Print this page Indoor Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Approaches
Elie Tawil, PE, LEED AP
Course Outline
This course focuses on the mitigation of vapor intrusion of volatile contaminants to prevent human exposure to anthropogenic soil and groundwater contaminants. In addition, it provides information on understanding the range of mitigation controls and technologies available, as well as selecting appropriate technologies.
In this course, you need to review the EPA Engineering Issue, "Indoor Air Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Approaches" provided below.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will:
- Understand how contaminants enter into structures;
- Learn about quality assurance considerations;
- Understand the available engineered control measures such as active and passive sub-slab ventilation;
- Learn the approaches to vapor intrusion mitigation through natural ventilation and HVAC modification;
- Familiarize with the methods of measuring indoor contaminants;
- Know how select a mitigation technology;
- Understand the cost factors behind the technologies for mitigation of vapor intrusion; and
- Verify mitigation performance.
Intended Audience
This online PDH course is applicable to engineering consultants, building design and construction professionals, as well as health and safety/industrial hygiene specialists interested in gaining an understanding of the various methods of mitigating indoor air vapors.
Benefit to Attendees
Attendee of this course will be able to evaluate the recommendations of mitigation contractors and engineers in order to make the appropriate selections to resolve indoor vapor intrusion once an unacceptable risk is determined to exist.
Course Introduction
Vapor intrusion is defined as the migration of volatile contaminants from the subsurface into overlying buildings. Volatile contaminants from buried wastes and/or contaminated groundwater or soil can migrate through subsurface soils and into indoor air spaces of overlying buildings. The vapor intrusion risk pathway may be important for buildings with or without a basement.
Course Content
In this lesson, you are required to download and study the following document:
Indoor Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Approaches
Please click on
the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your
study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the
file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target
As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you still experience
any difficulty in downloading or opening this file, you may need to close some
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Course Summary
This course discusses the mitigation of indoor vapor intrusion into structures to prevent human exposure to anthropogenic soil and groundwater contaminants.
It provides an overview of contaminant entry into structures and explains the vapor intrusion into various building types. Also, this course describes the range of mitigation technologies available and offers solutions that can be implemented once an unacceptable risk from vapor intrusion is determined to exist.
This course further explains that the type of control implemented is based on factors which include site use, amount of impact, cost, and regulatory acceptance; although it is generally broken into two classes of solutions: source control and controls implemented at the structure.
Furthermore, this course illustrates the “verification of mitigation performance” strategies in which after a technology is selected, designed and installed, its performance must be verified before and during long term operation.
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
