EPA Analyzes Sediments, Air in New Orleans

Petroleum compounds and fecal bacteria are the main contaminants in the muck coating the parts of New Orleans flooded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, EPA has announced. People may be at some health risk from the tainted sediments deposited by the receding floodwaters, EPA said. The agency noted that there are no standards for determining human health risks from the presence of fecal bacteria, including E. coli, in sediment or soil. Such standards exist only for water. The agency's testing also showed elevated levels of semivolatile compounds, such as diesel and fuel oils, in the sediment. EPA said skin contact with these materials may cause irritation. EPA also analyzed 18 sediment samples for volatile organic compounds, metals, and pesticides. Aside from three samples with slightly elevated levels of arsenic and lead, the testing found concentrations of these pollutants below levels expected to cause health effects, according to the agency. As the city dries out, EPA will monitor potential risks from inhaling airborne particles of the sediment. In addition, the agency analyzed air in New Orleans for volatile organic pollutants including the gasoline components benzene, toluene, and xylene. EPA said air concentrations of these chemicals in most areas are below the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry's health standards of concern.