VOC sampling locations table for Ground Zero area, Jan 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

collapse of the WTC buildings. Results from some of these studies are not expected for several years, although some results should be available earlier. Studies are being conducted to evaluate exposures and health effects in persons that were around Ground Zero on September 11 and throughout the rescue and cleanup operations. The studies will be extremely important in getting a more complete picture of some of the actual health effects that resulted from exposures. This is particularly important because we have very little data regarding what people were exposed to September 11 as they were leaving the WTC area surrounded by plumes of dust and burning debris.

To better understand actual exposures on September 11, researchers at EPA’s ORD laboratories, in cooperation with academic institutions, are working on projects that will use computer models to reconstruct the plume of dust and debris. The goal is to model and predict the levels of contaminants that were present in the air inraiediately following the collapse of the WTC buildings. Preliminary results from that modeling have been presented in this report. Investigators are using meteorological data and data available from monitoring results later in September to estimate exposures. When this research is complete, it will aid in addressing health effects.

Studies are also being conducted to help us better understand how exposure to contaminants measured and collected in lower Manhattan throughout this period may cause adverse effects in laboratory tests and animal models. As cited previously, ORD NHEERL scientists conducted several studies to examine the chemical and toxicological properties of PM2,5 derived from bulk settled WTC dust (EPA, 2002c; McGee et al., 2002). Comparative respiratory toxicology studies showed that a high dose of WTC PM2.5 caused mild lung inflammation and significant respiratory tract hyperresponsiveness in mice. Ambient concentrations which could cause comparable doses and effects in people are high but conceivable (425 pg/m^ over 8 hours) in the immediate aftermath of the collapse of the towers (Gavett et al., 2002). Dust and air samples are also being evaluated by other researchers through funding from NYSDOH.

Most importantly, many local, state and federal agencies and academic institutions have already began or are planning studies that will monitor the health status of various groups of people that were affected by the events of September 11. In total, EPA is aware of more that 120 studies on health effects in populations impacted by the events of September 11. Although it is impossible to address them all, a few general categories are discussed below.

Health status, including asthma, among students is one of the many health endpoints that will be evaluated at many schools. Respiratory symptoms, including asthma, will be studied in pre-school children and other child populations as well.

Longitudinal cohort studies on the impacts on pregnant women and birth outcomes are also being conducted.

DRAFT-DO NOT QUOTE OR CITE 136 October 2002

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