John R. Kominsky

Common-source community and industrial exposure to trichloroethylene

In July 1979, 1,900 gallons of trichloroethylene (TCE) were released into ground and surface water from a pipe manufacturing plant in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. To evaluate community and occupational exposure to TCE, we conducted environmental and medical surveys. In well water samples obtained in August 1979 within 1 km of the factory, TCE concentrations ranged to 183,000 parts per billion (ppb); EPAs proposed guideline for TCE in drinking water is 5 ppb. Levels of TCE declined with distance from the plant and decreased in the months following the spill. However, lower level TCE contamination was widespread and persistent, suggesting multiple releases. Within the plant, mean time-weighted occupational exposure to TCE of degreaser operators was 205 mg/m3; the recommended time-weighted exposure limit is 135 mg/m3. Mean short-term exposure was 1,084 mg/m3; the recommended short-term limit is 535 mg/m3. Seven of 9 exposed workers reported drowsiness, dizziness, or mental confusion. In exposed workers, mean urinary excretion of TCE metabolites rose from 298 micrograms/L pre-shift to 480 micrograms/L post-shift. On re-evaluation of the factory following improvements in ventilation and work practices, mean time-weighted occupational exposure to TCE had decreased to 84 mg/m3 and short-term exposure to 400 mg/m3; symptom frequency and concentrations of urinary TCE metabolites also were reduced. This episode demonstrates that community and occupational exposure to chemical toxins may share a common origin.

Hexachlorocyclopentadiene contamination of a municipal wastewater treatment plant

In March, 1977, a municipal sewage treatment plant was contaminated with hexachlorocyclopentadiene (HCCPD) and related chlorinated hydrocarbons. Plant workers reported irritation of the skin and eyes, sore throat, cough, chest discomfort, headache, nausea, and fatigue. Symptoms persisted at least six weeks in 5–18% of the workers. Health effects evaluations of 97 workers involved in decontamination procedures showed them to experience similar symptoms; 19% had at least one abnormal liver function test on serial blood testing The airborne levels of HCCPD to which workers were exposed are unknown, but medical and environmental data collected during the decontamination period provides documentation of HCCPDs potential toxicity.

Background concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) in office buildings in Boston, Massachusetts

Abstract Two office buildings were tested to determine the background surface and air concentrations of PCDFs and PCDDs. Surface samples showed higher concentrations of PCDDs than PCDFs, increase of PCDD concentration with degree of chlorination, similar concentrations of PCDFs irrespective of degree of chlorination, and significant correlations between concentrations of PCBs, and PCDFs and PCDDs. Air samples generally contained non-detectable concentrations of PCDFs and lower chlorinated PCDDs; and a predominance of higher chlorinated PCDDs. These data define a concentration baseline for PCDFs and PCDDs in these buildings, but may be indicative of the concentrations present in other office buildings.

Worker Exposure to Organic Vapors at a Liquid Chemical Waste Incinerator

The extent of employee exposure to organic vapors at a liquid/fluid chemical waste incinerator facility was assessed by means of a preliminary survey. The study was conducted at a facility owned by the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH. The incineration unit employs a rotary kiln and a cyclone furnace (liquid injection) with a common combustion chamber. A wide variety of liquid industrial chemical wastes are accepted in tank truck quantities. Low flow air pumps were used to collect breathing zone and general area samples on standard 150-mg charcoal tubes. The samples were analyzed by a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector. Benzene, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), toluene and xylene, solvents common to many of the wastes accepted, were selected for determination. The data indicate that the routine operation of this liquid industrial waste incinerator facility results in worker exposure considerably less than the action level (50% of the health standard) for all compounds tested, except benzene. Some workers were at risk of overexposure to benzene if the NIOSH-recommended criteria are used, but not when the OSHA and ACGIH criteria are used. The highest exposure routine operations were cleaning pump strainers after receiving wastes and benzene distillations conducted in the laboratory. The non-routine operation of storage tank entry, which occurred once during the study, resulted in the highest potential exposure of any operation.

Evaluation of Two Cleaning Methods for the Removal of Asbestos Fibers from Carpet

The effectiveness of dry vacuuming and wet cleaning for the removal of asbestos fibers from carpet, as well as the potential for airborne asbestos fiber reentrainment during carpet cleaning activities, was evaluated. Routine carpet cleaning operations were simulated using high-efficiency particulate air (REPA) filtered dry vacuum cleaners and HEPA-filtered hot water extraction cleaners on carpet artificially contaminated with asbestos fibers. Overall, wet cleaning with a hot water extraction cleaner reduced the level of asbestos contamination in the carpet by approximately 70%. There was no significant evidence of either an increase or a decrease in the carpet asbestos concentration after dry vacuuming. Airborne asbestos concentrations were between two and four times greater during than before the carpet cleaning activities. A reduction in the amount of asbestos in the carpet would suggest a possible reduction in the potential exposure to building occupants.

Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls from an overheated transformer

Abstract A Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) containing transformer released approximately 50 gallons of askarel oil. No polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) or polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDD) were detected in a sample of the askarel (analytical limit of detection of 40 parts per billion per isomer group). Skin irritation, unusual tiredness, and headaches occurred in approximately 20% of the individuals at the scene of the incident. Serum PCB levels, and mean values for blood and urine tests were within normal ranges.

Red spots among flight attendants: observation--a valuable investigative tool.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Bureau of Epidemiology of the Center for Disease Control investigated episodes of red spots appearing on the skin of flight attendants during various Eastern Airlines flights in the first three months of 1980. Review of 132 cases reported during January and February showed that 91 different flight attendants had been affected; 96% of cases had occurred on flights between the New York and Miami metropolitan areas, and 90% on a single type of aircraft. Although some reports mentioned burning, nausea, and headache in association with spots, most reports involved only the occurrence of bright red spots that could be wiped or washed off. Studies of work practices and procedures of flight attendants revealed that the red spots were caused by red ink flaking off the life vests during demonstrations of the use of the vests in preflight safety instructions. The demonstration vests were labelled with ink containing a litholrubine chrome molybdate orange pigment. Following removal of the implicated vests from all Eastern Airlines aircraft, no further cases have appeared.

The use of a short cleanup followed by GC/ECD analysis for octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin as a screening method for samples obtained from a PCDD and PCDF contaminated site

Abstract In recent years, the analysis of samples for PCDDs or PCDFs has been performed by only the relatively few laboratories properly equipped to do the procedure. The final analytical step has become exclusively GC/MS. There is a need for simpler methodology that can be performed by a larger number of laboratories. In this report, we describe a method for the analysis of dust and surface swab samples from contaminated buildings for OCDD. The method relies on a short cleanup followed by GC/ECD analysis. The proposed approach would be to analyze a limited number of samples from a suspected site by the more rigorous GC/MS methodology and then use the OCDD screening method on the multiple samples that require analysis to define the extent of the contamination.