NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document
Silica Personal Air Sampling Results for the
WTC Residential Confirmation Cleaning Study
(Analytical Method NIOSH 7S00, flow Rate 2.5 Umin, Required Volume 400 to 1,000 L)
•PEL for Quartz, Cristobalite and Tridymite
The Permissible Exposure Limit for quartz (0.1 mg/m3) was arrived by using 100 in the denominator of the formula specified for quartz
at 29CFR 1910.1000 Table Z-3. The cristobalite and tridymite PELs (0.05 mg/m3) were arrived at by halving the quartz value as
specified at 29CFR 1910.1000 Tabla Z-3
••Suspiciously High Values of Cristobalite in EPA WTC Samples
In this project, EMSL has been using the tertiary peak (non-overlapping with other five phases) for Cristobalite for estimating this phase if it is suspected
to be present. Some of the samples do show a strong diffraction peak in the angular region 30.2-32.4 degree 2-theta. However, there are
reasons to suggest that these peaks may be due to some other phase, not Cristobalite.Three spectra from the project # 040208995
are enclosed. Each shows a strong peak and the true position for cristobalite superimposed. Clearly, the peaks in these samples are very much
displaced to the left with respect to the true position. For comparison purposes, a similar spectra taken on a 50 ug cristobalite standard is also included.
EMSL Laboratories is using a disclaimer, that Cristobalite has not been confirmed in these samples and that estimates are only tentative.
*“ The PCM was below the NYC reoccupancy standard (.01 ffcc). Therefore, TEM was not run.
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NYC-WTC_000145037
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