By Catherine Wilde
Staff Writer | Aug. 14 2008

The Northern Valley Regional High School district has received a proposal from Paul Lioy, director of the Exposure Science Division of the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute.

The district could approve an additional test at the district’s fields where high levels of lead have been detected in the turf fibers. At no cost to the district, EOHSI would test the risk of exposure from lead inhalation at the fields, a pathway of contamination not yet explored.

The proposal involves the collection of air samples. A robot would roll over the fields to replicate the way an athlete could raise dust from the field surface.

"We would use the robotic sampler to see if there is any exposure related to inhalation," said Lioy.

If this reveals safe levels of lead it could be added to the assurance from the recent Consumer Product Safety Commission study that found the fields safe for athletes who may accidentally ingest lead particles.

"They looked at wipe samples [which] tests the amount of material that can be dislodged and get on your hand and by incidental process you can ingest it," said Lioy. "But also in the air you are subject to inhalation exposure which is a different part of the puzzle the CPSC never analyzed."

The Board of Education will meet at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 19 to discuss the fields.