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POLYCYLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) AND OTHER SEMI-VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS COLLECTED IN NEW YORK CITY IN RESPONSE TO THE EVENTS OF 9/11
Citation:
Swartz, E C., L Stockburger, A F. Vette, AND D A. Vallero. POLYCYLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) AND OTHER SEMI-VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS COLLECTED IN NEW YORK CITY IN RESPONSE TO THE EVENTS OF 9/11. Presented at American Association for Aerosol Research, Charlotte, NC, October 7-11, 2002.
Impact/Purpose:
The primary study objectives are:
1.To quantify personal exposures and indoor air concentrations for PM/gases for potentially sensitive individuals (cross sectional, inter- and intrapersonal).
2.To describe (magnitude and variability) the relationships between personal exposure, and indoor, outdoor and ambient air concentrations for PM/gases for different sensitive cohorts. These cohorts represent subjects of opportunity and relationships established will not be used to extrapolate to the general population.
3.To examine the inter- and intrapersonal variability in the relationship between personal exposures, and indoor, outdoor, and ambient air concentrations for PM/gases for sensitive individuals.
4.To identify and model the factors that contribute to the inter- and intrapersonal variability in the relationships between personal exposures and indoor, outdoor, and ambient air concentrations for PM/gases.
5.To determine the contribution of ambient concentrations to indoor air/personal exposures for PM/gases.
6.To examine the effects of air shed (location, season), population demographics, and residential setting (apartment vs stand-alone homes) on the relationship between personal exposure and indoor, outdoor, and ambient air concentrations for PM/gases.
Description:
Concentrations of over 60 non-polar semi-volatile and non-volatile organic compounds were measured in Lower Manhattan, New York using a high capacity Integrated Organic Gas an Particle Sampler, after the initial destruction of the World Trade Center. The results indicate that the remaining air plumes from the disaster site were comprised of many pollutants and classes and represent a complex mixture of biogenic (wood-smoke) and anthropogenic sources. This mixture includes compounds that are typically associated with fossil fuel emissions and their combustion products. The molecular markers for these emissions include the high molecular weight PAHs, the n-alkanes, a Carbon Preference Index ~ 1 (odd carbon:even carbon ~ 1), as well as pristane and phytane as specific markers for fuel oil degradation. These results are not unexpected considering the large number of diesel generators and outsized vehicles used in the removal phases. The mixture also includes emissions of burning and remnant materials (e.g. carpets, furniture, wallboard and other flammable and aerosol-producing materials) from the WTC site. The molecular markers for these emissions include retene and 1,4a-dimethyl-7-(methylethyl)-1,2,3,4,9,10,10a,4a-octahydrophenanthrene which are typically biogenic in origin. In addition, the compound 1,3-diphenyl propane [1',1'-(1,3-propanediyl)bis-benzene] was observed and, to our knowledge, this species has not previously been reported from ambient sampling. It has been associated with polyvinyl chloride materials, which are believed to be in abundance at the WTC site. These emissions lasted for at least three weeks (9/26/01-10/20/01) after the initial destruction of the WTC.
This is an abstract of a proposed presentation and does not necessarily reflect the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) policy. The actual presentation has not been peer reviewed by EPA. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.