Health impacts of geothermal energy

Conference · Mon Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:6388562

Layton, D W; Anspaugh, L R

The focus is on electric power production using geothermal resources greater than 150/sup 0/C because this form of geothermal energy utilization has the most serious health-related consequences. Based on measurements and experience at existing geothermal power plants, atmospheric emissions of noncondensing gases such as hydrogen sulfide and benzene pose the greatest hazards to public health. Surface and ground waters contaminated by discharges of spent geothermal fluids constitute another health hazard. It is shown that hydrogen sulfide emissions from most geothermal power plants are apt to cause odor annoyances among members of the exposed public - some of whom can detect this gas at concentrations as low as 0.002 parts per million by volume. A risk assessment model is used to estimate the lifetime risk of incurring leukemia from atmospheric benzene caused by 2000 MW(e) of geothermal development in California's Imperial Valley. The risk of skin cancer due to the ingestion of river water in New Zealand that is contaminated by waste geothermal fluids containing arsenic is also assessed. Finally, data on the occurrence of occupational disease in the geothermal industry are summarized briefly.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6388562
• Report Number(s): UCRL-85334; CONF-810652-2; ON: DE81023661
• Resource Relation: Conference: International symposium on health impacts of different sources of energy, Nashville, TN, USA, 22 Jun 1981
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS
AIR POLLUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
HEALTH HAZARDS
WATER POLLUTION
BENZENE
GEOTHERMAL INDUSTRY
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
LEUKEMIA
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
ODOR
PUBLIC HEALTH
AROMATICS
CHALCOGENIDES
DISEASES
HAZARDS
HEMIC DISEASES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRY
NEOPLASMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES
POLLUTION
POWER PLANTS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
Geothermal Legacy
150600* - Geothermal Energy- Environmental Aspects
299002 - Energy Planning & Policy- Geothermal- (-1989)