DP? Ifso, why was the Health Consultation for nickel an addendum to that report?
- Did the ATSDR assess the emissions data from and disposal path of nickelcompounds formed during the nickel stripping evaporation (tank) process in C-400-C at PGDP?
- As part of this Health Consultation did the ATSDR review any health data formembers of the community surrounding PGDP. Non-smoking individuals in the residential community have records showing an elevated body burden for nickel.
- The Toxic Release Inventory (USEPA) data reports for nickel compounds released bythe TVA Shawnee Fossil Plant show releases to air, water, and land. For decadesnickel compounds were released via this facilities 244 m stack into the surroundingenvironment. While the height of the TVA stack facilitates the dispersion of thesepollutants away from PGDP during times of prevailing winds, the opposite occursduring a significant number of days each year. Figure 1 of this Health Consultation(Figure I-1 of this appendix) demonstrates changes in wind direction and resultingdispersion patterns. Further TRI data for TVA shows a significant level of nickelcompounds in ash generated at the Shawnee plant. Historically, this ash (cinders) wasspread on roadways in the WKWMA, dramatically increasing the levels of nickel inthe Health Consultation study area. Consequently, the nickel compounds releasedfrom the TVA facility should be included in this assessment. Additionally, while thePGDP steam plant emissions of nickel compounds are far less than those from theTVA plant, PGDP releases should not be excluded when calculating TOTALNICKEL at this locale. To date ash piles from PGDP continue to pollute the environsof the North-South Diversion Ditch and the Little Bayou Creek watershed. TOTALNICKEL from this toxic triad affects the health of the residents in the surroundingcommunity.
- Nickel particulates from TVA, PGDP, and nickel smelting could remain suspended in air for approximately one week.
- Nickel can be transported in air adsorbed to other particles.
- Nickel particulates adsorbed to another variety of particulate can be inhaled as oneparticle.
- Nickel oxide is insoluble in water hence, there exists the likely-hood of particlesbecoming airborne again and again.
- When inhaled, nickel oxide is retained longer in the lung than any other form ofnickel.
- Nickel can cross the placental barrier.
- Nickel is a mutagen (human)
ATSDR Response: ATSDR has reviewed all of the data collected by or through theKentucky Federal Facility Oversight Unit that they have provided to ATSDR. Although thedata sets do contain some measurements of nickel (or nickel compounds) in various media,we have not reviewed any specific nickel cyanide or nickel carbonyl measurements in theavailable data. Several different PGDP process operations may result in nickel emissions. Asindicated in the Health Consultation, past smelting operations and fossil fuel combustionrelease(d) nickel and nickel oxides. Limited quantities of nickel carbonyl or nickel cyanideas liquid effluents may be released from metal cleaning/degreasing operations in C-400building. However, these compounds are not stable in the environment (nickel carbonyl is aliquid at ambient temperatures) and will quickly be transformed to more stable compounds(nickel hydrates in water or nickel ferrite in soil) .
In determining the contaminants of concern for the Public Health Assessment, ATSDR didnot attempt to correlate specific sources of nickel for each environmental media. The PHAevaluation was based on the measured concentrations of the contaminants in various media,such as soil, water, and sediment. The rationale for conducting this health consultation is thatwe did not include metal particulates released from smelting operations in assessing airbornecontaminant distributions. Nickel, as dissolved or total nickel, is monitored in surface water,ground water, and soil. This Health Consultation used modeled airborne nickelconcentrations to estimate off-site distributions, because nickel was not monitored at off-site locations.
ATSDR Respon