PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Research digs deep into the fracking controversy

Research digs deep into the fracking controversy
2011-04-12
(Press-News.org) The turmoil in oil-producing nations is triggering turmoil at home, as rising oil prices force Americans to pay more at the pump. Meanwhile, there's a growing industry that's promising jobs and access to cheaper energy resources on American soil, but it's not without its controversy. Deborah Kittner, a University of Cincinnati doctoral student in geography, presents, "What's the Fracking Problem? Extraction Industry's Neglect of the Locals in the Pennsylvania Marcellus Region," at the annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers. Kittner will be presenting April 14 at the meeting in Seattle.

Fracking involves using millions of gallons of water, sand and a chemical cocktail to break up organic-rich shale to release natural gas resources. Kittner's research examined the industry in Pennsylvania, known as the "sweet spot" for this resource, because of the abundance of natural gas. Pittsburgh has now outlawed fracking in its city limits as has Buffalo, N.Y., amid concerns that chemical leaks could contaminate groundwater, wells and other water resources.

The EPA is now doing additional study on the relationship of hydraulic fracturing and drinking water and groundwater after congress stated its concern about the potential adverse impact that the process may have on water quality and public health. Kittner attended an EPA hearing and also interviewed people in the hydraulic fracturing industry. She says billions of dollars from domestic as well as international sources have been invested in the industry.

The chemical cocktail used in the process is actually relatively small. The mixture is about 95-percent water, nearly five percent sand, and the rest chemical, yet, Kittner says some of those chemicals are known toxins and carcinogens, hence, the "not in my backyard" backlash from communities that can be prospects for drilling. The flow-back water from drilling is naturally a very salty brine, prone to bacterial growth, and potentially contaminated with heavy metals, Kittner says. In addition, there's the question of how to properly dispose of millions of gallons of contaminated water, as well as concerns about trucking it on winding, rural back roads.

Based on her research, Kittner says that overall, the industry is "working to be environmentally responsible, and it becomes frustrated at companies that do otherwise."

"I think that the study that the EPA is doing is going to be really helpful, and the industry – however reluctant to new regulations – is working with the EPA on this," Kittner says.



INFORMATION:

Kittner has lived in Ft. Thomas, Ky., for two decades, but is originally from Warren, Pa. Her research took her to an EPA public meeting in Canonsburg, Pa., where she audio-taped 114 people presenting public statements of what they wanted the EPA study to examine. That study is expected to be completed in 2012 and will include an examination of what to do with millions of gallons of contaminated flow-back water.

[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Research digs deep into the fracking controversy

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

In it to win it?

2011-04-12
Pathological gambling addiction is surprisingly common in the U.S., afflicting as many as 3.4% of all adults. Like other addictions, it is highly disabling both to the individual and to society, often leading to suicide, job loss, and criminal behavior. It affects more men than women and can become worse over time. Scientists have found that a wide range of drugs can be effective for treating this disorder in the short term, including Naltrexone, used to treat alcohol addiction. Now, psychiatrist Prof. Pinhas Dannon of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine ...

Researchers find replacement for rare material indium tin oxide

Researchers find replacement for rare material indium tin oxide
2011-04-12
Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e, Netherlands) have developed a replacement for indium tin oxide (ITO), an important material used in displays for all kinds of everyday products such as TVs, telephones and laptops, as well as in solar cells. Unfortunately indium is a rare metal, and the available supplies are expected to be virtually exhausted within as little as ten years. The replacement material is a transparent, conducting film produced in water, and based on electrically conducting carbon nanotubes and plastic nanoparticles. It is made of commonly ...

Black River Computer Announces Website Enhancements; Offers Serial Printer Rebates up to $300

Black River Computer Announces Website Enhancements; Offers Serial Printer Rebates up to $300
2011-04-12
Black River Computer an industry leader in business printing solutions, and the largest Dascom Americas Reseller in the Midwest, is pleased to announce website enhancements and aggressive trade-in rebate programs geared to the serial printer market. Black River has been serving prominent clients in the HP server maintenance environment and print document solutions business for over 20 years. "The enhancements to our website underscore our effort to become even more customer-centric by placing key information at the fingertips of our valued current and potential clients," ...

Measles not being reported

2011-04-12
Measles is not always being reported in Germany as required by law, particularly when cases are sporadic. In this edition of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2011; 108[12]: 191𔃄), Annedore Mette's working group presents its conclusions. The WHO aims to eliminate measles in Europe by 2015. The criteria for this are for there to be no measles cases among the country's inhabitants, and for any measles arriving from abroad not to spread any further within the country, as a result of the high vaccination rate and compulsory reporting. In their study, ...

Researchers find anatomic differences after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy

2011-04-12
(Boston) – Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have concluded that the anatomy of the pelvis following robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is considerably different when compared to the anatomy of the pelvis following an open prostatectomy (OP). These findings, which are the first to ever compare pelvic anatomy following RARP and OP surgery, may have implications for patients requiring post-operative radiation. The study currently appears on-line in Practical Radiation Oncology. Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous cancer ...

Managing pain -- a family affair

2011-04-12
Could adult children's strategies for coping with pain come from watching their parents react to and deal with pain? According to Suzyen Kraljevic, from the University Hospital Split in Croatia, and colleagues, a family may have a specific cognitive style of coping with pain. Their work, which looks at the relationship between how parents and their children respond to pain, is published online in Springer's International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. It is already recognized that parents' pain behavior is associated with the way their children experience and express ...

EPA's draft health assessment for formaldehyde needs improvement

2011-04-12
WASHINGTON — A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency draft assessment of the potential health effects associated with formaldehyde exposure needs substantial revision, says a new report from the National Research Council, which recommends improvements for EPA's final assessment. The report finds that EPA supports its conclusions that formaldehyde can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat; lesions in the respiratory tract; and genetic mutations at high concentrations. Furthermore, the report finds that the evidence is sufficient for EPA to conclude that formaldehyde ...

Periodontal stem cell transplantation shows promise

2011-04-12
Tampa, Fla. (April 11, 2011) – Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) have been found to be the most efficacious of three kinds of clinically tested dental tissue-derived stem cells, reports a study published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (20:2), freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/. According to researchers in Seoul, South Korea, transplantation of PDLSCs into beagle dogs modeled with advanced periodontal (gum) disease that affected their premolars and molars, which are morphologically similar to the corresponding ...

Tourism does not harm all caves

Tourism does not harm all caves
2011-04-12
Unlike the situation in other caves, damage caused by tourists at the Águila cave in Ávila, Spain is "imperceptible", despite it receiving tens of thousands of visitors each year. This is the main conclusion of an international research study headed by the University of Alcalá (UAH), which measured heat variations in the cave. "Despite the tens of thousands of visitors that the Águila Cave receives each year, the temperature variations in it are related to the weather outside, while the long-term impact of tourism is virtually non-existent", David Domínguez Villar, researcher ...

Foreign Translations, Inc. Wins TopTenREVIEWS Bronze Award for Translation Services

Foreign Translations, Inc. Wins TopTenREVIEWS Bronze Award for Translation Services
2011-04-12
In a comparison of 9 leading translation vendors, highly ranked Foreign Translations, Inc. was commended for providing "accurate translations and responsive customer service." Foreign Translations, Inc. specializes in foreign language translation, interpreting, and website localization and offers translation services for a wide range of projects, from technical manuals, legal contracts, and marketing collateral to financial statements, training manuals, websites, and software programs. To receive the Bronze Award, Foreign Translations, Inc. excelled in categories ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Beyond electronics: harnessing light for faster computing

Researchers find possible cause for increasing polarization

From soft to solid: How a coral stiffens its skeleton on demand

New software tool MARTi fast-tracks identification and response to microbial threats

Rare brain cell may hold the key to preventing schizophrenia symptoms

A new tool to find hidden ‘zombie cells’

New Cleveland Clinic research finds up to 5% of Americans carry genetic mutations associated with cancer risk

Once tadpoles lose lungs, they never get them back

Small group of users drive invasive species awareness on social media

One bad safety review can tank an Airbnb booking — Even among thousands of positive ones, new study finds

Text-based system speeds up hospital discharges to long-term care

California schools are losing tree canopy

How people learn computer programming

Exploring a mechanism of psychedelics

Scientists can now explore mechanisms behind attachment issues

Researchers watched students’ brains as they learned to program

An AI-powered lifestyle intervention vs human coaching in the diabetes prevention program

AI-powered diabetes prevention program shows similar benefits to those led by people

New study may transform diagnosis of Britain’s number one cancer

Stillbirths in the United States

How animals get their spots, and why they are beautifully imperfect

Stillbirths in the U.S. higher than previously reported, often occur with no clinical risk factors

Durability of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines against JN.1 subvariants

Online unsupervised Tai Chi intervention for knee pain and function in people with knee osteoarthritis

A nose for microbes: how hunger tunes the brain

TRF1 protein loss reduces body fat and improves metabolic health in mice without shortening telomeres

JMIR Medical Education invites submissions on bias, diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence in medical education

SwRI receives $9.9 million contract to assess reliability of F-16 landing gear components

Computer scientists build AI tool to spot risky and unenforceable contract terms

Self-affirmations can boost well-being, study finds

[Press-News.org] Research digs deep into the fracking controversy