Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 90-317-2150, Kalapana Civil DefenseDepartment, Hilo, Hawaii

摘要

In response to a request from the Director of the Hawaii County Civil DefenseAgency (SIC-9229), a site visit was conducted between July 30 and August 2, 1990 in an effort to measure possible hazardous exposures resulting from the lava flow from Kilauea Volcano entering the ocean with the resulting formation of laze, an acidic steam cloud formed by the interaction of lava with seawater. Short term colorimetric detector tubes measured hydrochloric-acid (7647010) (HC1) concentrations in the dense laze near the shoreline at 10 to 15 parts per million (ppm). Air samples collected over longer periods of time gave HC1 concentrations of up to 3.6ppm. Samples collected at the civil defense road block locations and in areas where the general public or community residents had access measured from not detectable to 1.1ppm. Hydrofluoric-acid (7664393) (HF) concentrations ranged from nondetectable to 0.4ppm. Analyses for other acids and for sulfur-dioxide (7446095) did not prove fruitful. The author concludes that civil defense personnel, community residents, and the general public were not being exposed to concentrations of HC1, HF or other inorganic acids in excess of occupational standards in the unrestricted areas. The author recommends that protective equipment be used by individuals who may be downwind of the laze, including civil defense workers, photographers, geologists, and others authorized to be in restricted areas of the lava flow.