United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Environmental Monitoring Systems
Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA/600/S4-85/044 Aug.
Project Summary
Ambient Monitoring for
PCB Near Three Landfills in the
Bloomington, Indiana Area
D. L. Sgontz and J. E. Howes, Jr.
A monitoring program was conducted
to determine PCB levels in ambient air
on and in the vicinity of three landfills in
the Bloomington, Indiana area. Fixed-
height measurements were made at
locations on the sites where capacitors
containing PCB were exposed and at
nominally upwind and downwind loca-
tions. Vertical PCB concentration pro-
files were also obtained at five elevations
above selected hot spots. Sampling was
performed over 8-hour daytime periods
(approximately 0900-1700 hours) and
over 24-hour periods at various on- and
off-site locations. Polyurethane foam
(PUF) cartridges used either with
DuPont personal-type sampling pumps
or EPA-developed high volume samplers
were used for collection of PCB from
the ambient air. At Neal's Landfill,
airborne PCB concentrations measured
180 cm above five hot spots during 8-
hour daytime sampling periods, ranged
from 0.4 to 18 /ug/scm. PCB levels
observed along the downwind perimeter
of the site ranged from 0.2 to 1.8
/ug/scm. Upwind PCB concentrations
measured during the 4-day monitoring
period ranged from <0.05 to 0.1
/ug/scm. Ambient air PCB concentra-
tions measured at 180 cm above two
hot spots on Neal's Dump during 8-
hour daytime periods ranged from 0.6
to 19 yug/scm. Over the 3-day monitor-
ing period, PCB levels determined near
residences adjacent to the site ranged
from <0.04 to 0.2 /ug/scm. At Lemon
Lane Landfill, ambient air PCB levels
measured at 180 cm above three hot
spots during 8-hour daytime sampling
periods ranged from 6 to 193 /ug/scm.
Over the 4-day monitoring period, up-
wind airborne PCB concentrations were
fairly constant at approximately 0.05
yug/scm and levels measured downwind
of the landfill; ranged from 0.3 to 0.8
fjg/scm. Generally, the airborne PCB
levels measured at hot spots on the
landfills appear to be correlated with
the quantity of exposed capacitors, i.e..
those visible at or above ground level.
PCB emission rates and thus airborne
levels were probably maximized by the
unseasonably warm, dry weather which
prevailed throughout the field study
period.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Environmental Monitoring
Systems Laboratory. Research Triangle
Park, NC, to announce key findings of
the research project that is fully docu-
mented in a separate report of the same
title (see Project Report ordering in-
formation at back).
Introduction
Three landfills in the Bloomington,
Indiana, area have been used for disposal
of capacitors containing polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs). The landfill sites are
identified as: Neal's Landfill, Neal's Dump,
and Lemon Lane Landfill. Visual surveys
of these sites have indicated several areas
where capacitors are visible at or above
ground level. In most of these areas,
leakage of the capacitors is suspected
due to apparent wetting of the soil and
damage to the surrounding vegetation.
As a consequence of the leakage, PCBs
may be emitted, thus creating an air
pollution problem.
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During June and July 1983, a field
rpr»gram was conducted to monitor PCB
levels in the ambient air at selected
locations on and surrounding the three
landfill areas. Airborne PCB measure-
ments on the sites were performed at
localized areas (hot spots) where leaking
capacitors were evident. Measurements
were made at locations in the vicinity of
the sites to determine upwind background
levels and downwind emission levels.
Three types of samples were obtained
during the study to measure ambient air
concentrations and emission patterns.
All sampling was performed with systems
which employed polyurethane foam (PDF)
cartridges for collection of PCBs from the
ambient air. (a) Battery-operated, per-
sonal-type pumps were used to sample
during 8-hour daytime periods at a fixed
height above hot spots and at upwind
locations, (b) EPA high-volume systems
were used to sample for 8- and 24-hour
periods at hot spots and upwind and
downwind points, (c) Arrays of five
battery-operated sampling systems oper-
ated at different heights above ground
level were used to determine the vertical
concentration profiles at hot spot areas
during 8-hour daytime periods. The quan-
tity of PCBs collected in the PDF cartridges
during sampling was determined by ex-
traction and analysis of the extract by
electron-capture gas chromatography
using EPA Method 608. Meteorological
conditions (wind speed and direction,
temperature, and relative humidity) were
monitored during sampling at the sites to
assist in interpretation of the PCB meas-
urements.
This study was conducted to provide
EPA Region V with data on background
airborne levels and the magnitude and
distribution of PCB emissions into the
atmosphere on and around the three
landfill areas. EPA Region V will use
results to assess the impact of the PCB
emissions from the landfills on the public
welfare and to determine the need for
remedial action to reduce the emissions
into the environment.
Experimental
Sampling Procedures
Three different sampling procedures,
i.e., (a) low-volume, (b) vertical profile,
and (c) high-volume were used to measure
ambient air PCB concentrations and
emission patterns on and in the vicinity of
the landfill sites.
DuPont P-4000A battery-operated, low
volume samplers (flow rate ~3.8 L/min)
were used to sample the ambient air at
hot spots on the landfill sites and at
upwind locations. The samplers were
positioned with inlets of the PUF cart-
ridges at 1.8 m above ground level.
Sampling at hots spots was performed
immediately downwind of the hot spot
area over 8-hr daytime periods from
approximately 0900 to 1700 hrs CDT.
Measurements of the vertical PCB
concentration profiles were performed
with a vertical array of five DuPont low
volume samplers. The array was posi-
tioned directly over a hot spot area with
inlets of the PUF cartridges at 2, 30, 60,
120, and 180 cm above ground level.
Sampling was performed for 8-hr periods
from approximately 0900 to 1700 hrs
CDT.
EPA high volume systems (flow rate ~8
cfm) were used to collect 8- or 24-hr
samples upwind of the sites, at hot spots
on the sites, and along the downwind
perimeter of the sites. The EPA samplers
were situated with the inlets approxi-
mately 1.2 m above ground level and
were located, to the extent possible, in
areas where air flow was unrestricted in
the windward direction.
At hot spots, the high volume samplers
were positioned immediately downwind
of the hot spot area. Eight-hour samples
were collected concurrently with the low
volume samples, i.e., during sampling
periods from approximately 0900 to 1700
CDT. The 24-hr samples were collected
from approximately 0800 hr to 0800 hr
the following day.
Analysis Procedures
Analysis for PCBs in the PUF cartridges
(and high volume filters) was performed
according to the procedure described in
the EPA Manual of Analytical Methods.
The steps in the analysis procedure
included: (a) Soxhlet extraction of the
foam plugs (and filters in the case of high
volume samplers) with 5 percent ether in
hexane; (b) concentration of the extract to
1 mL and; (c) determination of PCBs in an
aliquot of the extract by electron capture-
gas chromatography using EPA Method
608. These analyses were performed by
Southwest Research Institute.
Meteorological Measurements
Continuous measurements of wind
speed, wind direction, and ambient tem-
perature were performed with Meteoro-
logical Research, Inc. (MRI) portable
weather stations. One unit was located at
Neal's Landfill during the entire study. A
second unit was used to collect meteoro-
logical data at Neal's Dump and Lemon
Lane Landfill during the PCB monitoring
periods at these sites. Strip chart data
from the meteorological systems were
manually reduced to obtain hourly aver-
ages. Relative humidity data were obtain-
ed from wet- and dry-bulb temperature
measurements made periodically during
daytime sampling periods.
Results and Discussion
The monitoring results from the low
volume sampling show that PCBs are
being introduced into the atmosphere
from leaking capacitors at each of the
three landfills. Generally, the airborne
levels measured at hot spots on the sites
appear to correlate with the number of
exposed, leaking capacitors. The highest
PCB concentrations in ambient air were
found on Lemon Lane Landfill. At This
site, levels measured in three different
areas with exposed capacitors during 8-
hour daytime periods ranged from 6 to
193 jug/scm. The highest values (40 to
193 jug/scm) were observed immediately
above the large bank of exposed capaci-
tors along the south end of the site. PCB
levels measured by low volume sampling
at the five hot spots on Neal's Landfill
during 8-hour daytime periods ranged
from 0.4 to 20 //g/scm. At Neal's Dump,
PCB concentrations detected at two hot
spots during 8-hour daytime monitoring
with low volume samplers ranged from
0.6 to 19 fjg/scm.
PCB emissions from leaking capacitors
were also detected in the ambient air
downwind from the landfill areas. At
Neal's Landfill, PCB concentrations
measured at four downwind locations
ranged from 0.2 to 1.8 //g/scm with the
highest values being observed at the
locations closest (—12-30 m) and most
directly downwind of the hot spots. During
the monitoring period, PCB levels meas-
ured at a location upwind of Neal's Landfill
were <0.1 fjg/scm. The PCB levels found
at two locations downwind of Lemon
Lane Landfill ranged from 0.3 to 0.8
pg/scm. The downwind sampling loca-
tions were approximately 0.3 to 0.4 km
from the hot spots on the landfill. Back-
ground PCB concentrations measured
upwind of Lemon Lane Landfill were <
0.1 fjg/scm. PCB levels determined at
locations designated upwind and down-
wind of Neal's Dump did not show a
significant difference. However, the
samplers could not be placed at the
optimum upwind/downwind locations
due to unavailability of electrical power
and to interference from the heavily
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wooded area nominally downwind of the
landfill.
At Neal's Landfill and Lemon Lane
Landfill, measurements were performed
to determine the vertical distribution of
PCBs in the air above hot spots. PCB
concentrations measured at a 2 cm
elevation above hot spots at the two sites
ranged from 367 to 1108 //g/scm with a
median of 804 fjg/scm. The median con-
centration at 180 cm elevation was 11
/jg/scm, seven times lower than at the 2
cm height. Variations in the vertical
concentration profiles at a given location
are probably due primarily to wind condi-
tions since the ambient temperatures
were fairly uniform throughout the var-
ious sampling days.
In general, the procedures and equip-
ment used for the PCB monitoring per-
formed very satisfactorily and, based on
the QC/QA data, appear to have provided
high quality results. Data recovery for
measurements made with the low volume
sampling systems was 95 percent and for
the high volume sampler measurements
the data recovery was 76 percent. Data
loss with, the high volume sampling
systems was due primarily to failure of
high volume sampler motors and the
motor generator units. Replacement of
the motor in the high volume sampler
with a by-pass type would significantly
increase the reliability of the high volume
sampling system.
Weather during the entire period that
the PCB monitoring was performed was
unseasonably warm and dry. Daily high
temperatures during the sampling at
Neal's Landfill and Neal's Dump on June
29 and 30 were about 32°C (90°F). During
the period July 12 through 21, high
temperatures on days that sampling was
performed were at or in excess of 38°C
(100°F). There was no rainfall on any
sampling day nor very little precipitation
during the interim periods. The results
obtained from this study probably repre-
sents "upper limit" estimates of the
airborne PCB levels.
Conclusions
(a) PCB levels measured at hot spots on
the landfills exceeded upwind back-
ground levels, thus indicating that
PCBs from the leaking capacitors are
being emitted into the air.
(b) Based on measurements at hot spots,
it appears that PCB emission levels
are generally correlated with the
number of exposed, leaking capaci-
tors. In general, higher concentrations
were measured at locations where
more capacitors were visible at or
above ground level.
(c) PCB concentrations which exceeded
background (upwind) levels were ob-
served at sampling locations down-
wind of the landfills.
(d) Airborne PCB concentrations above
hot spots vary with height; levels at 2
cm above ground level are from 40 to
100 times higher than the levels at an
elevation of 180 cm.
(e) Unseasonably warm, dry weather that
prevailed during the monitoring pro-
gram probably maximized PCB emis-
sions. Thus, levels observed during
this study may represent "upper limit"
values.
(f) The methodology employed to meas-
ure PCB levels in the ambient air
performed well. Quality assurance
data gathered during the study de-
monstrates that both the low and high
volume methods yielded reliable, re-
producible data and that comparable
results are obtained by the two
methods.
D. L. Sgontz and J. E. Howes, Jr. are with Battelle's Columbus Laboratories,
Columbus, OH 43201.
Barry E. Martin is the EPA Project Officer /see below).
The complete report, entitled "A mbient Monitoring for PCB Near Three Landfills in
the Bloomington, Indiana Area." (Order No. PB 85-233 492/AS; Cost: $14.50,
subject to change) will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
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Environmental Protection
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