Doing On-Site Testing In East Palestine: Texas A&M Superfund Research Center

[GGoss]

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I LOVE that picture. Gives me hope.

[ProfessorGAC]

1. The Acrolein Surprises Me

Acrolein is a propyl aldehyde, typically formed by thermally induced oxidation of glycerin.
It's one of the concerns in methyl ester or fatty acid distillation & from the exhaust of diesel engines burning biodiesel.
I'll have to think about a possible route of oxidation of the PVC dimer to get three saturated carbons in a row when starting with 2 unsaturated carbons.
Nothing is coming immediately to mind.
I'm wondering if there wasn't some other ground contamination of natural oils (corn, soybean, etc.) that could easily form acrolein near the high temperature of a fire.
The VC in air is elevated but not likely as high as it was just after the spill, since VC can easily dimerize or trimerize in gaseous state due to atmospheric moisture.
There are other elevated level contaminants that don't seem to be linked to vinyl chloride, but more likely badly contaminated surface soil exposed to high temperatures. Examples would be naphthalene, benzene & the xylenes.)
Those aren't way above concern level, but air contamination may have been made worse with the decision to burn off, once the explosion risk was mitigated by the release of VC gas and external cooling (firewater).
Might have better to let it sit, and let it polymerize.

[GGoss]

2. Here's The Article Where I Found Out About These Guys:

Toxic air pollutants in East Palestine could pose long-term risks, researchers say - WaPo

Three weeks after the toxic train derailment in Ohio, an independent analysis of Environmental Protection Agency data has found nine air pollutants at levels that, if they persist, could raise long-term health concerns in and around East Palestine.

The analysis by Texas A&M University researchers stands in contrast to statements by state and federal regulators that air near the crash site is completely safe, despite residents complaining about rashes, breathing problems and other health effects.

In response on Friday, EPA officials said that air quality levels of 79 chemicals they are monitoring remain below levels of concern for short-term exposure, and that current concentrations are likely to dissipate.

But the data only adds to questions and concerns that have weighed on residents for weeks, as they wonder how contaminated their community has become.

Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/02/24/ohio-derailment-toxic-air-pollution/