ATSDR/DHAC_ASTM

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

In general, air monitoring near the WTC has not detected any pollutants from the fire and building collapses at levels that are of public health concern. Within the restricted zone (within one block of the WTC), low levels of asbestos have been found in the airborne dust from the building collapse (7). Bulk dust and air samples (mostly on or near the work site), as well as surface runoff water, river sediment, and river water have been analyzed for other contaminants, including metals, VOCs, PAHs, dioxins and PCBs. These contaminants were found at low levels that did not indicate a need to conduct further sampling for them at the time of the residential sampling (8).

D. Community Exposure

The most likely routes of community exposures to contaminants would be through breathing in airborne dust and through direct contact with surface dust and debris. The sampling plan was developed to determine the potential for exposure to building material-related contaminants in air and dust.

E. Human Health Effects of Concern

The primary health effects of immediate concern are respiratory effects and irritant effects from inhalation of or direct contact with building-related materials. Many of the materials expected to be in airborne dust can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation. In addition, those materials that can be inhaled or respired from airborne dust can cause respiratory irritation and exacerbation of pre-existing problems such as asthma, emphysema, and cardiopulmonary disease. Materials in the surface dust can cause skin irritation on contact. There have been reports of burning throat and eyes from residents returning to the area.

OBJECTIVES

The overall objective of this sampling was to provide results upon which public health agencies could further determine the potential for environmental exposures to WTC collapse-related materials and possible health implications of the exposures. Sampling was intended to better characterize ambient and indoor airborne and potentially airborne particles (surface dust) in residential areas of lower Manhattan from the collapse of WTC.

Specifically, the objective was to characterize the makeup and size distribution of airborne breathing zone dust in residential areas—both indoors and outside—near the WTC. This information was used to further determine whether materials were present in air at levels of public health concern and whether settled surface dust contained materials that could potentially be re-entrained and result in continued exposures.

Note: The sampling approach was focused on contaminants that emanated from the collapse of the WTC towers and that might cause health problems. However, this investigation could not conclude if contaminants or materials found actually came from the disaster. The contaminants that were selected for testing could be present in some areas from other sources. Some typical examples of this include cooking on a stove top, which can increase indoor airborne particulate matter; vehicle exhaust.

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