Mayor (Bloomberg): Mystery gas-like smell 'is not dangerous'

Newsday ^ | January 8, 2007 | Lauren Johnston and Amanda Y. Barrett

[cva66snipe]

Still doesn't sound like a high enough concentration of mercaptan to me. Mercaptan levels in natgas are extremely small (odor detection levels at the human nose are around 1 ppb). I work in the natgas industry and have experience with mercaptan. I also know that natural gas is lighter than air at sea level and would not "settle to the ground" (just FYI)

And I'm a retired Maintenance Mechanic/boiler operator, with a strong HVAC back ground :>} Several more possibilities even based on what you said about Mercaptan. Air handlers {for ventilation, A/C./ heat etc} are many times located on the roofs in many buildings. The article states buildings were evacuated. Makes sense. The air handlers and the elevator shafts would suck the smell right into the building. But boilers are basement dwellers the exhaust stacks however are on the roof usually. I'd check the building and nearby buildings with the biggest complaints.

One building I worked in the gas regulator went bad and would periodically blow off gas. No serious threat but precautions were taken. The valve was far enough away from the intakes it didn't suck in the Mercaptan. One other possibility too is an acid used to flush drains with. The name of it escapes me right now but it can only be used on single level buildings. Just one bottle about 16 ounces can stink up a building big time. It may not even be allowed now I'm not sure on that one.

[Albion Wilde]

reminds me of my 6-yo son who, when smelling something bad, asks, "is someone pass-gassing?"

It's been the New York Times, for the past several years. It finally reached critical mass over much of the northeastern seaboard.

[stevie_d_64]

Whew...Peee UUUUU!!!

Holy Air Fresheners Batman!!!

That was close!!!

[DustyMoment]

Maybe he has a dry sense of humor.

LOL!!!!!

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

A bit more info for you. The intake and blowers would explain why most anecdotes from the scene say the smell is stronger inside buildings than outside.

See the info at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1764340/posts

[cva66snipe]

Thanks. Mercaptan or whatever else it was must have been a substantial concentration into a general area. Prevailing winds bringing it from New Jersey. By the time it reached NYC the initial problem was bled off or stopped. Not too many companies would own up to it either. The liability alone would be staggering these days. The illnesses may have been physchlolgical but something like that could also trigger Asthma, etc that a person may not even realize they have.

Could have been like you said and at this point we'll likely never know it would be near impossible to pin down or prove if they didn't locate the source almost immediately.

I think you answered a question for me though I never could figure out. When I would get off from work some nights I'd pass a certain area on he same road same place where no matter what season I would get a nose full of what smelled like natural gas. It wasn't sewage etc as no plants were near by but it was in kind of a remote area of the city and close to a major NG pipe line. I never could pin it down to nothing and there wasn't any businesses or building close by.

[barkeep]

I worked twenty years selling propane, which uses the same odorant, ethyl mercaptan used in natural gas. Incredibly smelly, we added one pound per 10,000 gallons by state law. I recall, several years back, south Memphis, trade papers showed the guys in the space suits swarming over a gas plant, only to find the valve on a drum of mercaptan was dripping.

Straight mercaptan will knock a buzzard off a gut wagon, but aside from making you heave if it's too strong, long-term harmless.

This was the first thing that came to my mind. The stuff is sold in one pound cans, could be a merry prankster having fun.

[steamroller]

it's called RamOut-i used it once on the second floor of my house and had all the windows open and an exhaust fan on and it stank the place up beyond belief(however it did a great job on the drain problem)-i think it's non-USP grade sulfuric aacid

[cva66snipe]

Yea commercial use it's called Sulfuric acid or some trade name with a warning label stating it is such. Like I said it's for single floor use. But I don't recommend it except as a last resort. The problem is when you put it into a multi story building the stench goes up the plumbing vent pipe stinking up every floor as it goes.

Most places use a low PH chemical agent now to eat through clogs especially in health care facilities where fumes can be an issue. Really though if you wanna get the job done fast just use a 5 gallon shop vac instead. No joke it works better and quicker than any plumbers friend and most chemicals.

[harpo11]

I'm sure it's the sign, er ah, smell of the times. The democrats are in charge, and it didn't take long for them to stink it up all over again. Or, maybe Hillary was back in town.

[Marie]

When you add that the dead birds in Austin and the chemical leak in Sugar Land... Well, you're not paranoid if someone's really after you, right? :-)

[lndrvr1972]

Bloomberg is such a an idiot. He might as well say he is Dem in sheeps clothing.

[Marie]

So that's what's going on. BTW, the 101 (Ventura Freeway) is closed in both directions - due to a natural gas leak.

What's the follow-up on this?

[John W]

Did anyone watch his performance this morning? He will be a disaster in a disaster.

[lndrvr1972]

You are so right. Everytime I watch him I feel so sorry for the city of NY. He makes my skin crawl.

[justiceseeker93]

Bloomberg is such an idiot. He might as well say he is Dem in sheeps clothing.

As pointed out here in the past, Bloomberg is worse than a RINO; he's a ROC (Republican of convenience)! There seem to be no identifiable Republicans appointed by him to top NYC jobs, despite the fact he won election twice on the GOP line.

I wouldn't be shocked if he returned to his 'Rat roots formally after his term as mayor is up.

[steamroller]

a shop vac?never thought of it-thanks