a number of potential risks to human health and the environment. These risks are associated with impacts on air and water quality, solid waste disposal, habitat disturbance and other effects of shale oil production. Research in the US, Estonia, and Scotland indicates that SO/sub x/ is perhaps the most important air pollutant and will require very high removal efficiencies. The high concentrations of organics and salts in the oils shale wastewaters present a considerable challenge in treating these waters. While the important constituents in leachates of raw and spent shales are fairly well known (TDS, F, B, Mo), the ultimate fate of these constituents is not understood. However, the materials under the spent shale piles will not be impermeable and it is likely that leachate will eventually reach ground and surface waters and result in significant increases in TDS and, perhaps, other constituents. While the crude shale oils and other materials are carcinogenic and present a risk of increased cancers, recent research results indicate that non-neoplastic pulmonary health effects (pneumoconiosis, bronchitis, and chronic airway obstruction) will be the most important occupational health concern. Ecological risks are very difficult to quantify, but adverse impacts on agriculture and wildlife will occur because of land disturbance and increased TDS in waters. Oil and wastewater spills will have adverse impacts on aquatic organisms and high levels of Mo in plants on the spent shale piles and in irrigation water (from leachates) could result in areas where forage contains Mo concentrations toxic to livestock. 138 references, 1 figure, 12 tables.

• Research Organization: Colorado Univ., Denver (USA). Center for Environmental Sciences
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-79EV10298
• OSTI ID: 5976881
• Report Number(s): DOE/EV/10298-5(4); CONF-821048-12; ON: DE85007359
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040700 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Health & Safety
041000* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Environmental Aspects
AIR QUALITY
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
DISEASES
DISSOLUTION
DOCUMENT TYPES
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ECOLOGY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GROUND WATER
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRY
LEACHING
LIQUID WASTES
MATERIALS
OIL SHALE INDUSTRY
OIL SHALES
OIL SPILLS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
REVIEWS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPENT SHALES
SURFACE WATERS
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER QUALITY
WATER TREATMENT