Alaska Native Indoor Air Quality Cooperative
Tribal Air Quality Program
Prepared by:
Chris Fish
Tina Tinker
Ben Foss
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Division of Environmental Health and Engineering
1901 Bragaw Street, Suite 200
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
March 2011
Acronyms and Abbreviations
AIHAAmerican Industrial Hygiene Association
ANSIAmerican National Standards Institute
ANTHCAlaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials
ASHRAEAmerican Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers
ATCAleknagik Traditional Council
CDCCenters for Disease Control
COCarbon Monoxide
CO2Carbon Dioxide
CAAClean Air Act
CVcoefficient of variation, or sample standard deviation divided by the mean
CFRCode of Federal Regulations
COCchain of custody
DQAdata quality assessment
DQOsdata quality objectives
EPAEnvironmental Protection Agency
FRM Federal reference method
GISgeographical information systems
IAQIndoor Air Quality
ITEPInstitute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, Northern Arizona University
LANlocal area network
MQOsmeasurement quality objectives
NISTNational Institute of Standards and Technology
PBVCPedro Bay Village Council
PDpercent difference
PEperformance evaluation
PM2.5particulate matter, less than 2.5 micrometers
PM10particulate matter, less than 10 micrometers
QA/QCquality assurance/quality control
QAPPquality assurance project plan
RHrelative humidity
RPDrelative percent difference
SOPstandard operating procedure
TAMSTribal Air Monitoring Support Center
Ta temperature, ambient or actual
VOCsvolatile organic compounds
Table of Contents
1 QA Plan Identification and Approval
2 Distribution
3 Organization and Responsibilities
3.1 Roles and Responsibilities
3.2 Alaska Indoor Air Quality Cooperative Team
3.3 EPA Region 10
4 Problem Definition and Background
5 Alaska Native IAQ Cooperative Description
6 Quality Objectives and Criteria
6.1 Data Collection and Data Quality Objectives (DQO)
6.2 Measurement Quality Objectives (MQO)
7 Training/Certification
8 Documents and Records
9 Experimental Design
10 Sampling Methods
10.1 Sampling Procedures
11 Sample Handling and Custody
12 Analytical Methods Requirements
13 Quality Control
13.1 Quality Control Requirements
14 Instrument/Equipment Testing, Inspection and Maintenance Requirements
15 Instrument/Equipment Calibration and Frequency
16 Acceptance Criteria
17 Data Acquisition Requirements for Outside Data
18 Data Management
18.1Data Recording
18.4 Data Storage and Retrieval
19 Reports
19.1Quarterly Reports
19.2Final Report
19.3 Information Provided to Residents and Building Occupants
20 Data Review, Validation and Verification Requirements
20.1 Sampling Design
20.2 Data Collection Procedures
20.3 Quality Control
Appendix A IAQ Survey Sheet
Appendix B: Permission for IAQ Assessment / Survey and Release Form
Appendix C: IAQ Field Datasheet
Appendix D: Standard Operating Procedures TSI DustTrak Monitor
Appendix E: Standard Operating Procedures TSI QTrak Monitor
1 QA Plan Identification and Approval
Title: Alaska Native Indoor Air Quality Cooperative.
The Alaska Native Indoor Air Quality Cooperative is recommended for approval and commits the program to follow the elements described within.
ANTHC
Chris Fish, ANTHC Tribal Air Quality Project ManagerDate
EPA Region 10
Mary Manous, EPA Project OfficerDate
Christopher Hall, Quality Assurance OfficerDate
Aleknagik Traditional Council
Tina Tinker, IGAP AssistantDate
Pedro Bay Village Council
Ben Foss, PBVC Environmental Programs CoordinatorDate
2 Distribution
A copy of the Alaska Native Indoor Air Quality Surveyis distributed to the following listed below:
Name / Position / Organization / Contact InformationChris Fish / Project Manager / ANTHC / 1901 Bragaw St.
Anchorage, AK 99508
907-729-5683
Christopher Hall / Quality Assurance Officer / EPA Region 10 / 1200 Sixth Avenue
OEA-095
Seattle, WA 98101
206-553-0521
Mary Manous / EPA Project Officer / EPA Region 10 / 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, AWT-107
Seattle, WA 98101
206-553-1059
Tina Tinker / IGAP Assistant / Aleknagik Traditional Council / P.O. Box 115
Aleknagik, AK 99555
907-842-4407
Ben Foss / Environmental Programs Coordinator / Pedro Bay Village Council / P.O. Box 47020
Pedro Bay, AK 99647
907-850-2225
3 Organization and Responsibilities
3.1 Roles and Responsibilities
Federal agencies, Tribal organizations and governments all have important roles in developing and implementing satisfactory IAQ survey programs.As part of the planning effort, EPA is responsible for review of the quality system and measures, providing assistance and approval of this QAPP.The Tribal organizations and governments are responsible for taking this information and developing and implementing a quality system that will meet the data quality measures.Then, it is the responsibility of EPA, ANTHC and the local organization to assess the quality of the data and take corrective action when appropriate.The responsibilities of each organization follow.
Title and responsibilities of key personnel are:
3.2 Alaska Indoor Air Quality Cooperative Team
ANV Air Quality Program Manager-Troy Ritter
● Management of the overall ANV Air Quality Program
Alaska Native IAQ Project Manager- Chris Fish
●Community planning and support
●Assist in QAPP development and maintenance
●Assist in home survey and air sampling procedure development and support
●Calibration and quality control standards
●Air samplingequipment procurement, testing, and calibration
●Parts and supplies inventory
Aleknagik, Alaska Native IAQ Specialist- Tina Tinker
●Assist in QAPP development and maintenance
●Assist in development of home survey
●Participating in training activities
●Documenting quality control and instrument checks
●Routine Maintenance and Repair
●Recommending corrective actions
●Collecting and recording survey and air quality measurements
Pedro Bay, Alaska Native IAQ Specialist- Ben Foss
● Assist in QAPP development and maintenance
●Assist in development of home survey
●Participating in training activities
●Documenting quality control and instrument checks
●Routine Maintenance and Repair
●Recommending corrective actions
●Collecting and recording survey and air quality measurements
3.3 EPA Region 10
The EPA Regional Offices will address environmental issues related to the States within their jurisdiction and administer and oversee regulatory and congressionally mandated programs.The major quality assurance responsibility of EPA’s Regional Offices is the coordination of quality assurance matters at the Regional levels with the State and local agencies.This is accomplished by the designation of EPA Regional Project Officers who are responsible for the technical aspects of the program including:
Reviewing QAPP’s by Regional QA Officers who are delegated authority by the Regional Administrator to review and approve QAPP’s for the agency.
4 Problem Definition and Background
Indoor air quality is a concern of many Alaska Natives living in villages. There are a number of factors that contribute to Alaska Natives exposure to IAQ contaminants. Homes in arctic environments are built with the goal of minimizing the amount of cold air inside the home. The tightness of constructiondoes not allow for the exchange of fresh air, resulting in higher concentrations of IAQ contaminants. Long winter seasons result in more time spent indoors exposed to potentially poor IAQ. The sources of concern include cooking and heating appliances, stored chemicals, environmental tobacco smoke, allergens and sources of moisture.
The logistics and economics of living in rural Alaska create a challenge for families to find practical and efficient means of maintaining a home. The use of wood burning stoves for heating homes is favored over other methods because it is a convenient and cost effective alternative to other costly methods of heating homes. However, wood stoves can contribute to airborne particulate matter (PM 2.5) and carbon monoxide exposure when they are not operated and maintained at optimal conditions. The extreme temperatures make it important to have convenient access to vehicles and maintenance supplies such as gasoline, engine oil, antifreeze, etc. Close proximity of vehicles and supplies can result in carbon monoxide (CO)and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) being introduced to the home viaoff-gassing of these supplies. Finally, Alaska Native Villages are isolated from major supply centers for homebuilding, weatherization, heating and ventilation. High costs for quality home building design and repair often result in substandard construction and maintenance of homes, exacerbating moisture issues as well as fresh air exchange.
Indoor air contaminants including PM2.5, CO, VOCs and moisture have been connected with negative health effects in exposed populations. The fraction of particulate matter that is smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5), also known as respirable particulate matter, has been demonstrated to be a significant health concern. This is because these particles can pass through the lungs to the bloodstream, resulting in arterial plaque deposits that contribute to cardiovascular problems. Carbon monoxide is well understood to be an asphyxiant and overexposures have been more common in Alaska than the rest of the country. Some VOCs are known to be carcinogenic as well as cause damage to the body’s central nervous system, liver, and kidneys. Moisture can cause structural damage to homes and is associated with the proliferation of allergen sources in the home including mold and dust mites. All of these health concerns have been measured frequently and with great care in the lower 48 states. However, there is less information available that reflects the home environment in rural Alaska.
Many Alaska Native communities have expressed concerns about IAQ and finding solutions that fit the needs of rural Alaska.Alaska Native communities have demonstrated a desire for assessment and education to improve IAQ.Because Alaska Native communities are mostly remote with access only by small airplane, boat or snow machine, it is necessary to establish localized Tribal air quality programs to achieve a public health impact.
There have been a limited number of projects in Alaska Native communities that achieve the goal of providing a community-wide approach to IAQ assessment and education. A model is needed to provide Alaska Natives with practical and effective IAQ program for the home environment. The goal of this project is for the communities of Aleknagik and Pedro Bay to establish an Alaska Native model for IAQ programs.
5 Alaska Native IAQ Cooperative Description
IAQ assessment will be made up of two components, qualitative surveys and air sampling. Alaska Native IAQ Specialists will visit homes in their communities to provide interested residents with an in-home survey and education. The standard set of questions (Appendix A) will serve the purpose of organizingsurvey results from each home and identify areas for investigation or improvement.
After the survey, if there is a need for sampling of IAQ, the residents will be offered an opportunity for sampling of IAQ using the instruments listed in Table 5.1. The IAQ specialists will be able to plan the assessment based on responses to the survey, and conduct sampling the same day or schedule future visits with the residents. The assessments will monitor CO, CO2, temperature, RH, and PM2.5. The sampling will provide valuable information to the resident on IAQ contaminant levels present and the steps necessary to correct any areas of concern.
The surveys and sampling will be conducted seasonally to detect differences caused by variation in woodstove use, chemical storage, moisture levels, as well as, outdoor ambient conditions. The intended audience of the project is the homeowner. The objective is to provide assessments followed by education on the steps that can be taken to correct the IAQ concerns. With resident permission, the results of the home assessments may also be aggregated with privacy information removed. This information can be used by communities to prioritize areas of need and plan methods of addressing IAQ concerns.
6Quality Objectives and Criteria
6.1 Data Collection and Data Quality Objectives (DQO)
This purpose of this project is to collect data on IAQ parameters, providing an assessmentfor residents andguidance on reasonable measures to correct identified problems.The list of parameters, the instruments range, stability checks, location, as well as objective and error limit are shown in Table 6.1 below.
Table 6.1 Data Quality Objectives for Parameters measured
Parameter / Range / Instrument Stability Checks / Location / Objective / Error limitCarbon monoxide
(CO) / 0-500 ppm / Check of outside air (~0-15ppm)before measurements.
Battery check. / One location within each of the three rooms in each building / Protect health of occupants, determine if back-draft or inadequate venting of combustion appliances / + 3ppm OR + 3%, whichever is greater after 60 seconds
Carbon dioxide
(CO2) / 0-5,000 ppm / Check of outside air (~300-400ppm), battery check / One location within each of the three rooms in each building / Determine freshness of air; air exchange rate / + 50 ppm OR + 3%, whichever is greater, after 20 seconds
Air temperature
(° C) / 0 to 60° C / Battery check and /or side by side comparison with thermometer / One location within each of the three rooms in each building / Determine the temperature as it relates to dewpoint and moisture content of air; air exchange rates / +1° C within 30 seconds
Relative humidity
(% RH) / 5-95% RH / Battery check and /or side by side comparison with hygrometer @ ANTHC / One location within each of the three rooms in each building / Determinedewpoint and moisture content of air; air exchange rates. / + 3% RH after 20 seconds
Particulate matter of 2.5 microns and less in diameter
(mg/m3) / 0.001-150mg/m3 / Flow rate verification w/drycal @ ANTHC, battery check / One location within each of the three rooms in each building / Protect health of occupants; determine if back-draft or inadequate venting of combustion appliances / + 0.1% Resolution of reading or 0.001mg/m3, whichever is greater. + 5% Flow accuracy at 3.0L/min
6.2Measurement Quality Objectives (MQO)
Measurement quality objectives are designed to evaluate and control various phases (sampling, preparation, analysis) of the measurement process to ensure that total measurement uncertainty is within the range prescribed by the DQOs. MQOs can be defined in terms of the following data quality indicators:
Accuracy – How close the measured value is to the “true” value. Accuracy is also referred to as total error.
Precision – The reproducibility of a measured result. Precision is estimated by using the standard deviation or, if only two measurements exist, it is the percent difference between them.
Bias –the difference between the average of measurements and the “true” value.
Representativeness - a measure of the degree which data really represent some characteristic of a population, parameter variations at a sampling point, or an environmental condition.
Detection limit- The minimum concentration below which the instrument cannot tell the difference from zero.
Comparability - a measure of confidence with which one data set can be compared to another.
Good Accuracy, Good precision, Good Accuracy and Poor accuracy,
Poor precision Poor accuracy, Good Precision Poor precision
No bias High bias
7Training/Certification
Field technicians will be trained on this QAPP, the monitors and data collection methods. Each technician will receive hands-on training prior to commencing independent data collection. The project manager will ensure each technician can confidently collect high quality data.
8Documents and Records
The most current QAPP will be provided by the project manager to all sampling personnel prior to mobilization of this project. A field data sheet and a field log will be used to collect all relevant information during the project and maintained with all project records. All calibration and equipment maintenance records will be maintained by the equipment owner and referenced in the field data sheet. Copies of the results will be maintained in the project records for a period of three years.
All relevant records collected will be appended to the final project report and maintained with the project records and retained according to EPA requirements.
9Experimental Design
The purpose of this study is to provide information on the indoor air quality in the homes and buildings in Alaska Native Villages. This information will be used to provide residents with current IAQ conditions and help prioritize concerns. It is important that data provided to residents is collected properly.
Methods of solving IAQ issues identified and follow up monitoring will be recorded as well for demonstration of effectiveness. The successful collection of high quality data is a priority as this cooperative will provide a model for other Alaska Native Villages to follow. A summary report will be submitted by each Alaska Native Indoor Air Quality Cooperative community and shared with Alaska Native communities, ANTHC, EPA Region 10 and other interested parties.
There are four primary factors that have been considered when planning this study. These are:
- Representativeness of the sample of homes / buildings, the location of the measurements within these structures, and the conditions at the time of the measurements;
- Comparability of the measurement types and methods to other studies conducted by EPA and possibly future studies in Alaska Native Villages;
- Accuracy (total error) of the instruments and methods, which includes bias (calibration or systematic) error and precision (random) errors; and
- Measurement results outside the range of accuracy of each instrument will be recorded and flagged to indicate potential inaccuracies. Only measured values in the accuracy range will be used for data statistics.
Due to small Alaska Native Village sizes, the buildings will be selected on the basis of interested parties. A goal of at least 30 structures is targeted; however this may not be achievable in all communities. Measurements will be conducted during winter and summer months of 2011 when differences in IAQ may be prevalent.
Measurement methods used will be those commonly used by IAQ investigators to allow for comparable data sets. Guidelines on indoor air measurements are available from CDC, EPA, AIHA and ASHRAE. The equipment and methods used will be consistent with EPA guidance. Information on how to conduct each specific measurement is included on the data sheet for that parameter (attach data sheets as appendices).
10Sampling Methods
The IAQ specialists will record measurements on a field data sheet (Appendix B). IAQ sampling techniques will be reliant on direct read instruments. The parameters and instrument used are described in table 5.1. Standard Operating Procedures for each monitor are contained in Appendix B.