Acute Health Effects Associated with Exposure to Volcanic Air Pollution (vog) from Increased Activity at Kilauea Volcano in 2008

Abstract

In 2008, the Kilauea Volcano on the island of Hawai'i increased eruption activity and emissions of sulfurous volcanic air pollution called vog. The purpose of this study was to promptly assess for a relative increase in cases of medically diagnosed acute illnesses in an exposed Hawaiian community. Using a within-clinic retrospective cohort design, comparisons were made for visits of acute illnesses during the 14 wk prior to the increased volcanic emissions (low exposure) to 14 wk of high vog exposure when ambient sulfur dioxide was threefold higher and averaged 75 parts per billion volume per day. Logistic regression analysis estimated effect measures between the low- and high-exposure cohorts for age, gender, race, and smoking status. There were statistically significant positive associations between high vog exposure and visits for medically diagnosed cough, headache, acute pharyngitis, and acute airway problems. More than a sixfold increase in odds was estimated for visits with acute airway problems, primarily experienced by young Pacific Islanders. These findings suggest that the elevated volcanic emissions in 2008 were associated with increased morbidity of acute illnesses in age and racial subgroups of the general Hawaiian population. Continued investigation is crucial to fully assess the health impact of this natural source of sulfurous air pollution. Culturally appropriate primary- and secondary-level health prevention initiatives are recommended for populations in Hawai'i and volcanically active areas worldwide.

Predicting decadal trends in cloud droplet number concentration using reanalysis and satellite data

“…15 The variances in daily PBL SO 2 detected by OMI and in CDNC detected by MODIS are correlated in the vicinity of both Vanuatu and Hawaii (Figure 5a,b). Increased volcanic activity observed in-situ at Kilauea in Hawaii during 2008(Elias and Sutton, 2012Longo et al, 2010) translates to a strong increase in SO 2 as measured by OMI and in CDNC as measured by MODIS, with a nearly four standard deviation increase in CDNC and SO 2 at its peak. The activity near Vanuatu is less pronounced, but the MODIS-observed CDNC still covaries with long-term trends in OMI SO 2 .…”

Calibration and assessment of electrochemical air quality sensors by co-location with regulatory-grade instruments

“…All measurements in the present study are made on the island of Hawai'i (USA); due to the ongoing eruption of Kīlauea, local levels of SO 2 can be extremely high (even exceeding 1 ppm) (Kroll et al, 2015), constituting serious AQ and human health concerns (Longo, 2009(Longo, , 2013Longo et al, 2010;Mannino et al, 1996;Tam et al, 2016). The SO 2 is emitted from just two point sources (the Halema'uma'u and Pu'u 'Ō'ō craters; see Fig.…”

Volcanic Gases: Silent Killers

“…At Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai'i ( Fig. 2), studies have shown a link between incidences of plume inundation and asthma attacks in children (Longo et al 2010a). These plumes give rise to acid rain and (Fig.…”

“…Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai'i, has been in continuous eruption since 1983. At Kīlauea, magma is outgassing at both the summit (since 2008) and from eruption sites and active lava fields on the east rift zone (Longo et al 2010a), giving rise to multiple sources of gases. The emissions affect not only the 2 million visitors to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park every year, but also wider areas of Big Island and the other Hawaiian islands via dispersal by the trade winds (Fig.…”

“…4). It has been shown that indoor SO 2 concentrations regularly exceed the World Health Organisation guidelines in the affected areas of Big Island (Longo et al 2010b) and that during periods of enhanced volcanic outgassing there are synchronous increases in the occurrence of acute respiratory conditions requiring treatment on the island (Longo et al 2010a). In response to the clear need for a system of monitoring and early warning, SO 2 concentration sensor data from inside the park and around the island are combined with SO 2 emission rates and a model for plume dispersion to produce a vog model that forecasts air quality for the Hawaiian Islands (Fig.…”