The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency has made additional air monitoring data for New Orleans available
on its hurricane response Web site.
New concentrations reported for metals and volatile organic compounds
in New Orleans continue to be below health-based screening levels,
according to the EPA.
These monitoring results also include the first results of outdoor
sampling for asbestos in New Orleans. Asbestos was not detected in the
air samples collected Oct. 9 -- 23 at nine monitoring locations. The EPA
does not normally do ambient air sampling for asbestos, but will
continue sampling for this substance throughout the demolition and
debris disposal process in the hurricane-affected areas, according to
the agency.
The air quality data is available at
www.epa.gov/katrina/testresults/air/index.html.