PCB, PCDF, and PCDD exposure following a transformer fire: Chicago.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Burton W ; Hinkamp DL ; Hryhorczuk DO ; Kominsky, John R. ; Melius, James M. ; Orris, Peter ; Burton W ; Hinkamp DL ; Hryhorczuk DO ; Kominsky, John R. ; Melius, James M. ; Orris, Peter
• Description:
  The precautionary evacuation of a major Chicago office building was necessitated on September 28, 1983, by an electrical fire in a transformer vault, which resulted in the loss of 15 gallons of transformer oil composed of 65 percent of the polychlorinated- biphenyl (PCB) Aroclor-1260 (11096825) and 35 percent trichlorobenzene (12002481). Environmental sampling showed that PCB contamination was limited to the vault (20,900 micrograms/square foot), the adjacent fan room (22,000 to 39,100 micrograms/gram on the filters), the ventilation shafts from the vault itself (16,800 and 14,300 micrograms/square foot) and the exterior surface of the one story plaza building (8,900 micrograms/square foot). Air levels of PCBs in the vault 4 hours after the fire was 58 micrograms/cubic meter. Analysis of soot from a surface wipe sample taken from the ceiling of the transformer vault showed 114 micrograms/square foot of total polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD). A surface wipe sample from the wall of the vault contained 20,900 micrograms/square foot of PCBs. In all four exposed individuals, serum PCB levels were less than the detection limit of 10 parts per billion. No PCDFs or PCDDs were detected. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Chromatography Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollution Hazardous Substances Hematologic Tests Occupational Health Polychlorinated Biphenyls Safety Safety Management Solvents

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• Keywords:
  Accidents Blood-analysis Chromatographic-analysis Environmental-contamination Environmental-exposure Health-hazards NIOSH-Author Organic-chemicals Polychlorinated-biphenyls Polychlorinated-hydrocarbons Safety-monitoring Solvent-extraction

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• ISSN:
  0045-6535
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article ; Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Illinois ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health ; Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Volume:
  15
• Issue:
  9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00166763
• Citation:
  Chemosphere 1986 Jan; 15(9-12):1297-1303
• CAS Registry Number:
  PCB 1260 (CAS RN 11096-82-5) ; Trichlorobenzene (CAS RN 12002-48-1) ; PCB 1260 (CAS RN 11096-82-5) ; Trichlorobenzene (CAS RN 12002-48-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1986
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Chemosphere
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:dab5f7d7788210ec6c64117900523d4496a5d4d46ef8ffa7c5c41280916225ada15cc8f96a4d8ebf9a870e2f67aa4a6d0871449a15493ef5bdeb2140dbd79572
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/185117/cdc_185117_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 411.72 KB ]