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Air Monitoring
During Construction (May 2008 to August 27, 2010)
There
were three different types of air monitoring that took place at the Marjol
Battery Site during construction activities: Real-Time (Dust) Air Monitoring,
Site Perimeter (Ambient Air Monitoring for Lead), and Co-located Lead Samples
(samples for lead collected at the same locations as the dust monitors).
Note that
on October 15, 2008, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
lowered the National Ambient Air Quality Lead Standard from a quarterly average
of 1.5 µg/m3 to a rolling three-month average of 0.15 µg/m3, effective October
2009.
Read below
for a description of the different types of air monitoring that were implemented
during construction activities.
REAL-TIME (DUST) AIR MONITORING
- Real-Time air monitoring (Near Field Zone monitoring) - this type of air
monitoring was used to determine if dust was migrating outside of the
immediate work area so that additional dust control measures could
be
implemented. This
monitoring consisted of continuous, real-time dust
monitoring upwind and downwind of the work zone during work
activities with the potential for significant release of dust (i.e.,
during soil excavation, backfill, waste placement, and cap
installation.) Real-Time monitoring provided immediate
information on the amount of dust (not just lead) being
generated.
As of Friday, November 13, 2009, excavation of
contaminated fill material was completed and all surface soils at
the Site were below the clean-up standard. Therefore, as
approved by USEPA and PADEP, real-time air monitoring was
stopped as of non-working hours on November 13, 2009.
SITE
PERIMETER (AMBIENT AIR MONITORING FOR LEAD)
- Site perimeter monitoring - this
kind of air monitoring consists of ambient air monitoring for lead
using the high-volume sampler method, which is what has been used
for the past 20 years at the Site. This sampling determines if air
lead is being emitted from the Site. Results with this type of
monitoring are not immediate as the air collection filters have to
be sent to a lab for analysis. Perimeter air sampling is conducted
every six days using 6 samplers at various locations around the
perimeter of the site that run simultaneously over a 24-hour period.
The sampler draws air over a filter and then the filter is analyzed
for lead content. The volume of air that is drawn in is also
recorded which gives us the results of micrograms (µg) of lead in
cubic meters (m3) of air. It generally takes approximately 2 weeks
for the results from the 24 hour high volume air sampling to be
validated and for the information to then be posted on the web
site.
For
construction, two of the air monitors that were previously located at the
Site were relocated to provide additional information for the community. One
was placed just inside the perimeter fence on Delaware Street where it is
visible to anyone driving near the Site; this provides air lead data for
residential areas adjacent to the Site. The other was relocated to the
Mid-Valley Secondary Center on February 27, 2008, as requested by Throop
Borough’s Planning Agency and Engineer. This monitor provides air lead data
near the local schools.
The perimeter high volume air samplers continue to
be run every six days for a 24-hour period.
(Click here for a drawing
showing the locations of the high volume air samplers.)
CO-LOCATED (PAM) LEAD
SAMPLES (SAMPLES FOR LEAD COLLECTED AT THE SAME LOCATIONS AS THE DUST MONITORS
FOR BOTH WORKING AND NON-WORKING HOURS)
- Co-located (PAM) Lead Samples -
this
type of air monitoring consisted of air monitoring for lead using
personal air monitors (PAMs). This sampling was in addition to what
was required by the 100% Design. The samples were analyzed by a
method that provided a detection limit similar to the detection
level that is used for the perimeter high volume air samplers. This
allowed us to compare the co-located sample results with the results
that we obtained every six days from the perimeter high volume air
samplers.
Co-Located (PAM) Lead Sampling took place on a weekly
basis through December 11, 2009. (Note: The December 11, 2009 sample
was archived; the last PAM results that were analyzed were collected on
December 4, 2009.)
(Click here to
go back to the Air Monitoring opening page.)
Page Last Modified
Tuesday November 02, 2010 09:51:41 AM
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