A new air quality study in Flower Mound shows carbon disulfide levels in some parts of town registered slightly above the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s standards for short-term exposure.
According to the report released on Thursday by Klienfelder Central Inc., an independent environmental testing agency, carbon disulfide levels at three of eight locations tested marginally exceeded the TCEQ’s short-term effects screening level of 10 parts per billion (ppb).
Samples taken at the Furst Ranch site show carbon disulfide levels at 18.5 ppb, the Morriss Road park site at 11.2 ppb, and Fire Station #2 on Shiloh Road at 69 ppb, according to the report.
The TCEQ standards for carbon disulfide are currently under review by the agency and have been questioned as being unrealistically low, according to a press release issued by the town.
In comparison, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s permissible workplace exposure limit for carbon disulfide is 20 parts per million for an 8-hour workday, 40-hour workweek. The Environmental Protection Agency has established 2,240 ppb as a health-protective screening level.
At very high levels, carbon disulfide can affect the nervous system.
The report also stated that benzene levels at all eight locations were either not detectable or registered well below the applicable standards. Read the complete report, a map of the testing locations, and an exposure level comparison chart.
According to the press release, the town will commission an additional level of sampling to provide a more in-depth analysis of the study results. In addition, town officials are currently exploring several air quality monitoring options including regular odor checks, the purchase of a toxic vapor analyzer, the purchase of an infrared gas-imaging camera, the installation of a permanent air monitoring station, and the reporting of any irregularities to the TCEQ and the responsible gas drilling company.
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