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METHODOLOGIES FOR SCREENING AND ASSESSING INTRUSION OF CONTAMINATED VAPORS INTO BUILDINGS
Impact/Purpose:
To assess quantitative and qualitative methodologies evaluation of vapor intrusion, including quantification of uncertainties, to be used in the decision making process.
Description:
Current investigations into the risk to human health associated with Brownfield redevelopment may be overlooking an important exposure pathway as a result of vapor intrusion into buildings. Persons inhabiting or employed in new or existing structures built over volatile organic compound (VOC) contaminated ground water, or soil, may be exposed to harmful vapors emanating from the ground beneath them. In Brownfield redevelopment this is particularly important when the evaluation of possible risks from existing contamination must be evaluated with respect to the proposed new use for the site. The research being conducted in this task includes two methodologies (subtasks) for investigating building vapors. The first is the use of dogs to screen sites for the existence of vapors and the second is evaluating existing model approaches for quantitatively evaluating vapor intrusion and exploring the need for new or upgraded models.