Alarming Levels Of Toxic Gas Detected In The Air Across Louisiana By John Hopkins

Johns Hopkins researchers discovered ethylene oxide concentrations in Louisiana that far exceed safety standards. Using a mobile lab, they detected extremely high levels in industrial areas. This reveals a higher cancer risk than previously known. Ethylene oxide is a toxic gas and was found at levels thousands of times higher than the safety standards.
The concentrations found were way higher than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates for the area. This has caused concern in the community, as residents worry about the potential health risks from prolonged exposure to such high levels of ethylene oxide. Community members are calling for immediate action and stricter regulations to address the elevated cancer risk.
What Is It?

Ethylene oxide (EtO, C2H4O) is a volatile organic compound (VOC) used in making commercial chemicals like ethylene glycols and as a sterilizing and fumigating agent for medical equipment and food. It is typically produced by the catalytic oxidation of ethylene. The researchers from John Hopkins used a mobile lab to test for it in Louisiana and published their findings here. What they found was disturbing.
Carcinogenic And Mutagenic

EtO is hazardous to human health, primarily through inhalation. While high levels can cause immediate harm, the main concern is chronic exposure, as EtO is a known human carcinogen linked to various cancers like leukemia, myeloma, lymphoma, and breast cancer. It is also considered mutagenic.
Highly Carcinogenic

EtO is highly carcinogenic compared to other common hazardous VOCs. Even low levels of chronic exposure to EtO pose major risks.
Southeast Louisiana

Many of the largest EtO emitters in the U.S. are located in southeastern Louisiana, home to a dense concentration of petrochemical manufacturing facilities. EtO accounts for about 68% of the total hazard from industrial air emissions in this region.
Cancer Alley

The region, often referred to as “Cancer Alley,” has higher cancer rates linked to industrial air pollution. These health impacts disproportionately affect impoverished and Black neighborhoods.
Unexpected Findings

Peter DeCarlo, an associate professor of Environmental Health and Engineering, said, “I don’t think there’s any census track in the area that wasn’t at higher risk for cancer than we would deem acceptable. We expected to see ethylene oxide in this area. But we didn’t expect the levels that we saw, and they certainly were much, much higher than EPA’s estimated levels.”
The Levels

Ethylene oxide is highly toxic, with long-term exposure becoming a concern at levels above 11 parts per trillion. The team found concentrations as high as 40 parts per billion near industrial facilities.
Dangerous Exposure Levels

DeCarlo said, “We’d drive through the industrial areas and saw concentrations hitting 40 parts per billion, which is more a thousand times higher than the accepted risk for lifetime exposure.”
ETO Found Far Away From Source

The researchers even found plumes of toxic gas far away from the areas they’re thought to have originated from. The report said, “We identified EtO plumes up to 11.4 km away from likely sources based on wind direction analysis.”
The Mobile Lab

The mobile lab, consisting of two vans with highly sensitive equipment, measured ethylene oxide in real-time. During winter 2023, the team repeatedly traveled a heavily industrialized route between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, testing air near large industrial facilities and nearby residential areas.
Infants And Children

Keeve Nachman, associate professor of Environmental Health and Engineering, said, “Our findings have really important implications for community residents, especially infants and children. Ethylene oxide has been shown to directly damage DNA, meaning that exposures that occur in early life are more dangerous.”
Stricter Regulations

The EPA has introduced stricter regulations on ethylene oxide, mandating that commercial sterilization facilities drastically reduce their emissions. This research could assist regulators in pinpointing and closely overseeing areas with high levels of the chemical.
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