• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Education / UI Study: “Concerning” PCB levels found inside older Iowa schools

UI Study: “Concerning” PCB levels found inside older Iowa schools

July 19, 2017 By Matt Kelley

Caulking around fluorescent lights could be adding to classroom PCB levels.

University of Iowa researchers say they’re finding cancer-causing chemicals in some older Iowa schools.

Children may be exposed to airborne PCBs in schools that were built between 1950 and the mid-1970s. PCBs were banned in 1979.

Keri Hornbuckle, a UI professor of civil and environmental engineering, says they expected to find more airborne PCBs outside of schools.

Hornbuckle says, “We were surprised to find that many schools have indoor concentrations of PCBs that is much higher than outside, suggesting that there are direct sources of these chemicals inside of schools.”

Hornbuckle says likely sources include old caulking around windows and fluorescent light fixtures. Replacing those materials can reduce the concentration of PCBs in a school.

She says it’s long been known PCBs are in some foods and that’s how scientists expect children take in most of those chemicals.

“Our study showed that inhalation of PCBs in their schoolrooms could also be another large source of PCBs,” she says. “Our estimation is that it could be similar to that that they get from their food.”

The report says PCB levels found so far in Iowa schools are below what’s considered dangerous by the Environmental Protection Agency, but Hornbuckle says they’re high enough to be concerning.

By Katarina Sostaric, Iowa Public Radio

 

 

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Education, Health / Medicine, News

Featured Stories

ISU research finds health benefits for chickens watching virtual reality

Fish kill at Storm Lake linked to virus that impacts only carp

Final employee who was there at the launch of the Iowa Lottery to retire

No more USPS mail in Iowa prisons; inmates to get copies of mail

State officials warn of influx of fake prescription drugs laced with fentanyl

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa’s Jones adjusting to move to center

Iowa unranked to open the season

UNI’s Spencer Cuvelier bounces back from injury

Hutchinson calls Iowa State a perfect fit

Northern Iowa’s Farley touts new practice facility

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC