Environmental Health XIV. Standards and Monitoring

Shu-Chi Chang, Ph.D., P.E., P.A.Assistant Professor1 and Division Chief2

1Department of Environmental Engineering2Division of Occupational Safety and Health,

Center for Environmental Protection and Occupational Safety and Health

National Chung Hsing University

Friday, June 22, 2007

Outline

Introduction Monitoring physical stresses and

toxic materials Measuring waterborne and airborne

exposure Designing a monitoring program Computer and screening models Comprehensive exposure

assessment

Introduction

Two basic objectives Estimate exposures of people Determine compliance

Different types Source-related Person-related Environment-related

Different scale monitoring programs involve different industrial and governmental personnel and agencies

Types and purposes (1)

Types and purposes (2)

Monitoring physical stresses and toxic materials

Different natures for monitoring these two different exposures

Environmental pathways Sampling and analyzing contaminants in different

biota and media Stressor measurement

Real-time Interference Position and location specific

Airborne Particle and gaseous Synergistic

Measuring waterborne and airborne exposure

First step in assessing potential exposure

Source and environmental media Sampling during all phased of

plant operation

Assessing waterborne releases

Different samples Grab samples Composite samples Timed-cycle samples Flow-proportional samples Indicator samples

Considerations Expenses Representativeness Quality assurance Quantity

Assessing airborne releases

Sampling at different locations Considerations

Techniques Sampler choices Quantity Representativeness

Exposure measurement Personal sampler

Advantages and disadventages

Advantages and disadventages

Advantages and disadventages

Advantages and disadventages

Designing a monitoring program

Attributes Objective Sampling and analysis Expenses Simple and verifiable Sensitive to changes

Example of monitoring program (1)

A nuclear facility

Population distribution,

occupancy, habits, food consumption

Land and water use, food production

Direct radiation

Meteorological data, discharges to atmosphere

Hydrological data, liquid discharges

Estimate doses to critical groups and populations

Determine Important radionuclides

And pathways

Example of monitoring program (2)

A nuclear facility

Quality assurance requirements

Select indicator materials

Review and revise

Specify sampling media, locations, and frequencies

Select methods for analysis

Monitoring Program

Background data

Baseline information Population, land and water use,

meteorology and hydrology Sampling considerations

Installation, release, physical and chemical forms, other sources, nature of receiving environments

Natural features, artificial features, land use, and sources of local water supplies

Sampling prior to operation can help data interpretation

Critical group and total population

Pathways (1)

Pathways (2)

Sample collection and analysis

Different focuses In-plant: complex mixture In the field: extremely low concentration

Guidance on the sampling and analysis of environmental samples

Special consideration Preferential deposition Historical releases Specific concerns

Source identification Indicator measurement and more specific and

sensitive measurement Monitoring network

Temporal relationship

Time between release and the occurrence of exposure

The length of the time for the exposure to happen Direct external exposure Inhalation Lungs Thyroids Stomach and GI tract

Example – temporal relationship

Quality assurance

QA program Acceptance testing or qualification of lab and

field sampling and analytic devices Routine calibration of all associated

instrumentation A lab cross-check program Replicate sampling on a systematic basis Procedural audits Documentation of lab and field procedures

and QA records Sampling validity and sample

preservation

Computer and screening models

Toxic Release Inventory Models for evaluating the transport

of environmental contaminants Models became sophisticated and

hard to use Screening tools

Comprehensive exposure assessment Voids occurred Multiple-component program

Distribution of questionnaires Collection of soil, house dust, indoor air, tap

water, and diet samples Analysis of these samples for some 30

compounds Collection of samples of blood, urine, and hair

as biological indicators of human uptake of individual contaminants

EMAP

Ecological versus human health