Other technical studies

World Trade Center fine particulate matter–chemistry and toxic respiratory effects: an overview.,
Stephen H Gavett

Chemical analysis of World Trade Center fine particulate matter for use in toxicologic assessment,
John K McGee, Lung Chi Chen, Mitchell D Cohen, Glen R Chee, Colette M Prophete, Najwa Haykal-Coates, Shirley J Wasson, Teri L Conner, Daniel L Costa, and Stephen H Gavett

• outdoor air, outdoor bulk dust, indoor air, and indoor dust wipes specifically in response to the disaster by the USEPA and NYSDEC; approximately 200 parameters are present, including particulate matter mass (PM2.5, PM10), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), metals, and asbestos.
• air quality data reported to EPA’s Aerometric Information Retrieval System (AIRS) data repository from fixed-site air quality monitoring stations run by local, state and federal environmental agencies from 1970 to December 31, 2004. These include ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead, particulate matter mass (TSP, PM10, PM2.5) plus parameters measured on an irregular basis which include a suite of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), particle-associated metals, and limited meteorological data.

Get the full report here PDF (9962KB).

0. Preface
   Eduardo Kausel, PDF (15KB)
1. A brief history of the WTC Towers
   John E. Fernandez, PDF (32KB)
2. Inferno at the World Trade Center, NY
   Eduardo Kausel, PDF (19KB)
3. Speed of aircraft
   Eduardo Kausel, PDF (856KB)
4. Aircraft impact damage
   Tomasz Wierzbicki, Liang Xue, Meg Hendry-Brogan, PDF (5911KB)
5. The fires
   Ahmed F. Ghoniem, PDF (537KB)
6. Materials and structures
   Oral Buyukozturk, Franz-Josef Ulm, PDF (1442KB)
7. Escaping with your life
   John E. Fernandez, PDF (937KB)
8. Supply chains and terrorism
   Yossi Sheffi, PDF (80KB)
9. The Reflecting Wall at MIT
   PDF (144KB)

After the terror attacks, MCEER investigated the damaged buildings at Ground Zero, and published several reports.

• Overview of Damage to Buildings near Ground Zero
• Reconnaissance and Preliminary Assessment of a Damaged Building Near Ground Zero
• Emergency Response in the Wake of the World Trade Center Attack: The Remote Sensing Perspective

• Property Condition Assessment Of World Trade Center Portfolio – One World Trade Center – Merritt & Harris Inc. – 12/06/00 (39 pages)
• Due Diligence Check List of Documents (30 pages)
• Elevator Modernization – Summary of Scope of Work (42 pages)
• Attachments (34 pages)
• Building One Theoretical Traffic Analysis (35 pages)
• Attachment 8 (16 pages)
• RF Safety Awaremess for World Trade Center Workers (41 pages)
• Appendix A-3, Denny & Associates, P.C., Engineering Report (22 pages)
• Engineering Report, Electromagnetic Field Strength Survey at the South Tower of the World Trade Center (29 pages)
• Appendix A-4, U.S. Federal Communications Commission, Antenna Structure Registration (10 pages)
• An Evaluation of the Radiofrequency Environment at the World Trade Center North Tower, Richard Tell Associates, Inc. (26 pages)
• Radiofrequency Fields at the World Trade Center, Figures (31 pages)
• Appendix A-7, Additional RF Report, September 5, 1999 (13 pages)
• Appendix A-9, An Investigation of RF Safety Considerations on the WTC Antenna Mast Relevant to Work to Install a New Digital Television Antenna, Richard Tell Associates, Inc. (24 pages)
• WTC DTV Antenna Work and RF Safety Considerations (15 pages)
• Appendix A-10, Memorandum 7/28/2000, Regarding Radiation Safety Survey One WTC (11 pages)
• Curtin Wall Observation Report (18 pages)

Report 2

• Property Condition Assessment Of World Trade Center Portfolio – Two World Trade Center – Merritt & Harris Inc. – 12/06/00 (31 pages)
• Neighborhood Map (32 pages)
• Proposed 2001 Capital Plan (23 pages)
• Existing Property Descriptions and Conditions (33 pages)
• Existing Property Descriptions and Conditions (23 pages)
• Site Orientation Map (19 pages)
• Crandlemere and Associates Asbestos Containing Materials (19 pages)
• Elevator Shaft Asbestos Assessment (15 pages)
• Attachment 8, Crandlemere and Associates Roof Mounted Transmission Devices, Document Review & Evaluation (12 pages)
• Engineering Report, Electromagnetic Field Strength Study, Denny & Associates (18 pages)
• Engineering Report, Electromagnetic Field Strength Study at the South Tower of the World Trade Center (17 pages)
• Comparison of Measured and Calculated Exposure Data (12 pages)
• Appendix B (25 pages)

The Mesothelioma Center is a leading mesothelioma advocacy center, offering the largest online mesothelioma support community for patients, caregivers and loved ones.

• World Trade Center Health Program. (2021, March 31). Members with Certifications by Zadroga Act Categories of Conditions.
• Asbury, J. (2020, September 12). Names of 170 9/11 first responders added to wall in Nesconset park.
• Templeton, D. (2019, November 4). 9/11 Hero’s cancer death linked to ground zero exposure.
• WTCHP. (2019, July 30). How to Apply.
• West, M.G. (2019, June 20). New Study Links Toxic Sept. 11 Dust to Prostate Cancer.
• Levy-Carrick, N. et al. (2019, April 6). Airway, Digestive, and Mental Health Comorbidities in WTC Responders and Survivors.
• Gong, Y. et al. (2019). Prostate Cancer in World Trade Center Responders Demonstrates Evidence of an Inflammatory Cascade.
• September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. (2019). About the Victim Compensation Fund.
• Federal Register. (2018, October 3). September 11th Victim Compensation Fund: Compensation of Claims.
• Biello, D. (2018, September 11). What Was in the World Trade Center Plume?
• Durkin, E. (2018, September 11). September 11: Nearly 10,000 people affected by ‘cesspool of cancer.’
• SurvivorNet Staff. (2018, September 7). 9/11 Cancers — New Warning Says 300,000 People at Risk Are Not Getting Help They Need.
• WTCHP. (2017, August). Member Handbook.
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. (2016, October). World Trade Center Health Registry Wave 4 Survey (2015-2016): Core & Asthma.
• Ahearn, A. (2010, September 1). Nine Years Later: Health Effects in World Trade Center Responders, with Philip Landrigan.
• Rom, W.N. et al (2009). Emerging Exposures and Respiratory Health World Trade Center Dust.
• Prezant, D.J. (2008). World Trade Center Cough Syndrome and Its Treatment.
• World Trade Center Health Panel. (2007). Addressing the Health Impacts of 9-11.
• New York Times Archive. (2006, September 5). What Was Found in the Dust.
• Associated Press. (2006, September 5). Most 9/11 recovery workers suffered lung ills.
• Brackbill, R.M. et al. (2006). Surveillance for World Trade Center Disaster Health Effects Among Survivors of Collapsed and Damaged Buildings.
• Lioy, P.L. et al. (2002). Characterization of the dust/smoke aerosol that settled east of the World Trade Center (WTC) in lower Manhattan after the collapse of the WTC 11 September 2001.
• Jenkins, C. (2001, November 15). EPA National Standards vs. New York City Guidelines, Cleanup of Dusts from World Trade Center.
• Glanz, J. and Revkin, A.C. (2001, September 18). A NATION CHALLENGED; Haunting Question: Did the Ban on Asbestos Lead to Loss of Life?
• Safchuck, P. (n.d.). Asbestos Safety Information for the World Trade Center.
• NYC.com Inc. (n.d.). World Trade Center prior to 9/11.
• Skyscraper. (n.d.). The World Trade Center.
• National EMS Memorial Service. (n.d.). Honoree: Deborah Reeve.
• FealGood Foundation. (n.d.). FealGood Foundation: No Responders Left Behind.

James Millette, MVA Scientific Consultants, has conducted an independent study of dust samples from the World Trade Center, in an effort to replicate the experiments by Harrit et al. Millette concludes that there is no thermitic material in the dust.

Environmental study of dust from 130 Liberty Street, a.k.a. “Deutsche Bank” and “Bankers Trust Plaza”. The building was situated South of the World Trade Center 2.

A more detailed environmental study of the dust from 130 Liberty Street, a.k.a. “Deutsche Bank” and “Bankers Trust Plaza”. The building was situated South of the World Trade Center 2.

• Executive Summary
• Introduction
  • Asbestos Definitions.
• Imaging Spectroscopy Mapping Results
  • Field spectral measurements and calibration site.
  • Thermal Hot Spot Maps: Sept 16 and 23, 2001
  • Asbestiform Minerals Map
  • Dust and Debris Plume Map
  • Ferrous and Ferric-Bearing Materials Map
  • Clays and other Materials Map
  • Organic Compounds Map
  • Water Sediment Map
• Sample Collection in the WTC Area
• Laboratory Studies of Samples
  • Overview
  • X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) Analysis
  • Laboratory Reflectance Spectroscopy (RS) Studies
    • Reflectance Spectroscopy
      • Laboratory Spectra of WTC Samples
    • Description of Spectroscopy Methods and Results
    • Possible Sources of Abestos in the WTC Dust
    • Spectral Detectability of Chrysotile
    • Spectral Interference
  • Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDS)
  • Chemical Compositions
    • Sampling and analytical methods
      • Chemistry Table 1,
    • Results
    • Interpretation
  • Leachate Studies
    • Leaching of World Trade Center dusts using a simulated precipitation leaching procedure
    • Results
      • Leach Table 1
    • Interpretation
    • Summary and potential environmental implications
• Integration of Results and Conclusions
• References

Additional studies

• Determination of a Diagnostic Signature for World Trade Center Dust using Scanning Electron Microscopy Point Counting Techniques,
  Gregory P. Meeker, Amy M. Bern, Heather A. Lowers, and Isabelle K. Brownfield

• Spectroscopic and X-Ray Diffraction Analyses of Asbestos in the World Trade Center Dust, Asbestos Content of the Settled Dust
  G.A. Swayze, R.N. Clark, S.J. Sutley, T.M. Hoefen, G.S. Plumlee, G.P. Meeker, I.K. Brownfield, K.E. Livo, and L.C. Morath
  U. S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado