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Title: Health impacts of geothermal energy

Abstract

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.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
6388562
Report Number(s):
UCRL-85334; CONF-810652-2
ON: DE81023661
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Conference
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
Subject:
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)

Citation Formats

Layton, D W, and Anspaugh, L R. Health impacts of geothermal energy. United States: N. p., 1981. Web.
Layton, D W, & Anspaugh, L R. Health impacts of geothermal energy. United States.
Layton, D W, and Anspaugh, L R. 1981. "Health impacts of geothermal energy". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6388562.
@article{osti_6388562,
title = {Health impacts of geothermal energy},
author = {Layton, D W and Anspaugh, L R},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6388562}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 1981},
month = {Mon Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 1981}
}

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