Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-90-317-2150, Kalapana Civil Defense Department, Hilo, Hawaii.
Source
Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HETA 90-317-2150, 1991 Oct; :1-16
Abstract
In response to a request from the Director of the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency (SIC-9229), a site visit was conducted between July 30 and August 2, 1990 in an effort to measure possible hazardous exposures resulting from the lava flow from Kilauea Volcano entering the ocean with the resulting formation of laze, an acidic steam cloud formed by the interaction of lava with seawater. Short term colorimetric detector tubes measured hydrochloric-acid (7647010) (HCl) concentrations in the dense laze near the shoreline at 10 to 15 parts per million (ppm). Air samples collected over longer periods of time gave HCl concentrations of up to 3.6ppm. Samples collected at the civil defense road block locations and in areas where the general public or community residents had access measured from not detectable to 1.1ppm. Hydrofluoric-acid (7664393) (HF) concentrations ranged from nondetectable to 0.4ppm. Analyses for other acids and for sulfur-dioxide (7446095) did not prove fruitful. The author concludes that civil defense personnel, community residents, and the general public were not being exposed to concentrations of HCl, HF or other inorganic acids in excess of occupational standards in the unrestricted areas. The author recommends that protective equipment be used by individuals who may be downwind of the laze, including civil defense workers, photographers, geologists, and others authorized to be in restricted areas of the lava flow.
Keywords
NIOSH-Author; NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation; NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report; HETA-90-317-2150; Hazard-Unconfirmed; Region-9; Acid-mists; Occupational-exposure; Environmental-contamination; Air-contamination;
CAS No.
7647-01-0; 7664-39-3; 7446-09-5
Document Type
Field Studies; Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance
NTIS Accession No.
PB92-145853
Identifying No.
HETA-90-317-2150
Source Name
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
