TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2012//
TI  - Mapping urban pipeline leaks: methane leaks across Boston
JO  - Environmental pollution
A1  - Phillips, Nathan G.
A1  - Ackley, Robert C.
A1  - Crosson, Eric R.
A1  - Down, Adrian
A1  - Hutyra, Lucy R.
A1  - Brondfield, Max
A1  - Karr, Jonathan D.
A1  - Zhao, Kaiguang
A1  - Jackson, Robert B.
SP  - 1
EP  - 4
VL  - 173
IS  - 
N2  - 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<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0269-7491
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2012.11.003
ID  - ref1
ER  -