Fort McMurray Burned and Unburned Soil Samples

Transcription

1 Frt McMurray Burned and Unburned Sil Samples The analysis in this dcument was cnducted using publically available test results frm sil samples cllected in the weeks fllwing the Frt McMurray wildfire. These results prvided infrmatin abut the risk t human health left behind by the wildfire and further cntext t public health decisin making. Please nte that this mem nly presents analysis f data available befre July 27, If future sampling is cnducted, additinal analysis will be added nline. Fr mre infrmatin n envirnmental mnitring related t the Frt McMurray wildfire, please visit: The purpse f this evaluatin is t characterize pssible chemical hazards within the sil frm areas in and arund Frt McMurray, btained in June Transfer f cntaminants frm ash t sil is expected t be limited due t clean-up activities that will remve and safely dispse f the ash. This verview prvides a simple cmparisn between cncentratins f several classes f chemicals in sil t envirnmental and human health-based guidelines. Guidelines are develped t be prtective f the envirnment and human health under cnservative generic. Guideline exceedances are nly an indicatin f a ptential risk and d nt guarantee negative envirnmental r health utcmes. Sil samples frm burned and unburned areas in Frt McMurray were cllected between June 2 and June 19, 2016 by the Reginal Municipality f Wd Buffal (RMWB). In ttal, 62 sil samples were cllected. Cnclusins This assessment f the sil data indicates: 1. All chemical cncentratins are belw human health-based guidelines. 2. There was n indicatin f metals impact n any cmmunity garden sil samples. Hwever, ne sample frm a burned area in Abasand had a cpper cncentratin abve the Tier 1 guideline (based n prtectin f eclgical receptrs in direct cntact with sil). One sample frm an unburned area in Abasand had a selenium cncentratin that was marginally abve the Tier 1 guideline. Hwever, selenium cncentratins higher than the Tier 1 guideline may als be naturally-ccurring in Alberta sils. 3. All F3 cncentratins were belw human health and eclgical guidelines. 4. Elevated salinity results are an indicatin f fair t pr sil quality, which may affect plant grwth, but nt human health 5. Lw-level cncentratins f Plyarmatic hydrcarbns (PAHs) in twelve samples frm unburned areas and five samples frm burned areas exceeded the Tier 1 guidelines (based n prtectin f aquatic life), but did nt exceed any human health-based guidelines. 1 f 8

2 Limitatins Due t the variability f materials destryed by the wild fire (frest and natural debris, hmes, cars and industrial facilities), results at different sites are expected t vary widely. Sme f the standard Quality Assurance/Quality Cntrl (QA/QC) wrk has already been cmpleted fr these results by Scientists. This wrk will cntinue in the upcming weeks. Updated data and infrmatin will be prvided as it becmes available. The abve assessment was cnducted with cnsideratin f the chemical analytical results f sil samples nly. Other human health risks may exist that that require cnsideratin when peple enter damaged areas such as: Expsure t ash which may have a high ph value, which makes it caustic and may cause skin and respiratry irritatin and burns; Expsure t ash in burned, urban areas which may have high levels f metals, PAHs and dixins and furans; Inhalatin f fine particulate matter re-suspended due t clean-up activities; Inhalatin f air impacted by fires currently burning in the area; r Physical risk f entering damaged buildings and prperties. Summary results as f July 27, 2016 Sil was analysed fr: Petrleum hydrcarbns (PHCs) - Table 9 Inrganics and general chemistry (including ph) - Table 10 Metals - Table 11 Plycyclic armatic hydrcarbns (PAHs) Table 12 Plychlrinated biphenyls (PCBs) - Table 13 Dixins and furans - Table 14 Summarized data tables are fund at: under the Sil sectin. Results were cmpared against Alberta Tier 1 and Tier 2 Sil Guidelines (Residential/Parkland). Different rganisms (receptrs) have different tlerances t specific chemical cmpunds. Alberta Tier 1 guidelines are prtective f the mst sensitive receptr. Often, the mst sensitive receptr is an eclgical receptr like an aquatic rganism r plant. Smetimes, the mst sensitive receptr is a human being. If the level f a chemical cmpund des nt exceed a Tier 1 guideline, all receptrs are prtected. Nt all guidelines were applicable t the assessment. The human vapur inhalatin guideline was nt applicable as the type f cntaminatin is nt expected t results in vlatile emissins described by the guidelines. Fresh water aquatic guidelines were nt applicable due t the absence f surface water bdies in the vicinity f the assessed areas, therefre fresh water aquatic rganisms are nt at risk. Sil grain size fr the samples was fine grained; therefre, results were cmpared t Tier 1 guidelines fr fine grained sil. 2 f 8

3 The use f Tier 2 and ther guidelines that are specific t human health allws fr the assessment f human health risk psed by expsure t sil. If the level f a chemical cmpund des nt exceed relevant human health guidelines, human health is prtected. In the case where the mst sensitive receptr is a human being, the standard fr eclgical prtectin (Tier 1) and human health (Tier 2) will be the same. The Human Direct Sil Cntact guidelines cnsider a persn s expsure t sil via direct skin cntact and inhalatin f sil. Human Tier 2 Direct Sil Cntact guidelines were calculated specifically fr hexavalent chrmium and lead, based n methdlgy described by Alberta Envirnment and Parks (AEP) and the Canadian Cuncil fr the Ministers f the Envirnment (CCME). The hexavalent chrmium guideline fr human health was derived because the Alberta Tier 1 and 2 Sil guidelines d nt prvide ne. The lead guideline was derived using the mst current and mst sensitive txicity data available fr human expsure t lead. The Tier 1 guideline fr dixins and furans (ttal equivalents) f 4 pg/g represents the mean backgrund cncentratin in Canadian sil and is nt a health based guideline. Therefre, fr dixins and furans, the minimal risk level fr public health f 50 pg/g, established by the US Department f Health, was used t determine whether cncentratins f these cmpunds are f cncern t human health. Mre in-depth analysis and characterizatin f risks t eclgical receptrs and humans is nging by Alberta Health and AEP. Guideline exceedances fr burned sil NEIGHBORHOOD ABASAND ANZAC Metals: cpper. PAHs: anthracene, benz[a]anthracene, fluranthene, phenanthrene, pyrene. PAHs: Dixin and furans: HUMAN HEALTH BASED 1 N N 3 f 8

4 NEIGHBORHOOD HUMAN HEALTH BASED 1 N BEACON HILL PAHs: anthracene, fluranthene, naphthalene, pyrene. N PARSONS CREEK PAHs: Dixin and furans: N SAPRAE CREEK PAHs: N THICKWOOD PAHs: N TIMBERLEA slightly elevated salinity. PAHs: Dixins and furans: N WATERWAYS PAHs: fluranthene, pyrene. 1 Frm Alberta Tier 1/2 r derived fr specific chemicals using methdlgy described by AEP and CCME. 4 f 8

5 Guideline exceedances fr unburned sil NEIGHBORHOOD ABASAND ANZAC BEACON HILL DOWNTOWN DRAPER Metals: selenium. PAHs: anthracene, pyrene. Dixin and furans: ph. PAHs: PCBs: Dixin and furans: PAHs: Dixin and furans: ph. PAHs: PCBs: PAHs: HUMAN HEALTH BASED 1 N N N N N 5 f 8

6 NEIGHBORHOOD GREGOIRE LOWER TOWNSITE SAPRAE CREEK THICKWOOD TIMBERLEA PAHs: anthracene, benz[a]anthracene, fluranthene, phenanthrene, pyrene. Dixin and furans: PAHs: anthracene, benz[a]anthracene, fluranthene. phenanthrene, pyrene. Dixin and furans: PAHs: Dixin and furans: slightly elevated salinity. PAHs: fluranthene, pyrene. PCBs: slightly elevated salinity. PAHs: fluranthene and pyrene. PCBs: Dixins and furans: HUMAN HEALTH BASED 1 N N N N N 6 f 8

7 NEIGHBORHOOD HUMAN HEALTH BASED 1 N WATERWAYS PAHs: anthracene, benz[a]anthracene, fluranthene, phenanthrene, pyrene. 1 Frm Alberta Tier 1/2 r derived fr specific chemicals using methdlgy described by AEP and CCME. The prprtins f sil samples frm burned and unburned sil that exceeded Tier 1 and Tier 2 guidelines fr each f the analyzed chemical classes were calculated. Where exceedances were bserved, a relevant example parameter frm these chemical classes was als selected and the prprtins f samples that exceeded Tier 1 and Tier 2 guidelines were calculated. The selected example parameters frm petrleum hydrcarbns (benzene), inrganics and general chemistry (ph), metals (arsenic) and plycyclic armatic hydrcarbns (naphthalene [nn-carcingenic] and B[a]P [carcingenic]) were selected based n relevance t human health. N example parameters were presented fr hydrcarbns, PCBs r dixins and furans because cncentratins did nt exceed guidelines. Prprtin f sil samples frm burned sil that exceeded Tier 1 and Tier 2 guidelines CHEMICAL CLASS PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS (PHCs) INORGANICS AND GENERAL CHEMISTRY METALS PROPORTION OF SAMPLES WITH EXCEEDANCES OF TIER 1 0% PHC results 9% inrganic and general chemistry results 0% ph results 5% metals results 0% arsenic results PROPORTION OF SAMPLES WITH EXCEEDANCES OF TIER 2 HUMAN DIRECT SOIL CONTACT 1 0% PHC results N guidelines 0% metals results 0% benzene results 7 f 8

8 CHEMICAL CLASS POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHs) DIOXINS AND FURANS PROPORTION OF SAMPLES WITH EXCEEDANCES OF TIER 1 20% PAH results 4% naphthalene results 0% B[a]P equivalents 0% ttal txic equivalents results PROPORTION OF SAMPLES WITH EXCEEDANCES OF TIER 2 HUMAN DIRECT SOIL CONTACT 1 0% PAH results 0% naphthalene results 0% B[a]P equivalents 0% ttal txic equivalents results 1Frm Alberta Tier 1/2 r derived fr specific chemicals using methdlgy described by AEP and CCME. Main chemical class Example parameter fr the chemical class Prprtin f sil samples frm unburned sil that exceeded Tier 1 and Tier 2 guidelines CHEMICAL CLASS PROPORTION OF SAMPLES WITH EXCEEDANCES OF TIER 1 PROPORTION OF SAMPLES WITH EXCEEDANCES OF TIER 2 HUMAN DIRECT SOIL CONTACT 1 PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS (PHCs) INORGANICS AND GENERAL CHEMISTRY METALS POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHs) POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBs) 0% PHC results 13% inrganic and general chemistry results 7.5% ph results 2.5% metals results 0% arsenic results 27% PAH results 0% naphthalene results 0% B[a]P equivalents 0% PCB results 0% PHC results N guidelines 0% metals results 0% benzene results 0% PAH results 0% naphthalene results 0% B[a]P equivalents 0% PCB results 8 f 8

9 CHEMICAL CLASS DIOXINS AND FURANS PROPORTION OF SAMPLES WITH EXCEEDANCES OF TIER 1 0% ttal txic equivalents results PROPORTION OF SAMPLES WITH EXCEEDANCES OF TIER 2 HUMAN DIRECT SOIL CONTACT 1 0% ttal txic equivalents results 1Frm Alberta Tier 1/2 r derived fr specific chemicals using methdlgy described by AEP and CCME. Main chemical class Example parameter fr the chemical class Fr mre infrmatin n envirnmental mnitring related t the Frt McMurray wildfire including the mst up-t-date analysis, sample lcatin maps and recmmendatins fr residents please visit 9 f 8