NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document
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Sommary of Asbestos Sampling Results
66 Frankfort St and 90 Gold St, New York, NY
Date sampled: November 20, 2001
Four locations were sampled in your complex: inside two private residences (one in the
66 Frankfort Street building and one in the 90 Gold Street building), in an indoor lobby, and at a
nearby outdoor area (see tables below for sampling results). Air samples were collected in each
of the four locations by using vacuum pumps to draw air past a filter that was suspended at the
height of a person’s breathing level.
One settled dust sample was collected at each of the indoor locations. Indoor dust and debris
samples were collected on a filter by vacuuming surfaces. Outdoor dust samples were collected
only when there was visible dust and debris to obtain bulk material. No dust was available for
bulk sampling outside of your building.
The collected material was weighed, viewed under a microscope, and/or chemically processed to
determine the types and quantities of substances present. The materials are being analyzed for
fibers such as asbestos, fiberglass, synthetics (e.g. man-made materials such as nylon and
polyester), cellulose (e.g. cotton, paper), silica, and for other minerals and small particles.
ASBESTOS AIR TEST RESULTS
Results of all of the air samples taken from your complex were less than 0.001 fibers per cubic
centimeter (f/cc). These are well below the standard set for indoor air quality of 0.01 f/cc. The
air results from your complex are comparable to the air results from buildings located above 59®
Street, which are not expected to have been impacted by WTC materials. In the homes above
59® Street, levels of fibers found in the air ranged from less than 0.001 f/cc to 0.003 f/cc. This
indicates that the air levels for fibers from your building are similar to those seen in areas not
impacted by the dust from the WTC collapse.
The air samples tested from directly outside and in the lobby of your building were taken during
normal daily activity. The two air samples from the unoccupied apartments were taken after the
dust in the apartment was aggressively “stirred up” to ensure that an accurate sample of particles
would be present. All air samples were examined in a laboratory for fibers using the Phase
Contrast Microscopy (PCM) method.
Airborne fibers as determined by PCM analysis: An air sample is collected by pulling air
through a filter. The filter catches fibers and is sent to a laboratory to determine the number of
fibers in the air. Phase contrast microscopy identifies fibers based on size and shape, but not the
specific type of fiber. Therefore, the fibers seen by PCM include asbestos fibers as well as other
fibers, such as textiles, fiberglass, and cellulose, which might be present in your home. The PCM
analysis assumes that all fibers present were asbestos. Therefore, less hazardous fibers that may
have been present, such as textiles or fiberglass, are counted along with the asbestos fibers,
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