Journal article
Widespread Emissions of Polychlorinated Biphenyls from Building Materials in Vermont Schools
Environmental science & technology, Vol.60(6), pp.4966-4977
02/17/2026
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c10939
PMCID: PMC12918525
PMID: 41632610
Abstract
In collaboration with Vermont state and school officials, we conducted a research study to measure emissions of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from room surfaces in Vermont schools. Our study, the largest of its kind, investigated the sources of airborne PCBs in indoor school environments. Using simultaneous deployment of air samplers and emission samplers, we measured airborne PCBs in 16 schools and 98 school rooms constructed prior to 1980. There was a wide range in PCB air concentrations (1.7-5700 ng m
,
= 159) and surface emissions (33-830,000 ng m
d
,
= 182) across different schools as well as between rooms in the same school. We found that emissions of PCB congeners from walls, floors, ceiling and wall expansion joint caulking, and spray insulation explain the airborne PCB congener concentrations in many rooms. Our emission samplers identified three distinct types of building materials with emissions exceeding 30,000 ng m
d
including expansion joint sealant (up to 480,000 ng m
d
), glass block windows (up to 30,000 ng m
d
), and fireproof coating on steel columns (up to 830,000 ng m
d
). Consequently, school staff have an estimated excess lifetime cancer risk from both dioxin-like and nondioxin-like PCBs that ranges from 1.3 × 10
to 1.7 × 10
for central tendency exposure, and 2.8 × 10
to 3.8 × 10
for reasonable maximum exposure (State of Vermont's target cancer risk = 1 × 10
). Although production has been banned for decades, our study illustrates that PCBs continue to pose an exposure risk to occupants due to their long history of use in building materials. Our findings underscore the risks associated with the historic presence of PCB-containing building materials, offering critical insights for community efforts aimed at reducing exposure among children and school staff in thousands of schools across the country.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Widespread Emissions of Polychlorinated Biphenyls from Building Materials in Vermont Schools
- Creators
- Jason B X Hua - University of IowaRachel F Marek - University of IowaMichael P Jones - University of Iowa, BiostatisticsTrevor D Erb - University of IowaSarah C Owen - Vermont Department of HealthKeri C Hornbuckle - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Environmental science & technology, Vol.60(6), pp.4966-4977
- DOI
- 10.1021/acs.est.5c10939
- PMID
- 41632610
- PMCID
- PMC12918525
- NLM abbreviation
- Environ Sci Technol
- ISSN
- 0013-936X
- eISSN
- 1520-5851
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/17/2026
- Academic Unit
- Statistics and Actuarial Science; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health; Biostatistics; IIHR--Hydroscience and Engineering; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology
- Record Identifier
- 9985139483202771
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