Using exterior building surface films to assess human exposure and health risks from PCDD/Fs in New York City, USA, after the World Trade Center attacks.
Concentrations of tetra- through octa-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were determined in exterior window films from Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City (NYC), USA, 6 weeks after the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks of 11 September 2001. High concentrations of the 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners (P(2378)CDD/Fs) were observed, at levels up to 6600 pg-TEQ g(-1) nearest the WTC site. An equilibrium partitioning model was developed to reconstruct total gas + particle-phase atmospheric concentrations of P(2378)CDD/Fs at each site. The reconstructed atmospheric and window film concentrations were subsequently used in a preliminary human health risk assessment to estimate the potential cancer and non-cancer risks posed to residents of lower Manhattan from these contaminants over the 6 week exposure period between the WTC attacks and sampling dates. Residents of lower Manhattan appear to have a slightly elevated cancer risk (up to 1.6% increase over background) and increased P(2378)CDD/F body burden (up to 8.0% increase over background) because of above-background exposure to high concentrations of P(2378)CDD/Fs produced from the WTC attacks during the short period between 11 September 2001, and window film sampling 6 weeks later.
Rayne
Sierra
S
Ecologica Environmental Consulting, Victoria, BC, Canada. srayne@shaw.ca
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000266:history; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D009519:New York City; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks
D000393:Air Pollutants; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins