2001 M. Gilsenan

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Ambient and Indoor Sampling for Public Health Evaluations for areas near WTC DRAFT ATSDR/DHAC Version 8, October 15,2001

I. Introduction:

This sampling protocol was developed to address materials in airborne and settled surface dust that entered residential/commercial areas following the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) buildings. The collapse of the WTC buildings result^ in a large number of residents and office workers being evacuated from their homes. Since the collapse, some residents have not reoccupied their apartments/homes near the WTC. Others have either visited to assess damage or to clean. Many have reoccupied their homes, and it is anticipated that more and more residents will soon be moving back. To date, environmental sampling efforts have focused on rescue/recovery areas (occupational); some sampling of commercial buildings to ensure office worker safety; and ambient air sampling for asbestos in a number residential/commercial areas. Additional environmental sampling is necessary to ensure that residential areas are not adversely impacted by WTC collapse-related materials.

Surface dust and debris containing <1-4% asbestos have been found in lower Manhattan. Asbestos has been detected in personal air samples of “hot-zone” workers. In addition, low levels of asbestos have been detected in air samples collected on the “hot-zone” perimeter. Crystalline silica quartz has been detected in some of the 30 settled dust samples collected by NIOSH. Although most samples contained less than 5%, some samples contained from 15-20% crystalline silica quartz. Detectable levels of crystalline silica have not been found in the few personal air samples from the work site that have been analyzed for it to date.

Dust, bulk, 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, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PAHs, dioxins and PCBs. The low levels of these contaminants found do not indicate an immediate need to conduct widespread environmental testing for them.

Materials in airborne dust that may be of more immediate health concem-especially to residents who are returning to lower Manhattan-are those that may cause eye, nose, and throat irritation. Materials that can be inhaled or respired from airborne dust may cause respiratory irritation and may cause exacerbation of pre-existing problems such as asthma, emphysema, and cardiopulmonary disease. Analysis of WTC-related residential surface and airborne dust, both indoors and outdoors, is necessary to determine 1) if residents are being exposed to concentrations of materials that may be of public health concern; 2) whether areas already cleaned (inside and outside environments) contain materials that may be of public health concern; and 3) to provide and explain this information to the public.

Information from a south Battery Park resident supports the need to assess indoor and outdoor environmental health issues. Burning throats have been reported to be a common problem in the

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