The "toxic chemical cloud" which resulted from these emissions was a complex combination of pollutants which included aromatic compounds like styrene, toluene and xylene; polynuclear aromatic compounds such as benzo (a) pyrene, dibenz (a,h) anthracene, benzo (b) fluorathane, and crysene; chlorinated hydrocarbons like vinyl chloride, trichloroethane, and trichlorotrifluoroethane; dioxins and furans, including 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin; heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead; and acid gases like sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, and hydrogen fluoride. Many of the constituents that made up the toxic chemical cloud have the potential to adversely impact human health.
A graph was created showing the 24-hour average concentrations of total toxic chemicals at the Cameron County, Texas, Courthouse during 1991. The graph is shown below:
