Use of Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis to Distinguish Between Vapor Intrusion and Indoor Sources of VOCs

摘要

Indoor sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are ubiquitous, resulting in detectable concentrations in indoor air, often at concentrations above regulatory screening levels. Because of these indoor sources, the detection of a site-related VOC in a potentially affected building at a concentration above the regulatory screening level does not necessarily indicate a vapor intrusion impact. Instead, additional investigation is required to determine the sources of the detected VOCs. Distinguishing between vapor intrusion and indoor sources of VOCs is a significant challenge, greatly increasing the cost and complexity of vapor intrusion investigations.