Learn More About Vapor Intrusion

Vapor Intrusion is the migration of volatile chemicals from beneath the ground and into overlying buildings. Volatile chemicals or contaminated groundwater can emit vapors that migrate through subsurface soils and into indoor air spaces of overlying buildings in ways similar to the way radon gas seeps into homes, and can occur in buildings with or without a basement. To learn more, please read on.

In extreme cases, the vapors may accumulate in dwellings or occupied buildings to levels that may pose near-term safety hazards (e.g., explosion), acute health effects, or aesthetic problems (e.g., odors). Typically however, the chemical concentration levels are low or, depending on site-specific conditions, vapors may not be present at detectable concentrations. In residences with low concentrations, the main concern is whether the chemicals may pose an unacceptable risk of chronic health effects due to long-term exposure to these low levels.

A complicating factor in evaluating the potential chronic risk from vapor intrusion is the potential presence of some of the same chemicals at or above background concentrations (from the ambient (outdoor) air and/or emission sources in the building e.g., household solvents, gasoline, cleaners) that may pose, separately or in combination with vapor intrusion, a significant human health risk.

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