Field Deployable Vapor Intrusion Monitor

描述（由申请人提供）：蒸汽侵入是挥发性化学品从地下迁移到覆盖的建筑物中，是大量人群暴露于危险化学品的主要原因之一。这些挥发性化学物质通常是掩埋的废物和/或受污染的地下水的结果，这些废物和/或地下水会散发出蒸汽，这些蒸汽可能会通过地下土壤迁移到上覆建筑物的室内空气空间。在极端情况下，蒸汽可能在住宅或有人居住的建筑物中积累到可能造成近期安全危害的水平（例如，爆炸）、急性/慢性健康影响或美学问题。根据最近的一份报告，蒸汽侵入风险最高的两种氯化化学品是污染场地最常见的两种氯化化合物，三氯乙烯（TCE）和四氯乙烯（PCE）通常被发现污染土壤或地下水。虽然它们在正常条件下以液体形式存在，但它们可能会以蒸汽侵入的形式从地面向上迁移到建筑物中。四氯乙烯和三氯乙烯对人体健康的影响在很大程度上取决于一个人接触的多少，以及接触的时间和频率。吸入少量三氯乙烯可能会导致头痛、肺部刺激、头晕和注意力不集中。3动物研究表明，长期暴露于四氯乙烯和三氯乙烯与肾脏和肝脏损伤有关。其他研究表明四氯乙烯和三氯乙烯暴露与癌症之间存在关联。4精确测量人类暴露于可能导致疾病或功能障碍的化学和生物制剂将有助于开发补救措施。目前，对蒸汽侵入的室内空气监测是使用summa罐或Tedlar袋进行的，这两种方法都收集空气样本，必须在现场外进行分析。另一种方法是使用EPA的痕量大气气体分析仪，该分析仪可以提供实时的室内空气读数，但它太大了，需要安装在一个专门的总线上。两种类型的室内空气蒸气侵入分析都是耗时且昂贵的，并且需要多次进入住宅。因此，需要一种能够以痕量水平检测蒸汽侵入的实时、手持式、直接读取的空气监测装置。为了满足这一需求，Lynntech提出开发一种紧凑、重量轻、易于操作的蒸汽侵入监测仪，能够提供快速的测试结果。所提出的技术结合了：i）固相萃取用于选择性捕获和预浓缩VOC，以及ii）IR指纹识别用于明确识别分析物。该设备可用于建筑物内外，以监测挥发性和半挥发性有毒化学品，如：三氯乙烯，四氯乙烯，多环芳烃和多溴联苯。 公共卫生相关性：蒸汽侵入是挥发性化学品从地下迁移到覆盖的建筑物中;这是大量人口暴露于危险化学品的主要原因之一。在极端情况下，蒸汽可能在住宅或有人居住的建筑物中积聚到可能造成近期安全危害的水平（例如，爆炸）、急性/慢性健康影响或美学问题。Lynntech公司建议开发一种现场部署的蒸汽入侵监测仪，能够提供基于固相萃取的快速测试结果，用于选择性捕获和预浓缩，以及用于明确识别分析物的红外指纹识别。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Vapor intrusion is the migration of volatile chemicals from the subsurface into overlying buildings, one of the major causes for a large population exposure to hazardous chemicals. These volatile chemicals are often the result of buried waste and/or contaminated groundwater that can emit vapors that may migrate through subsurface soils and into indoor air spaces of overlying buildings. In extreme cases, the vapors may accumulate in dwellings or occupied building to levels that may pose near-term safety hazards (e.g., explosion), acute/chronic health effects, or aesthetic problems. According to a recent report, the two chlorinated chemicals that pose the highest risks from vapor intrusion are the ones that are most frequently found at contaminated sites.2 The two chlorinated compounds trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) are commonly found as soil or ground-water contamination. Though they exist as liquids under normal conditions, they may migrate upward as vapor intrusion from the ground into buildings. The effect of PCE and TCE on human health depend greatly on how much one is exposed to, and the length and frequency of exposure. Breathing small amounts of TCE may cause headaches, lung irritation, dizziness, and poor concentration.3 Animal studies have shown that long-term exposure to PCE and TCE is connected to kidney and liver damage. Other studies have shown an association between PCE and TCE exposure and cancer.4 Precise measurements of human exposure to chemical and biological agents that may lead to disease or dysfunction will facilitate development of remedy for it. Currently the indoor air monitoring for vapor intrusion is performed with summa canisters or Tedlar bags, both of which collect an air sample that must be analyzed off- site. Another method uses EPA's Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer, which gives real-time indoor air readings but is so large it is contained in a specialized bus. Both types of indoor air vapor intrusion analyses are time- consuming and costly, and require multiple entries into a residence. Thus, there is need for a real-time, hand- held, direct-reading air monitoring device that can detect vapor intrusion at trace levels. To address the need, Lynntech proposes to develop a compact, light weight and easy to operate vapor intrusion monitor capable of providing rapid test results. The proposed technology combines: i) solid phase extraction for selective capture and pre-concentration of VOCs, and ii) IR fingerprinting for the unambiguous identification of the analytes. The device can be used both inside and outside of a building to monitor volatile and semi-volatile toxic chemicals such as: TCE, PCE, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polybrominated diphenyls. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Vapor intrusion is the migration of volatile chemicals from the subsurface into overlying buildings; one of the major causes for a large population exposure to hazardous chemicals. In extreme cases, the vapors may accumulate in dwellings or occupied buildings to levels that may pose near-term safety hazards (e.g., explosion), acute/chronic health effects, or aesthetic problems. Lynntech is proposing to develop a field deployable vapor intrusion monitor capable of providing rapid test results based on solid phase extraction for selective capture and pre-concentration, and IR fingerprinting for the unambiguous identification of the analytes.