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Papers by Chris Lutes

Experiments were performed in a 73 kW (250,000 Btu/hr) pilot-scale rotary kiln incinerator simula... more Experiments were performed in a 73 kW (250,000 Btu/hr) pilot-scale rotary kiln incinerator simulator equipped with a 73 kW (250,000 Btu/hr) secondary combustion chamber during which a complex organic mixture containing bromine (Br) and chlorine (Cl) was incinerated. Detailed measurements of products of incomplete combustion (PICs) were made, including volatile and semi-volatile organics, as well as polychlorinated and polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo furans (PCDDs/PCDFs and PBDDs/PBDFs) as well as mixed bromo-chloro dioxins and furans (MBCDDs/MBCDFs). Results indicated that the ratios of some analogous brominated to chlorinated PICs were greater than the ratios of the amount of Br to Cl in the feed stream. Of particular importance is the potential for this phenomenon to confound the measurement of emissions of total polyhalogenated dibenzo dioxins/furans by promoting formation of PBDDs/PBDFs and MBCDDs/MBCDFs (compounds that are typically not included in regulatory or ri...

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation

Information is lacking on the degree and causes of temporal variability of indoor air concentrati... more Information is lacking on the degree and causes of temporal variability of indoor air concentrations in industrial buildings. Vapor intrusion (VI) is controlled by multiple variables that interact on different time scales. Indoor concentrations are expected to display multiple periodicities—diurnal, seasonal, and others. An extensive dataset was analyzed using 6‐h time resolution for 6 continuous months including trichloroethylene (TCE), radon, differential pressure, barometric pressure, differential temperature, wind speed, and precipitation. The samples were collected in a sampling zone or compartment within a large industrial building near a point of volatile organic compound (VOC) release. The objectives for this project included assessing VOC temporal variability in an industrial building and evaluating whether using VI indicators/tracers, which are less costly and time intensive to measure, may be able to predict VOC concentrations. This paper reports descriptive, time series,...

1. PURPOSE AND SUMMARY 1 2. INTRODUCTION 2 3. AIR TREATMENT SYSTEM BASICS 3 3.1 Classes of Commer... more 1. PURPOSE AND SUMMARY 1 2. INTRODUCTION 2 3. AIR TREATMENT SYSTEM BASICS 3 3.1 Classes of Commercially Available Treatment Units 3 3.2 Adsorption Principles and Performance 3 3.3 Photocatalytic Oxidation 7 3.4 Other Air Treatment Unit Types 8 3.5 Multiple Technology Air Treatment Units 9 3.6 System Sizes and Geometries 9 4. PERFORMANCE DATA AND SPECIFICATIONS 10 4.1 Laboratory and Chamber Tests for Efficiency and Capacity 11 4.2 Controlled (Unoccupied) Building-scale Demonstrations of Air Treatment Units 14 4.3 Practical (Occupied) Field Applications to VI Cases 16 5. SELECTING AN AIR TREATMENT UNIT, DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING AN AIR TREATMENT UNIT APPLICATION 21 5.1 Chemical and Physical Characteristics of the Air Stream to be Treated 21 5.2 Building Characteristics 25 5.3 Design Process—Standalone Units 27 5.4 Design Process—Differences for DuctMounted Systems 32 5.5 Air Treatment Unit Deployment 33 5.6 Communication and Instructions for Occupants During Air Treatment Unit Deploy...

Since the presentation of Chemical Vapor Intrusion ‘A Nucleus for Cultural Change?’ (Schuver, 201... more Since the presentation of Chemical Vapor Intrusion ‘A Nucleus for Cultural Change?’ (Schuver, 2012) and Indoor Radon as an Option for On-going Screening/Monitoring of Chemical Vapor Intrusion (Schuver, 2014), the USEPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action program and Office of Research and Development (ORD) has been exploring the measurement of indoor radon (Rn) as an indicator for subsurface chemical vapors. The specific uses of Rn measurements being pursued were described in Indicators of VI: Evidencebased Hypotheses for Supplemental Tools for Assessing & Managing Low/Episodic ChlorinatedVI (Schuver, 2016). This presentation/paper will summarize the technical basis and further testing of these hypotheses for advancements in guidance implementing the use of Rn as a tool for addressing chemical vapor intrusion problems. In summary, Rn is proposed for classifying buildings for susceptibility to intrusion, and forming a ‘complete’ exposure pathway, or not....

The paper reports controlled full-scale laboratory studies designed to determine if clay addition... more The paper reports controlled full-scale laboratory studies designed to determine if clay addition holds promise as a technique to control emissions from higher grade coals. (NOTE: Abnormally high rates of lung cancer are observed among persons in Xuan Wei County, China, who burn bituminous 'smoky' coal as compared with those who burn 'smokeless' coal, which is produced by mixing low grade coals with clay.) Statistically significant reductions in emissions of total particulate (70%), gravimetrically determined (nonvolatile) organics (70%), total chromatographable (semivolatile) organics (90%), and benzo(a)pyrene (65%) were observed (measured on a mass emitted/mass coal combusted basis) when clay binder material was added to a ground smoky coal. These reductions, however, did not fully account for the order of magnitude lower pollutant levels previously observed in homes burning smokeless (as compared to smoky) coal. Thus, the authors believe that the composition of th...

Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation, 2021

Temporal and spatial variability of indoor air volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations can... more Temporal and spatial variability of indoor air volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations can complicate vapor intrusion (VI) assessment and decision‐making. Indicators and tracers (I&T) of VI, such as differential temperature, differential pressure, and indoor radon concentration, are low‐cost lines of evidence to support sampling scheduling and interpretation of indoor air VOC sampling results. This study compares peak indoor air chlorinated VOC concentrations and I&T conditions before and during those peak events at five VI sites. The sites differ geographically and in their VI conceptual site models (CSM). Relative to site‐specific baseline values, the results show that cold or falling outdoor temperatures, rising cross slab differential pressures, and increasing indoor radon concentrations can predict peak VOC concentrations. However, cold outdoor air temperature was not useful at one site where elevated shallow soil temperature was a better predictor. Correlations of peak VOC concentrations to elevated or rising barometric pressure and low wind speed were also observed with some exceptions. This study shows how the independent variables that control or predict peak indoor air VOC concentrations are specific to building types, climates, and VI CSMs. More I&T measurements at VI sites are needed to identify scenario‐specific baseline and peak related I&T conditions to improve decision‐making.

Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation, 2020

Soil vapor extraction (SVE) is effective for removing volatile organic compound (VOC) mass from t... more Soil vapor extraction (SVE) is effective for removing volatile organic compound (VOC) mass from the vadose zone and reducing the potential for vapor intrusion (VI) into overlying and surrounding buildings. However, the relationship between residual mass in the subsurface and VI is complex. Through a series of alternating extraction (SVE on) and rebound (SVE off) periods, this field study explored the relationship and aspects of SVE applicable to VI mitigation in a commercial/light‐industrial setting. The primary objective was to determine if SVE could provide VI mitigation over a wide area encompassing multiple buildings, city streets, and subsurface utilities and eliminate the need for individual subslab depressurization systems. We determined that SVE effectively mitigates offsite VI by intercepting or diluting contaminant vapors that would otherwise enter buildings through foundation slabs. Data indicate a measurable (5 Pa) influence of SVE on subslab/indoor pressure differential...

Remediation Journal, 2018

Vapor intrusion (VI) assessment is complicated by spatial and temporal variability, largely due t... more Vapor intrusion (VI) assessment is complicated by spatial and temporal variability, largely due to compounded interactions among the many individual factors that influence the vapor migration pathway from subsurface sources to indoor air. Past research on highly variable indoor air datasets demonstrates that conventional sampling schemes can result in false negative determinations of potential risk corresponding to reasonable maximum exposures (RME). While high‐frequency chemical analysis of individual chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) in indoor air is conceptually appealing, it remains largely impractical when numerous buildings are involved and particularly for long‐term monitoring. As more is learned about the challenges with indoor air sampling for VI assessment, it has become clear that alternative approaches are needed to help guide discrete sampling efforts and reduce sampling requirements while maintaining acceptable confidence in exposure characterization. Indi...

Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation, 2016

The Science of the total environment, Jan 26, 2017

The role of sewer lines as preferential pathways for vapor intrusion is poorly understood. Althou... more The role of sewer lines as preferential pathways for vapor intrusion is poorly understood. Although the importance of sewer lines for volatile organic compound (VOC) transport has been documented at a small number of sites with vapor intrusion, sewer lines are not routinely sampled during most vapor intrusion investigations. We have used a tracer study and VOC concentration measurements to evaluate the role of the combined sanitary/storm sewer line in VOC transport at the USEPA vapor intrusion research duplex in Indianapolis, Indiana. The results from the tracer study demonstrated gas migration from the sewer main line into the duplex. The migration pathway appears to be complex and may include leakage from the sewer lateral at a location below the building foundation. Vapor samples collected from the sewer line demonstrated the presence of tetrachloroethene (PCE) and chloroform in the sewer main in front of the duplex and at multiple sample locations within the sewer line upstream ...

The exposure of persons to fiberglass combustion emissions from structural fires, fires at waste ... more The exposure of persons to fiberglass combustion emissions from structural fires, fires at waste landfills, and fires at demolition sites has become an issue of increasing concern. The study identifies and quantifies a broad range of pollutants that are discharged during small-scale, simulated, open combustion of fiberglass and reports these emissions relative to the mass of fiberglass material combusted. Two types of fiberglass materials (representing the boating and building materials industries) were combusted in a controlled outbuilding designed to simulate open burning. Volatile, semivolatile, and particulate-bound organics were collected and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS).

Chlorinated solvent contamination of groundwater is a widespread problem at many military and civ... more Chlorinated solvent contamination of groundwater is a widespread problem at many military and civilian facilities. This class of compounds includes widely used chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAH) such as carbon tetrachloride, methylene chloride, trichloroethane, trichloroethene (TCE) and tetrachloroethene. In addition to their roles in many industrial processes, CAHs have been used extensively for cleaning and degreasing. The U.S. Armed Forces are faced with widespread, costly remediation problems related to these compounds. The conventional remedies for CAH contamination in groundwater are groundwater extraction and ex situ treatment, also known as pump and treat, or in situ air sparging. An alternative approach is anaerobic in situ reactive zone (IRZ) technology for the remediation of CAHs and metals. Anaerobic IRZ technology involves the addition of a food grade, soluble carbohydrate substrate, which serves as a supplemental energy source for microbiological processes in the...

The report provides data from pilot-scale measurements of the emissions of specific air pollutant... more The report provides data from pilot-scale measurements of the emissions of specific air pollutants from paving asphalt both with and without recycled crumb rubber additives. Although concentration levels observed for most species were in most cases near the detection limits of the analytical methods applied, statistically significant emissions of a variety of pollutant species were observed. Volatile organic compound (VOC) analyses showed significant amounts of benzene emitted from both types of asphalt studied. An analysis targeting 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) species of primary interest revealed significant emissions of 7 of the 16 species when the AC10 aspalt without rubber tests were compared to the facility blank tests. The emissions of 5 of 16 PAH species were significantly higher in the AC10 thin layer with rubber tests than in the facility blank tests. The concentrations observed, though significant, were close to the limit of detection.

The paper discusses emissions of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the open burning o... more The paper discusses emissions of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the open burning of household waste in barrels. Using a waste mixture designed to simulate waste generated by an avid cycler and a non-cycler, the emissions of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds, metals, acid gases, and respirable particulates were measured from a 55-gal. (208-L) burn barrel at EPA`s open burning test facility. Total measured PAH emissions ranged from 24 (avid recycler) to 82 mg/kg (non-recycler) of a waste burned. This study provides important data on a potentially significant source of emissions of air toxics.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) is a former nuclear weapons facilit... more The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) is a former nuclear weapons facility that is undergoing clean-up of groundwater and soil contamination. Alternatives to conventional pump-and-treat are being evaluated through DOE's Advanced Remediation Technologies (ART) program as part of the EM-22 Groundwater and Soil Remediation program. A pilot project is underway to evaluate an emerging approach to

Waste Management, 2001

The presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment has wide-ranging potenti... more The presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment has wide-ranging potential ecological and health impacts on animals and humans. A significant amount of experimental and theoretical work has been performed the examining formation and control of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), which account for only part of the EDCs being emitted from combustion devices. Generally accepted mechanistic theories for PCDD/F formation propose heterogeneous reactions in the cooler regions of the combustor involving gas-phase organic precursors (such as chlorobenzenes or chlorophenols), a chlorine donor [such as hydrogen chloride (HCl)], and a flyash-bound metallic catalyst (such as copper chloride). There is evidence that some other proposed EDCs, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are formed through a similar mechanistic pathway as PCDD/Fs. In addition, there is evidence that certain important steps in the catalytic reaction between the copper catalyst and the organic precursors may suggest a common rate limiting step for the heterogeneous formation of the previously mentioned EDCs. This paper reports on a bench-scale experimental study to characterize a newly built reactor system that was built to: produce levels and distributions of PCDD/F production similar to those achieved by previous researchers; verify similar responses to changes in independent variables; examine the hypothesis that PCB formation rates exhibit trends similar to PCDD/F formation rates as reactor variables are changed; and begin to explore the dependence of PCB formation on temperature and precursor type. The reactor system has been built, and initial reactor characterization studies have been performed. Initial experiments yielded results that support the hypothesis of a similar formation mechanism of PCBs and PCDD/Fs in combustors. Initial experiments uncovered potential deficiencies with the reactor system and the experimental procedures and have suggested corrective action to improve the experimental system.

Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 2004

Emissions from open burning, on a mass pollutant per mass fuel (emission factor) basis, are great... more Emissions from open burning, on a mass pollutant per mass fuel (emission factor) basis, are greater than those from well-controlled combustion sources. Some types of open burning (e.g. biomass) are large sources on a global scale in comparison to other broad classes of sources (e.g. mobile and industrial sources). A detailed literature search was performed to collect and collate available data reporting emissions of organic air toxics from open burning sources. The sources that were included in this paper are: Accidental Fires, Agricultural Burning of Crop Residue, Agricultural Plastic Film, Animal Carcasses, Automobile Shredder Fluff Fires, Camp Fires, Car-Boat-Train (the vehicle not cargo) Fires, Construction Debris Fires, Copper Wire Reclamation, Crude Oil and Oil Spill Fires, Electronics Waste, Fiberglass, Fireworks, Grain Silo Fires, Household Waste, Land Clearing Debris (biomass), Landfills/Dumps, Prescribed Burning and Savanna/Forest Fires, Structural Fires, Tire Fires, and Yard Waste Fires. Availability of data varied according to the source and the class of air toxics of interest. Volatile organic compound (VOC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) data were available for many of the sources. Non-PAH semi-volatile organic compound (SVOC) data were available for several sources. Carbonyl and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) data were available for only a few sources. There were several known sources for which no emissions data were available at all. It is desirable that emissions from those sources be tested so that the relative degree of hazard they pose can be assessed. Several observations were made including: Biomass open burning sources typically emitted less VOCs than open burning sources with anthropogenic fuels on a mass emitted per mass burned basis, particularly those where polymers were concerned. Biomass open burning sources typically emitted less SVOCs and PAHs than anthropogenic sources on a mass emitted per mass burned basis. Burning pools of crude oil and diesel fuel produced significant amounts of PAHs relative to other types of open burning. PAH emissions were highest when combustion of polymers was taking place. Based on very limited data, biomass open burning sources typically produced higher levels of carbonyls than anthropogenic sources on a mass emitted per mass burned basis, probably due to oxygenated structures resulting from thermal decomposition of cellulose. It must be noted that local burn conditions could significantly change these relative levels. Based on very limited data, PCDD/F and other persistent bioaccumulative toxic (PBT) emissions varied greatly from source to source and exhibited significant variations within source categories. This high degree of variation is likely due to a combination of factors, including fuel composition, fuel heating value, bulk density, oxygen transport, and combustion conditions. This highlights the importance of having acceptable test data for PCDD/F and PBT emissions from open burning so that contributions of sources to the overall PCDD/F and PBT emissions inventory can be better quantified.