Community Air Sampling and Monitoring Data

Data were collected to evaluate ambient air quality in coastal communities along the Gulf of Mexico shoreline, and around the perimeter of waste sites and decontamination sites and in other areas where petroleum odors were noted and/or reported by federal, state, and local agencies or the public. The data in this publication includes the results of ambient air samples and “real-time” air measurements collected by BP and its contractors to evaluate public exposure to airborne chemicals during the Response to the DWH accident. During the Response, two separate sampling and monitoring programs were implemented to evaluate ambient air quality along the Gulf of Mexico shoreline: the Community Air Sampling and Monitoring program and the Branch Area Perimeter Sampling and Monitoring program. The Community Air Sampling and Monitoring program included the collection of ambient air samples on a daily basis at fixed locations (i.e., stations) along the shoreline. Air samples were also collected near sites in Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi that were used to store wastes generated during the Response and near sites that were used to decontaminate vessels, equipment, and materials used to recover oil or where odors were noted or reported. Real-time air monitoring was conducted by teams in roaming vehicles that traversed the shoreline and communities along the Gulf Coast on a 24 hour per day, 7 days per week basis. Air monitoring was conducted every 5 miles between Apalachee Bay, Florida and Port Arthur, Texas, and at other locations in response to potential concerns identified by the Unified Area Command or the public. The community air data sets include: (1) the chemistry results of approximately 6,100 ambient air samples collected at approximately 40 unique sampling stations and (2) the results of over 470,000 real-time measurements of ambient chemical concentrations collected at over 141,000 discrete stations. In the Branch Area Perimeter Sampling and Monitoring Program sampling teams in Louisiana collected ambient air samples and conducted air monitoring at the perimeter of properties (known as branches) that were used for waste storage and/or vessel or boom decontamination activities. The perimeter air data sets include the chemistry results of approximately 3,900 ambient air samples collected at approximately 38 unique sampling stations and the results of over 277,000 real-time measurements collected at over 69,000 discrete stations. Community and work area perimeter air samples were collected and analyzed for the following chemical parameters: • VOCs and tentatively identified compounds (TICs). • SVOCs. • Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S). In addition to the air samples collected for laboratory analysis; the sampling vehicles conducted air monitoring along designated community, or perimeter routes using calibrated air monitoring equipment. Measurements included: • Total VOCs • Benzene • H2S • sulfur dioxide (SO2) • Particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometer diameter (PM2.5) • Carbon Monoxide (CO)