What is in Fracking Water? You May Be Surprised

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Cartoon by Mike Keefe (The Denver Post)
How dangerous is the mixture of chemicals and other substances that is used in fracking water? 

People have been crying out for companies to disclose the complete makeup of fracking fluid for years, and the industry has complied...to a point.  While many chemicals have been revealed, some information is held back as some sort of trade secret.  However, the level of transparency granted is enough to give some idea of just why so many people are so concerned about fracking water finding its way into their drinking water.

ProPublica posted a great article that gives a very easy look at what we know is in fracking water.  Some who have only read articles about fracking and never actually had the names and effects of some of the chemicals used in the process may be shocked to find out just what is being pumped into the shale.  More after the jump...

Here are some of the possible effects that known fracking chemicals can have on humans:

  • Silicosis
  • Cancer
  • Eye irritation
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Irritation of upper respiratory track
  • Drunkenness
  • Vomiting
  • Skin irritation
  • Dizziness
  • Liver damage
  • Kidney damage
  • Blood damage
  • Stupor or coma
  • Skin redness, itching, burning, severe damage
  • Lung damage
  • Abdominal pain
  • Fever
  • Reproductive problems
  • Bone marrow failure
  • Leukemia
  • Weakness
  • Breathlessness
  • Chest constriction
  • Damage to nervous system
  • Brain disorders
  • Convulsions
  • Hardening of the bones
  • Burns
  • Tissue corrosion
  • Death
Now, to be fair, some of the substances listed are chemicals found in common household cleaning items and would require repeated exposure to do serious damage.  But there is some plain old nasty stuff in fracking water.  We're talking about things like lead, formaldehyde, sulfuric, hydrofluoric, hydrochloric and boric acid, fuel oil, kerosene, and more.  All told, there are seven different known carcinogens in the mixture.

98 to 99.5 percent of the fracking fluid is just water.  But when thousands and thousands of gallons of this mix are being pumped, that is still quite a bit of chemicals, no matter what percentage of the mixture they make up. 

Does the breakdown of what is actually in fracking fluid have any effect on your viewpoint of fracking?  Do you worry about this cocktail of chemicals migrating to your drinking water?  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one.

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