Environmental Forensic Investigation and Technical Evaluation of Occupational Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Drinking Water Contamination
Project Overview
This investigation involved the evaluation of historical environmental records, groundwater monitoring data, occupational exposure information, technical reports, engineering documentation, regulatory guidance, scientific literature, and environmental sampling records relating to volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination and potential occupational exposure pathways. The available materials were evaluated using accepted principles of environmental forensics, contaminant fate and transport, exposure reconstruction, environmental engineering, industrial hygiene, and environmental toxicology.
The investigation considered historical groundwater contamination, environmental remediation activities, drinking water treatment, occupational exposure scenarios, environmental monitoring data, and published toxicological literature to evaluate potential environmental exposure pathways documented within the available records.
Chemicals of Concern
The investigation evaluated chlorinated volatile organic compounds and related environmental contaminants documented within the available records, including trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chloroform, benzene, and related groundwater contaminants. Evaluation included consideration of contaminant properties, environmental fate and transport, groundwater migration, occupational exposure pathways, toxicological characteristics, and published human health risk information.
Scientific literature, regulatory guidance, and federal toxicological evaluations were reviewed to provide technical context regarding inhalation, dermal, and ingestion exposure pathways, as well as recognized adverse health effects associated with these contaminants.
Methods
The investigation was conducted using accepted principles of environmental forensics, environmental engineering, industrial hygiene, exposure reconstruction, contaminant fate and transport analysis, and environmental risk assessment.
Available environmental reports, groundwater monitoring records, engineering documents, environmental sampling results, historical treatment system information, occupational exposure records, facility mapping, scientific literature, and regulatory guidance were reviewed collectively to evaluate documented environmental conditions and potential occupational exposure pathways.
The investigation included evaluation of historical groundwater conditions, drinking water treatment systems, ambient air considerations, occupational activities, engineering controls, exposure duration, and published federal risk assessments. Multiple independent technical sources were integrated to evaluate the consistency and completeness of the available environmental documentation.
Results
The reviewed materials provide a comprehensive body of environmental, engineering, occupational, and regulatory information concerning historical VOC contamination, groundwater remediation, environmental monitoring, occupational exposure scenarios, and published toxicological evaluations.
Collectively, the available documentation describes multiple potential environmental exposure pathways, including occupational inhalation, dermal contact, and drinking water exposure, together with engineering controls, groundwater treatment history, environmental monitoring data, and published federal toxicological evaluations.
Evaluation of these materials demonstrates the importance of integrating environmental monitoring records, engineering documentation, historical site information, occupational activities, and accepted toxicological literature when reconstructing historical environmental exposure conditions.
Conclusions
The available technical documentation provides an appropriate foundation for environmental forensic evaluation of historical VOC contamination, groundwater conditions, occupational exposure pathways, and environmental risk characterization.
Evaluation of multiple independent categories of environmental and technical information provides greater context than consideration of any individual document alone and supports a comprehensive understanding of historical environmental conditions, contaminant migration, exposure potential, and environmental remediation activities. The investigation was conducted using accepted methodologies applicable to environmental forensics, contaminant fate and transport analysis, exposure assessment, environmental engineering, and industrial hygiene.
This investigation was conducted under the direction of Dr. Paul Rosenfeld, an environmental scientist and environmental forensic expert with experience in environmental contamination assessment, groundwater and drinking water contamination, contaminant fate and transport, occupational exposure evaluation, industrial hygiene, environmental risk assessment, historical site reconstruction, regulatory review, and technical causation analysis. Through RoseyFields LLC, Dr. Rosenfeld provides environmental forensic investigations, contaminant source evaluations, groundwater and soil contamination assessments, exposure reconstruction, environmental compliance review, technical literature evaluations, and expert consulting services involving complex environmental contamination and occupational exposure matters.
References
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Risk Evaluation for Trichloroethylene (2020).
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Risk Evaluation for Perchloroethylene (2020).
Engineering reports, groundwater monitoring records, environmental sampling data, facility mapping, historical remediation documentation, exposure summaries, and technical exhibits reviewed during this investigation.