health standards exceeded for sulfur dioxide

April 5th 2012 Sulfur dioxide exceeds health standards in Chalmette, LA.

Based on the LDEQ's ambient air monitor at Bluebird Park in Chalmette Vista Neighborhood, the sulfur dioxide levels peaked between 7am and 9am with one-hour readings of 94.6 ppb SO2, 125.5 ppb SO2, and 75.8 ppb SO2. Residents do not have access to the 30 minute and 5 minute readings which comprise these hourly averages.

The EPA one-hour health standard for sulfur dioxide is 75 ppb.

First Quarter Sulfur Dioxide Exceedance Recap 2012

Some of the higher Sulfur Dioxide Readings in St. Bernard Parish 2012, based the three ambient air monitors in the community.

JANUARY-2012-St-Bernard-Air-Quality-Report

Jan 1st 107 ppb SO2,

Jan 4th 166 ppb SO2,

Jan 8th 78 ppb SO2,

Jan 12th 193 ppb SO2,

Jan 16th 100 ppb SO2,

Jan 17th 206 ppb SO2,

Jan 19th 97 ppb SO2,

Jan 20th 178 ppb SO2,

Jan 22nd 239 ppb SO2,

FEBRUARY-2012-St-Bernard-Air-Quality-Report

Feb 4th 211 ppb,

Feb 14th 82 ppb,

Feb 17th 139 ppb,

MARCH-2012-Air-Quality-Readings-St-Bernard-Parish


Mar 1st 100 ppb SO2,

Mar 8th 131 ppb SO2,

Mar 12th 99 ppb SO2,

air strikes

St. Bernard Parish’s failure to meet EPA’s new health protection standard of 75 parts per billion (ppb) for sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations in community air may have a connection to lax emissions controls.  More stringent, state-of-the-art pollution controls may provide a solution.


In May 2011, the LDEQ recommended a non-attainment status for air quality in St. Bernard Parish based on community monitors that demonstrate exceedingly high sulfur dioxide levels. With such exceedingly high air concentration levels, even small increments exacerbate the adverse health effects.

Last week, Murphy Oil had a sulfur dioxide (SO2) release of about 450 pounds, just under the reportable quantity of 500 pounds for SO2. Yet, the community ambient air monitor on nearby Ventura Drive  measured a reading of 54 ppb SO2 hourly average. The actual real time readings are higher than the displayed averages.  In the same time frame, another “air-strike” or spike in SO2 readings occurred further west in Chalmette, along the ExxonMobil refinery corridor where the LDEQ Chalmette Vista air monitor measured 196 ppb SO2 hourly average.


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sulfur dioxide @ chalmette

sulfur dioxide exceedances again @Ch_Vista monitor.
September 13, 2011 peak SO2 reading of 196 ppb.  EPA health standard for SO2 is 75 ppb.

In June 2011, Louisiana DEQ recommended a nonattainment status for St. Bernard Parish for sulfur dioxide.  By February 2012,  EPA will confirm and or modify the State's recommendations.  By February 2014, each State must submit a plan of action designed to reduce the concentration of sulfur dioxide in the community's air.  For more information on the new sulfur dioxide health standards click here

The Ch_Vista monitor data is accessible at the LDEQ website , right hand column menu, ON AIR icon, select site data,  select Ch_Vista 

St. Bernard Parish has two other ambient air monitors.  One at Joe Davis Elementary school, called the Meraux site, which is accessible at the LDEQ website, ON AIR menu, select site data, select Meraux. 

The other ambient air monitor in St. Bernard Parish is located in the Murphy Oil area on Ventura Drive.  The Ventura Drive air monitor data is accessible here:     Murphy Oil Monitor 

On September 13 2011, the Ventura monitor sulfur dioxide reading also peaked around the same time of day.  The peak SO2 reading at the Ventura site was 54 ppb.  These readings are averages.  One would need access to the actual SO2 readings to determine peak sulfur dioxide short term exposure.

Our air in St. Bernard Parish is so heavily concentrated with sulfur dioxide, that industries emissions in the aggregate are unhealthily for all community members, and even perhaps seemingly small increments of this chemical will cause adverse health effects  in the community.