Chemistry data from leachates of hydraulic fracturing proppants collected from southeastern New Mexico, 2018-2019

Proppants used during hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells are manufactured to maximize petroleum yield by controlling the size, shape, density, and strength of the proppant material. The most common types of proppants are mined silica sand and manufactured ceramics, some of which are further modified with organic resin coatings to improve performance. Much of the work on the environmental and human health effects of proppant releases into the environment has focused on occupational silicosis, with little attention given to the potential effects from the organic coatings on these materials. This oversight is especially relevant in the context of dumping of unwanted proppant on the land surface, which has been a recurring problem on Bureau of Land Management lands in southeast New Mexico.

In this study, samples of hydraulic fracturing proppants dumped on the land surface in southeastern New Mexico were collected and leached with ASTM Type I water. The resulting leachates were analyzed for trace metals and organic constituents including reactive phenols, non-purgeable dissolved organic carbon, and fluorescent dissolve organic material.