Indoor Air Quality Monitor
May 2002 North Dakota Department of Health
Eye on Anhydrous Ammonia and IAQ in Minot
Events
NEHA 2002 IAQ
Conference
The National
Environmental Health
Association (NEHA)
2002 Indoor Air Quality
Conference will be in
Minneapolis, Minn. June
30 to July 2, 2002. The
event will be held at the
Minneapolis Hilton Typical tank car used to transport anhydrous ammonia by rail.
Hotel. For more Anhydrous ammonia has symptoms depends upon the and air sampling has been
information, see the many industrial uses and is a degree of exposure. Most ongoing throughout the
calendar of events at widely used source of nitrogen people recover from a single project.
http://www.neha.org/inde fertilizer in agriculture. Its low exposure without any One concern in Minot is
x.html or call NEHA at fumes are colorless, highly delayed or long-term effects. whether or not there will be
303.756.9090. irritating and can have a After a Canadian Pacific any lingering indoor air
suffocating effect on people. train derailment on Jan. 18, problems from the anhydrous
World Asthma Day Symptoms of exposure 2002, released nearly 300,000 ammonia. The concern
May 7, 2002 include burning eyes, nose and gallons of anhydrous ammonia involves whether any surface
throat. Coughing and choking near Minot, N.D. there were deposition of ammonium
Governor John may occur with exposure to environmental concerns compounds from the plume
Hoeven signed a higher doses. After a severe regarding soil, water and air. occurred.
proclamation recognizing exposure, injury to the eyes, More than 70,000 cubic Initially health officials did
World Asthma Day, May lungs, skin or digestive system yards of contaminated soil has express some concern over
7, 2002, in North Dakota. may develop for 18 to 24 been excavated, contaminated possible surface deposition of
The American Lung hours. Exposure to high levels ice from the Souris River was ammonium compound
Association of North of anhydrous ammonia fumes removed, water from the precipitates appearing in the
Dakota (ALAND) is can cause death from a swollen Souris River was tested, form of a white powder.
conducting a fund raiser. throat or from chemical burns monitoring wells have been (Anhydrous ... cont. page2)
Proceeds will help to the lungs. installed for an ongoing
support asthma programs Generally, the severity of assessment of ground water
such as Open Airways
for Schools and Dakota Inside This Issue ...
Superkids Asthma Camp Eye on Events......................................................................................................................................1
in North Dakota. To Anhydrous Ammonia and IAQ in Minot .............................................................................................1
participate, call ALAND Asbestos and IAQ in Residences........................................................................................................2
at 1.800.252.6325. IAQ Colleague....................................................................................................................................2
Tool Talk: IAQ Equipment Review.....................................................................................................3
(Anhydrous cont. from page 1) site immediately after the found outside the plume area. IAQ Colleague
In order to address indoor derailment and during the soil Ammonium precipitates are
air quality concerns, air testing excavation. Elevated levels of very water soluble and can be
and surface sampling of indoor ammonia have not been cleaned using hot water.
environments was done in the detected in these homes since For more information,
Minot area. the completion of the contact First District Health
Indoor air testing results excavation. Unit in Minot at 701.852.1376
have indicated that the only Surface sampling to date or the North Dakota
detectable levels of ammonia has not revealed elevated Department of Health at
fumes indoors occurred in the levels of ammonium 701.328.5188.
homes close to the derailment compounds in excess of those Grant Larson, EHP
This issue’s IAQ
Asbestos and Indoor Air Quality in Residences colleague is Grant Larson,
Most manufactured building materials cement shakes or siding and asphalt an environmental health
made today do not contain asbestos, and the shingles may be ACM. practitioner at Fargo-Cass
few that do contain asbestos are required to be • Cement board – Cement wall board such as Public Health.
labeled as such. However, asbestos- what might be found behind electrical Grant received a
containing materials (ACM) manufactured breaker boxes may contain ACM. bachelor’s degree in
and used in the past still can be found in many If asbestos is present in a home, it doesn’t environmental geology
residences. necessarily mean that it is a problem. Since and technology from the
Items made of wood, plastic, glass and asbestos becomes a health hazard only when University of North
metal are not suspected to contain asbestos. the fibers become airborne and are inhaled, the Dakota.
The only sure way to determine if other best action when dealing with asbestos- His duties at the
building materials contain asbestos is to have containing material that is in good condition is health unit are wide
a sample of the material analyzed at a not to disturb it. ranging and include
laboratory. Only trained and certified If asbestos-containing material found in a enforcing water quality
professionals home is in bad standards, issuing septic
should take condition (it is system permits, assisting
samples for peeling, flaking, with epidemiological
asbestos analysis. delaminating, etc.) investigations, and
Asbestos was or is subject to resolving various
used in building damage, steps environmental health
materials because should be taken to complaints.
of its physical repair or remove the Grant is also a staff
properties, such as material. Repair sergeant serving in the
its insulating usually involves North Dakota Air National
ability, tensile encapsulation, Guard at Hector Field in
strength, and sealing or covering Fargo, N.D. Recently, he
resistance to the material. was selected for officer
abrasion. Some of Repairing or training.
the most common removing ACM, “One of my most
asbestos- should be done by a memorable experiences
containing building properly trained and was getting to ride in an
materials found in homes include: certified professional. F-16 in January, 2001. It
• Pipe insulation – Steam pipes, boilers and Remember not to sand, saw, scrape, grind was blast,” Grant said.
furnace ducts may be insulated with or drill holes in asbestos-containing material, “We went out over the
ACM. and don’t dust, sweep or vacuum debris that ocean at more than 900
• Vinyl flooring – The backing and may contain asbestos fibers. miles per hour and broke
adhesives used with vinyl flooring may be Limiting access to areas where ACM is the sound barrier.”
ACM. located can reduce the risk of exposure to Grant is married but
• Gaskets – Stoves and furnaces may have asbestos fibers by reducing the risk of does not have any children
gaskets containing ACM. disturbing the material. yet. He enjoys water
• Decorative spray – Soundproofing or Questions about asbestos should be skiing, hunting and
decorative spray used on walls and directed to the North Dakota Department of playing golf, hockey and
ceilings may contain asbestos. Health at 701.328.5188. tennis.
• Roofing and siding materials – Asbestos
Tool Talk: Indoor Air Quality Equipment Review
Colorimetric dosimeter tubes are passively. In other words, they use
items that can be pulled from an indoor natural air currents and diffusion; no air
air quality tool box when needed. is mechanically drawn through the tube.
Colorimetric dosimeter tubes can be Each tube contains a chemical
used to detect the level of exposure to a reagent that reacts with the known gas to
known gas over a measured amount of produce a color change. The color
time. change progresses up the tube with
Colorimetric dosimeter tubes are increased exposure to the gas. The tubes
simple to use: each tube comes sealed at are marked with incremental lines and
both ends. The tube is simply broken corresponding units of measurement,
open at the ends and exposed to the air usually in parts per million (ppm),
for a measured period of time. making it easy to determine the level of
Colorimetric dosimeters operate exposure immediately.
Colorimetric dosimeter tubes
Typically, colorimetric dosimeters
are used to determine the exposure of a
worker during a work shift. Hence,
many are designed for eight-hour
exposure times. However, many can be
used as long as enough unreacted
reagent is left in the tube.
Dosimeter tubes have been also used
to determine the exposure levels of a
known gas at a stationary location such
as a room in a building or a location
outdoors.
For more information about passive
dosimeter tubes, contact a safety supply
company or the North Dakota
Department of Health at 701.328.5188.
Colorimetric dosimeter tube in a lapel clip
The Indoor Air Quality Monitor is published quarterly
by the North Dakota Department of Health, Indoor Air Quality Program.
Dr. Terry Dwelle, State Health Officer North Dakota Department of Health
Dave Glatt, Chief, Environmental Health Section Division of Air Quality
Terry O’Clair, Director, Division of Air Quality 1200 Missouri Ave., Box 5520
Ken Wangler, Manager, Indoor Air Quality Program Bismarck, N.D. 58505
Editor: Jesse Green, Indoor Air Quality Program
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Something to add to the next issue? Call Jesse Green at 701.328.5188