Citation

Phillips NG, Ackley RC, Crosson ER, Down A, Hutyra LR, Brondfield M, Karr JD, Zhao K, Jackson RB. Environ. Pollut. 2012; 173: 1-4.

Affiliation

Boston University, Department of Earth and Environment, 675 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA. Electronic address: nathan@bu.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.envpol.2012.11.003

PMID

23174345

Abstract

Natural gas is the largest source of anthropogenic emissions of methane (CH(4)) in the United States. To assess pipeline emissions across a major city, we mapped CH(4) leaks across all 785 road miles in the city of Boston using a cavity-ring-down mobile CH(4) analyzer. We identified 3356 CH(4) leaks with concentrations exceeding up to 15 times the global background level. Separately, we measured δ(13)CH(4) isotopic signatures from a subset of these leaks. The δ(13)CH(4) signatures (mean = -42.8‰ ± 1.3‰ s.e.; n = 32) strongly indicate a fossil fuel source rather than a biogenic source for most of the leaks; natural gas sampled across the city had average δ(13)CH(4) values of -36.8‰ (±0.7‰ s.e., n = 10), whereas CH(4) collected from landfill sites, wetlands, and sewer systems had δ(13)CH(4) signatures ∼20‰ lighter (μ = -57.8‰, ±1.6‰ s.e., n = 8). Repairing leaky natural gas distribution systems will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase consumer health and safety, and save money.

Keywords: Pipeline transportation

Language: en