Air Monitoring at the Bourne Bridge Cape Cod Canal, Massachusetts, 30 Oct 1979 through 31 May 1981: Fid-Bau Portal

Air Monitoring at the Bourne Bridge Cape Cod Canal, Massachusetts, 30 Oct 1979 through 31 May 1981

P. E. Bareford / F. A. Record

The New England Division (NED), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers performed major rehabilitation work on the Bourne Bridge, one of two highway spans over the Cape Cod Canal, during the years 1979 through 1981. Since sandblasting was carried out to prepare a proper surface for repairing and repainting, and some of the old paint to be removed from the bridge contained lead, an air quality monitoring program was instituted to ensure that no adverse effect on public health and welfare would result. Five air monitoring stations located in the vicinity of the bridge continuously monitored total suspended particulate (TSP) and lead concentrations for the 19 month period during which sandblasting took place. Concentrations of lead and TSP were generally very low in comparison to the Federal and State air quality standards. During the entire monitoring program, there were no exceedances of the lead standards, annual TSP standards or the primary 24-hour TSP standard at any of the five monitoring stations. The secondary 24-hour TSP standard was exceeded 7 times on days of sandblasting. The highest concentrations of lead and particulate were recorded at the downwind sites closest to the sandblasting.