Chemistry.org article on WTC dust analysis, Dec 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

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Lioy and others were invited to Ground Zero to help assess the impact on public after the attacks. They took samples from 13 locations around the World Trade site from Sept. 12-17. In an earlier paper, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, the group performed a more general analysis on the samples and reported that the dust had a high level of glass fibers and a high pH.“Most ofth^L responses were probably due to the very long fibers which we reported in our fir 4 ’ and the high pH of the cement dust that was released in the first few days,"Lioy

Phase II of the experiment, which is reported in the current paper, was led by Jo Offenberg, Ph.D., of Rutgers University. The team focused mainly on the persist organic pollutants and their potential for long-term health risks. They also looke if there was some uniformity in the way the PAHs were spread around Manhatta

Three of the samples constituted a north-south transect down Church Street, al east side of the epicenter. The concentrations of PAHs in these samples increac^ toward the south, which is in keeping with the wind direction immediately after tM..- disaster: The wind blew to the east/northeast during the first 12-18 hours, carry! debris, dust and smoke to the East River and beyond. Then the winds shifted to south, carrying the dust over Battery Park and south to New Jersey.

The research group plans to use this information along with samples taken indo/'^ study potential health risks regarding the cleaning of peopled houses and apart “Although it’s a big number —100-1000 tons of PAHs — it's not the only health concern,” Offenberg says. “Simply having three inches of concrete dust in on& room is a very unique experience, in terms of cleaning up. You doht just get out vacuum cleaner and run It.”

— Jaso

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Publication date: 2002-12-23

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