Development and demonstration of a data visualization platform of short‐term guidelines for ambient air levels of benzene during disaster response in Houston, Texas

• Published in: Integrated environmental assessment and management 2024-03, Vol.20 (2), p.533-546
• Main Authors: Danforth, Cloelle G., Portier, Christopher, Ensor, Kathy B., Hopkins, Loren, Evans, Bryan, Quist, Arbor J. L., McGraw, Katlyn E., Craft, Elena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air monitoring; Air pollution; Air pollution measurements; Air quality; Air sampling; Benzene; Communication; Disaster management; Disaster response; Disasters; Environmental assessment; Environmental Impact Assessment; Environmental management; Exposure; Guidelines; Health risks; Hydrocarbons; Industrial pollution; Integrated environmental assessment; Outdoor air quality; Periodicity; Public health; Risk threshold; Sampling instruments; Scientific visualization; Shelters; Short‐term guidelines; Toxicology; Visualization
• ISSN: 1551-3777; 1551-3793
• DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4814

Industrial disasters have caused hazardous air pollution and public health impacts. Response officials have developed limited exposure guidelines to direct them during the event; often, guidelines are outdated and may not represent relevant elevated‐exposure periods. The 2019 Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) fire in Houston, Texas led to large‐scale releases of benzene and presented a public health threat. This incident highlights the need for effective response and nimble, rapid public health communication. We developed a data‐driven visualization tool to store, display, and interpret ambient benzene concentrations to assist health officials during environmental emergencies. Guidance values to interpret risk from acute exposure to benzene were updated using recent literature that also considers exposure periodicity. The visualization platform can process data from different sampling instruments and air monitors automatically, and displays information publicly in real time, along with the associated risk information and action recommendations. The protocol was validated by applying it retrospectively to the ITC event. The new guidance values are 6–30 times lower than those derived by the Texas regulatory agency. Fixed‐site monitoring data, assessed using the protocol and revised thresholds, indicated that eight shelter‐in‐place and 17 air‐quality alerts may have been considered. At least one of these shelter‐in‐place alerts corresponded to prolonged, elevated benzene concentrations (~1000 ppb). This new tool addresses essential gaps in the timely communication of air pollution measurements, provides context to understand potential health risks from exposure to benzene, and provides a clear protocol for local officials in responding to industrial air releases of benzene. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:533–546. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). Key Points We present a newly developed tool to communicate real‐time air pollution measurements and risk during an industrial emergency event. Acute risk guidance values are based on updated literature for benzene and are 6–30 times lower than those derived by the Texas regulatory agency. The platform displays ambient benzene levels, risk information, and action recommendations for the public. The action recommendation includes suggested protocol for emergency resp