Expert Details
Air Quality-Toxics, Ambient, IAQ
ID: 108449
Massachusetts, USA
Since 1987, Expert and his radon group at Environmental Solutions, Inc. (ES) have conducted radon screening tests for residential, school, and business clients. His group has participated in the U.S. EPA's Radon Measurement Proficiency Program (RMP) since 1988 and are familiar with the broad range of EPA protocols. ES is now RMP-listed as a primary laboratory for electret detection and continuous radon monitoring. In response to client needs and concerns, he has kept current on radon mitigation techniques as well as lead, asbestos, and microbials. He often advises clients on available options. His group's experience includes tests at over 3600 residences as well as at several school districts and businesses. He is an EPA-listed RMP measurement technician.
Expert's work with optical remote sensing (ORS) involves the use of light beams to document the presence of various air pollutants in the light path. These infrared, ultraviolet, or visible light beams are used to detect criteria pollutants, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and certain air toxins. Expert first used ORS techniques to document the movement of clouds of SO2 and NO2 in urban areas in 1969. Until the early 1990s, he followed developments in the field as chair of the Air and Waste Management Association's Technical Committee on moving and route monitoring. He is now Secretary of the IR/UV Committee of Air and Waste Management's (AWMA) Optical Sensing Division. He has served as the Quality Assurance Manager of an EPA evaluation of ORS techniques for hazardous site screening and has helped develop a course for AWMA on ORS. He has authored several papers on ORS matters. In 1992, he founded Remote Sensing-Air (RSA), which provides measurement and consulting services for agencies and companies. RSA has a Fourier Transform Infrared detector with which to provide measuring services.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) services for residences and businesses are part of the air quality services offered by Expert and Environmental Solutions, Inc. (ES). In addition to radon ashator and formaldehyde monitoring services, the group has monitored organic vapor, dust, and CO in the work place as well as monitoring nicotine vapor as a surrogate for environmental tobacco smoke from cigarette smoke. He has experience in documenting the air quality impact of changes in smoking policy and the impact of fork lift operations by continuous CO monitoring. He and ES conduct surveys of buildings to try to identify the causes of occupant complaints and to suggest mitigation measures. He has monitored the air toxic levels in basements adjacent to hazardous waste cleanup sites.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1969 | Degree: PhD | Subject: Biophysics | Institution: University of Illinois |
| Year: 1966 | Degree: MS | Subject: Physics | Institution: University of Illinois |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 1998 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Manager | Department: |
Responsibilities:Started as the New England branch office offering air quality and general assessment services to clients directly or through teaming arrangements with other environmental professionals. Was incorporated in Massachusetts in May 2000 and specializes in air quality monitoring and investigation services for a wide range of indoor air quality (IAQ) problems and ambient air quality concerns for residential and commercial customers. Since 1998 has carried out investigations for various mold and IAQ problems at over two thousand locations in New England. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1992 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: President And Founder | Department: |
Responsibilities:An environmental consulting company specializing in providing remote sensing services for air pollutants to the industrial and environmental community. This service is based on Expert’s experience using remote sensors for air quality studies since 1969 when SO2 and NO2 were measured for industrial and urban studies. Building on his overview of this technical field he served many roles within the Air and Waste Management Association (A&WMA) since the mid-1970’s, concluding in 2003 after three years as Chair of the Optical Sensing Division. Expert and his staff carry out services for clients including paper studies of optical remote sensing (ORS), feasibility studies for specific sites, field studies using ORS devices on site, and design/installation of turn¬key ORS systems. Since 1999, has been the Quality Assurance and data base manager for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources vehicle inspection program, the Clean Screen Program that utilized ORS techniques to determine vehicle emissions as vehicles move through an analytical light beam. That program was nominated to EPA for an Environmental Excellence Award based on the quality of the overall program to vehicle emissions control in the St. Louis Air Shed. Was closed in 2005. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1987 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: President And Founder | Department: |
Responsibilities:ES is an environmental consulting company specializing in hazardous substance services ranging from air toxics; radon and environmental tobacco smoke exposure to environmental site assessments and hazardous chemical cleanup. The company earned contracts to provide perimeter and work area air monitoring services for CERCLIS and Superfund dioxin cleanup sites including the Times Beach dioxin site and the Arkwood site in Omaha, Arkansas. Under Expert’s direction ES was awarded the multi-year contract (and several renewals) to assist the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Air Pollution Control Program in setting up and implementing a performance evaluation test procedure to evaluate hardware intended for installation as Stage II vapor control systems at service stations in Missouri. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1974 to 1996 | Employer: Environmental Measurements, Inc. | Title: Vice President of Services | Department: |
Responsibilities:Responsible for field measurements of ambient air quality using moving laboratories (aircraft and surface), remote sensing instruments and tracer gases (1978 through 1985). |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1985 to 1987 | Employer: Aerovironment, Inc. | Title: Manager of Midwest Operations | Department: |
Responsibilities:Field activities were coordinated for 29 locations over more than 30,000 square-miles during a 12-week study period. Total time from project definition to completion of sampling was six months, which included collecting and documenting over 75,000 filter samples and 20,000 air tracer samples. The entire multi-million dollar effort was aimed at determining the source and cause of visibility impairing haze in the Grand Canyon National Parks. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1981 to 1984 | Employer: EPA-EPRI | Title: President | Department: Cold Weather Plume Study |
Responsibilities:A multi-contractor study of power plant chemistry and transport in winter conditions (October 1980 through October 1984). This project involved establishment of a short term base of operations to coordinate activities of three monitoring aircraft and several ground crews to document plume behavior in winter conditions. This effort supplemented several prior studies carried out at the same facility with EPRI funding during summer transport conditions. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1971 to 1974 | Employer: Washington University | Title: Coordinator for the Nitrogen Project, Center for the Biology of Natural Systems | Department: |
Responsibilities:Conducting radiation sensitivity research and coordinating a study of the impact of nitrogen fertilizers on Corn Belt water quality. |
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Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
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| Deposition/testimony experience: Pre-trial deposition in a Missouri case where the purchaser of a $400+k yacht was suing the manufacturer for the fact that passengers were getting headaches due to excess carbon monoxide (CO) levels. Expert was retained by the Plaintiff and deposed on his IAQ investigation of the craft in operation (approx 19XX). [Case was decided pre-trial in Plaintiff’s favor.] Deposition & Testimony before a judge was given in October 20XX in a mold case in Harwich, MA regarding source of a mycotoxin (Ochratoxin A) found in a house in 19XX-99 following a water heater failure in 1995. Expert was retained by the Defendant’s insurance company and provided testimony based on his investigation in Barnstable Superior Court. [Judge decided in favor of Defendant.] Jury testimony in Cambridge Superior Court in a case where the Plaintiff was seriously impacted by vapors from a wood preservative applied to the interior of a house he was building. He was suing the manufacturer of the sealant/preservative. Expert testified in June 20XX regarding his IAQ investigation with air sampling at the impacted home in April 19XX. The judge did not allow Expert to explain his report or interpret the data findings. [The last word was that the decision was under appeal.] More examples available upon request. Daubert review/qualifications for mold cases: • In Barnstable Superior Court in Massachusetts (October ’04). • “Qualified as an expert on indoor air quality at a prejudgment remedy evidentiary hearing in Connecticut Superior Court – Waterbury – Complex Litigation Docket” (August ’05) – phrasing is from the attorney for whom Expert an was testifying. • In Barnstable District Court in Massachusetts (January ’06). • In Nantucket Superior Court in Massachusetts (May ’10). |
| Training / Seminars |
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| With the assistance of a team of experts, he has designed and taught a course on remote sensing techniques for AWMA audiences. |
| Vendor Selection |
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| Expert has experience in locating vendors of: pptical remote sensing systems for air quality, real-time air quality monitors, general air sampling systems, and radon analytical equipment. He has access to the following materials to aid in vendor location: general buyer's guides, and personal contacts with vendors and other experts. |
Fields of Expertise
air quality, air-quality monitoring, air sampling, air toxic chemical, ambient air quality assessment, environmental monitoring, environmental air quality, radon, radon control, radon testing, remote sensing, cigarette smoke, indoor air quality, carbon monoxide emission, indoor pollutant, air toxic control, construction defect, analytical monitoring, toxic gas monitoring, toxic gas, secondhand smoke, indoor air purification, environmental air sampling, environmental air sample, environmental sampling, optical sensing, environmental radioactivity, analyzer, sampling equipment, air-pollution monitoring equipment, sick building syndrome, air-sampling equipment, air-quality assessment, air-pollutant environmental effect, environmental site assessment, stationary source toxic air pollutant control, sulfur oxide compound environmental effect, sulfur dioxide environmental effect, asbestos management service, light beam, tobacco smoke, sulfur dioxide, dioxide, toxic substance sampling equipment, visible light, underground storage tank, tobacco smoke human health effect, radon environmental effect, personnel air monitoring, indoor air pollution control, fossil fuel environmental effect, formaldehyde, microorganism exposure, emission monitoring, chemical sensor, carbon monoxide, asbestos, air pollutant