Researchers back in Tijuana River Valley, still finding hydrogen sulfide in the air

SAN DIEGO ( Border Report ) — Researchers from San Diego State University and UC San Diego are back in the Tijuana River Valley after pulling out last week over health concerns arising from toxic gases they detected in the air.

Last week, they announced a temporary halt to their work when their monitors detected hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen cyanide in the air.

Citing health concerns, researchers felt it was in their best interests to leave the area until further testing could be done.

Almost immediately, the County of San Diego disagreed with the researchers and quickly released its own data gathered by its own monitors.

San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas told reporters they had determined it was safe to be in the Valley and said residents had nothing to be afraid of.

Through a statement, California Department of Public Health agreed with the County of San Diego saying there was no danger to the community.

“While the odor and ongoing air quality is causing symptoms for some individuals – the measurements of hydrogen sulfide do not threaten public health and safety and the monitoring methods previously reporting levels of hydrogen cyanide were flawed,” the statement said.

Researchers like Dr. Paula Granados from San Diego State University are now back in the valley and have resumed their work.

She and her counterparts are still taking precautions wearing industrial facemasks with eye protection and filters, they also wear hazmat suits.

Granados said hydrogen sulfide is still showing up.

“The H2S, hydrogen sulfide levels are pretty high, they go up and down,” Granados said. “We’re noticing that at night it’s worse, and in the early morning hours it’s pretty bad as well, and the smell could reach out all the way to Imperial Beach.”

The city of Imperial Beach is about 5 miles from the Valley where the researchers were taking air and water samples near Saturn Boulevard on Monday morning.

This is where the river flows under the street through large concrete culverts.

It’s also one of the areas with the highest levels of pathogens and chemicals, according to Granados.

At this spot, the river had a thick layer of foam several feet high.

It looked like someone had put large amounts of detergent in the water.

“Any kind of wastewater, if you churn it and then as it hits the air like with a pipe speeding up the water flow, the foam is going to be higher, but there is definitely a lot of sewage in the water,” Granados said.

She also said residents are not in imminent danger, but there is still a reason to be concerned.

“You’re exposed to it, it could make you sick, maybe not enough to want to go to a hospital, but if you’re exposed to this every single day, it does have long-term health effects.”

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