Comprehensive Environmental Risk Assessment, Exposure Pathway Analysis, and Dose Reconstruction for VOC and PFAS Contamination at a Major Research and Industrial Facility
RoseyFields conducted a comprehensive environmental exposure and human health risk assessment at a large-scale research and industrial facility with a complex history of solvent use, machinery maintenance, and wastewater management. Our team evaluated a broad suite of chemicals of concern, focusing primarily on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), chloroform, and benzene, as well as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including PFOA and PFOS. We assessed how routine operations such as heavy-duty metal degreasing, electronics cleaning, and the deployment of firefighting foams contributed to the long-term environmental release of these hazardous substances into the facility’s underlying aquifer, soil, and ambient air.
To fully characterize the extent of the environmental impact, our team performed rigorous technical analyses, including historical groundwater evaluation, potable water treatment system analysis, and environmental forensics. We evaluated multiple complex exposure pathways to determine how contaminants entered the human body, meticulously analyzing the ingestion of contaminated drinking water, dermal absorption from routine washing and showering, and the inhalation of both ambient air and aerosolized solvent vapors in enclosed workspaces. Utilizing established federal regulatory methodologies and statistical modeling software, RoseyFields calculated exposure point concentrations and conducted extensive quantitative risk assessments to determine both excess lifetime cancer risks and non-cancer health hazards associated with chronic, long-term exposure to these chemical mixtures.
As part of this assessment, we evaluated and characterized a distinct affected population comprising various occupational workers and occupational non-users who operated within the facility. By reconstructing historical work practices, analyzing facility layouts, and reviewing chemical usage logs alongside long-term employment histories, our team identified how different operational subgroups were exposed to varying concentrations of toxic contaminants over extended periods. This high-level dose reconstruction allowed us to accurately map cumulative exposure profiles to specific occupational activities and locations, ultimately providing a clear, scientifically grounded understanding of the cumulative health risks posed to individuals operating within the impacted environments.
This investigation was conducted under the direction of Dr. Paul Rosenfeld, an environmental scientist and environmental forensic expert with extensive experience in environmental exposure assessment, toxicology, air quality, environmental fate and transport, risk assessment, and environmental forensics. Through RoseyFields LLC, Dr. Rosenfeld provides scientific consulting, environmental forensic analysis, regulatory support, and expert witness services involving environmental contamination, human exposure, and public health. His technical oversight helped ensure that the methodologies, scientific interpretations, and conclusions presented in this case study are consistent with accepted scientific principles and current best practices.