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Author(s): E. M. Suuberg, Y. Yao, R. Shen, O. Bozkurt & K. G. Pennell
Abstract:
This paper considers the significance of observed subslab contaminant
concentrations on the vapor intrusion process.
In field measurements, there is
observed wide variability in the ratio of indoor air contaminant concentration to
subslab contaminant concentration.
Here various aspects of the relationship of
subslab concentrations to indoor contaminant levels are explored using a threedimensional
fluid dynamics model of the process.
Subslab concentrations are
determined mainly by diffusional processes and they are reasonably uniform
across the subslab for buildings on homogeneous soils (with no significant
advective subsurface disturbance).
Also, subslab concentrations do not determine
the main mode of contaminant entry into a structure (advection or diffusion), and
widely different contaminant entry rates can be obtained with very similar
subslab concentrations, depending upon whether the soil type supports advection
or not.
Keywords:
vapor intrusion, numerical modeling, subslab.
1 Introduction:
One of the indoor air quality issues currently receiving increasing worldwide
attention is that of vapor intrusion.
The vapor intrusion problem is similar to that
posed by radon, except that the source of the vapor in this case is anthropogenic,
as opposed to natural.
This also leads to differences in the nature of the
phenomena.
In non-radon vapor intrusion, the source is typically groundwater,
and the problem is therefore often related to a plume of contaminated
groundwater.
Contaminants of concern include both chlorinated hydrocarbons
...
Pages: 11
Size: 3,203 kb
Paper DOI: 10.2495/EHR110111
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