PETITIONED PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT
NEWTOWN COMMUNITY
GAINESVILLE, HALL COUNTY, GEORGIA
APPENDIX E: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S CUMULATIVE EXPOSURE PROJECT (NATIONWIDE MODELING)
The Cumulative Exposure Project (CEP) air modeling is very different from the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) model discussed above for a number of reasons. First of all, the CEP estimates were developed through a national modeling study of the 1990 emissions of 148 air pollutants in each census tract in the continental United States. ATSDR's modeling only examined the chemicals emitted from the TRI, AIRS/AFS, or state air compliance files, which totaled 25 air pollutants within 4 miles of the community. Also, the CEP estimates used a long-range air transport model to model concentrations from 100 meters (328 feet) to 50 kilometers (31 miles) from a emissions source. ATSDR's modeling used a short-range air transport model with receptors adjacent to the sources and up to 4 miles away. Additionally, the CEP results are reported for each census tract, which means that the concentrations throughout the census tract have been summarized over the census tract. The ATSDR modeling results are at a larger scale allowing details within a census tract to be available. Also important is that the CEP model included the breakdown, deposition, and creation of the pollutants in the atmosphere.
Finally, the CEP model includes the following six sources: (1) manufacturing
point sources (e.g., chemical manufacturing, refineries, primary metals); (2)
nonmanufacturing point sources (e.g., electric utility generators, municipal
waste combustors); (3) manufacturing area sources (e.g., wood products manufacturing,
degreasing); (4) nonmanufacturing area sources (e.g., dry cleaning, consumer
products, small medical waste incinerators); (5) onroad mobile sources (e.g.,
cars, buses, trucks); and (6) non-road mobile sources (e.g.,
farm equipment, airplanes, boats, lawn equipment). ATSDR's modeling included
only those facilities required to report to the TRI database or regulated under
the Clean Air Act. These facilities include facilities from the first three
categories and some facilities from the a part of the fourth category. A significant
difference is that CEP included mobile sources and ATSDR did not. Detailed information
about CEP is available from EPA at http://www.epa.gov/cumulativeexposure/index.htm
.
The Cumulative Exposure Project data for the census tract containing the Newtown Community is presented in Table 2 along with the results from the air monitor. Any comparison between the 1990 CEP model results and the 1997 air monitoring data should be viewed cautiously because the data are from two different years.
The air concentrations for each census tract in Hall County were converted to a cancer and noncancer risk. This conversion is explained in Appendix G. Figures 4 and 5 show the areal distribution of the cancer risks and the noncancer hazard index, respectively in each census tract. These figures also show the components of the cancer risk and noncancer hazard index. The predominant chemicals contributing to cancer risk are 1,3-butadiene, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and formaldehyde. For the noncancer hazard index, acrolein is the predominant chemical. The predominant source of acrolein is from the breakdown from 1,3-butadiene.
ATSDR evaluated the CEP air concentrations and cancer and noncancer risks by evaluating the contributing sources of hazardous air pollutants in Hall County. The CEP study divided the contaminant sources into the following 6 general groups:
|
Types of manufacturing and non-manufacturing sources and examples | |
| Type of source | Example of source |
| Stationary source fuel combustion | small boilers and heaters burning fossil fuels to generate heat or steam |
| Aircraft unpaved airstrips | airplane emissions not located at a typical airport |
| Industrial processes | chemical manufacturing, food and kindred products, secondary metal production, petroleum refining, wood products, rubber and plastics |
| Solvent utilization | surface coating such as painting, degreasing, dry cleaning, graphic arts, consumer products, and other solvent usage categories too small and/or numerous to be treated as point sources |
| Storage and transport of petroleum and petroleum products | gasoline |
| Waste disposal, treatment and recovery | such as waste incineration (municipal residential, or commercial/institutional), open burning on-site or at dumps, wastewater treatment, and landfills |
| Miscellaneous area sources | such as agricultural field burning, managed/ prescribed burning, forest wildfires, structure fires, oil and gas production, construction, gasoline service stations, on-site incineration, open burning, and wastewater treatment |
| On-road mobile sources | cars, buses, and trucks |
| Off-road mobile sources | gasoline-powered equipment, such as lawn and garden equipment, generators, gasoline-powered offroad motorcycles and recreational boats, diesel-powered construction and farm equipment, aircraft, railroads, commercial boats, and coal and oil-powered commercial boats |
Table 1. EPA's cumulative exposure project
(CEP) modeling results for the census tract containing the Newtown Community,
as compared to measured values
| Chemical | CEP Model-1990 (µg/m3) |
Measured-1997 (µg/m3) | Comments | ||
| Upper Value | Lower Value | Mean | |||
| Toluene |
6.70024 |
7.2 | 1.2 | 2.46 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| Benzene |
2.81887 |
2.6 | 0.1 | 1.1 | Modeled concentration close to range of measured concentration. The range of CEP modeled results overlaps the measured range. |
| Methylene Chloride |
2.78056 |
46.9 | 1.2 | 3.5 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| Hexane |
1.43689 |
4.3 | 0.0707 | 2.06 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| Chloromethane |
1.24877 |
1.4 | 0.707 | 0.824 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| Tetrachloroethylene |
1.13149 |
<2.4 | <2.4 | <2.4 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Carbon Tetrachloride |
1.01525 |
<2.19 | <2.19 | <2.19 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Isooctane |
1.00253 |
1.8 | 0.0707 | 0.957 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| Methyl Isobutyl Ketone |
0.95087 |
<12.2 | <12.2 | <12.2 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Trichloroethylene |
0.93847 |
<1.91 | <1.91 | <1.91 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Chloroform |
0.53558 |
<1.7 | <1.7 | <1.7 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Ethyl Benzene |
0.43483 |
1.56 | 0.1 | 1.42 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| 1,2-dichloroethane |
0.23384 |
<1.41 | <1.41 | <1.41 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Naphthalene |
0.13965 |
0.07 | 0.000212 | 0.0235 | |
| 1,4-dichlorobenzene |
0.04381 |
<2.12 | <2.12 | <2.12 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Styrene |
0.04174 |
0.9 | 0.0707 | 0.39 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| Bromomethane |
0.03900 |
<1.34 | <1.34 | <1.34 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Cumene (Isopropylbenzene) |
0.02784 |
<0.0707 | <0.0707 | <0.0707 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Chlorobenzene |
0.01947 |
<1.63 | <1.63 | <1.63 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| 1,2-dibromoethane |
0.00769 |
<2.69 | <2.69 | <2.69 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| 1,1,2-trichloroethane |
0.00308 |
<1.91 | <1.91 | <1.91 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Lead |
0.00270 |
0.017 | 0.00219 | 0.00579 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| Manganese |
0.00235 |
0.022 | 0.00041 | 0.00914 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| Hexachlorobutadiene |
0.00181 |
7.5 | 1.06 | 3.8 | CEP underestimated hexachlorobutadiene. |
| Nickel |
0.00113 |
0.0028 | 0.000919 | 0.00135 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| Selenium |
0.00064 |
0.22 | 0.019 | 0.0808 | CEP underestimated selenium |
| Chromium |
0.00026 |
0.0062 | 0.00032 | 0.00265 | |
| Hexachlorocyclohexane, Gamma- |
0.00025 |
0.0000283 | 0.0000212 | 0.0000222 | |
| Arsenic |
0.00017 |
0.018 | 0.002 | 0.00529 | |
| Hexachlorobenzene |
0.00009 |
0.0000566 | 0.0000354 | 0.0000441 | |
| Cadmium |
0.00008 |
0.0042 | 0.00017 | 0.000647 | |
| Cobalt |
0.00003 |
0.0023 | 0.0008 | 0.00135 | |
| Vinyl Chloride |
0.00002 |
<0.919 | <0.919 | <0.919 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Chloroethane |
0.00002 |
<0.919 | <0.919 | <0.919 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Beryllium |
1.12E-06 |
0.0017 | 0.0001 | 0.000581 | |
| 1,2-dichloropropane |
1.05E-06 |
<1.63 | <1.63 | <1.63 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| 1,1,2-trichloroethane |
5.4587 |
Not sampled for. | |||
| Mek Total |
4.2403 |
||||
| Glycol Ethers |
1.8511 |
||||
| Carbonyl Sulfide |
1.2300 |
||||
| Formaldehyde |
1.0129 |
||||
| Methyl Tert-butyl Ether |
0.9392 |
||||
| Acetaldehyde Total |
0.7832 |
||||
| Methanol |
0.6692 |
||||
| Ethylene Glycol |
0.3180 |
||||
| Dimethyl Formamide |
0.2624 |
||||
| Propionaldehyde Total |
0.1977 |
||||
| Polycyclic Organic Matter |
0.1744 |
||||
| 1,3-butadiene |
0.1392 |
||||
| Acrolein |
0.1346 |
||||
| Phenol |
0.1001 |
||||
| Cyanide Compounds |
0.0793 |
||||
| Phosgene Total |
0.0647 |
||||
| Cresol Total |
0.0640 |
||||
| Carbon Disulfide |
0.0477 |
||||
| 1,3-dichloropropene |
0.0387 |
||||
| Bromoform |
0.0212 |
||||
| Hydrochloric Acid |
0.0138 |
||||
| Methyl Iodide |
0.0116 |
||||
| Hexachloroethane |
0.0048 |
||||
| Mercury Compounds |
0.0016 |
||||
| Ethylene Oxide |
0.0015 |
||||
| Dibutylphthalate |
0.0014 |
||||
| Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate |
0.0014 |
||||
| Hydrofluoric Acid |
0.0013 |
||||
| Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate |
0.000562 |
||||
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls |
0.000377 |
||||
| Propylene Oxide |
0.000367 |
||||
| Phthalic Anhydride |
0.000106 |
||||
| Antimony Total |
0.000038 |
||||
| Vinyl Acetate |
0.000028 |
||||
| Chloroprene |
0.000016 |
||||
| Acrylonitrile |
0.000012 |
||||
| Chlordane |
0.000010 |
||||
| Ethyl Acrylate |
0.000006 |
||||
| Maleic Anhydride |
0.000003 |
||||
| Epichlorohydrin |
0.000001 |
||||
| Methyl Methacrylate |
0.000001 |
||||
| Pcdd/pcdfs |
1.55e-08 |
||||
| Biphenyl |
2.71e-11 |
||||
| Other compounds at zero | |||||

Figure 6. Theoretical Cancer Risk of Select Cities

Figure 7. Theoretical Non-Cancer Hazard Index of Selecte Cities
APPENDIX F: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY NATIONAL AIR TOXIC ASSESSMENT (NATIONWISE MODELING)
NATA
The National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) model is similar to the CEP model but differs in three ways:
*See Appendix E for specific information about the CEP model, which is similar methodology to the NATA model.
Table 1. Comparison of EPA's National Air Toxic Assessment (NATA) to modeled and measured values
| Chemical | NATA Model-1996 (µg/m3) | Measured-1997 (µg/m3) | Comments | ||
| Upper Value | Lower Value | Mean | |||
| Methylene chloride |
0.299596 |
46.9 | 1.2 | 3.5 | |
| 1,2-Dibromoethane |
0.007701 |
<2.69 | <2.69 | <2.69 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Tetrachloroethylene |
0.186958 |
<2.4 | <2.4 | <2.4 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane |
5.55E-05 |
<2.4 | <2.4 | <2.4 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Carbon tetrachloride |
0.880182 |
<2.19 | <2.19 | <2.19 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Trichloroethylene |
0.100483 |
<1.91 | <1.91 | <1.91 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Chloroform |
0.084145 |
<1.7 | <1.7 | <1.7 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane |
1.33E-05 |
<1.63 | <1.63 | <1.63 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane |
0.061058 |
<1.41 | <1.41 | <1.41 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Benzene |
1.137856 |
2.6 | 0.1 | 1.1 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| Vinyl chloride |
0.000157 |
<0.919 | <0.919 | <0.919 | Compound was not detected in air samples. Modeled value is below detection limit. |
| Manganese |
0.000822 |
0.022 | 0.00041 | 0.00914 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| Lead |
0.000207 |
0.017 | 0.00219 | 0.00579 | |
| Arsenic |
3.01E-05 |
0.018 | 0.002 | 0.00529 | |
| Chromium |
0.000186 |
0.0062 | 0.00032 | 0.00265 | |
| Nickel |
0.000721 |
0.0028 | 0.000919 | 0.00135 | Modeled concentration within range of measured |
| Cadmium |
1.19E-05 |
0.0042 | 0.00017 | 0.000647 | Not sampled for. |
| Be |
6.85E-06 |
0.0017 | 0.0001 | 0.000581 | |
| Hexachlorobenzene |
9.3E-05 |
5.66E-05 | 3.54E-05 | 4.41E-05 | |
| Formaldehyde |
0.85395 |
||||
| Acrolein |
0.086668 |
||||
| 1,3-Butadiene |
0.049752 |
||||
| 1,3-Dichloropropene |
0.03898 |
||||
| Polycyclic Organic Matter |
0.021966 |
||||
| Ethylene Oxide |
0.002564 |
||||
| Mercury Compounds |
0.001571 |
||||
| 7-PAH |
0.000829 |
||||
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls |
0.00038 |
||||
| Acrylonitrile |
0.000176 |
||||
| Quinoline |
6.3E-07 |
||||
| Hydrazine |
1.85E-07 |
||||
| Coke Oven Emissions |
0 |
||||

Figure 1. National Air Toxics Assessment - 1996 -- Theoretical Cancer Risk

Figure 2. National Air Toxics Assessment - 1996 -- Theoretical Non-Cancer Hazard Index
APPENDIX G: EXPLANATION OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AND LIMITATIONS OF MODELING DATA AND AIR MONITORING DATA
Advantages of Air Sampling
Air sampling using conventional equipment has the advantages of producing data that produces "real" results, i.e., "real" in the sense that the mix of chemicals identified actually existed in the air at the location and time the sample was taken. Moreover, this mix of chemicals was the result of many different sources. Conventional equipment is defined here as fixed stationary samplers with samples collected by drawing air through a filter or tube and the filter and tube analyzed at a later time for the chemicals collected. Although the sample is considered "real", there are several disadvantages in the sampling procedure:
Air dispersion modeling are mathematical equations that predict (simulate or model) the movement of chemicals in the air. This movement is also called dispersion since the chemicals disperse after they are released into the air. The mathematical equations are put into a computer program for ease of use. Data needed for these air dispersion models include weather data and the amount of pollutants released to the air over time. So, where air monitoring shows a "real" result, the mathematical equations of the model produces one result at each specified location that must be adjusted for this error range. Limitations of the models also include the availability of representative meteorological data and amount and release data of pollutants.
On the other hand, we identify four advantages:
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