Health assessment for Velsicol Chemical Corporation (St. Louis Plant Site), Gratiot County, Michigan, Region 5. CERCLIS No. MID000722439. Preliminary report

Technical Report · Tue Apr 18 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5219833

The Velsicol Chemical Corporation (Velsicol) site is currently listed on the National Priorities List. More than 60 contaminants were found throughout the site, but polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) is the contaminant that caused the most concern. Phenols, calcium, magnesium, sodium (as chloride or bromium salts) and PBB were present in wastes. Soil samples collected had the following maximum concentrations (parts per million - ppm); PBB, 1,100; phenol, 4.2; lead, 11,100; hexabromebenzene, 56; 2,3-dibromo-1-propanol phosphate, 4,700; and dimethylaminoethylchloride hydrochloride (DMAE), 53. On-site ground water samples contained the following maximum concentrations (ppm): PBB, 0.013; chloride, 82,000; sulfate, 650; phenol, 1.2; DMAE, 20 and carbon tetrachloride, 0.080. Of various species of fish carp had the highest maximum PBB concentrations. Wildlife (mice, earthworms, a raccoon and ducks) in the area were found to be contaminated with PBB and/or DDT. The site is of potential public health concern because of the risk to human health that could result from possible human exposure to hazardous substances at levels that may result in adverse human health effects over time. Occupational exposure to many harmful contaminants, including PBB and DDT, has occurred and exposure to the general population may possibly still be occurring via ingestion of contaminated fish and wildlife.

• Research Organization: Michigan Dept. of Public Health, Lansing, MI (USA). Center for Environmental Health Sciences
• OSTI ID: 5219833
• Report Number(s): PB-90-107947/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
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32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320305* -- Energy Conservation
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540320 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AROMATICS
BROMINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
DDT
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
FOOD CHAINS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
INSECTICIDES
LAND POLLUTION
LAWS
ORGANIC BROMINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
POLLUTION
POLLUTION LAWS
PROGRESS REPORT
PUBLIC HEALTH
RISK ASSESSMENT
SUPERFUND
WASTES
WATER POLLUTION