Toxic vapors require careful exposure evaluation, risk assessment and mitigation of potential effects on human health. When volatile chemicals are released onto properties, they can permeate the soil and underlying groundwater. In time, they can volatilize and migrate into buildings in gaseous form, leading to vapor intrusion.
Depending on the concentrations of these chemicals and their toxicity, volatile chemicals in the indoor air might produce human health concerns. Vapor intrusion assessments help determine potential health risks to occupants — whether the buildings are occupied now or vacant with potential occupancy in the future.
When an imminent threat to people within a building exists, short‑term actions such as optimizing HVAC systems or reducing time spent in impacted areas may be implemented. Longer‑term solutions could include reducing source concentrations, installing sub-slab ventilation systems and/or vapor barriers or restricting future use of the site.
Our team has experience completing every step of the vapor intrusion assessment process and has performed vapor intrusion assessments on petroleum-, chlorinated solvent-, and methane-impacted sites. We also have installed vapor intrusion mitigation systems in residential, commercial and industrial settings and specified measures to prevent vapor intrusion into newly constructed buildings.
