We thank the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs for supporting this research, and Learning & Technology Services for printing this poster.

Effects of Wind and Precipitation on Airborne Particulate Levels Around a Frac Sand Mine

Hannah Smith| BSB , Pang Houa Xiong- Yang | BSENPH

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN- EAU CLAIRE: SAND FRACKING RESEARCH

BACKGROUND METHODS

OBJECTIVE

Frac sand mining and processing generate particulate

matter including respirable crystalline silica.

Different sources of pollution causes human health

concerns associated with frac sand mining in Wisconsin

Many cardiovascular and respiratory symptoms are

associated with the inhalation of particulate matter:

PM2.5 and PM10 levels, wind speed, wind direction and

precipitation were measured at the Chippewa Sand

mine in Bloomer, WI.

Chippewa Sands mine is located Northwest of our

equipment

Theoretically, wind direction will need to come from NW

to SE to hit our equipment

Determine correlation between met data and PM2.5

levels found.

Fig. 1: Frac sand mine in Wisconsin (fracctracker.org)

● Collect data from meteorological station at the Bloomer

site

● Use software “Weather link” to download data from field

unit to computer

● Analyze data to determine correlation of the met data

and other direct reading instruments

Compared direct reading equipment levels to met

data

Compared high PM2.5 level days to:

Wind direction

Rain rate

RESULTS

Measurements have found higher levels of PM2.5 around

plants, compared to regional levels

Wind speed and direction don’t play a role in the

movement of particulates

Precipitation seems to lower PM2.5

Monitoring for PM2.5 and silica is essential

These particles are known to cause health impact in the

long term

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

REFERENCES

Dr. Crispin Pierce- Environmental Public Health

Associate Professor

Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

Pierce, Crispin. “Air Quality Around Frac Sand Facilities” 19 March 2016. PowerPoint Presentation

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

CONCLUSION

Precipitation inversely correlates with PM2.5 levels.

Compared lower levels of PM2.5 to Wind directions

and precipitation

Wind Directions and speeds don’t correlate with PM2.5

levels.

RESULTS

N5%

NW2%

SSW27%

SW61%

wnw5%

7/23/16 Wind direction

N

NW

SSW

SW

wnw

E3%

ESE36%

SE35%

SSE26%

6/05/15 Wind direction

E

ESE

SE

SSE

W

81%

WNW13%

WSW6%

7/29/16 WIND Direction

W WNW WSW

ENE2% N

21%

NW57%

W2%

WNW18%

8/04/16 Wind Direction

ENE N NNW NW W WNW

The rain rate is zero for all 4 days

Lower levels correlates with rain rates

2%

24%

2%

14%

17%

41%

7/17/16 Wind Direction

E

NNW

NW

S

SW

W

WNW

NNW11% NW

2%S

2% SE4%

SSE11%

SSW4%

SW30%

W8%

WNW15%

WSW13%

8/16/16 Wind direction

NNW NW S SE SSE SSW SW W WNW WSW

2%13%

2%

25%

33%

8%

17%

8/28/16 Wind Direction

E

ESE

S

SE

SSE

SSW

SW

52%

21%

17%

6%4%

9/03/16 Wind Direction

E ENE ESE NE SSE

Fig. 2: Location of Chippewa Sands company and Our instrument location (google earth)