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PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT

SOLITRON MICROWAVE
PORT SALERNO, MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA


CONCLUSIONS

  1. We classify the Solitron Microwave Superfund hazardous waste site as a potentialpublic health hazard because in the future people could be exposed tocontaminated groundwater. The on-site groundwater is contaminated. If peopleinstall new wells in the contaminated aquifer, they could be at risk of becoming ill.


  2. Even though low levels of VOCs are in off-site groundwater, the levels in privatewell water are unlikely to have caused illness in the past. Nonetheless, on-sitecontaminated groundwater flows northeast, toward a residential neighborhood withprivate wells.


  3. The Solitron Building is not secure and there are no warning signs around the site.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The recommendations and advice in this public health assessment are based upon thereferenced data and information. Additional data could alter these recommendations.

  1. Prohibit new wells in the area of known groundwater contamination.


  2. Continue to identify and sample private wells northeast of the site. Prohibitdomestic use of any private wells contaminated above standards. Continue toinform residents northeast of the site of the potential public health threat resultingfrom contamination migrating to private or municipal wells.


  3. Maintain security around the site to reduce the risk ofinjury fromphysical hazards. Post hazardous waste warning signs around the property as required by FloridaStatues.

The conclusions and recommendations in this report are based on the information reviewed. If additional information becomes available, we will evaluate it to determine what, if any, additional actions are necessary. The conclusions and recommendations in this report are site specific and are not necessarily applicable to other sites.


PREPARER OF REPORT

Public Health Assessment Author

Julie Smith
Environmental Specialist III
Bureau of Environmental Toxicology
Florida Department of Health
(850) 488-3385

ATSDR Technical Project Officers:

Roberta Erlwein
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation

Teresa Nastoff
Division of Health Education and Promotion

Betty Phifer
Division of Health Studies

ATSDR Regional Representative

Bob Safay
Senior Regional Representative


CERTIFICATION

This Solitron Public Health Assessment was prepared by the Florida Department of Health under a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). It is in accordance with approved methodology and procedures existing at the time the health consultation was begun.

Roberta Erlwein
Technical Project Officer
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation (DHAC)
ATSDR

The Division of Health Assessment and Consultation, ATSDR, has reviewed this health assessment, and concurs with its findings.

Richard Gillig
Chief, SSAB, DHAC, ATSDR


REFERENCES

ATSDR. 1990. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Toxicological Profilefor Copper. TP-92/12.

ATSDR. 1992a. Public Health Assessment Guidance Manual Atlanta, GA: U.S. PublicHealth Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Lewis Publishers,USA.

ATSDR. 1992b. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Toxicological Profilefor Barium. TP-92/12.

ATSDR. 1993a. Public Health Assessment Training Manual. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, US Public Health Service.

ATSDR. 1993b. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Toxicological Profile for Chromium. TP-92/12.

ATSDR. 1993c. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Toxicological Profilefor Beryllium. TP-92/12.

ATSDR. 1997a. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Toxicological Profilefor Lead. TP-92/12.

ATSDR. 1997b. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Toxicological Profilefor Aluminum. TP-92/12.

ATSDR. 1997c. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Toxicological Profilefor Mercury. TP-92/12.

ATSDR. 1997d. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Toxicological Profilefor Nickel TP-92/12.

ATSDR. 1997e. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Toxicological Profilefor Vinyl Chloride TP-92/12.

ATSDR. 1998a. Comparison Value Table for Drinking Water, Soil and Air (Expiring3/31/98). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances andDisease Registry.

ATSDR. 1998c. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Guidance onIncluding Child Health Issues in Division Of Health Assessment and ConsultationDocuments. Atlanta: ATSDR, July 2, 1998.

Debbie Kristiansen. October 3, 1997. Telephone conversation with Linda Horne,Environmental Services Martin County Utilities.

Debbie Kristiansen. March 9, 1995 Telephone conversation with Paul Wierzbicki, FloridaDepartment of Environmental Protection.

Environmental Protection Agency. June 1998a. Phase I Site Characterization Summary,Solitron Microwave Site, Port Salerno, Martin County Florida. Prepared by Roy Weston,Norcross, Georgia.

EPA. 1989a. Environmental Protection Agency. Risk Assessment Guidance forSuperfund Volume I. National Technical Information Service. December 1989.

EPA. 1989b. Environmental Protection Agency. Exposure Factors Handbook. Office ofResearch and Development, Washington DC.

Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. April 1989. Solitron /Microwave SiteWide Contamination Assessment Report. For Solitron Devices, Inc. Submitted byEnviropact, Inc Lake Worth. Florida.

Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. March 1991. Solitron /Microwave SiteWide Contamination Assessment Report Phase II. For Solitron Devices, Inc. Submitted byEric Medina, Enviropact Inc.

Risk Assistant. 1994. Risk AssistantTM Software. Hampshire Research Institute,Alexandria, VA.

Steven Arms, Administrator Environmental Chemistry Office Laboratory Services. May 7,1993. Letter to Ms. Cynthia Gurly US. Environmental Protection Agency about QA/QCprocedures for Martin County Health Department samples.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. March 11, 1998b. HRS Documentation Record forSolitron Microwave FLD045459526.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. October 31, 1985. Site Screening InvestigationSolitron Microwave, Port Salerno, Florida.

Washam, R. December 28, 1998. Letter to Russ Blackburn, Martin County Administratorconcerning groundwater contamination Monitoring.

Bureau of Census. 1990. Census Data Files. U.S. Department of Commerce,Washington, DC.

Williams and Burson (Eds). 1985. Industrial Toxicology. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.


APPENDIX

Table 1.

Maximum contaminant concentrations in on-site groundwater above ATSDR screening values
Chemical Maximum Level (ppb) Citation Comparison Value (ppb)
Vinyl Chloride 2,800 EPA 1998a 0.2 EMEG
Lead 66 EPA 1998a none
Aluminum 13000 EPA 1985 none
1,1-Dichloroethene 119 EPA 1998b 0.06 CREG
Perchloroethylene 102 EPA 1998b 0.7 CREG
Trichloroethene 271 EPA 1998b 3.0 CREG
Barium 3700 EPA 1998a 700 RMEG.
Beryllium 5 EPA 1998a 0.008 CREG
Cadmium 10 EPA 1998a 2.0 EMEG
Chromium 3300 EPA 1998a 30 RMEG.
Copper 2200 EPA 1998a 1300 MCL
Mercury 4 EPA 1998a 2.0 MCL
Nickel 1300 EPA 1998a 200 RMEG.
Selenium 150 EPA 1998a 50 RMEG.
Carbon tetrachloride 2.9 FDER 1991 0.3 CREG
1,1-Dichloroethane 97.9 FDER 1991 none
EMEG = Environmental Media Evaluation Guide
RMEG = Reference Dose Media Evaluation Guide
CREG = Cancer Risk Evaluation Guide
MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level
ppm = parts per billion


Table 2.

Maximum contaminant concentrations in on-site soil above ATSDR screening values
Chemical Maximum Level (ppm) Citation Comparison Value (ppm)
Copper 50 EPA 1985 none
Aluminum 890 FDER 1989 none


Table 3.

Maximum contaminant concentrations in private well water above ATSDR screening values
Chemical Maximum Level (ppb) Citation Comparison Value (ppb)
Vinyl Chloride 74 Washam 1998 0.2 EMEG
Lead 14 Washam 1998 none
Aluminum 45 Washam 1998 none
Arsenic 1.4 Washam 1998 0.02 CREG
Perchloroethylene 14 EPA 1998b 0.7 CREG
Trichloroethene 33 EPA 1998b 3.0 CREG
Copper 1400 Washam 1998 1300 MCLG
MCLG = Maximum Contaminant Level Goal


Table 4.
Pathway Name Completed Exposure Pathway Elements Time
Source Environmental Media Point of Exposure Route of Exposure Exposed Population*
Private Well Water Solitron Microwave Site surficial aquifer off-site
private wells		 ingestion 145 past,
current,
future
Soil Solitron Microwave Site soil on-site
surface soil		 ingestion 25 past,
current,
future
* People potentially exposed because of a completed exposure pathway - potential access to contaminated media.


Solitron Microwave
Figure 1. Solitron Microwave

Solitron Microwave
Figure 2. Solitron Microwave

Affected Neighborhood
Figure 3. Affected Neighborhood

Waste Treatment Area
Figure 4. Waste Treatment Area

Table of Contents

  
 
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