NYC-WTC_000204863

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document 11/09/01 FRI 16:46 FA.X 51S 402 7819 NYSDOH-BTSA 1^003

VOC Monitoring Near the World Trade Center Site New York State Department of Health September 28, 2001

On September 28,2001, New York State Oeparttnent of Health (NYSDOH) and New York City Department of Hsahb (NYCDOH) collected air samples at tliree locations north, southwest and southeast of the World Trade Center to measurs community exposure levels to a limited number of VOCs. The locations were selected to represent the communities closest to the site that arc currently occupied or might be expected to be re-occupisd soon. The primary purpose was for screening, i.e. to determine whether additional VOC sampling in the surrounding conununirv is waiTamed on some regular basis.

The air samples were collected in Summa canisters over two hours at three locations, and a grab sample was taken on the nibble pile (see table below).

The Summa canisters were returned to NYSDOH Wadsworth Laboratories for analysis by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) following EPA method TO-14.

Location Elevation Time’

75 Park Place ■oof aboie I4th floor M.AE (Park Place and 10lh floor balcony M,A Greenwich St.) street M, AE Parc Place at roof abo'.e 24th floor M.A.E 225 Rector street M.AE

140 Broadway roof above 52Rd floor M,A.E (Broadway and street M.A.E Liberty)

Top Of rubble 8?M”

* M- morning (-S-BAM) Srab sample A - sOiarnnnn (~?5 sprnnrts) E ■ evening (~6-SPr4)

The day began sunny but became cloudy as the day progressed. A light rain started just before tlte evening .sampling and was intenninent tliroughout that sampling period- Light winds were primarily from (he nurdi but shifted somewhat between the nortlieast .and nortliwest tliroughout the day.

Environmental Results and Conclusions

1. The air sample collected Ln the smoke plums on the WTC debris pi.le contained the highesi levels of VOCs. VOCs exceeding 100 mcg/cubic meter were acetous and a number of fuel components or products of combustion, i.e. benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, styrene and chlorometbane. None of the reported levels were unusually high compared to samples &om other fires (P.S.J. Lees, 1995). These sample results are generally consistent with similar samples of the smoke, plume taVen on sevcml occasions by llie US Environmental Protection Agency. However, the benzene concentrations were not as high (in absolute term; or relative to toluene and xylene) as most of toe EP.A sampling results.

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