Science
Related: About this forumScientists find method to tell whether water-contamination is from fracking
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/10/21/3581800/duke-fracking-waste-tracker/Excerpts:
"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."
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"There have been many claims of water contamination since the technique gained popularity in 2008, but its 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 its getting into the environment, Duke University geochemist Avner Vengosh told ThinkProgress on Monday."
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"In order to do this, Vengosh and a team of researchers from Dartmouth College, Stanford University, and the French Geological Survey among others created a tool that they say can trace the isotopic and geochemical fingerprints of the fracking process. In simpler terms, the tracer picks up what the researchers say is a unique, chemical fingerprint left behind by the fracking fluid injection process. "
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"Vengosh was also part of a research team that found there are more risks of drinking water contamination from fracking wastewater than was previously believed. In a peer-reviewed paper released last month, he and other scientists from Duke and Stanford found that even when fracking wastewater goes through water treatment plants, and is disposed of in rivers that are not drinking water systems, the treated water still risks contaminating human drinking water. "
spike91nz
(180 posts)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.
JimDandy
(7,318 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)blackspade
(10,056 posts)What is in the fracking water.
Horrendous.
Hoppy
(3,595 posts)Triana
(22,666 posts)Halliburton invented fracking and Tricky Dick II saw to it that fracking was exempted from the clean air and clean water acts. Remember those secret energy meetings during Bu$h II that no environmentalists were allow to go to? That's where it happened.
daleanime
(17,796 posts)AlbertCat
(17,505 posts)Since we also KNOW that human activity is a major cause of climate change because of isotopes.... and that hasn't made a difference.
Conservatives don't do isotopes.
Dustlawyer
(10,493 posts)Much like those nice cigarette company CEO's swore to Congress that nicotine was not addictive. Maybe the oil companies should get subpoenaed to Congress so they could swear it doesn't harm us and leak into our water! Cue Congress to get right on that! Oh wait, I was having a dream, lol.