VOC sampling locations table for Ground Zero area, Jan 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

respectively. A few more stations were set up in public schools (Manhattan - PS 143, Queens - PS 199, Brooklyn - PS274, Bronx - PS 154, and Staten Island - PS44), and New Jersey (4 locations). There were over 600 samples taken in these public schools. Nearly all the samples were non-detected, with only one high reading of 93.3 S/mm^ in PS 199 in Queens on October 12, 2001, and 2 other low readings (< 20 S/mm^). Over 100 samples were reported for the New Jersey locations through early December of 2001. Nearly all readings were non-detect with a few low measurements (< 20 S/mm^).

On the basis of these findings, there does not appear to be any significant concern for a health impact at these Brooklyn, upper Manhattan, and New Jersey locations, and they are not discussed further.

The latest trends report (EPA, 2002a) summarizes the results of 8,870 samples taken from lower Manhattan and measured for TEM (locations in Figure 23). Samples taken during the time period between September 14 (the date of the first asbestos sample taken) and September 30 showed generally the highest concentrations. Table 6 lists the TEM measurements above 70 S/mm^, and, as shown, more readings above this level were found for September (11 readings) than for any other month: October (2), November (1), December (1), January (1), February (2), March (3), and April (1).

The Trends Report also presents a directional analysis that supports this general observation in most cases. For this directional analysis, a subset of the sites was selected to represent the north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest quadrants. Two-week maximums were then identified for each of these sites. These two maximums were plotted on 3-d graphs for N-S, E-W, NE-SW, and NW-SE. These graphs are duplicated in Figures 25 - 28 for TEM. The N-S graph in Figure 25, for example, shows that most of the samplers had their highest 2-week maximums during the first 2-week period identified, September 16 to September 30. Some samplers did have additional elevations later in time, such as Albany and Greenwich, which had a high reading of 204 S/mm^ in December (from Figure 25 and also listed in Table 6).

The same general observation that early readings were the highest is seen in the NE-SW graph of Figure 28. These two graphs also do not exhibit a predominant wind direction: high measurements of the same magnitude were found on both the N and S sides (Figure 25) and the NE and SW sides (Figure 28). Figures 26 and 27, on W-E and NW-SE, do not show the same predominant elevations in September; concentrations are mostly level throughout time, with occasional elevated readings, such as a reading of 213 S/mm’ in February, 2002, at Church & Dey (from Figure 26 and Table 6). It does appear that during 2002, most readings were at what appears to be background for the area, at nondetect or reported at less than 20 S/mm^.

A number of samples at the Staten Islands Landfill recorded higher levels than the AHERA standard. This presumably results from WTC debris being unloaded at this location, which causes the asbestos structures to become airborne. The WTC database listed 5207 measurements in numerous Staten Islands Landfill sites (see Figure 24), and 50 samples were identified as above 70 S/mm^. These are listed in Table 6. Unlike the air monitors near Ground Zero, which showed the most elevations in September, the most elevations in the landfills occurred fairly

DRAFT-DO NOT QUOTE OR CITE 91 October 2002

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