NYC-WTC_000204863

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document 11/09/01 FRI 16:45 FAX' 51$ 402 7819 NYSDOH-BTSA ©002

SUMIVIARY of VOC MONITORING NEAR THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2001 To measure the surrounding communities’ exposure to volatile oiganic compounds (VOCs) from the World Trade Center tires and cleanup actiMtiss, the State and City Health Departments collected air samples for some VOCs around the World Trude Center. Most of these compounds are commonly found in petroleum products or are common industrial chemicals. Some of these compounds are also produced by fires, including the World Trade Center fires, or by equipment, such as the equipment being used in the recovery effort.

Air samples were taken on September 28,2001 at three locauons ai'ound the World Trade Center site. Sumplea were talten at roof level and street level. They were taken in ths msroing, afiemoon and evening. One sample was also taken in the smoke at the wreckage at the World Trade Ccnlcr. The sample in the smoke plume hud the highest levels of VOCs. Recovery and emergency workers need to take safety measure# that have been provided to them to limit their exposure to the smoke at ths site.

Samples were talcen near Parc Place, Rector Place and Broadway at Liberty Streets. Upwind of the site and crosswind, levels of VOCs were about the same as those cornmonly Ibund m outdoor samples (also called “background” levels). Downwind of the site, VOC levels for most of the compounds were higher than background.

The higher levels of VOC compounds dowiiw,Tnd of the site are not likely to last for an extended period of time (for examplf., the firfs will he put mit and ths wind direction changes). Tlie health risks from VOCs downwind, where the levels are highe.st, are still not much different than they would be for typical bciekgrowid levels. For the \'OCe that were measured, rhe air eonceiitrations outside the work area are not a significant healtli concern. However, other chemicals from the fires or other recovery activities may be contributing to eye, nose and throar irrirarion.

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V SN & WTC Site

1 Sampling locations ' =* ' for VOC monitoring on sepiemoerzs, 2001

CrTY_21MC100_006753201 NYC-WTC_000204863