Site investigation and vapor intrusion risk assessment analysis of volatile organic compounds in municipal pipeline networks

XU Xinyi; GUO Yuanming; LI Hongrui; HOU Chenglin; ZHANG Jie; LIU Qi; CHEN Wenhao

doi:10.13205/j.hjgc.202505009

Volume 43 Issue 5

May 2025

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Article Navigation > ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING > 2025 > 43(5): 75-83

XU Xinyi, GUO Yuanming, LI Hongrui, HOU Chenglin, ZHANG Jie, LIU Qi, CHEN Wenhao. Site investigation and vapor intrusion risk assessment analysis of volatile organic compounds in municipal pipeline networks[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(5): 75-83. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202505009

Citation:

XU Xinyi, GUO Yuanming, LI Hongrui, HOU Chenglin, ZHANG Jie, LIU Qi, CHEN Wenhao. Site investigation and vapor intrusion risk assessment analysis of volatile organic compounds in municipal pipeline networks[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(5): 75-83. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202505009

Citation:

XU Xinyi, GUO Yuanming, LI Hongrui, HOU Chenglin, ZHANG Jie, LIU Qi, CHEN Wenhao. Site investigation and vapor intrusion risk assessment analysis of volatile organic compounds in municipal pipeline networks[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(5): 75-83. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202505009

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Site investigation and vapor intrusion risk assessment analysis of volatile organic compounds in municipal pipeline networks

doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202505009

1. School of Environment & Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China;
2. Norendar International Ltd, Shijiazhuang 050000, China

Received Date: 2023-12-27
Accepted Date: 2024-04-12
Rev Recd Date: 2024-02-21

Available Online: 2025-09-11

Abstract

Abstract

At present， some local and national government-level technical guidelines on vapor intrusion risk assessment have been promulgated globally， but the establishment of these guidelines all take soil vapor intrusion as the main transmission path of pollutants， and only a few scholars have carried out discussions on the distribution characteristics of gaseous volatile organic compounds （VOCs） pollutants in underground pipeline networks and their migration rules to neighboring buildings. Long-term and multi-frequency gas sample collection were conducted on 2 municipal pipeline networks to investigate the constitution and distribution of VOCs. Quantitatively and qualitatively analytical measurements were performed on gas samples. The vapor intrusion risks of these VOCs were assessed using an attenuation factor approach. The results suggested that VOCs were commonly present in the gases of the two investigated municipal pipeline networks. At Site A， the main pollutants in the pipeline network were dichloromethane and tetrachloroethylene， while at Site B， the main pollutants were trichloromethane， carbon tetrachloride， 1，2-dichloropropane， and tetrachloroethylene. Both sites exhibited strong spatial and temporal fluctuations of VOCs. The variation coefficient of the main VOCs ranged from 26.75% to 178.38% at Site A， and from 134.15% to 202.89% at Site B. The results of the vapor intrusion risk assessment indicated that the attenuation factor for vapor intrusion from the sewer pipeline to indoor air ranged from 0.0028 to 0.30 at Site A. In addition，VOCs in approximately 30% of the pipeline segments had the potential to cause indoor pollutants concentrations to exceed the standards at Site B.
- vapor intrusion,
- site investigation,
- risk assessment,
- volatile organic compounds（VOCs）,
- municipal pipeline network,
- attenuation factors

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References(31)

References

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