Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Airborne concentrations of trivalent and hexavalent chromium from contaminated soils at unpaved and partially paved commercial/industrial sites

Journal Article · · Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States)
;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. ChemRisk, Warren, NJ (United States)
  2. ChemRisk, Almeda, CA (United States)

This method described was used to quantify airborne Cr(VI) levels at both indoor and outdoor locations at 21 sites in Hudson County, New Jersey which have soils containing chromite ore processing residue. Of the 21 sites evaluated, nine were unpaved or partially paved industrial/commercial sites or roadways with a moderate to high level of heavy truck traffic. Most of the remainder were commercial facilities with partially paved or unpaved parking lots and only light vehicle traffic. In addition, 15 residential sites in the area which do not have contaminated soil were sampled to characterized background levels of Cr(VI). The overall arithmetic mean values for indoor and outdoor Cr(VI) in total suspended particulates at the 12 industrial sites were 3.0 ng/m{sup 3} and 9.9ng/m{sup 3}, respectively. The indoor Cr(VI) concentrations measured at the 15 residential sites ranged from 0.38 to 3.3 ng/m{sup 3}. Airborne Cr(VI) levels outdoors at sites with chromite ore residue appear to be primarily influenced by the level of local vehicle traffic. Measured outdoor concentrations at sites with light vehicle traffic were generally low, within the range of levels measured indoors at the residential sites, and not strongly influenced by Cr(VI) concentrations in surface soils. At sites with a high rate of vehicle traffic, outdoor Cr(VI) concentrations exceeded background levels only on days when surface soils were dry. The average concentrations measured at these sites were more than 5,000-times lower than the current occupational exposure limit for Cr(VI) (TLV = 0.05 mg/m{sup 3}).

OSTI ID:
5458688
Journal Information:
Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States) Vol. 42:1; ISSN JAWAE; ISSN 1047-3289
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English