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But methane isn't harmful. Also the article doesn't mention the quantities, but another does. [1] It seems that the most that's been found is about 70mg/L, whic

But methane isn't harmful. Also the article doesn't mention the quantities, but another does. [1] It seems that the most that's been found is about 70mg/L, which is not a lot. [1] http://realclearscience.com/blog/2013/06/theres-methane-in-your-drinking-water-so-what.html http://realclearscience.com/blog/2013/06/theres-methane-in-y...

refurb 13y ago
The article does mention the levels, the highest one was 70 mg/L also. Methane is a pretty inert molecule. It's only a hazard in really high concentrations where it acts as an asphyxiant. I don't know of any metabolic toxicity (but maybe there is).
- johnward 13y ago
  It's harmful in the sense that it's flammable also.
dclowd9901 13y ago
You should be at the top of the comments list. What's the fear of "contamination" if the so-called contaminant doesn't harm?
- altcognito 13y ago
  People should be happy! I'm sure that the wealthy will be paying extra for their ground-water to be "infused" with methane before we know it!
protomyth 13y ago
I would be curious about the any early studies before fracking in Penn. For a bit of history, google Thomas Payne, George Washington, and the story of their experiments in the area.
eclark 13y ago
Methane's not the only possible contaminant. http://www.businessinsider.com/there-are-many-scary-chemicals-in-fracking-fluid-at-this-pennsylvania-site-2012-5 http://www.businessinsider.com/there-are-many-scary-chemical...
fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
Methane and Ethane aren't the only contaminants.
kbajorin 13y ago
The DOE also studied what Robert Jackson 'plans' to do. That is using injections to trace leaks. This is not proof of leaks, it is proof that houses near methane deposits have more methane in their drinking water. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=7243166e-0322-44f0-9a96-5bace152f2dd http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=7243166e-0322-... Obviously, this study needs to be repeated many more times and more regulations need to be put on fracking, but the technology is getting better already.
e40 13y ago
There are over 500 chemicals used in the process, and I'm guessing many of them get into the ground water.
- Game_Ender 13y ago
  You would guess? You have to make decision based on more than guesses, at minimum you should analyze the physics behind the exact process going on.
  - e40 13y ago
    First, some of them do,clearly, get into the water. See the documentary Gasland. Second, the companies that pump these chemicals into the ground have made it very difficult to do actual science on the situation. Also, see Gasland for lots of examples of that. EDIT: also, since many of the chemicals are liquids and they are injected into an aquifer that feeds wells, the only thing we really need to know is: are any of the chemicals lighter than water. Even if they are not, once the water is pumped out, the remaining liquids will certainly be next.
danielharan 13y ago
The safety of methane does not matter nearly as much as what that says about the industry. They lied. They claimed there would be no contamination to the groundwater. Now we see there is. What chemical is next? We don't know.

refurb 13y ago

The article does mention the levels, the highest one was 70 mg/L also. Methane is a pretty inert molecule. It's only a hazard in really high concentrations where it acts as an asphyxiant. I don't know of any metabolic toxicity (but maybe there is).

johnward 13y ago
It's harmful in the sense that it's flammable also.

dclowd9901 13y ago

You should be at the top of the comments list. What's the fear of "contamination" if the so-called contaminant doesn't harm?

altcognito 13y ago
People should be happy! I'm sure that the wealthy will be paying extra for their ground-water to be "infused" with methane before we know it!

protomyth 13y ago

I would be curious about the any early studies before fracking in Penn. For a bit of history, google Thomas Payne, George Washington, and the story of their experiments in the area.

eclark 13y ago

Methane's not the only possible contaminant. http://www.businessinsider.com/there-are-many-scary-chemicals-in-fracking-fluid-at-this-pennsylvania-site-2012-5 http://www.businessinsider.com/there-are-many-scary-chemical...

fnordfnordfnord 13y ago

Methane and Ethane aren't the only contaminants.

kbajorin 13y ago

The DOE also studied what Robert Jackson 'plans' to do. That is using injections to trace leaks. This is not proof of leaks, it is proof that houses near methane deposits have more methane in their drinking water. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=7243166e-0322-44f0-9a96-5bace152f2dd http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=7243166e-0322-... Obviously, this study needs to be repeated many more times and more regulations need to be put on fracking, but the technology is getting better already.

e40 13y ago

There are over 500 chemicals used in the process, and I'm guessing many of them get into the ground water.

Game_Ender 13y ago
You would guess? You have to make decision based on more than guesses, at minimum you should analyze the physics behind the exact process going on.
- e40 13y ago
  First, some of them do,clearly, get into the water. See the documentary Gasland. Second, the companies that pump these chemicals into the ground have made it very difficult to do actual science on the situation. Also, see Gasland for lots of examples of that. EDIT: also, since many of the chemicals are liquids and they are injected into an aquifer that feeds wells, the only thing we really need to know is: are any of the chemicals lighter than water. Even if they are not, once the water is pumped out, the remaining liquids will certainly be next.

danielharan 13y ago

The safety of methane does not matter nearly as much as what that says about the industry. They lied. They claimed there would be no contamination to the groundwater. Now we see there is. What chemical is next? We don't know.