At a number of locations across the tri-state region near current and former industrial sites that once had hazardous chemicals dumped onto the ground or into the water, there are health and safety issues due to a process known as vapor intrusion. These issues can occur anywhere that buildings are constructed on a contaminated site or when contaminants migrate underground from one area to another in what is known as a contaminant plume.

Vapor intrusion is the process by which volatile chemicals from contaminated groundwater or soil migrate into an overlying building and into the air that people breathe. These volatile chemicals may include:

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Select semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs)
• Some inorganic analytes

Often the main concern in buildings with low concentrations of these volatile chemicals is whether they may pose an unacceptable risk of chronic health effects due to long-term exposure to low levels of these pollutants. In cases where high concentrations of these chemicals are present, concerns over acute health effects, safety hazards such as explosions, and issues associated with odors are often primary concerns.

“Identifying volatile chemicals in people’s homes, schools, and work environments can be complicated by the potential presence of some of the same chemicals from emission sources within a building that may pose separately, or in combination with vapor intrusion, a significant human health risk,” said Michael Berrevoets, President, VOETS, LLC. “The experienced indoor environmental quality professionals at VOETS provide vapor intrusion testing services while assessing all potential sources of volatile chemicals and other potential airborne pollutants. These services can identify issues and if a problem is found, mitigation efforts can be put into place to help protect building occupants.”