Summary of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Analyses for Indiana Harbor Air Monitoring Program 

ECI-East Air Monitoring Station  (all units in parts per billion - ppb)

CAS

Component

Reporting Limit

Result (11/6/2001)

Result (11/12/2001)

Result (11/19/2001)

Result (12/3/2001)

Result (12/9/2001)

Result (12/15/2001)

71432

Benzene

0.2

0.43

0.46

0.6

0.31

0.38

0.37

100414

Ethylbenzene

0.2

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

108883

Toluene

0.3

1.3

0.9

1.3

0.47

0.56

0.89

95636

1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene

0.4

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

108678

1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene

0.4

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

136777612

m-Xylene & p-Xylene

0.5

0.54

ND

0.68

ND

ND

ND

95476

o-Xylene

0.2

0.2

ND

0.23

ND

ND

ND

Total Xylenes 0.74

ND

0.91

ND

ND

ND

ECI-East Air Monitoring Station  (all units in micrograms per cubic meter, ug/m3)

CAS

Component

Reporting Limit

Result (11/6/2001)

Result (11/12/2001)

Result (11/19/2001)

Result (12/3/2001)

Result (12/9/2001)

Result (12/15/2001)

71432

Benzene

0.64 1.37 1.47 1.91 0.99 1.21 1.18

100414

Ethylbenzene

0.87

ND

ND ND ND ND ND

108883

Toluene

1.13 4.90  3.39  4.90   1.77 2.11  3.36

95636

1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene

1.97 ND ND ND ND ND ND

108678

1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene

1.97 ND ND ND ND ND ND

136777612

m-Xylene & p-Xylene

2.17 2.34 ND 2.95 ND ND ND

95476

o-Xylene

0.87 0.87 ND 1.00 ND ND ND

Total Xylenes

3.2 ND 3.9 ND ND ND

East Chicago High School Air Monitoring Station  (all units in parts per billion - ppb)

CAS

Component

Reporting Limit

Result (11/6/2001)

Result (11/12/2001)

Result (11/19/2001)

Result (12/3/2001)

Result (12/9/2001)

Result (12/15/2001)

71432

Benzene

0.2

nc

nc

nc

0.27

0.45

0.26

100414

Ethylbenzene

0.2

nc

nc

nc

ND

ND

ND

108883

Toluene

0.3

nc

nc

nc

0.49

0.59

0.65

95636

1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene

0.4

nc

nc

nc

ND

ND

ND

108678

1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene

0.4

nc

nc

nc

ND

ND

ND

136777612

m-Xylene & p-Xylene

0.5

nc

nc

nc

ND

ND

ND

95476

o-Xylene

0.2

nc

nc

nc

ND

ND

ND

Total Xylenes

nc

nc

nc

ND

ND

ND

East Chicago High School Air Monitoring Station   (all units in micrograms per cubic meter, ug/m3 )

CAS

Component

Reporting Limit

Result (11/6/2001)

Result (11/12/2001)

Result (11/19/2001)

Result (12/3/2001)

Result (12/9/2001)

Result (12/15/2001)

71432

Benzene

0.64

nc

nc

nc

0.86   1.44 0.83

100414

Ethylbenzene

0.87

nc

nc

nc

ND

ND

ND

108883

Toluene

1.13

nc

nc

nc

1.85  2.22  2.45

95636

1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene

1.97

nc

nc

nc

ND

ND

ND

108678

1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene

1.97

nc

nc

nc

ND

ND

ND

136777612

m-Xylene & p-Xylene

2.17

nc

nc

nc

ND

ND

ND

95476

o-Xylene

0.87

nc

nc

nc

ND

ND

ND

Total Xylenes

nc nc nc ND ND ND

Footnotes to Data Tables

CAS Number: This number, the Chemical Association Service number, is used by scientists around the world. Each chemical is given a unique number that allows scientist to ensure that they are talking about the same chemical regardless of chemical name.

ND : "Non-Detect" - The laboratory establishes reporting limits for sampling events for each chemical included in this study. The reporting limit is the minimum amount that the laboratory could detect accurately. When a data entry contains the non-detect or 'ND' tag, it means the chemical compound in the sample was below the reporting limit.

NC: "Not Collected" - Indicates that a sample was not collected at a particular date and location.

NA: "Not Available" - Some chemicals do not have established risk-based concentrations. This could be for a variety of reasons. US EPA may not have adequate information about the health effects of the chemical or data are not available to make determinations about cancer risks.

Reporting Limit: The lowest amount that can be distinguished from the normal "noise" of an analytical instrument or method as established by the laboratory.

Units: This represents the unit of measure the chemical concentration is reported. Three different units of measure are commonly used to represent concentrations of compounds in air:

  • ppb: Part per billion - One part per billion is 1 part in 1,000,000,000. 
  • ug/scm: Micrograms per standard cubic meter of air - One microgram is 10-6 of a gram.
  • ng/scm: Nanograms per standard cubic meter of air – One nanogram is 10-9 of a gram.
  • pg/scm: Picograms per standard cubic meter of air – One picogram is 10-12 of a gram.