Asbestos concentrations two years after abatement in seventeen schools. Final summary report

Technical Report · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:5565995

Kominsky, J R; Freyberg, R W; Brownlee, J A; Gerber, D R

Airborne asbestos concentrations were measured at 17 schools that underwent an asbestos abatement 2 years before in 1988. These 17 schools, which involved 20 abatement sites, were part of a study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) in 1988. The 1988 study showed that asbestos concentrations measured independently by the NJDOH and EPA during the clearance phase of the abatement were elevated in the abatement and perimeter areas compared with outdoor concentrations. The present study was conducted to determine the current levels of airborne asbestos under simulated occupancy conditions and to determine whether the elevated levels found during the clearance phase were still present 2 years after abatement. In 1990, four sites showed significantly higher mean asbestos concentrations inside the building (i.e., the previously abated area and/or perimeter area) compared with those outdoors (p<0.05). In 1990, the mean asbestos concentration measured in the perimeter area at one site and in the previously abated area at two sites were significantly higher than those in 1988 (p<0.05). Variations in asbestos levels between 1988 and 1990 may be due to sampling techniques (passive and aggressive versus modified aggressive), residual air-entrainable asbestos from the 1988 abatement, or air-entrainable asbestos from operations and maintenance activities since 1988.

• Research Organization: IT Environmental Programs, Inc., Cincinnati, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5565995
• Report Number(s): PB-92-158476/XAB; CNN: EPA-68-CO-0016
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
ASBESTOS
BUILDINGS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
MONITORING
POLLUTION
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
QUALITY ASSURANCE
RECOMMENDATIONS
SCHOOL BUILDINGS