On Feb. 3, a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. The hazardous chemicals are feared to have contaminated the Ohio River, thus polluting the air, soil and water within the surrounding area.
The derailment of the train was caused by one of the wheel bearings reaching a high temperature, leading to a failure of the wheel bearings. The chemicals contained on the train were vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutylene and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether.
“When things get spilled, it takes a while before it gets to the river,” said Dr. Holly Frederick, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering.
Frederick explained that in one place, over 3,500 fish were killed, and without knowing all of the details, the assumption is that it is due to the toxicity of the contaminant. She also explained the concentration of the chemicals spilled is unknown because sometimes, when a lot of organic matter is degrading, oxygen in the water body gets used up which can explain why the fish were killed.
The Environmental Protection Agency said that about 20 rail cars were reported to be carrying hazardous materials. Of those materials, vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ethers were released into the air, surface soil and surface waters.
“I currently have concerns about the level of thoroughness of the environmental monitoring being performed and the results obtained based on what I have seen in news reports,” said Dr. Marleen Troy, professor of civil and environmental engineering.
Although the trail derailment took place over 300 miles from Wilkes-Barre, there are still some potential impacts the area may face.
“I think the bigger issues locally are really with the groundwater in the long run because the air quality was the quickest response,” said Frederick. “You see the biggest effects at first, because of the burning or the release of any volatile chemicals, but because of the way the Ohio River drains into the Mississippi River, it’s not coming towards us.”
There is no blame to be cast as the procedures were followed in accordance with what they were supposed to do, so there was no real way to prevent it. The idea of future or additional monitoring was suggested to try and prevent something similar from happening.
“The fate and transport of these chemicals will need to be monitored over time,” Troy said. “Air impacts were highest immediately and in the days after the incident. The behavior and properties of these chemicals will influence their potential to contaminate the soil and water. How readily these chemicals dissolve in water over time will impact the potential on-going contamination of surface water and groundwater.”
Frederick explained that the environment is vulnerable and there is always a risk associated with doing things on a regular basis such as getting gas for our cars or oil for our homes.
“We have to be as proactive as possible, but we also have to accept the fact that because we use things, there’s always a risk. And being best prepared to address these risks is what’s most important,” said Frederick.