For the Phase I study of Chafee Hall, Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc. (EH&E) sampled various locations within the building over a two-day period, December 28 and 29, 2000. The building was closed on December 23, 2000, as a precautionary measure and remains closed until more information regarding PCBs in the building is obtained. Sample locations were chosen that would best confirm and characterize the scope of possible PCB contamination based on earlier sampling in the building. Air samples were taken to measure potential inhalation exposures. Various wipe and bulk samples were collected from a number of surfaces and materials, respectively, to identify possible exposure routes and PCB reservoirs. All samples were collected and analyzed by certified laboratories in accordance with National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protocols.
Air Samples
Air samples were taken from all floors of the Chafee building in both the high-rise and low-rise sections of the building. Samples were taken in representative locations within the lecture hall and classroom areas to characterize airborne levels of PCBs within the building. Simultaneous sampling of offices on all floors of the high-rise also occurred. Additional samples were collected outdoors and from two buildings not connected to Chafee Hall for comparison purposes. Air was drawn through the sampling train by a calibrated pump. The sampling train consisted of a glass fiber filter and a florisil tube in series, which captures both particulate and vapor phase PCBs. In order to characterize potential occupant inhalation exposures, samples were collected at working levels (four to five feet above the floor). All samples were collected and analyzed in accordance with NIOSH Method Number 5503. EH&E sent the collected samples under chain of custody to Galson Laboratories and Liberty Mutual Analytical Labs for independent analysis. The results of the air sampling are summarized in the following table.
Bulk and Wipe Samples
Bulk samples were collected over a two-day period from various materials and surfaces throughout the building. Wipe samples were collected from high contact work surfaces (e.g., desks, bookshelves, and file cabinets) to assess potential exposures via direct contact with contaminated dust. The variety of surface types sampled represents a preliminary and partial representation of possible surfaces that could serve as potential reservoirs for PCB contamination. Bulk samples were collected via a variety of instruments including razors, tweezers, and dust extraction thimbles. Wipe samples were collected with a hexane preserved cloth wiped over an area of approximately one square foot. An effort was made to sample surfaces with visible dust. Dust (bulk) samples were also collected from interior surfaces of perimeter unit ventilators. Bulk samples were purposefully collected from rooms not undergoing air sampling to minimize the possibility of skewing the air sample results due to the bulk sampling activities. Samples were sent under chain of custody to Groundwater Analytical and analyzed utilizing EPA method 8082. The results of the bulk sampling are summarized in the following table. For all samples, only Aroclor 1254 was detected in the analysis. Other tested PCB analytes were below reporting limits and thus are not reported in the analytical results.
Results
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) for PCB in air is 1,000,000 nanograms per cubic meter (ng/m3) and 500,000 ng/m3 for Aroclor 1242 and 1254, respectively. The NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) is 1,000 ng/m3 for all PCB mixtures, which is well above levels detected in samples taken from Chafee Hall. The highest concentration detected in the analyzed samples was 393 ng/m3. This sample was collected on the fifth floor of the high-rise. Sampling in the low-rise component of the building and the lecture halls did not detect PCBs in air (< ~ 60 ng/m3). Non-detect levels of PCBs in air were similarly noted from a comparison building (1980s vintage) also located on the URI campus. This building was chosen to reflect ambient PCB levels found in office environments following the discontinuation of PCB usage in construction materials. Elevated concentrations of PCBs were found in the high-rise component of Chafee Hall. These elevated levels ranged from 180.5 ng/m3 to 393 ng/m3 from floors three through eight. By comparison, a building of similar vintage as Chafee Hall (1960s) and located across campus contained indoor PCB concentrations of 111 ng/m3 and 203 ng/m3.
The results from the bulk sampling indicate that samples taken from unit ventilators from all the sampled rooms contained detectable amounts of PCBs. Sample concentrations ranged from 8.2 parts per million (ppm) to 81 ppm. Samples taken from a ceiling tile indicated a PCB concentration of 0.4 ppm, while samples from exterior window gaskets produced concentrations of 4.2 and 30 ppm. Samples taken from comparison buildings and surfaces yielded results that were below reporting limits for the analysis. While there are not specific guidelines reflecting acceptable PCB concentration within dust, materials containing greater than 50 ppm of PCBs are generally considered regulated materials (1999 UNEP).
Table 1: Summary of Results-Phase I Air Samples
Table 2: Summary of Bulk Samples Collected
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m g/ft2 - wipes) |
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| mg/kg milligrams of Aroclor per kilogram of dust or sampled material (parts per million [ppm]) m g/ft2 micrograms of Aroclor per square foot of surface area BRL below reporting limit (not detected) 1PCB concentration analysis performed by Groundwater Analytical, Inc., using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) method 8082 (GC/ECD). 2Aroclor 1016, 1221, 1232, 1242, 1248, and 1260 also tested. All results below reporting levels. 3Reporting limits for wipe samples in units of m g/wipe (or m g/ft2). Reporting limits for all other samples in mg/kg (ppm). |
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