Air Quality Dispersion Modelling to Evaluate CIPP Installation Styrene Emissions

Elizabeth Matthews (), John Kraft, Gazi Hossain, Anthony Bednar, Charles Laber, Shaurav Alam, Tanvir Manzur, John Matthews, Jason Howell and Sven Eklund
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Elizabeth Matthews: Trenchless Technology Center, College of Engineering and Science, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
John Kraft: Trenchless Technology Center, College of Engineering and Science, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
Gazi Hossain: Trenchless Technology Center, College of Engineering and Science, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
Anthony Bednar: Engineering Research and Development Center, United States Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS 39180, USA
Charles Laber: Engineering Research and Development Center, United States Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS 39180, USA
Shaurav Alam: Trenchless Technology Center, College of Engineering and Science, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
Tanvir Manzur: Department of Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
John Matthews: Trenchless Technology Center, College of Engineering and Science, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
Jason Howell: Trenchless Technology Center, College of Engineering and Science, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
Sven Eklund: Faculty of Chemistry, College of Engineering and Science, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-15

Abstract: Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) is one of the most popular in situ rehabilitation techniques to repair sewer and water pipes. While there are multiple approaches to curing CIPP, steam-curing of styrene-based resins has been found to be associated with air-borne chemical emissions. Health officials, utilities and industry representatives have recognized the need to know more about these emissions, especially styrene. Such concern has led to multiple studies investigating the concentrations of volatile organic compounds on CIPP installation sites. This study expands upon previous effort by modeling worst-case, steam-cured CIPP emissions over a 5-year weather record. The effort also includes calibration of the model to emissions averages over the work day rather than instantaneous field measurements. Dispersion modelling software, AERMOD, was utilized to model the styrene component of CIPP emissions on two CIPP installation sites in the US. Based on the analysis results, it was found that the styrene emitted from stacks dissipates rapidly with styrene concentrations only exceeding minimum health and safety threshold levels at distances close to the stack (2 m or less). The values predicted by the model analysis are comparable with the field measured styrene concentrations from other studies. Current safety guidelines in the US recommend a 4.6-m (15-ft) safety perimeter for stack emission points. The results of this study indicate that significant and lasting health impacts are unlikely outside recommended safety perimeter. The results also validate the importance of enforcing recommended safety guidance on steam-cured CIPP sites.

Keywords: CIPP resin; pipeline rehabilitation; styrene; AERMOD; public safety; trenchless technology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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