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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Shannon R. Magari, ScD, MPH, MS, Mary Castle, MS, and Greg W. Richey, MS, CIH, CSP. Colden Corporation, 5824 Widewaters Parkway, East Syracuse, NY 13057, 1-315-445-0847, smagari@hsph.harvard.edu
Introduction: After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, indoor air quality has been an ongoing concern in Lower Manhattan. For this reason, Pace University established an air sampling program to evaluate air quality in the four buildings on their Lower Manhattan Campus. Materials and Methods: Indoor air samples and corresponding outdoor samples were collected at the four buildings on campus. A panel of twelve analytes, including total dust, asbestos, total volatile organics (VOCs), formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, hydrochloric acid, inorganic lead, total chromium, copper, acrolein, total hydrocarbons and sulfur dioxide were measured from October 10, 2001 to December 11, 2001 using standard National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) methods. Several steps were taken to improve indoor air quality including the placement of high efficiency particulate air filters (HEPA) and systems to remove volatile organic compounds. Results: A total of 745 samples were collected and analyzed. Between the sampling dates, 2% of the total dust and 2% of the total VOCs were above the National Ambient Air Quality standards and the Molhave Research standards respectively. All asbestos samples were below the Environmental Protection Agency published standard of 70 structures/mm2. Conclusion: All data continues to support the findings and conclusions of the public health authorities, including the New York City and State Departments of Public Health, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that it is safe, at least for those without pre-existing health impairment, to occupy commercial and residential buildings in lower Manhattan.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to
Keywords: Air Pollutants, Environment
Related Web page: www.colden.com
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.