Scientists Just Discovered How to Determine if Water Contamination Comes from Fracking

[eridani]

http://www.nationofchange.org/2014/10/22/scientists-just-discovered-determine-water-contamination-comes-fracking/

A team of U.S. and French scientists say they have developed a new tool that can specifically tell when environmental contamination comes from waste produced by hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking.

In peer-reviewed research published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology on Monday, the researchers say their new forensic tool can distinguish fracking wastewater pollution from other contamination that results from other industrial processes — such as conventional oil and gas drilling. Fracking is a controversial oil and gas well stimulation technique that uses a great deal of water, mixed with chemicals, to extract oil and gas from miles deep underground. Once the rock is fractured by the high pressure fluid, fossil fuels follow the fracking fluid to the surface. The disposal of this often-radioactive water mixture, known as “fracking fluid,” is widely considered to be one of the biggest environmental threats that fracking poses, along with the emissions of greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide.

There have been many claims of water contamination since the technique gained popularity in 2008, but it’s been difficult to determine if fracking was really the cause — mainly because fracking companies are not required to disclose what chemicals they use in the process (the mixture is often considered a trade secret). With the new tool, though, scientists no longer need to know the chemical make-up of the fracking fluid to determine whether it’s getting into the environment, Duke University geochemist Avner Vengosh told ThinkProgress on Monday.

[a kennedy]

1. This fracking increase could possibly the next "Love Canal" problem in this country......

[marym625]

2. and not contained to one area

Not that Love Canal contamination stayed just in that area but fracking is everywhere

[jtuck004]

6. In addition to the comment below, this could be worse. Love happened in a time when

there were enough people and there was enough belief in science, etc that something could be done.

Now? We have literally millions of people whose actions would, essentially, burn the country to the ground for various reasons, nearly all of them just to satisfy their ego.

This could poison for decades longer than it should.

[drynberg]

3. As soon as I post this, I'll send this fracking article to my FB page...more need to know.

[spike91nz]

4. I suspect

that contamination of the ground water is considered a perk, as many of those investing in fracking appear to be also investing in privatization of fresh water aquifers. Contamination of fresh water commonly held by the public only increases the value of the uncontaminated water held in private and corporate control and for which a reliable demand may then be assumed.

[Overseas]

5. K&R. Glad to hear it.