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| Efficiency and Accuracy Gained by Use of PDAs in Field Sample Collection RJ Lee Group (RJLG) developed software for Personal Data Assistants (PDAs) to use in field sample collection for a large-scale environmental project related to the assessment of contaminants in dust as a result of the World Trade Center Collapse. Project protocols required systematic collection of multiple samples of various media types from each designated location throughout various building systems for laboratory analyses of nine (9) analytes of interest. Given that each sample collected required the recording of about 75 fields of data, traditional field data recording using clipboard and paper would have required at least 27 pages of paper for each sample location. The PDAs reduced the amount of field staff time by about 33% for each sample location. Staff time for data verification of daily sample shipments to the laboratory was reduced by about 50%. Since the PDA software was written to be compatible with RJLG's laboratory sample tracking system, no data entry was required upon sample receipt. The physical samples received were simply verified against the data which was uploaded from the PDAs to the tracking database via VPN. With a daily shipment of 300-400 samples, at least 40 hours per day was saved using the PDA by eliminating the need for manual data entry and verification of "hard-to-read" handwritten field data sheets. Quality control of the field data was also vastly improved. |
| Environmental Assessment of Buildings Damaged by WTC Event Following the catastrophic events of 9/11 and the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers, RJ Lee Group (RJLG) was retained by building owners to assess the environmental impact to buildings damaged by the Event. Thousands of dust samples were collected from various systems throughout the buildings. The samples were analyzed for potential contaminants including asbestos, heavy metals, PCBs, PNAs and dioxins-furans. The project involved the development of detailed sampling protocols for the systematic collection of samples from various building systems including interior spaces, wall cavities, cell systems, structural steel, fireproofing, and concrete. To aid in the systematic collection of data for each sample collected and to reduce the amount of time spent, RJLG developed software for Personal Data Assistants (PDAs) for use in the sample collection. The data was uploaded electronically to RJLG's laboratory tracking systems. In addition, remediation studies were conducted in the buildings to determine the efficacy of cleaning the contaminants to acceptable levels. RJLG teamed with architects, engineers, toxicologists and medical professionals during this extensive study. Detailed reports were generated, http://www.nyenvirolaw.org/wtc-index.htm#DBdata , and testimony was given at hearings. |
| EPA Research Study on WTC Dust The EPA Office of Research and Development - National Homeland Security Research Division challenged eight laboratories to participate in a blind study to analyze dust test samples to determine if scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques could be used to ascertain if buildings were impacted by the WTC disaster. Another purpose of the study was to evaluate the proficiency of laboratories and the "accuracy" of the results from analyzing dust samples following a draft protocol jointly developed by the laboratories. RJ Lee Group (RJLG) was one of the laboratories awarded a contract to participate in the study. Samples were analyzed for mineral wool concentrations and X-ray maps were obtained to quantify for specific phases such as gypsum and particles consistent with cement. During the course of this project, RJLG personnel designed and implemented custom software to automate the Personal SEM® (a registered trademark of ASPEX Corporation) to collect X-ray maps and to perform off-line image analyses need to summarize X-ray mapping results. At the conclusion of the study, it was determined that SEM analysis was an effective technique that can be used to identify and quantify particle that are indicative of WTC dust. Furthermore, RJLG was ranked the best commercial laboratory of all that participated in the study. To see the EPA report, visit, http://www.epa.gov/stc/panel/pdfs/QAPP_Validation_StudyV480805.pdf |
| Evaluation of Coarse, Fine and Ultra-fine Particles as Part of a Health Effects Exposure Study Ambient particulate matter (PM) is a complex mixture that includes bioactive and toxic compounds of natural and anthropogenic origin, several of which have been theorized to cause or at least contribute to adverse health effects from inhalation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated an experimental assessment of the health effects from exposure to coarse, fine and ultra-fine (UF) fractions corresponding to particles with mean aerodynamic diameters of >2.5, >0.1-2.5, and <0.1 micrometers, respectively. A key component of this study is the evaluation of healthy adult subjects exposed to PM fractions in specially designed aerosol chambers. Determination of the size distributions and composition of the PM introduced to the chambers is performed with real time measurements and microscopy analysis. |
| Evaluation of Hazardous Material Stabilization Processes Our client proposed a process to stabilize a radioactive Hanford tank waste material. Using a non-radioactive simulant, RJ Lee Group (RJLG) prepared a one meter cube of stabilized material and evaluated it physically, chemically, and thermally. This cast stone process is now approved to stabilize key Hanford tank materials. |
