New technique for assessing building re-occupancy at ground zero. (Products & Services).Air Quality Sciences, Inc. (AQS AQS American Quilter's Society AQS Air Quality Standard AQS Arbeitsgemeinschaft zur Förderung der Qualitätssicherung in der Medizin (Koeln, Germany) AQS Air Quality Subsystem AQS Advanced Quality System AQS AetherQuest Solutions ) has a new technique for analyzing the volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) present in settled building dust. Known as DustVOC, this forensic technique examines a building for past and present chemical contamination. Investigators can diagnose the causes of sick-building-syndrome outbreaks and evaluate cleaning effectiveness following construction, maintenance, or remediation. AQS used the DustVOC technique to evaluate the acceptability of several office buildings in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of following the September 11 attacks September 11 attacks Series of airline hijackings and suicide bombings against U.S. targets perpetrated by 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda. . In buildings close to the Twin Towers, windows had been blown out and interior surfaces contaminated contaminated, v 1. made radioactive by the addition of small quantities of radioactive material. 2. made contaminated by adding infective or radiographic materials. 3. an infective surface or object. with dust and debris from the collapse of the towers. Although the buildings had been cleaned, building dust analysis showed levels of chemicals two to three times higher than those in typical commercial-building dust. Many of the chemicals found were known irritants and carcinogens Carcinogens Substances in the environment that cause cancer, presumably by inducing mutations, with prolonged exposure. Mentioned in: Colon Cancer, Rectal Cancer . AQS recommended that all contaminated materials be removed if more thorough cleaning does not take care of the problem. DustVOC provides building investigators with more precise information than traditional testing methods. During a typical building investigation, analysis of the air may lead to false-negative results, especially when a VOC-generating process is not active during sampling. Dust on building and furniture surfaces may contain chemicals used in the building recently and in years past. The dust is available for dermal dermal /der·mal/ (der´mal) pertaining to the dermis or to the skin. der·mal or der·mic adj. Of or relating to the skin or dermis. and inhalation exposure, and may cause eye, nose, and throat irritation; cough; headaches; general flulike illnesses; and skin irritation skin irritation, n reaction to a particular irritant that results in inflammation of the skin and itchiness. . Asthma and other respiratory diseases are escalating, and indoor pollution is believed to be a factor. DustVOC can help investigators get to the source of such problems. AQS is on the Web at http://www.aqs.com. Or phone Chris Elder at (770) 933-0638, extension 225, for more information. Fax: (770) 933-0641. E-mail: celder@aqs.com. Postal address: 1337 Capital Circle, Atlanta, GA 30067. |
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