The U.S. EPA national
Exposure Research
Laboratory (NERL)
responded immediately
to requests from the EPA
Region 2 offices to assist
with outdoor air monitoring
in lower Manhattan after
the terrorist attacks on
September 11
September
ORD's National Exposure
Research Laboratory (NERL)
assembles a team to prepare
equipment and conduct
measurements
NERL field team works with
Emergency Response Team
(ERT) from Region 2 and the
U.S. Coast Guard to identify
objectives of air monitoring
to assist efforts of Region 2
NERL field sampling team
arrives in New York City
Terrorist attacks in New
York, Washington, DC, and
Pennsylvania
EPA Region 2 requests
assistance from EPA's
Office of Research and
Development (ORD) to
monitor air quality in lower
Manhattan
The T1ERL collaborated
with the emergency
[response team from EPA's '
Region 2 offices and
the U.S. Coast Guard to
measure concentrations of
particulate matter (PM) and
I - air toxics in the air around
Ground zero and lower
' P_ Manhattan
7\ ir and dust samples"
jlYare being analyzed for '
Iheavy metals (lead, etc.),
^volatile organic compounds
•(benzene, etc.) and
V dioxins/furans
Aerial view of the World Trade Center
showing movement of smoke through
lower Manhattan
NERL researchers servicing
air monitoring equipment as
NYPD officers look on
The EPA national Center ¦
fbrJEn^irbnmental
Assessment (liCEA) is J
using these air quality t
data to assess the public's.]
potential exposure and its
I risk associated with such i
~ exposure
1~J egion 2 and NERL
l\developed an •
[ Updated monitoring { ™
strategy that included j
i additional air monitoring
J sites and meteorological;
¦ measurements In the
5 surrounding area to better
\ understand the migration
J of pollutants from the WTC
through lower Manhattan
View of World Trade
Center from one of the
air monitoring sites
The NERL began
monitoring on
September 21, 2001 at
three sites around Ground
Zero with additional
monitoring sites located in
lower Manhattan
Collecting dust samples around
Ground Zero for chemical analyses
Results from outdoor
air monitoring Indicate
that concentrations of PM
and air toxics were elevated
and highly variable through
late October, 2001,
particularly at the sites
close to Ground Zero.
Beginning In November,
2001, concentrations of PM
and air toxics decreased
substantially and stabilized
thereafter
The results from
the FM and air
toxics monitoring
proved to be critical
in evaluating the
public's exposure
and, ultimately,
in protecting the
public's health
Ambient air monitoring
completed
All hands meeting in NY to
brief Region 2 employees on
results of air monitoring
Meetings with Region
2 to identify additional
measurement parameters
and sampling sites in
lower Manhattan
Fires declared out
by fire officials
Map of lower Manhattan
showing the site of the World
Trade Center and the NERLs air
monitoring sites
Construction workers emerging from the
debris pile at the World Trade Center
Ambient Air Monitoring at Ground Zero and Lower Manhattan
Following the Collapse of the World Trade Center
Alan Vette1, Roy Zweidinger1, Robert Seila1. Erick Swarty1. Alan Huber1, Ronald Williams', Dore LaPosta2, Marcus Kant/',
John Filippelli', Kenneth Fradkin3, laura Webb4, Lester Grant5, Thomas Ellestad1, and Daniel Vallero'
VS. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development. Research Triangle Park, NC 27711,2II5. Environmental Protection Agency. Region 2, Edison, N) 08837, VS. Environmental Protection Agency. Region 2. New York, NY 10007,
4US. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7, Kansas City, KS 66115, sU.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Exposure Assessment
2001
2001
2001
September
September
ii
September
12
mm
2001
September
20
W
September
21
Ambient air monitoring
2002
2001
December
rrc
October
November
19
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Partnering to Protect tin mini
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