Integration of inorganic and isotopic geochemistry with endocrine disruption activity assays to assess risks to water resources near unconventional oil and gas development in Garfield County, CO.
Abstract
The rise of hydraulic fracturing in the United States has sparked a debate about the impact of oil and gas development on the quality of water resources. Wastewater associated with hydraulic fracturing includes injection fluid that is a mixture of sand, freshwater and synthetic organic chemicals, flowback water that is a mixture of injection fluid and formation brine, and produced water that is primarily brine. The fluids range in salinity and chemical composition that can have different environmental impacts. We analyzed the inorganic and isotope geochemistry of 58 surface and groundwater samples near and away from unconventional oil and gas operations (UOG), along with hormonal profiles via bioassays. Cl (0.12 to 198 mg/L), Na (1.2 to 518 mg/L) and Sr (1.4 to 2410 ug/L) were higher in both groundwater and surface water near UOG wells. Four surface waters and one groundwater had Br/Cl indicative of brine contamination (>1.5x10-3). Three of the SW samples also had 87Sr/86Sr ratios similar to values found in produced or flowback water (0.7118 and 0.7158, respectively) from the Williams-Fork formation and elevated compared to background ratios (0.71062 to 0.7115). Increased progestogenic activity was observed in groundwater near UOG operations and inncreased estrogenic, androgenic, progestogenic, anti-androgenic, anti-progestogenic, and anti-glucocorticoid activities in surface water near UOG operations. The association of increased EDCs with inorganic and isotopic indicators of UOG wastewater provides evidence for possible environmental and health impacts from drilling activity.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AGUFMPA21B2203H
- Keywords:
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- 9810 New fields (not classifiable under other headings);
- GENERAL OR MISCELLANEOUSDE: 6349 General or miscellaneous;
- POLICY SCIENCESDE: 6699 General or miscellaneous;
- PUBLIC ISSUES