Re: Vinyl chloride odor

[Byron Bodo <bodo@interlog.com>]

  At 09:31 AM 11/17/97 -0500, you wrote:
  >Unless I've missed it -- there have been a number of "volleys" back and
  >forth on this topic -- you havent' told us what that "plastic" smell IS, if
  >it's not VCM. Presumably it's some component of the PVC. Inquiring minds
  >want to know!
  >
  
  It may be something called NDMA (or NMDA ?).  Can't recall what the acronymn
  stands for.  
  
  Had to review some raw drinking water sample data 7-8 yrs back where
  it had been detected a few times at trace levels & was causing the locals
  some consternation.  We were told it was the chemical that gave
  new cars that characteristic odor.
  
  A plant up river had been discharging the stuff.  A colleague who worked on
  the abatement investigations up river claimed that NDMA broke down
  readily in aquatic systems during open water season, but evidence
  was suggesting that it could build up under ice cover.
  
  The little info we could find at the time, suggested that NDMA had a 
  small carcinogenic risk, i.e., similar to some common food stuffs like
  bananas & peanuts.
  
  
  -bb