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Skyrocketing pollution: assessing the environmental fate of July 4th fireworks in New York City

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology (2024)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Pyrotechnic displays often lead to significant increases in poor air quality. The widespread environmental fate—involving air, water, and spatial-temporal analyses—of fireworks-produced pollutants has seldom been investigated.

Objective

This study examined the environmental fate of pollutants from the largest fireworks event in the U.S.: Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks show in New York City (NYC).

Methods

Real-time PM2.5 and gravimetric PM2.5 and PM10 were collected at locations along the East River of NYC. Airborne particles were assayed for trace elements (X-ray fluorescence) and organic and elemental carbon (OC/EC). River water samples were evaluated by ICP-MS for heavy-metal water contamination. Spatial-temporal analyses were created using PM2.5 concentrations reported by both EPA and PurpleAir monitoring networks for NYC and 5 other major metropolitan areas.

Results

The fireworks event resulted in large increases in PM2.5 mass concentrations at the river-adjacent sampling locations. While background control PM2.5 was 10–15 µg/m3, peak real-time PM2.5 levels exceeded 3000 µg/m3 at one site and 1000 µg/m3 at two other locations. The integrated gravimetric PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations during the fireworks event ranged from 162 to 240 µg/m3 and 252 to 589 µg/m3, respectively. Zn, Pb, Sb, and Cu more than doubled in river water samples taken after the event, while S, K, Ba, Cu, Mg, Fe, Sr, Ti, and Zn increased in airborne PM2.5 from the fireworks. Data from hyperlocal monitoring networks for NYC and other metropolitan areas yielded similar, but generally smaller, increases in PM2.5 levels.

Impact

Fireworks shows have been associated with environmental contamination. This comprehensive analysis considers the fate of pollutants from the largest annual U.S. pyrotechnic show through air, water, and hyperlocal temporal characterization.

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Fig. 1: Map of the locations of PM monitors with respect to the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks show launch site.
Fig. 2: Real-time concentrations of PM and BC pre- and post-fireworks show.
Fig. 3: Hourly concentration data from EPA equivalent monitors across multiple cities.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to note the support of NYU’s NIEHS Training Grant T32E007324. We thank friends of the authors for providing rooftops on which to conduct the Fourth of July exposure assessment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Environmental Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA

    Antonio F. Saporito, Terry Gordon, Beck Kim, Tri Huynh, Rahanna Khan, Amna Raja, Kristin Terez, Nicole Camacho-Rivera, Rachel Gordon, Julie Gardella, Maria Katsigeorgis, Rodney Graham, Thomas Kluz, Max Costa & David Luglio

  2. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA

    David Luglio

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Contributions

AFS and DL assisted in conceiving and designing the analysis, collecting the data, performing the analysis, and were primary in writing the paper. TG conceived and designed the analysis, contributed data or analysis tools, and assisted in performing the analysis and writing the paper. BK, TH, and RK assisted in designing the analysis, collecting the data, performing the analysis, and in writing the paper. AR, KT, NCR, RG, and JG assisted in conceiving and designing the analysis, collecting the data, and performing the analysis. MK and RG assisted in conceiving and designing the analysis and collecting the data. TK and MC assisted in collecting the data and contributing data or analysis tools.

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Correspondence to David Luglio.

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Saporito, A.F., Gordon, T., Kim, B. et al. Skyrocketing pollution: assessing the environmental fate of July 4th fireworks in New York City. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-024-00701-x

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