tetrachloroethylene detected in ambient air near the
Soil-gas sampling and fish-tissue sampling also
Moore property do not pose a public health hazard.
may be warranted.
No recommendations were made.
Until the site is fully characterized, and to prevent
In late 2002, the Oklahoma Department of
injury from physical hazards at the site, ATSDR
Environmental Quality (ODEQ) contacted
recommended restricting access by fencing the site
the ATSDR Region 6 office and the city of
ATSDR also recommended characterizing off-site
Moore facility.
remedial investigation warrant it.
In September 2003, ATSDR released a health
consultation that reviewed past environmental
A health consultation is a written or oral response
and emission data, present community health
from ATSDR to a specific request for information
concerns, and the toxicity literature detailing health
about health risks related to a specific site, chemical
outcomes from exposure to tetrachloroethylene.
release, or hazardous material. A health consultation
This health consultation also examined whether
is a more limited response than a public health
past or ongoing exposures in the community
assessment. In Oklahoma, 25 health consultations
could be leading to adverse health effects. ATSDR
have been conducted at 21 sites, including the
categorized the site as no apparent public health
following recent examples.
hazard.
Dewey Mercury--A health consultation released
ATSDR concluded that current and past exposure
in December 2001 resulted from a request from
to tetrachloroethylene in water is not a hazard
the Washington County Health Department in
because no exposure pathway exists. Future
Bartlesville concerning the reoccupation of an
apartment previously contaminated with mercury.
plume is contained. Current exposure to
The original incident occurred in January 2001
tetrachloroethylene in air (from facility emissions)
when a 2-year old child was diagnosed with
is not occurring because the facility is closed.
acute mercury poisoning. The poisoning resulted
Past exposure to tetrachloroethylene in air
from contamination of the parents' bedroom
with mercury. ATSDR responded to this incident
of past exposures are complicated by many factors,
previously and recommended additional sampling.
especially the lack of real-time data. Modeling and
In the December 2001 health consultation, ATSDR
estimations indicate that past exposure probably
recommended not reoccupying the apartment.
did not exceed minimal risk levels.
Although sampling data indicate indoor mercury
levels do not pose a public health concern,
Reported health concerns within the
community are not consistent with exposure to
low that ATSDR can only classify the apartment
tetrachloroethylene. Tetrachloroethylene has been
as an indeterminate health concern. ATSDR also
safely used as a human anesthetic in the past and
recommended devising and implementing an
was not associated with the types of health effects
appropriate sampling plan.
reported in community members living near the
Moore facility. No current exposures are occurring
Moore Business Forms--In 1997, a private
in the community. Exposures may have occurred
citizen contacted ATSDR about air emissions from
in the past, but at levels below those expected to
the former Moore Business Forms and Systems
cause adverse health outcomes.
Division facility in Stillwater. In response to
this concern, ATSDR issued a health consultation
Health Studies
that evaluated ambient air concentrations of
Health studies are investigations to determine the
tetrachloroethylene at the fence line between the
relations between exposures to hazardous substances
Moore facility and the adjoining neighborhood.
and adverse health effects. They also define health
The consultation concluded that concentrations of
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