Other Names:
- American University
- American University Experiment Station
Current ATSDR Activities
September 2005 The Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry (ATSDR) is evaluating the health implications of contamination
in soil and other environmental samples taken in the Spring Valley neighborhood
of Washington, DC. Clean-up of the area is being conducted by the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers.
ATSDR, in collaboration with the Washington, DC, Scientific Advisory
Panel and the District of Columbia Department of Health (DC DOH), conducted
an Exposure Investigation (EI) in Spring Valley to determine whether
neighborhood residents have higher-than-average levels of arsenic in
their bodies. For those families participating in the EI, ATSDR offered
urine and hair testing as well as indoor vacuum sampling. Samples were
collected during the week of March 11, 2002 . In May, results were provided
individually to EI participants, and a summary of the results was provided
to the Scientific Advisory Panel. The findings indicate that the levels
of arsenic observed in this investigation are not expected to cause
health problems. A Summary Report is available on this
Web site and a full report is available under "ATSDR Documents, March 2002 Exposure
Investigation."
ATSDR and DC DOH conducted a follow-up exposure investigation from July
through November 2002. This investigation also focused on residences
with the highest soil arsenic levels. Urine samples were collected by
the DC DOH. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether
people were being exposed to arsenic in the soil during soil removal
in the Spring Valley area and to retest during warmer months to determine
if any higher exposures were indicated. Although three of the 40 people
tested had mild elevations of inorganic arsenic in their urine, health
effects are not anticipated in these or any other EI participants. A
summary of these results is presented in the February 2003 Newsletter as well as in a February 2003 presentation. A full
report is available under "ATSDR Documents, June 2003 Exposure Investigation."
At EPA's request, ATSDR prepared an evaluation of indoor air sampling
at 4625 Rockwood Parkway. This evaluation is provided under under ATSDR
Documents, "Public Health Consultation for 4625 Rockwood Parkway".
ATSDR has prepared a public health consultation (Public Health Evaluation
for the Spring Valley Community) which provides a public health perspective
based on environmental and health data for the Spring Valley community.
The document is available at Palisades Neighborhood Library, 4901 V
Street, NW (at 49th Street) and on this web site under ATSDR
Documents, "Health Consultation, Spring Valley Chemical Munitions".
Background
During World War I, the U.S. Army conducted chemical warfare research
at the site of the present Spring Valley neighborhood in Washington,
DC Chemical weapons were detonated in several areas during research
and training operations. Chemical agents, including hazardous substances,
ordnance, and explosive waste, were buried in parts of the area, which
has since been developed. It is now occupied by residential homes and
the American University campus.
In December 2000, contaminated soil was identified at the child Developmental
Center at American University. Surface soil samples collected from the
center's playground were found to be contaminated with arsenic at an
average concentration of 57 parts per million (ppm) and at a maximum
concentration of 498 ppm (ATSDR, March 14, 2001). ATSDR conducted an
exposure investigation (hair analyses for arsenic) at the center on
February 1-2, 2001. Hair samples from 28 children and 4 adults indicated
no elevated arsenic exposure in children or workers at the center. The
property subsequently has received remedial actions to reduce arsenic
levels in the soil (ATSDR, March 8, 2001). Detectable levels of arsenic
were measured in hair samples from 8 of the participants at concentrations,
ranging from 0.10 to 0.14 ppm, which is within the range reported for
unexposed populations.
On February 10 and 15, 2001, Washington Occupational Health Associates,
Inc. (WOHA), collected hair and urine samples at American University.
The target population for this exposure investigation consisted of Child
Developmental Center staff and children (who attended the center for
the prior 12 months), maintenance and grounds workers, and university
athletes who play on the intramural fields near the daycare center.
Sixty-six people (39 adults and 27 children) provided hair samples.
Urine samples were provided by 4 adults. WOHA concluded that results
of its exposure investigation indicated no elevated levels of arsenic
in the population tested (WOHA, March 26, 2001).
Testing of residential soils in the Spring Valley neighborhood has shown
composite soil levels of arsenic ranging from background (an amount
normally found in soils in the region) to approximately 202 ppm. Eleven
properties with one or more grid (discrete) sampling results exceeding
150 ppm have been identified (go to the Army Corps of Engineers Web
site for more information on their sampling results). The maximum background
level of arsenic in Spring Valley soil is approximately 17 ppm, which
is well within the background levels for arsenic in soils of the United
States. Residents of Spring Valley have expressed concern about possible
arsenic exposure they might have received from soils at their residences.
The Army Corps of Engineers began removal of arsenic-contaminated soil
from residential yards in July 2002.
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ATSDR
Information Repository
ATSDR has established an information repository for the community to
review past and current documents/fact sheets/ newsletters, etc. regarding
our involvement in the American University / Spring Valley site. The
information repository is located at the Palisades Branch Library,4901
V Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007, Phone: 202-282-3139.
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ATSDR
Fact Sheets and Newsletters about Spring Valley
Newsletter to the Spring
Valley Community, April 2005
Newsletter to the Spring Valley Community, October 2003. Click
here for PDF version or Click here
for html version.
Newsletter to the Spring Valley
Community, February 2003
Newsletter to the Spring Valley Community, August
2002
Newsletter to the Spring Valley Community, February
2002
An Overview of ATSDR's initial plans
for public health evaluation of the Spring Valley community, December
2001
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ATSDR
Documents
Health
Consultation, Spring Valley Chemical Munitions, Washington, District
of Columbia - Public Health Evaluation for the Spring Valley Community,
September 07, 2005.
Safe Gardening, Safe Play and a Safe Home - An interim guide to reducing
arsenic exposure in Spring Valley. Click here
for PDF version. Click here for HTML
version.
Public Health Consultation
for indoor air sampling at 4625 Rockwood Parkway, released December
11, 2003.
June 2003 Exposure Investigation provides a follow-up report on levels
of arsenic in urine for Spring Valley neighborhood participants. Click here for PDF version.
June 2002 Exposure Investigation reports on levels of
arsenic in urine and hair of participants in the Spring Valley neighborhood
of Washington, DC and on indoor dust samples from their homes.
Public Health Consultation about Arsenic on the
grounds of the American University Child Development Center, released
March 14, 2001.
Exposure Investigation
for Arsenic at the American University Child Development Center, released
March 8, 2001.
Public Health Consultation about initial
soil sampling results at the American University Child Development Center,
released December 14, 2000.
Public Health Consultation on four
sediment samples taken from four Spring Valley residences, released
as a letter to the US Environmental Protection Agency, March 2, 2000.
Technical Assistance to the DC
Department of Health about whether soil analysis was appropriate to
find all potential contaminants, released January 8, 1998.
Public Health Consultation about soil
sampling results at the American University, releasedAugust 26, 1997.
Public Health Consultation providing
an initial assessment of needed public health actions in the vicinity
of the American University Experiment Station, released June 3, 1997.
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General
Information about Arsenic
Public Health Statement for Arsenic
-- the summary chapter from the ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Arsenic.
Toxicological Profile for Arsenic
-- a review of all toxicological information available for arsenic (September,
2000).
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General
Information about Mustard Gas
ToxFAQs TM for Mustard Gas
-- a quick, easy-to-understand guide to the health effects of mustard
gas, excerpted from the ATSDR Toxicological Profiles.
Public Health Statement for Mustard
Gas -- the summary chapter from the ATSDR Toxicological Profile
for Mustard Gas.
Toxicological Profile for Mustard
Gas -- a review of all toxicological information available for mustard
gas (September, 2003).
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Additional
Information
PowerPoint Presentation
to the Spring Valley Restoration Advisory Board (March 8, 2005)
Information for Health Care Providers
has more detailed information on health issues potentially associated
with the Spring Valley area.
Presentation to the DC Scientific Advisory
Panel. Review of ATSDR Spring Valley Exposure Investigations (September
26, 2003).
Presentation to the Spring
Valley Restoration Advisory Board (December 10, 2002) and to the
DC Scientific Advisory Panel (February 3, 2003).
Testimony to the Subcommittee
on the District of Columbia, Committee on GovernmentReform, United
States House of Representatives, June 26, 2002.
Summary Report of findings
from an Exposure Investigation into possible arsenic exposure to Spring
Valley residents, June 12, 2002.
Report from an expert panel
assembled by ATSDR on the state of the science of hair analysis for
contamination, December, 2001.
Presentation at a Public
Meeting about ATSDR activities in Spring Valley, including the upcoming
Exposure Investigation, presented on January 23, 2002.
Presentation to the DC Scientific
Advisory Panel regarding procedures to be used in the upcoming exposure
investigation, presented on December 7, 2001.
Presentation to the Spring
Valley Restoration Advisory Board presented on November 13, 2001.
Testimony to the Subcommittee on the
District of Columbia, Committee on Government Reform United States
House of Representatives, July 27, 2001.
Presentation to the DC Scientific
Advisory Panel on general aspects of exposure investigations, presented
on April 25, 2001.
Presentation at a Public
Meeting on results of the daycare center exposure investigation
and interpretation of risk, presented on March 14, 2001.
General information about Public Health
Consultations, Petitioned Public Health
Assessments and exposure to hazardous
substances.
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Similar
Sites
The following sites are similar to Spring Valley, in that they also
have arsenic as a primary contaminant in residential soils. They are
listed here only for comparison. This may not be a complete list. Keep
in mind that every site is different, and so our actions
at each site may also differ. Our recommendations for the Spring Valley
site will be specific to its own unique characteristics.
Vasquez Blvd.& Interstate-70, in Denver, Co.
High levels of arsenic were found in soils from homes in the area.
Media announcement about the
release of a draft Public Health Assessment for this site, March 6,
2002.
Blackbird Mine (Panther Creek), in Cobalt, Idaho.
High levels of arsenic were observed in mine tailings.
Public Health Assessment
for this site, January 12, 1995.
Exposure Investigation of workers and residents to arsenic.
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Contact
the ATSDR Spring Valley Team Members
Toll free in Atlanta
at 1-888-422-8737 or directly at their phone numbers and emails listed
below:
Members of the media are asked to coordinate interviews with site team
members through the Office of Public Affairs at (404) 498-0070.
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