Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano Poses Health Risk

Hawaiian residents who live downwind from the Kilauea volcano may have elevated health risks because of high levels of sulfur dioxide and small particles that drift downwind, scientists said Monday.

The volcano is continually active and, just a month ago, began dripping molten rock into the Pacific at two new sites in Hawaii National Park, as seen in the above image.

Sulfur dioxide is emitted from Kilauea as a gas and then it begins to change, forming tiny particles and becoming an aerosol. The particle size gradually grows larger and a visible haze develops.

During a three-week period of average volcanic activity, researchers measured the sulfur dioxide level in the Kau district south of Kilauea at 17.8 parts per billion (ppb) - above the minimal risk level of 10 ppb set by the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

In comparison, Honolulu - located on another island and not in the path of the Kilauea plume - measured just 1.0 ppb during the same time interval. Measurements taken in Los Angeles during that same period averaged a level of 7.0 ppb.

"When Kilauea began erupting in 1983, there were a number of studies that looked at emissions directly from the volcano, but they haven't looked at the dispersal pattern, or the long-term associated health risk," said Bernadette Longo, a recent doctoral graduate in public health at Oregon State University and lead author on the study. "What we found is some cause for concern."

Results of the work are detailed in the March issue of the journal Geology.

Other studies have shown that high levels of particulate matter fuel increased hospital visits, particularly by those with existing respiratory problems.

"The particles can affect lung defenses and the ability to clear material out of the lungs," Longo said. "They can cause bronchitis. And some of the newest research suggests that prolonged exposure to these particles may be associated with cardiac problems."

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-- LiveScience Staff

Image Credit: Associated Press