PCE, TCE, and TCA Vapors in Subslab Soil Gas and Indoor Air: A Case Study in Upstate New York

McDonald, Gerald J.; Wertz, William

doi:10.1111/j.1745-6592.2007.00164.x

Cited by 17 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Empirical data collected to date, however, show considerable spatial and temporal variations in subslab soil gas concentrations (McDonald and Wertz 2007;Luo et al 2009;McAlary 2008;U.S. EPA 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High Purge Volume Sampling—A New Paradigm for Subslab Soil Gas Monitoring

McAlary¹,

Nicholson²,

Yik³

et al. 2010

Groundwater Monitoring Rem

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Subslab soil gas sampling and analysis is a common line of evidence for assessing human health risks associated with subsurface vapor intrusion to indoor air for volatile organic compounds; however, conventional subslab sampling methods have generated data that show substantial spatial and temporal variability, which often makes the interpretation difficult. A new method of monitoring has been developed and tested that is based on a concept of integrating samples over a large volume of soil gas extracted from beneath the floor slab of a building to provide a spatially averaged subslab concentration. Regular field screening is also conducted to assess the trend of concentration as a function of the volume removed to provide insight into the spatial distribution of vapors at progressive distances away from the point of extraction. This approach minimizes the risk of failing to identify the areas of elevated soil vapor concentrations that may exist between discrete sample locations, and can provide information covering large buildings with fewer holes drilled through the floor. The new method also involves monitoring the extraction flow rate and transient vacuum response for mathematical analysis to help interpret the vapor concentration data and to support an optimal design for any subslab venting system that may be needed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High Purge Volume Sampling—A New Paradigm for Subslab Soil Gas Monitoring

McAlary¹,

Nicholson²,

Yik³

et al. 2010

Groundwater Monitoring Rem

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“…The potential for exposure to chemicals via migration of subsurface VOCs to indoor air (vapor intrusion) has become widely recognized in response to several case studies (e.g., Hers et al 2001; Digiulio and Paul 2006; McDonald and Wertz 2007). However, because VOCs in indoor air also may be introduced through sources unrelated to vapor intrusion (sometimes referred to as background sources during vapor intrusion assessments), the health risks attributable to vapor intrusion from the subsurface to indoor air are often challenging to assess because of difficulties in resolving the relative contributions of the indoor, outdoor, and subsurface sources to indoor air quality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Compilation of Statistics for VOCs from Post‐1990 Indoor Air Concentration Studies in North American Residences Unaffected by Subsurface Vapor Intrusion

Dawson¹,

McAlary²

2009

Groundwater Monitoring Rem

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This paper provides a summary of a number of indoor air quality studies reporting concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air samples collected from residential properties in North America and provides average values for certain statistics (percentiles, detection frequency, maximum). This compilation includes several VOCs that are commonly assessed in studies of subsurface vapor intrusion to indoor air, but may also be attributable to consumer products, building materials, or even outdoor air (ambient) sources, specifically benzene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethene, 1,2-dichloroethane, cis and trans-1,2-dichloroethene, ethylbenzene, methyl tert-butyl ether, methylene chloride, tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, toluene, trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, vinyl chloride, and meta, para, and ortho-xylene. In studies spanning 1990 through 2005, eleven of these compounds were detected in more than 50% of samples collected, and for several compounds (benzene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, ethylbenzene, and tetrachloroethene) the lower and upper quintiles of the indoor air concentrations are within the range of typical risk-based target levels. These summary statistics may help interpret data collected during a vapor intrusion investigation and communicate the findings of indoor air quality studies to building occupants and other stakeholders. Similar studies have been published in the past, but there has been a gradual change in indoor air quality over time and a large amount of new data has been collected, so this paper provides more relevant information for current use than previous compilations.

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“…TCE was the predominant contaminant in soil vapor, with relatively small fractions of TCA and PCE. Levels of TCE in soil vapor above the plume typically ranged from 100 to 10,000 µg/m 3 ( McDonald and Wertz 2007 ; NYSDEC 2003). Data from all indoor air sampling showed TCE levels ranging from 0.18 to 140 µg/m 3 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Adverse Birth Outcomes and Maternal Exposure to Trichloroethylene and Tetrachloroethylene through Soil Vapor Intrusion in New York State

Forand

Lewis-Michl

Gómez

2012

Environ Health Perspect

109

100

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Background: Industrial spills of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Endicott, New York (USA), have led to contamination of groundwater, soil, and soil gas. Previous studies have reported an increase in adverse birth outcomes among women exposed to VOCs in drinking water.Objective: We investigated the prevalence of adverse birth outcomes among mothers exposed to trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene [or perchloroethylene (PCE)] in indoor air contaminated through soil vapor intrusion.Methods: We examined low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, and birth defects among births to women in Endicott who were exposed to VOCs, compared with births statewide. We used Poisson regression to analyze births and malformations to estimate the association between maternal exposure to VOCs adjusting for sex, mother’s age, race, education, parity, and prenatal care. Two exposure areas were identified based on environmental sampling data: one area was primarily contaminated with TCE, and the other with PCE.Results: In the TCE-contaminated area, adjusted rate ratios (RRs) were significantly elevated for LBW [RR = 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07, 1.73; n = 76], small for gestational age (RR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.48; n = 117), term LBW (RR = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.20, 2.34; n = 37), cardiac defects (RR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.27, 3.62; n = 15), and conotruncal defects (RR = 4.91; 95% CI: 1.58, 15.24; n = 3). In the PCE-contaminated area, RRs for cardiac defects (five births) were elevated but not significantly. Residual socioeconomic confounding may have contributed to elevations of LBW outcomes.Conclusions: Maternal residence in both areas was associated with cardiac defects. Residence in the TCE area, but not the PCE area, was associated with LBW and fetal growth restriction.

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PCE, TCE, and TCA Vapors in Subslab Soil Gas and Indoor Air: A Case Study in Upstate New York

Cited by 17 publications

References 2 publications

High Purge Volume Sampling—A New Paradigm for Subslab Soil Gas Monitoring

High Purge Volume Sampling—A New Paradigm for Subslab Soil Gas Monitoring

A Compilation of Statistics for VOCs from Post‐1990 Indoor Air Concentration Studies in North American Residences Unaffected by Subsurface Vapor Intrusion

Adverse Birth Outcomes and Maternal Exposure to Trichloroethylene and Tetrachloroethylene through Soil Vapor Intrusion in New York State

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