HEALTH CONSULTATION
KEYSTONE METAL FINISHERS INCORPORATED (FORMER)
SECAUCUS, HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
This Public Health Consultation has been prepared in response to a petition that was submitted to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) on October 4, 2000. The petitioner is concerned about possible exposure of nearby residents to chemicals that were used at the former Keystone Metal Finishers, Inc. (KMF) facility located in Secaucus (Hudson County), New Jersey. From about 1947 through 1991, KMF operated as an electroplating business, utilizing priority pollutant metals, acids, and volatile solvents. Chemicals and process equipment on the KMF property were removed by the USEPA in 1991-1992. On-site structures were demolished in 1994, when the property was legally transferred to the Town of Secaucus. The former KMF site is now a public park.
No data are available regarding contamination of the soils or groundwater at the KMF site and surrounding properties before 1986. On-site soils that had contained elevated concentrations of metals (cadmium, chromium, nickel, and lead) and chlorinated solvents were removed in 1996. While it is possible that there may have been direct contact with, or inhalation/ingestion of, these soils on site property prior to 1991 when access to the site ceased, any exposure to site contaminants is likely to have been minimal. There is no evidence that any contaminated soils were transported beyond the KMF boundary to the surrounding community.
A shallow ground water plume of trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) (PCE) extends from the former site, located at the intersection of Humboldt Street and Raydol Avenue, about 600 feet (two blocks) north to Golden Avenue and Minnie Place South. However, since there are no potable wells in the vicinity of KMF, ingestion of contaminated groundwater may be eliminated as a completed exposure pathway. Several nearby irrigation wells were identified, but these have been sealed, and there is no evidence of these wells having been used as a potable water supply.
Low concentrations (below health-based comparison values for drinking water) of PCE and cis-1,2-dichloroethylene were found in water samples taken from basement sumps in five nearby residences. No contaminants were detected in indoor air at the five residences. There is no evidence that inhalation of indoor airborne volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) from residential sumps is a completed exposure pathway under current conditions. Nevertheless, until the ground water VOC plume is remediated, the potential exists for exposure by inhalation to VOCs that may volatilize and enter nearby houses through basement sumps.
TCE and PCE have been (and are currently) present in the ground water at levels of public health concern. However, there is no evidence that any significant exposure to these chemicals has occurred, therefore, the public health hazard category is "No Public Health Hazard".
The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS), under a cooperative agreement with the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), has been petitioned to evaluate the potential for exposures to chemicals that may be associated with the (former) Keystone Metal Finishers (KMF) site, located in Secaucus (Hudson County), New Jersey. This Health Consultation will (1) review and summarize the known environmental data for the facility, and (2) address community health concerns regarding potential past, present, and future exposure to contaminated soils and groundwater from the KMF site. The results of recent indoor air testing of several nearby homes will also be reviewed.
The Keystone Metal Finishers facility (40 47' 14'' North, 74 3' 39" West) was an
electroplating plant located on a 1.3 acre parcel of
land (Block 93, adjacent Lots 1 and 21) at the
intersection of Humboldt Street and Raydol Avenue
in Secaucus (Hudson County), New Jersey (see inset).
The site contained a one-story brick warehouse and
loading dock. Other structures on the property
included a garage and storage shed. A 1,500 gallon
above ground tank that had apparently contained
trichloroethylene was adjacent to the warehouse
loading dock. A 2,000 gallon underground storage
tank for fuel oil was near the northeast corner of the
warehouse building. The property is located in a
residential area. The nearest residence was
approximately 50 feet from the former facility. A
school, hospital, retail stores, professional buildings,
a municipal building, and a shopping center are
located within one mile of the former site (see Figure
1). In 1993, approximately 6,100 persons lived
within one mile of the site (NJDEP, 1993).
The property is presently being used as an open space park named Fountain Park. The two lots have been completely re-landscaped, so very little vegetation from the former KMF site remains. The site was backfilled with imported fill, and then re-graded and seeded. The surface grade level of the former site was raised by about 1 to 4 feet above the surrounding area. The park consists of a large landscaped lawn, several garden settings, and planted trees. A well-defined drainage ditch (swale) meanders through the park in a southwest-northeast direction along the eastern portion of the site to collect surface water runoff. There is a small area of man-made herbaceous wetlands running along a fence line on the eastern border of the park. Sewer and sanitary sewer systems are located beneath Humboldt Street adjacent to the former site.
Keystone Metal Finishers operated from 1947 to 1960 as a metal plating facility. In the 1950s, the Town of Secaucus was involved in litigation with the owner of the property in an attempt to ban the operation of the plating facility in a residential area. The litigation was not successful, but apparently a settlement was reached whereby the facility could continue to operate as it was, i.e., in a non-conforming use, but that it could not expand. The large lot on the Humboldt Street side, i.e., Block 93, Lot 1, was re-zoned as residential, and the property could only be utilized for housing in the future (see Figure 2).
In 1960, ownership of the property changed, and the site activities were modified to include anodizing, tin-nickel plating, and electroless nickel plating. These processes utilized: sulfuric, hydrochloric, and nitric acids; caustic soda; cyanides; volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), including trichloroethylene (TCE), and perchloroethylene (PCE); and metals, including tin, nickel, cadmium, and chromium. The factory remained in operation with a decline in business until June 1991.
In 1986, an environmental investigation of the KMF site was conducted that showed contamination of on-site soils and shallow groundwater. Three shallow monitoring wells (MW1, MW2, and MW3) were installed on site property as part of the site evaluation (GM, 1987).
In 1990, KMF was cited by NJDEP under the provisions of New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) for excessive industrial discharge of cadmium and nickel to the waste water treatment plant, i.e., sanitary sewer system, operated by the Secaucus Municipal Utility Authority.
In 1991, the owner was issued eight summonses by the Secaucus Health Department for failure to maintain the property. The Town of Secaucus was in the process of foreclosure due to failure to pay property taxes when the owner died in June 1991. The property was entered by representatives of the Secaucus Health Department and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), who identified potential environmental and health hazards that were associated with the improper on-site storage of process chemicals. Due to the hazardous situation, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) was notified, and a chain-link fence that surrounded the property was installed.
In September 1991, representatives of the Hudson Regional Health Commission (HRHC), NJDEP, and USEPA conducted a detailed inspection of the KMF site. There had apparently been little on-site activity for several years, and the property was in a state of disrepair. The dilapidated building contained approximately 15 process vats that held rain water and plating solutions (HRHC, 1991a). The building also contained 35 - 40 drums (including a 30 gallon drum of sodium cyanide), a number of carboys (including a 5 gallon container of cadmium fluoroborate), and other small containers. A variety of chemicals, including acids (sulfuric, phosphoric, and hydrochloric), and metals (copper cyanide, nickel chloride, tin chloride) were found in the building. The soil basement, which initially could not be accessed since it was flooded, held additional containers. Two above ground storage tanks (one of which had apparently previously contained trichloroethylene) were located near the building. An underground storage tank that contained fuel oil was found in front of the main building.
Removal actions commenced in September 1991, and, by September 1992, all chemicals and associated process equipment had been removed from the site. The removal actions are documented in a series of 16 Pollutant Reports (USEPA, 1992) that describe the nature of the contaminants that were found on-site. The underground storage tank, which contained approximately 1,200 gallons of fuel oil, was emptied in 1992. USEPA turned over control of the former KMF site to the Town of Secaucus in September 1992.
In April 1994, after receiving funding from the USEPA, the Town of Secaucus continued remedial activities at the site, including abatement of asbestos-containing materials on the boiler and associated piping, removing the 1,500 gallon underground storage tank, and demolishing all on-site structures. In December 1994, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Hudson County, officially turned over title for the property to the Town of Secaucus.
In 1996, PMK Group was contracted by the Town of Secaucus to delineate the extent of contamination of the soils in the former main processing area. Approximately 110 cubic yards of PCE-contaminated soils, and about 390 cubic yards of metals-contaminated soils were removed in October 1996.
In 1998, the property of the former KMF site was turned into a municipal open space park (Fountain Park).
A chronology of significant events related to the former Keystone Metal Finishers plant site is given in Table 1.
Summary of Previous ATSDR Activities
In 1991, the USEPA requested that the ATSDR develop a long-term health risk assessment for the residences surrounding the site. In a verbal consultation dated November 1, 1991, followed by a written consultation (ATSDR, 1992), ATSDR concluded that the site was a fire and explosion threat, i.e., incompatible chemicals (cyanides, acids and bases) were stored together in an unsecured building, and an imminent health threat, i.e., the site was unfenced. ATSDR recommended that access to the site be restricted, that all hazardous materials be removed, that the extent of migration of contaminants be delineated, and that the existence of any potable wells in the area be determined. ATSDR also recommended that the extent of on- and off-site contamination be better characterized. This evaluation was based on the inventory of materials on site at the time, on the analysis of groundwater sampling in 1986, and on the preliminary results of two residential basement sump water samples obtained in September 1991 (ATSDR, 1992).
No other health assessment activities have been conducted by ATSDR at the (former) Keystone Metal Finishers site.
Local residents are concerned about possible exposure to site contaminants (including metals and chlorinated solvents) during the period before the site underwent removal actions in 1991. Residents are also concerned about exposure to the plume of chlorinated solvents that currently exists in the ground water beneath the property and extends beyond site boundaries. There is also concern about cancer and other possible health effects that may result from exposure to site-related chemicals. In addition to possible direct contact with, and ingestion of, contaminants, exposure to these chemicals could occur through inhalation of VOCs that may have volatilized into residences through basement sumps. These concerns led to a petition to ATSDR for a Public Health Consultation to evaluate the potential for exposure.
In order to fully evaluate community concerns, a site visit to the KMF site was conducted by representatives of the NJDHSS and ATSDR on March 27, 2001. A meeting with the petitioner and local residents was also held to gather information and discuss public health concerns and health assessment procedures.
Several sampling episodes were conducted between 1986 and 2000 to determine the contaminants that were present on and beneath the KMF site. Cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel had been used in the various metal plating processes, and chlorinated VOCs, including TCE and PCE, were used as solvents and degreasers. The concentrations of contaminants that were found in the samples will be described, and potential human exposure pathways will be evaluated. Table 2 presents the current guidelines and cleanup standards for the chemicals that have been identified at the site.
On-Site Shallow Soil and Groundwater - 1986
Contamination of soils on, and shallow groundwater beneath, the KMF property has been known since March 1986, when an environmental firm was retained by the owner of KMF to evaluate the KMF facility. The principal objectives of the investigation were to: (1) develop an assessment of soil and ground water quality conditions at shallow depths underlying the site; and (2) develop recommendations for areas of possible environmental concern (GM, 1987).
In the course of the investigation it was noted that three deep wells had been installed on-site to provide water for site operations. These wells were apparently sampled several times in the 1950s, but the results of the analyses are not known. However, since the wells were drilled to the deep rock aquifer (about 300 feet below surface level), they were not believed to be relevant to the quality of the shallow ground water. During the 1986 investigation, one of the supply wells, located inside the main building, was found not to be in service. The other two wells were located, but not sampled at that time.
In October 1986, three shallow (16-18 feet deep) monitoring wells were installed to characterize the ground water beneath the site, i.e., MW1, representing the "background" location at the southeast corner of the site; MW2, located near the underground storage tank at the front of the building; and MW3, located near the above ground storage tank and loading dock at the rear of the building (GM, 1987). The water table was found to be from 0 to 3.5 feet below the ground surface. Concentrations of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPHC) taken by organic vapor analyzer (OVA) during the drilling were 0-20, 0-15, and 0-60 ppm, for MW1, MW2, and MW3, respectively. Aqueous samples taken from MW3 on November 21, 1986 were found to contain 40 ppb cyanide, 200 ppb fluoride, 1,400 ppb PCE, 47 ppb TCE, 53 ppb trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, and 12 ppb vinyl chloride. The concentration of total chromium (Cr) in MW3 was 195 ppb (hexavalent-Cr was 186 ppb). Apparently, no other priority metals were analyzed at that time. As shown in Table 3, the concentrations of PCE, TCE, and total chromium in MW3 exceeded current ATSDR Comparison Values (CVs). (See Appendix A for a description of ATSDR Comparison Values.) The concentrations of PCE in MW1, and PCE and TCE in MW2 also exceeded current CVs.
Twelve shallow soil boring samples were taken on site property in October and November 1986 during the investigation. Analysis showed elevated concentrations of several contaminants as follow (maximum value): cadmium (58 ppm), chromium (total 4,300 ppm, hexavalent 560 ppm), nickel (5,200 ppm), cyanides (120 ppm), PCE (7,200 ppm), and PCBs (147 ppm) (see Table 4). The maximum concentrations were found in a sample taken from soils within the footprint of the building. The concentrations of cadmium, total chromium, lead, and nickel that were found in several of the samples exceed NJDEP Soil Cleanup Criteria and current ATSDR CVs.
Soil and Ground Water Sampling 1991-1992
In September 1991, at the time of the initial site investigation, sumps in two residences across the street from the former KMF site (one each on Raydol Avenue and Humboldt Street) were sampled and analyzed for metals, cyanide, and chlorinated VOCs. No VOCs were detected in either sample. Low levels of chromium, copper, and zinc were found in the Raydol Avenue sample (see Table 5). Arsenic (65 ppb), lead (41.5 ppb), and cyanide (43 ppb) were also found in the same sump. Only chromium (22 ppb) and zinc (52 ppb) were found in the Humboldt Street sample (HRHC, 1991b).
In December 1991, during Phase 2 of the removal actions, USEPA's Technical Assistance Team (TAT) sampled on-site soils and groundwater for metals and VOCs. The soil was found to contain elevated levels of cadmium, chromium, and lead. The ground water samples revealed concentrations of cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, and TCE in excess of NJDEP cleanup guidelines.
In March 1992, the USEPA TAT conducted soil screening for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) near three on-site ground level transformers. All test results were negative.
In May 1992, the USEPA TAT collected seven wood floor samples and two samples of standing water in the basement of the KMF building. The wood samples were analyzed for Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) chemicals and cyanide, and the water samples were analyzed for metals, cyanide, and VOCs. The sample results revealed contamination of the wood flooring with barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, silver, zinc, and cyanide. The standing water results revealed contamination with arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, TCE, PCE, and cis 1,2-dichloroethylene.
In December 1992, the TAT sampled two of the previously installed on-site monitoring wells, and found concentrations of cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) in excess of NJDEP Groundwater Quality Standards. Four on-site soil samples were taken at the rear of the facility, one of which showed chromium (valence not indicated) to be present at 595 ppm (NJDEP, 1993).
NJDEP Preliminary Assessment - 1993
In April 1993, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) conducted a Preliminary Assessment of the site (NJDEP, 1993). The report summarized the data that were gathered during the 1986 on-site investigation, the data from USEPA, the TAT, and their contractors, and NJDEP's characterization of the wells that existed within four miles of the site. The report concluded that additional sampling would be required to adequately characterize the site conditions, and recommended that an investigation be conducted under the provisions of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), i.e., Superfund.
On-Site Soils and Shallow Groundwater - 1995
In 1995, an investigation of the soils in the vicinity of the former KMF structure was conducted by the PMK Group, Inc., under contract to the Town of Secaucus. Forty-nine soil borings were analyzed for priority pollutant metals, and it was found that NJDEP Soil Cleanup Criteria had been exceeded. In addition, the 1986 MW2 (MW1 and MW3 had been destroyed during demolition of the building in 1994), was analyzed for VOCs and pollutant metals, but the analyzed concentrations did not exceed Groundwater Quality Standards criteria (PMK, 1998).
Delineation of Soil and Groundwater Contamination - 1996 - 1998
In February 1996, PMK Group expanded the search for contaminated soils in the vicinity of the former KMF building. Thirty-nine soil borings were taken, and samples were taken from selected depths within each of the borings. Nine of the exploratory soil borings were taken in the immediate vicinity of the former dry well and at the locations of the previously identified PCE-contaminated soils. Seven soil samples were analyzed for PCE. Laboratory analysis showed that six of the thirty-nine soil boring samples (at about 6-7 feet below grade) contained cadmium (maximum concentration 5.4 ppm) at concentrations that were above NJDEP's Residential Direct Contact Soil Cleanup Criteria (RDCSCC), which was 1 ppm at the time, but has since been revised to 39 ppm. Other targeted priority pollutant metals were below applicable RDCSCC. Elevated concentrations of nickel and chromium were found in the soils within the footprint of the former building. During the investigation a previously unknown dry well was located within the building that was contaminated with PCE, with a maximum concentration 1,200 ppm (PMK, 1998).
As a result of the soil contamination investigation, three new on-site monitoring wells (MW1, MW2, and MW3) were installed (screened from just below the clay layer, at about 10 feet, to depths of 18-19 feet) in January 1997 and tested for VOCs. In addition, twelve Hydropunch™ (HP) test explorations were made in May 1997 to delineate the extent of the plume of TCE and PCE in the groundwater (PMK, 1998). PCE was found in HP4 (intersection of Raydol Avenue and Humboldt Street) at 2,000 ppb, and TCE was found in HP9 (at southeast corner of site) at 88 ppb. In addition, 1,2-DCE was found at HP9 at 140 ppb.
As a result of the soil and groundwater investigation, ground water characterization was extended to further delineate on- and adjacent off-site contamination. In June 1998, PMK installed five additional monitoring wells (MW4 through MW8), two piezometers, and one air sparging well on and in the vicinity of the property. MW4 and MW5 were located on-site, and MW6 through MW8 were off-site. The air sparging well (AS1) and the piezometers (PZ1 and PZ2) were installed within the on-site source area. In October 1999, three additional monitoring wells were installed, with MW9 onsite, and MW10 and MW11 offsite along the main axis of the groundwater plume (see Figure 2).
Residential Soil Gas, Sump, and Irrigation Wells - 1999
In 1999, PMK performed a series of investigations to evaluate possible off-site migration of soil and ground water contaminants. Sump pits, soil, irrigation wells, and groundwater at nearby residences were sampled to delineate the extent of the off-site chlorinated solvents plume (PMK, 2000a). PMK also performed a subsurface investigation along the storm sewer pipeline that runs beneath Humboldt Street along the northern site boundary. Test borings were also taken near the storm drain sections on Raydol and Golden Avenues.
A shallow soil excavation, i.e., the installation of a porch foundation, was sampled on Humboldt Avenue across the street from the KMF site in June 1999. No VOCs were detected.
In June 1999, four test pits (from 4 to 8 feet below the surface) were dug on Humboldt Avenue along the northern boundary of the former KMF site in conjunction with the planned improvement of the storm sewer line by the Town of Secaucus. PCE, TCE, and 1,2-DCE were found in excess of the NJDEP Impact to Groundwater Soil Cleanup Criteria (IGWSCC) in the test pit closest to the former KMF site (TP2; depth 4.5 -5 feet).
In July 1999, sump water was sampled and analyzed from 15 residential properties near the former KMF site. Chloroform and bromodichloromethane were found in two of the sumps at concentrations that exceed NJDEP Groundwater Quality Criteria (but not ATSDR CV). MTBE was also found at low levels in several of the sumps. However, these chemicals are not related to the chlorinated solvent plume from KMF.
Soils from 17 residential properties near the former KMF site were sampled at 2-2.5 and 11-12 feet below the surface in August, 1999. No VOCs were found in excess of the NJDEP IGWSCC.
In August 1999, four previously unknown private irrigation wells located on Golden Avenue and Minnie Place South were analyzed for VOCs. PCE and TCE were found in excess of NJDEP Groundwater Quality Criteria or ATSDR CV in one of the wells on Golden Avenue. Low levels of MTBE (in three wells, maximum 8.2 ppb) and cis1,2- dichloroethylene (one well, 1.7 ppb) were also found. The wells were sealed and abandoned in January 2000.
In October 1999 and January 2000, test borings were taken at six locations along the storm sewer near the storm water pump house on the west end of Golden Avenue and Raydol Avenue. PCE was identified in four of the test borings at levels above the NJDEP Groundwater Quality Criteria and ATSDR CV.
Delineation of Ground Water Contamination Plume - 2000
In January 2000, the groundwater plume in the vicinity of the former KMF site was delineated by sampling the eleven on- and off-site monitoring wells and the air sparging well. The results of this sampling episode, presented in Table 6, show concentrations up to 8,404 ppb total VOCs (TVOC) (maximum at the former location of the KMF building). Figures 3 and 4, respectively, show that PCE and TCE were found at concentrations above the New Jersey Groundwater Quality Criteria under residential properties as far as about 600 feet to the north of the site. The samples were not analyzed for metals.
Residential Indoor Air and Sump Water - October 2000
In September 2000, PMK identified approximately 40 properties that were determined to be potential locations for sampling of ground water in basement sumps, and indoor air (PMK, 2000b). In October 2000, indoor air and water in basement sumps were sampled and analyzed for VOCs in five residences near the former site property that were considered most likely to be contaminated. As shown in Table 7, low levels of PCE (1 residence sump) and 1,2-DCE (two residence sumps) were found. As shown in Table 8, no VOCs were found in the air in any of the sampled residences (PMK, 2000c)
To determine whether residents near the former Keystone Metal Finishers site were, are, or may be exposed to contaminants which may have emanated from the former KMF site, the ATSDR and the NJDHSS evaluate the five environmental and human components which are necessary to complete an exposure pathway. The five elements of a completed exposure pathway are: (1) a source of contamination; (2) transport of the contaminant through an environmental medium; (3) a point of human exposure; (4) a route of human exposure; and (5) a receptor, i.e., exposed, population.
The ATSDR and the NJDHSS categorize exposure pathways into three groups: (1) completed pathways, that is, those in which it is likely that some persons in the receptor population were exposed, are being exposed, or will be exposed; (2) potential pathways, that is, those in which exposure might have occurred, may be occurring , or may yet occur; and (3) eliminated pathways, that is, those which can be eliminated from consideration because one of the five elements is missing and will never be present, or in which no contaminants of concern can be identified. Completed or potential pathways may be interrupted by remedial actions or public health intervention.
Groundwater in the Vicinity of the KMF Site
The Brunswick Formation, a mixture of shale, sandstone, argillite and conglomerate, comprises the geologic formation that provides groundwater in this area of northern New Jersey. Water yields are almost exclusively from cracks in the rocks of the formation. The water is generally free to move in any direction and seek a level determined by local factors affecting charge and recharge. The water table beneath the former KMF site, located about 2 miles from the Hackensack River to the northwest and about 4 miles from the Hudson River to the southeast, is very shallow, typically from zero to three feet below the surface. The so-called Meadowlands, a large swampy area in this part of New Jersey, is located about one mile to the south of the KMF site. Bedrock is about ten to forty feet below existing surface grade.
Ground water in the vicinity of the site is not used for public potable water supply. Instead, United Water Company supplies potable water to Secaucus from surface water sources that are outside the city, including Oradell Reservoir in Wanaque, and Woodcliff Lake Reservoir in New York (PMK, 2000c). According to NJDEP, no public supply wells exist within four miles of the site (NJDEP, 1993).
A survey conducted by NJDEP in 1993 revealed that there were approximately twenty industrial or irrigation wells located between two and four miles from the site. The majority of these wells were screened in the deep rock aquifer from 200 to 500 feet below the surface (NJDEP, 1993).
The records of the NJDEP Bureau of Water Allocation indicated that, as of 2000, nine wells, all of which were between 150 and 312 feet deep, were located within one mile of the site, including four industrial wells (three of which were located on the KMF site), three domestic wells, one commercial well, and one unidentified well (PMK, 2000c). Two of the commercial/industrial wells were in service as of 2000.
Since that time, four additional, unpermitted residential irrigation wells were identified within one mile of the site; these wells were sampled (one showed PCE and TCE at concentrations above the Groundwater Quality Criteria), and they were sealed and abandoned in January 2000.
Several human exposure pathways are, have been, or may be possible in the vicinity of the KMF site during and since its operation. These include: (1) ingestion of contaminated groundwater; (2) direct contact with, or inhalation/ingestion of, contaminated surface soils; and (3) inhalation of VOCs from contaminated ground water that volatilizes and enters residences through indoor sumps.
No data are available regarding contamination of the soils or groundwater at the KMF site and surrounding properties before 1986. As a result, it is not possible to determine whether there has been any prior exposure to any chemicals on the site. However, since all potable water is supplied from sources outside the area, ingestion of contaminated groundwater may be eliminated as a completed exposure pathway in the present.
Analyses of on-site surface soils showed that elevated concentrations of cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel were present on site property in 1986 (these were primarily found within the footprint of the KMF building). Access to site property was restricted in 1991, so the potential for exposure to contaminated soils ceased then. The contaminated on-site soils were removed in October, 1996, and the property was then backfilled with one to four feet of clean backfill, and landscaped. While it is possible that there may have been direct contact with, or inhalation and/or ingestion of, surface soils on site property prior to 1991, exposure to site contaminants in soils is unlikely. There is no evidence that contaminated soils were transported beyond the original site boundaries.
One exposure pathway, i.e., the inhalation of VOCs that volatilized from contaminated groundwater in an indoor sump, presents the potential for a completed exposure pathway in the future. Sampling (see Tables 7 and 8) showed that no VOCs were present in the indoor air of the five residences that were tested in November 2000. Very low concentrations of PCE and cis 1,2-DCE (at the limit of detection) were found in two residential sumps along Humboldt Avenue and Golden Place. However, neither chemical was detected in the basement or living space of any of the five residences. Nevertheless, it is possible, although unlikely, that, if left unremediated, the levels of TCE and PCE currently found in the shallow groundwater plume (shown in Figures 3 and 4) might volatilize and diffuse into indoor air in the basements of residences.
As discussed above, exposure to the contaminants that have been found in the vicinity of the former KMF site, namely TCE and PCE, is unlikely. None of the operating wells in the vicinity of the former KMF site are used to supply potable water. The unpermitted irrigation wells that were identified at several residences near the site have been sealed. Sampling of water from indoor sumps has shown very low concentrations of VOCs; no TCE or PCE were found in the indoor air of any of the five nearby residences that were sampled. Nevertheless, it is possible that, when the water table is high and water enters residences through basement sumps, VOCs could volatilize and diffuse throughout the residences. If so, exposure to these chemicals might occur through inhalation.
TCE is a nonflammable, colorless liquid at room temperature, and it has a somewhat sweet odor and a sweet, burning taste. It is a solvent that is commonly used as a degreaser for metals. PCE is also a nonflammable liquid at room temperature, and has a sharp sweet odor. It is widely used to dry clean fabrics and in metal degreasing operations. Both TCE and PCE are used in a variety of consumer products, such as paints and glues (TCE), and cleaners, lubricants, and spot removers (PCE).
The toxicologies of TCE and PCE have been summarized by ATSDR (ATSDR, 1997a; ATSDR 1997b). Epidemiological studies of occupationally-exposed workers suggest an association between long-term inhalation exposure to high levels of TCE and increased risk of liver and biliary tract cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (IARC, 1995; ATSDR, 1997a). Increased risks of esophageal cancer, cervical cancer, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma have been observed in workers exposed to high levels of PCE.(IARC, 1995; ATSDR, 1997b). As noted in Table 2, the health-based Comparison Values and carcinogenic categories of TCE and PCE are currently under review by ATSDR. However, there is no evidence of exposure to either contaminant. Neither of these species was found in the indoor air of the tested residences in the vicinity of the former KMF site. Consequently, any potential adverse health effects, such as on the central nervous system or cancer, are not likely to have occurred.
A draft of this (former) Keystone Metal Finishers Public Health Consultation was released for public comment during the period from November 6 to December 6, 2002. No comments were received.
The NJDHSS and ATSDR have concluded that, as discussed below, there is currently No Public Health Hazard to residents in the vicinity of the former Keystone Metal Finishers site. (See Appendix B for the definitions of ATSDR Public Health Hazard categories.) This health hazard category has been selected because there is no evidence of a completed human exposure pathway. However, this health assessment hazard category may be re-evaluated and/or changed if further information becomes available, particularly from additional sampling of indoor air and sumps.
Based on the data that have been gathered through sampling and analysis of shallow soils and groundwater on and near the former KMF site, it may be concluded that:
Recommendations to Cease/Reduce Exposure
Since a plume of TCE and PCE currently exists in the shallow groundwater on and near the former KMF site (now Fountain Park), it is recommended that no potable wells be permitted in the vicinity of the former KMF site property.
Recommendations for Site Characterization
Sampling of residences along Irving Place, Humboldt Avenue, Golden Avenue, and Millie Place South should be conducted for chlorinated VOCs, specifically PCE, TCE, chloroform, 1,2-DCE, and VC, under conditions when the water table is high, i.e., when residential basements may flood, to determine the extent of potential VOC volatilization. In addition, the existing former supply well on the site property should also be sampled and analyzed for VOCs.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION PLAN (PHAP)
The Public Health Action Plan (PHAP) for the former Keystone Metal Finishers site contains descriptions of the actions to be taken by ATSDR and/or NJDHSS at or in the vicinity of the site. The purpose of a PHAP is to ensure that a Health Assessment/Consultation not only identifies public health hazards, but provides a plan of action designed to mitigate and prevent adverse human health effects resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the environment. The environmental sampling data and remedial activities that have been conducted have been evaluated within the context of human exposure pathways and other relevant public health factors. Included is a commitment on the part of ATSDR and NJDHSS to monitor this plan to ensure that the plan is implemented. ATSDR will provide follow-up to this PHAP, outlining the actions which have been completed, and those actions in progress, as needed. The public health actions to be implemented by ATSDR/NJDHSS are as follows:
A site visit and meeting with concerned residents was held to discuss and assess community concerns.
This Health Consultation was prepared by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) under a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). It has been produced in accordance with approved methodology and procedures existing at the time the Health Consultation was begun.
Gregory V. Ulirsch
Technical Project Officer
Superfund Site Assessment Branch (SSAB)
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation (DHAC)
ATSDR
The Division of Health Assessment and Consultation, ATSDR, has reviewed this Health Consultation and concurs with its findings.
Lisa C. Hayes
for Roberta Erlwein
Chief, SPS, SSAB, DHAC
ATSDR
Preparer of Report:
Bruce E. Wilcomb, Ph.D.
Health Assessment Project
Hazardous Site Health Evaluation Program
Consumer and Environmental Health Services
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
ATSDR Regional Representative:
Arthur Block
Regional Representative, Region II
Regional Operations
Office of the Assistant Administrator
ATSDR Technical Project Officer:
Gregory V. Ulirsch
Technical Project Officer
Superfund Site Assessment Branch (SSAB)
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation (DHAC)
Any questions concerning this document should be directed to:
Health Assessment Project Manager
Consumer and Environmental Health Services
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
3635 Quakerbridge Road
PO Box 369
Trenton, NJ 08625-0369
ATSDR, 1992. ATSDR Record of Activity, Subject: Keystone Metals Refinishing, January 6, 1992
ATSDR, 1997a. Toxicological Profile for Trichloroethylene (Update), ATSDR, September 1997
ATSDR, 1997b. Toxicological Profile for Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene) (Update), ATSDR, September 1997
GM, 1987. Assessment of Soil and Shallow Ground Water Conditions at the Keystone Metal Finishers, Inc. Facility in Secaucus (Draft), New Jersey, Geraghty & Miller, February 1987
HRHC, 1991a. Site Visit Report, Keystone Metal Finishers (NJDEPE Case Number 91-09-09-0956), Hudson Regional Health Commission (HRHC Case Number 91-09-09-S-16), September 9, 1991
HRHC, 1991b. Groundwater Sampling from Residential Sumps near Keystone 9/27/91, Hudson Regional Health Commission, September 27, 1991
IARC, 1995. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Dry Cleaning, Some Chlorinated Solvents, and Other Industrial Chemicals, Volume 63, World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
NJDEP, 1993. Preliminary Assessment Report for Keystone Metal Finishers, Inc, NJDEP Bureau of Field Operations, April 21, 1993
PMK, 1998. Remedial Investigation/Action Report, Former Keystone Metal Finishers Facility, 22 Raydol Avenue, Secaucus, New Jersey, PMK Group, Inc., July 1998
PMK, 2000a. Remedial Investigation/Remedial Action Workplan Report (RI/RAW), Former Keystone Metal Finishers Facility, 22 Raydol Avenue, Secaucus, NJ, Volumes 1 and 2, from PMK Group, to Town of Secaucus, NJ, July 6, 2000
PMK, 2000b. Letter, RE: Additional Remedial Investigation Receptor Evaluation and Sampling at Residences, Former Keystone Metal Finishers Facility, from PMK Group, to Town of Secaucus, New Jersey, September 5, 2000
PMK, 2000c. Letter, RE: Air and Sump Water Analytical Results -- Residences, Former Keystone Metal Finishers Facility, from PMK Group, to Town of Secaucus, NJ, November 22, 2000
USEPA, 1992. USEPA Pollution Reports (16 reports), Keystone Metal Finishers, Secaucus, Hudson County, New Jersey, USEPA Region 2, dated November 15, 1991 through September 22, 1992
APPENDIX A: DESCRIPTION OF COMPARISON VALUES
ATSDR's Comparison Values are media-specific concentrations that are considered to be "safe" under default conditions of exposure. They are used as screening values in the preliminary identification of site-specific chemical substances that the health assessor has selected for further evaluation of potential health effects.
Generally, a chemical is selected for evaluation because its maximum concentration in air, water, or soil at the site exceeds one of ATSDR's Comparison Values. However, it cannot be emphasized strongly enough that Comparison Values are not thresholds of toxicity. While concentrations at or below the relevant comparison value may reasonably be considered safe, it does not automatically follow that any environmental concentration that exceeds a Comparison Value would be expected to produce adverse health effects. Indeed, the whole purpose behind highly conservative, health-based standards and guidelines is to enable health professionals to recognize and resolve potential public health problems before they become actual health hazards. The probability that adverse health outcomes will actually occur as a result of exposure to environmental contaminants depends on site-specific conditions and individual lifestyle and genetic factors that affect the route, magnitude, and duration of actual exposure, and not solely on environmental concentrations.
Screening values based on non-cancer effects are generally based on the level at which no health adverse health effects (or the lowest level associated with health effects) found in animal or (less often) human studies, and include a cumulative margin of safety (variously called safety factors, uncertainty factors, and modifying factors) that typically range from 10-fold to 1,000-fold or more. By contrast, cancer-based screening values are usually derived by linear extrapolation with statistical models from animal data obtained at high exposure doses, because human cancer incidence data for very low levels of exposure are rarely available. Cancer risk estimates are intended to represent the upper limit of risk, based on the available data.
Listed and described below are the types of comparison values that the ATSDR and the NJDHSS used in this Public Health Consultation:
Cancer Risk Evaluation Guides (CREGs) are estimated concentrations of contaminants in an environmental medium (such as drinking water) that are expected to cause no more than one excess cancer case for every million persons who are continuously exposed to the concentration for an entire lifetime (equaling a risk of 1 x 10-6). These concentrations are calculated from the USEPA's cancer slope factors, which indicate the relative potency of carcinogenic chemicals. Only chemicals that are known or suspected of being carcinogenic have CREG Comparison values.
Environmental Media Evaluation Guides (EMEGs) and Reference Dose Media Evaluation Guides (RMEGs) are estimates of chemical concentrations in an environmental medium (such as drinking water) that are not likely to cause an appreciable risk of deleterious, non-cancer health effects, for fixed durations of exposure. These guides may be developed for special sub-populations such as children. EMEGs are based on ATSDR's Minimal Risk Level (MRL) while RMEGs are based on the USEPA's Reference Dose (RfD).
Other health-based guides may also be used as Comparison Values, including drinking water Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) established by the USEPA or the NJDEP.
APPENDIX B: ATSDR'S INTERIM PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARD CATEGORIES
| Category / Definition | Data Sufficiency | Criteria |
| A. Urgent Public Health Hazard
This category is used for sites where short-term exposures (< 1 yr) to hazardous substances or conditions could result in adverse health effects that require rapid intervention. |
This determination represents a professional judgement based on critical data which ATSDR has judged sufficient to support a decision. This does not necessarily imply that the available data are complete; in some cases additional data may be required to confirm or further support the decision made. | Evaluation of available relevant information* indicates that site-specific conditions or likely exposures have had, are having, or are likely to have in the future, an adverse impact on human health that requires immediate action or intervention. Such site-specific conditions or exposures may include the presence of serious physical or safety hazards. |
| B. Public Health Hazard
This category is used for sites that pose a public health hazard due to the existence of long-term exposures (> 1 yr) to hazardous substance or conditions that could result in adverse health effects. |
This determination represents a professional judgement based on critical data which ATSDR has judged sufficient to support a decision. This does not necessarily imply that the available data are complete; in some cases additional data may be required to confirm or further support the decision made. | Evaluation of available relevant information* suggests that, under site-specific conditions of exposure, long-term exposures to site-specific contaminants (including radionuclides) have had, are having, or are likely to have in the future, an adverse impact on human health that requires one or more public health interventions. Such site-specific exposures may include the presence of serious physical or safety hazards. |
| C. Indeterminate Public Health Hazard
This category is used for sites in which "critical" data are insufficient with regard to extent of exposure and/or toxicologic properties at estimated exposure levels. |
This determination represents a professional judgement that critical data are missing and ATSDR has judged the data are insufficient to support a decision. This does not necessarily imply all data are incomplete; but that some additional data are required to support a decision. | The health assessor must determine, using professional judgement, the "criticality" of such data and the likelihood that the data can be obtained and will be obtained in a timely manner. Where some data are available, even limited data, the health assessor is encouraged to the extent possible to select other hazard categories and to support their decision with clear narrative that explains the limits of the data and the rationale for the decision. |
| D. No Apparent Public Health Hazard
This category is used for sites where human exposure to contaminated media may be occurring, may have occurred in the past, and/or may occur in the future, but the exposure is not expected to cause any adverse health effects. |
This determination represents a professional judgement based on critical data which ATSDR considers sufficient to support a decision. This does not necessarily imply that the available data are complete; in some cases additional data may be required to confirm or further support the decision made. | Evaluation of available relevant information* indicates that, under site-specific conditions of exposure, exposures to site-specific contaminants in the past, present, or future are not likely to result in any adverse impact on human health. |
| E: No Public Health Hazard
This category is used for sites that, because of the absence of exposure, do NOT pose a public health hazard. |
Sufficient evidence indicates that no human exposures to contaminated media have occurred, none are now occurring, and none are likely to occur in the future |
* Such as environmental and demographic data; health outcome data; exposure data; community health concerns information; toxicologic, medical, and epidemiologic data; monitoring and management plans.
Table 1. A Chronology of Significant Events Associated with the Keystone Metal Finishers Site
| Date | Item/Activity |
| 1947-1991 | Operation of Keystone Metal Finishing plant as nickel plating facility |
| 1960 | Modification of site processes to include anodizing, and tin-nickel and electroless nickel plating |
| 1987 | "Assessment of Soil and Shallow Groundwater Conditions at the Keystone Metal Finishers, Inc. Facility" published by Geraghty & Miller |
| September 1991-September 1992 | Removal actions by USEPA. Removal of hazardous materials and identification of on-site soil and groundwater contamination. Site turned over to Town of Secaucus |
| April 1993 | Preliminary Assessment Report issued by NJDEP |
| September 1994 | Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) approved by NJDEP for soil investigation and remediation of the site. |
| December 1994 | Title for site turned over to Town of Secaucus by Superior Court of New Jersey Chancery Division for Hudson County |
| May 1995 | Site Investigation Report issued by PMK |
| October 1995 | MOA amended to include additional investigation and remedial action activities |
| November 1995 | NJDEP approved scope of work for site investigation submitted with Hazardous Site Remediation Fund (HSRF) application |
| May-October 1996 | Soil excavation and off-site disposal with post-excavation soil sampling and analysis to address metal and chlorinated solvent contamination source area |
| January 1997 | Groundwater investigation including well installation, groundwater sampling and analysis |
| August 1997 | HSDRF application submitted to NJDEP |
| February 1998 | New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and NJDEP approved HSDRF grant |
| June 1998 | Soil and groundwater investigation to delineate on-site and adjacent off-site contamination. 11 monitoring wells installed |
| July 1998 | Remedial Investigation/Soil Action Report issued. Sampling and analysis of all existing wells |
| September 1998 | NJDEP approved Remedial Investigation/Action Report |
| June 1999 | Soil and groundwater investigation prior to rehabilitation of adjacent storm sewer system |
| June 1999-January 2000 | PMK sample and analysis of sump pits, soil, groundwater, and irrigation wells at nearby residences |
| August 1999-October 1999 | Addition groundwater investigation to delineate off-site extent of chlorinated solvents plume |
| September 1999-March 2000 | Soil and groundwater investigation to assess if storm sewer pipe is acting a preferential migration pathway for PCE plume |
| January 2000 | Groundwater sampling of all wells. Four residential irrigation wells abandoned |
| March 2000 | On-site drainage swale and nearby sump pit sampled |
| August 2000 | Request to ATSDR for Petitioned Health Assessment |
| October 2000 | Sampling of indoor air and sump pits in 5 residences |
Table 2. Guidelines/Standards for Chemicals
at Keystone Metal Finishers
| Contaminant | NJDEP Groundwater Quality Standard (ppb) | Potable Water MCL (ppb) | ATSDR child,adult Drinking Water CV (ppb) |
NJDEP Residential Soil (ppm) | ATSDR Soil CV (ppm) |
| Perchloroethylene (PCE) | 1 | 1NJ | 100*, 400*, UR | 1(IGWSCC) 4(RDCSCC) | 500, 7000RMEG |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE) | 1 | 1NJ | UR | 1(IGWSCCS) 23(RDCSCC) | UR |
| cis 1,2-dichloroethylene (1,2DCE) | 10 | 70MCL | 3000, 10000 | 1(IGWSCC) 79(RDCSCC) | 600, 20000* |
| trans 1,2-dichloroethylene(1,2-DCE) | 100 | 100MCL | 2000, 7000 | 50(IGWSCC) 1000(RDCSCC) | 400, 10000* |
| Vinyl chloride (VC) | 5 | 2MCL | 0.2, 0.7, 0.02CREG | 2(RDCSCC) 10(IGWSCC) | 1, 10, 0.3CREG |
| Cadmium (Cd) | 10 | 5MCL | 2, 7 | 39(RDCSCC) | 10, 100 |
| Copper (Cu) | 10 | 1300AL | NONE | 600(RDCSCC) | NONE |
| Chromium (Cr) | 50 | 100MCL | 100LTHA | 240(RDCSCC) | NONE |
| Lead.(Pb) | 10 | 15AL | NONE | 400(RDCSCC) | NONE |
| Nickel (Ni) | 100 | 100LTHA | 100LTHA | 250(RDCSCC) | 1000, 10000RMEG |
| Cyanide (CN) | 200 | 200MCL | 200LTHA | 1100(RDCSCC) | 1000, 10000RMEG |
IGWSCC - Impact on Ground Water Soil Cleanup Criteria
RDCSCC - Residential Direct Contact Soil Cleanup Criteria
NJ - New Jersey A280 Criteria
AL - Action Level
MCL - Maximum Contaminant Level
CREG - Cancer Risk Evaluation Guide
* - intermediate RMEG
CV - Comparison Value
RMEG - Reference dose Media Evaluation guide
UR - Under review
LTHA - Long Term Health Advisory
Table 3. Concentrations of Chemicals in
On-Site Monitoring Wells - 1986 (ppm) (GM, 1987)
| Contaminant | MW1 | MW2 | MW3 | ATSDR CV |
| Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPHC) | ND(<0.21) | ND(<0.21) | ND(<0.22) | NE |
| Chlorides | 91 | 91 | 90 | NE |
| Cyanide | ND(<0.02) | ND (<0.02) | 0.04 | 0.2 |
| Fluoride | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.20 | 0.5 |
| Nitrogen (as ammonia) | ND (<0.05) | ND (<0.05) | 0.43 | NE |
| Nitrogen (as nitrate) | 0.99 | 1.7 | 27 | 10 |
| Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) | 356 | 427 | 517 | NE |
| Sulfates | 41 | 69 | 81 | NE |
| Vinyl chloride | ND | ND | 0.012 | 0.0002, 0.00002 CREG |
| trans 1,2-Dichloroethylene) | ND | ND | 0.053 | 2 |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE) | ND | 8 | 0.047 | 0.001 UR |
| Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) | 6 | 110 | 1.400 | 0.0004 UR |
| Chromium (total) | NS | NS | 0.195 | 0.1 LTHA |
| Chromium (hexavalent) | NS | NS | 0.186 | NE |
BOLD - Exceeds Comparison
Values
CV - Comparison Value
NE -- Not Established
ND - Not Detected
NS - Not Sampled
UR - Under Review
LTHA - Longer Term Health Advisory
CREG - Cancer Risk Evaluation Guide
Table 4. On-Site Soil Borings - 1986 (GM,
1987)
| Contaminant | A-1 | A-2 | B | C | D-1 | D-2 | D-3 | D-4 | E | F-1 | F-2 | G | Soil Cleanup Criteria | ATSDR CV |
| Cadmium (ppm) | 14 | <1 | <1 | <1 | 3.0 | <1 | 58 | <1 | <1 | 4.6 | <1 | <1 | 3 | 10 |
| Chromium (total) (ppm) | 49 | 31 | 26 | 39 | 110 | 4300 | 280 | 32 | 150 | 35 | 19 | 37 | 100 | NE |
| Chromium (hexavalent) (ppm) | <2 | <2 | <2 | <2 | <2 | 560 | <2 | <2 | 21 | <2 | <2 | 2.6 | NE | 200* |
| Lead (ppm) | 5.4 | 17 | 8.9 | 100 | 29 | 270 | 36 | 31 | 68 | 8.2 | 41 | 150 | 100 | NE |
| Nickel (ppm) | 120 | 33 | 34 | ND | 84 | 28 | 200 | 5200 | 61 | 91 | 36 | 17 | 23 | 1000* |
| Cyanide (ppm) | 1.3 | 0.76 | <0.71 | <0.71 | 5.7 | 19 | 120 | <0.58 | <0.37 | <0.61 | <0.6 | <0.51 | NE | 1000* |
| t-1,2 dichloroethylene (ppb) | ND | 19 | ND | 10 | 7 | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | NE | 400* |
| Trichloroethylene (ppb) | ND | ND | ND | 140 | ND | ND | ND | 120 | ND | ND | ND | ND | NE | NE |
| Perchloroethylene (ppb) | ND | 30 | 29 | 7200 | 11 | ND | ND | 6700 | ND | ND | ND | ND | NE | 500* |
| PCBs (ppm) | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 147 | NA | NA | NA | 1-5 | 0.4CREG |
BOLD - exceeds soil
cleanup criteria
CV - Comparison Value
ND - Not Detected
NA - Not Analyzed
NE - Not Established
PCB - Polychlorinated biphenyls
* child Reference Media Evaluation Guide
CREG - Cancer Risk Evaluation Guide
Table 5. Groundwater in Residential Sumps
- 1991 (ppb) (HRHC, 1991b)
| Metal | Sample A | Sample B | Drinking Water Standard | Proposed GQS |
| Arsenic | 65 | ND | 50 | 20 |
| Chromium | 15 | 22 | 50 | 100 |
| Copper | 210 | ND | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Lead | 41.5 | ND | 50 | 5 |
| Zinc | 47 | 52 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Cyanide | 43 | ND | NE | 200 |
BOLD - exceeds Drinking Water
Standard or Ground Water Standard
GQS - Ground Water Quality Standard
ND - Not Detected
NE - Not Established
Table 6. Groundwater in the Vicinity of
(Former) Keystone Metal Finishers - 2000 (ppb) (PMK, 2000a)
| Contaminant | MW1 | MW2 | MW3 | MW4 | MW5 | MW6 | MW7 | MW8 | MW9 | MW10 | MW11 | AS1 | DEP GQC |
| EB | ND | ND | ND | ND | 0.8 | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 700 |
| TCFM | ND | ND | ND | ND | 1.3 | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 100* |
| VC | ND | ND | 60 | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 5 |
| t-DCE | ND | 37 | 44 | ND | ND | 0.6 | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 11 | 100 |
| c-DCE | ND | 2500 | 6600 | ND | ND | 0.4 | ND | ND | 2.2 | ND | ND | 1900 | 70 |
| MTBE | 0.7 | ND | ND | ND | ND | 1.9 | ND | ND | 0.5 | ND | ND | ND | 70 |
| CFM | 0.6 | ND | ND | ND | 1.5 | 1.4 | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 6 |
| TCE | ND | 1300 | 400 | ND | 2.5 | 0.5 | 1.4 | ND | 1.3 | 0.5 | ND | 480 | 1 |
| PCE | 1.3 | 760 | 1300 | 510 | 380 | 1.2 | 81 | 0.3 | 15 | 36 | ND | 600 | 1 |
| TVOC | 2.6 | 4597 | 8404 | 510 | 386.1 | 6.0 | 82.4 | 0.3 | 19 | 36.5 | ND | 2991 | 500 |
BOLD - Exceeds Groundwater
Quality Criteria
* Generic Groundwater Quality Criteria
ND - Not Detected
DEP - New jersey Department of Environmental Protection
EB - Ethyl benzene
TCFM - Trichlorofluoromethane
VC - Vinyl chloride
t-DCE - trans- 1,2-Dichloroethylene
c-DCE - cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
MTBE - methyl t-butyl ether
CFM - Chloroform
TCE- Trichloroethylene
PCE - perchloroethylene (tetrachloroethylene)
TVOC - Total Volatile Organic Compounds
Table 7. Groundwater in Sumps of Nearby
Residences - 2000 (ppb) (PMK, 2000c)
| Contaminant | Sample 235794 |
Sample 235795 |
Sample 235796 |
Sample 235797 |
Sample 237798 |
MDL | NJDEP GQC |
ATSDR CV |
| Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) | 0.4 | ND | ND | ND | ND | 0.3 | 1 | 1NJ |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE) | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 0.4 | 1 | 0.09CREG |
| c-1,2-Dichloroethylene (c-DCE) | ND | 0.4 | 0.4 | ND | ND | 0.4 | 10 | 70 |
| t-1,2-Dichloroethylene (t-DCE) | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 0.4 | 100 | 100 |
| Vinyl chloride (VC) | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 0.6 | 5 | 0.03CREG |
ND - Not Detected
MDL - Minimum Detection Level
GQC - Groundwater Quality Criteria
CREG - Cancer Risk Evaluation Guide
NJ - New Jersey A-280 Criteria
Table 8. Indoor Air in Nearby Residences
- 2000 (ppbv) (PMK, 2000c)
| Contaminant | Sample L64459-1 |
Sample L64459-2 |
Sample L64459-7 |
Sample L64459-3 |
Sample L64459-4 |
Sample L64459-5 |
Sample L64459-6 |
Detection Limit (ppbv) |
ATSDR MRL (ppbv) |
||
| Acute | Intermediate | Chronic | |||||||||
| PCE | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 5 | 200 | NE | 40 |
| TCE | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 5 | 2000 | 100 | NE |
| c-DCE | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 5 | NE | NE | NE |
| t-DCE | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 5 | 200 | 200 | NE |
| VC | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | 5 | 500 | 30 | NE |
ppbv - parts per billion by volume
PCE - Perchloroethylene (tetrachloroethylene)
TCE - Trichloroethylene
c-DCE - cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
t-DCE - trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene
VC - Vinyl chloride
ND - Not Detected
NE - Not Established
MRL - Minimal Risk Level
Figure 1. Secaucus (Hudson), New Jersey and Vicinity
Figure 2. Keystone Monitoring Wells - 2000
Figure 3. PCE in Groundwater - 2000
Figure 4. TCE in Groundwater - 2000
