Title: Air quality and health research in a province producing oil and gas

Authors: Tee L. Guidotti

Addresses: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health and Health Services, The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington DC, USA

Abstract: The Canadian province of Alberta is a major world producer of oil and gas. It is therefore vested in issues of air quality and health, which are in turn driven by fossil fuel combustion. The scientific community within the province provides the capacity to address these issues and in order to remain current needs to be actively engaged in research. Air quality is generally very good in Alberta. The reason to support a scientific capacity is to better address economic and ecological sustainability for the future of a province that is economically dependent on fossil fuels. However, the history of air quality studies in the province is mixed.

Keywords: air quality; Alberta; asthma; history; oil and gas production; research; sour gas; Canada; fossil fuels; combustion; air pollution; health.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRAM.2009.023155

International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management, 2009 Vol.11 No.3/4, pp.237 - 247

Published online: 12 Feb 2009 *

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