National Recommended Water Quality Criteria Current Water Quality Criteria US EPA Page 1 of 10

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Water CurrentWater Quality Criteria

You are here Water Science Technokigy uSurface Water Standards Guidance Water Quality Standards VVater Quality Criteria p National Recommended Water

Quality Criteria

National Recommended Water Quality Criteria

EPAs compilation of national recommended water quality criteria Is presented as a summary table containing recommended wailer

quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life and human health in surface water for approximately 150 pollutants These aiteria

are published pursuant to Section 304a of the Clean Water Act CWA and provide guidance for states and tribes to use in

adopting water quality standards

Aauatic Life Criteria Table

Human Health Criteria Tablet

141 Final 2015 Updated National Recommended Human Heaith Criteria

Oraanoleptic MEM eg taste and odor

Additional Notes

Appendix AConversion Factors for DissOlved Metals

Appendix BParameters for Calculatinq Freshwater Dissolved Metals Criteria That Are Hardness Dependent

Gold Red Books

Aquatic Life Criteria Table

Pollutant

Acroiein

Aesthetic Qualifiea

Aldrin

Aikalinity

albhaEndosultan

minurri PH 65 80

Ammonla

Lsecrii

Bacteria

betaEndosufan

B oron

Carbarvl

Cadmium

Chlordane

Chloride

hicrIne

CAS PtNP

Number

107028

309002

NP

NP

Freshwater

CMC1

acute

P914

CCc1

chronic

pgiL

341 3u911

NARRATIVE STATEMENTSEE DOCUMENT

3013

20000 C

959988 P 022V 0056 g Y

7429905

7664417

7440382

33213659

NP

NP

750 1 87 a

Saltwater

Quick NavIdatMn

Previous versions of Nationai

Recommended Water Quality

Criteria Table

chemical specific criteria dosaments

from the 1960s

Water ouality standards

Human Health Criteria Calculation

Marna PDF 414411 p0F1

CMCi

ac ute

1191L

130

00340 Y

FRESHWATER CRITERIA ARE oH Temperature and Lifestaoe DEPENDENT

SALTWATER CRITERIA ARE pH AND TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT

340 A D 150 A D 69 A D

NP FOR PRIMARY RECREATION AND SHELLFISH USESSEE DOCUMENT

P 022 G Y 0056g y

NP NARRATIVE STATEMENTSEE DOCUMENT

63252 NP 21 1

21

7440439 P 20

57749 P 24 G 100043 2

16887006 NP 860000 230000

7782505 NP 19 11

Chloropyrifos 2921882 NP 0083 0041

Chromium Ill 16065831 P 570 0 E 74 D E

Chromium Nit 18540299 P 16 D 11 2

NP NARRATIVE STATEMENTSEE DOCUMENT

COOPer 7440508 P Freshwater criteria calculated using the BLM mm See DQGUMent

Qyarrie 57125 P 22 2 52Q

Derneton 8065483 NP 01 2

Diazinon 333415 NP 017ugL 017u9

D ieldrin 60571 P 024 0056Q

0034 g Y

16

40 D

009 G

13

0011

1100 D

480 cc

1 2

082ugfL

071 G

CCC

chronic

41

Publication

Year

2009

1986

1980

1986

00087 GY 1980

1988

2013

1989

36 A D 1995

1986

0008713 Y 1960

1986

2012

SOD 2001

000413 1980

1986

75 1986

00056 1986

500

1995

1995

1986

31 D cc 2007

1 a 1985

01 2

082ugL

00019 2 1995

1985

2005

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EPA003478
National Recommended Water Quality Criteria Current Water Quality Criteria I

US EPA Page 2 of 10

Bndrin 72208 P 0086 00360 0037 G 00023a 1995

gamma13NC Lindane 58899 P 095 016 a 1995

Gases Total Dissolved NP NARRATiVE STATEMENT SEE DOCUMENT Q 1986

Gut ion 86500 NP 001 Q 001 C 1986

Hardness NP NARRATIVE STATEMENT SEE DOCUMENT 1986

Heptachlor i 76448 P 052G 00038G 0053 2 00036 1980

Heptachlor Epoxide 1024573 P 052 G V 000380 V 0353 2 V 00036G y 1981

Iron 7439896 NP I 1000 C 1986

1A482 7439921 P 65Q E 25 0 E 210D 81 0 1980

Malathion 121755 NP 01 C 01 Q 1986

Mercury 7439976 P 14 0 hh 077 a tth 18 0 ee hh 094 a cam 1995

Mettwlmercurv 22967926

Methoxychlor

Mirex

Nickel

Nonylphenol

Nutrients

72435 INP 003Q 003 1986

2385855 NP 0001 C 0001 Q 1986

i

I 7440020 I

P 470 0 E 52 11 L 74Q 82 D 1995

84852153 NP 28ugL 661J9L TirgL 17ugL 2005

NP See EPAs Ecoregional crileria for Total Phosphorus Total Nitrogen Chlorophyll a and VValer Clarity

Secohi depth for lakes turbidity for streams and rivers 4 LevellIlEooregronal criteria

Oil and Grease NP NARRATIVE STATEMENT SEE DOCUMENT C 1986

Oxygen Dissolved 7782447 NP WARMVVATER AND COLDWATER MATRIX SEE DOCUMENT 1986

Freshwater SALTWATERSEEDOCUMENT

Oxygen Dissolved

Saltwater

Parathion 56382 NP 00651 00131 1995

Pentachloropherfol 87865 P 19E 15 F 10 79 1995

gLi NP 65 9 C 65 85 g P 1986

Phosphorus Elemental 7723140 1NP 1986

Polychlorinated I 13 0014 N 003 N

Biphenyls PCBs

Selenium 7782492 P L 13 505 2900 ad 71 Q g 1999

aihter 7440224 I P 32Q E 19 0 1980

Solids Suspended and NP NARRATIVE STATEMENT SEE DOCUMENT g 1986

Turbidity

SulfideHydrogen Sulfide 7783064 NP 200 20 1986

Tainting Substances NP NARRATIVE STATEMENT SEE DOCUMENT 1986

Temperature NP SPECIES DEPENDENT CRITERIA SEE DOCUMENT M 1986

lxgiplifFrie 1 8001352 P 073 00002 021 00002 1986

Tributyktin Mill NP 046 0072 042 00074 2004

7440666 P 120 D E 120Q E 90Q 81 D 1995

44 DDT 59293 P 11 a g 0001 0 ii 013 0 ii 0001 G ii 1980

PNP Indicates either a Priority Pollutant P or a Non Priority PollutantNP

Footnotes

A This recommended water quality criterion was derived from data for arsenic III but is applied here to total arsenic which might imply that arsenic Ili and arsenic V are

equally toxic to aquatic life and that their toxicities are additive No data are known to be available concerning whether the toxlcitles of the forms of arsenic to aquatic

organisms are additive Please consult the cnterra document for details

C The derivation of this value is presented In the Red Book EPA 440976023 July 1976 The OCC of20m9L is a minimum value except where alkalinity is naturally lower

in which case the criterion cannot be lower than 25 of the natural level

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EPA003479
National Recommended Water Quality Criteria I

Current Water Quality Criteria I US EPA Page 3 of 10

El Freshwater and saltwater criteria for metals are expressed in terms of the dissolved metal in the water column See Office of Water Patio arid Technical Guidance on

Interpretation and Implementation of Aquatic Life Metals Criteria MDR tiro ZNB October 1 1993 by Martha G Prothro Acting Assistant Administrator for Water available

on NSCEPs web site and 40CFR§13136b1 Conversion Factors applied in the table can be Found in Appendix A to the Preamble ConVerSiOn Factors for Dissolved

Metals

E The freshwater criterion for this metal is expressed as a function of hardness moL in the water column The value given here corresponds to a hardness of 100 mgL

Criteria values for other hardness may be calculated per the equation presented in the criteria document

F Freshwater aquatic life values for pentachlorophenol are expressed as a function of pH Values displayed in table correspond to a pH of 78

G This Criterion is based on 304a aquatic iffe criterion issued in 1980 and was issued in one of the following documents AldrinDieldrin PDF 15 pp 7 ME EPA 440580

019 Chlordane PDF fA pp 31 MB EPA 440580027 DDT POE 1170 pp 6 3M8 EPA 440580038 Lndosulfart PDF g Se pp73MB EPA 440580046 Endrin PDF

103 pp 4 6M5 EPA 440580047 Heptachlor PDF pp 64 EPA 4401580052 Hexachlorecvdohexane PDF lot no 4 stile EPA 440580054 Silver EPA

440580071 The Minimum Data Requirements and derivation procedures were different in the 1980 Guidelines than in the 1965 Guidelines PDF 1104 pp 3 3M13 If

evaluation is to be done using an averaging period the acute criteria values given Should be divided by 2 to obtain a value that is more comparable to a CMC derived using the

1985 Guidelines

I This value foraluminum is expressed in terms of total recoverable metal in the water column

J This value was derived using the GLI Guidelines 80 FR 1539315399 March 23 1995 40CFR132 Appendix A the differences between the 1985 Guidelines and the GLI

Guidelines are explained on page iv of the 995 Updates No decision concerning this criterion was affected by any considerations that are specific to the Great Lakes

L The CMC = 14f1CMC1 + f2CMC2 where 11 and f2 are the fractions of total selenium that are treated as selenite and selenate respectively and CMC1 and CMC2 are

1859 ugri and 1282 ugh respectively However based on findings from a February 2009 SETAC Pellston Workshop on Ecological Assessment of Selenium in the Aquatic

Environment diet is the primary pathway of selenium exposure to aquatic life and traditional methods for predicting toxicity on the basis of exposure to dissolved

concentrations are not appropriate for selenium To view a summary of the SETAC Pension workshop including key findings visit

httellwwwsetacorekesourceresmcdpublicatIons and resoureesselsummarypdf

M US EPA 1973 Water Quality Criteria 1972 EPAR373033 National Technical Information Service Springfield VA US EPA 1977 Temperature Criteria for

Freshwater Fish Protocol and Procedures EPA 600377061 National Technical Information Service Springfield VA

N This criterion applies to total PCBs eg the sum of all congener or all isomer Of hOin0109 or Aroclor analyses

0 The derivation of the CCC for this pollutant Endrin did not consider exposure through the diet which is probably important for aquatic life occupying upper trophic levels

P According to page 181 of the Red Book

For open ocean waters where the depth is substantially greater than the euphotic zone the pH should not be changed more than 02 units from the naturally occurring

variation or any case outside the range of 66 to 86 For shallow highly productive coastal and estuarine areaswhere naturally occurring pH variations approach the lethal

limits of some species changes in pH should be avoided but in any case should not exceed the limits established for fresh water ie 6590

0 This recommended water quality criterion is expressed as ug free cyanide as CNL

R EPA is in the process of updating this criterion to reflect the latest scientific information See EPAs Aquatic Life Criterion Selenium website for more information

S There are three major reasons why the use of Water Effect Ratios might be appropriate

I The value of 87 ugA Is based runs toxicity test with the striped bass in water with pH 6566 and hardness <10 mgL Data in Aluminum Water Effect Ratio forthe

3M Plant Effluent Diseharge Middleway West Virginia May 1994 indicate that aluminum is substantially less toxic at higher pH and hardness but the effects of pH

and hardness are not well quantified at this time

2 in tests with the brook trout at low pH and hardness effects increased with increasing concentrations of total aluminum even though the concentration of dissolved

aluminum was constant indicating that total recoverable is a more appropriate measurement than dissolved at least when particulate aluminum is primarily aluminum

hydroxide particles In surface waters however the total recoverable procedure might measure aluminum associated with clay particles which might be less toxic

than aluminum associated with aluminum hydroxide

3 EPA is aware of field data indicating that many high quality waters in the US contain more than 87 g aluminumI when either total recoverable or dissolved is

measured

V This value was derived from data for heptachlor and the criteria document provides insufficient data to estimate the relative toxicities of heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide

Y This value was derived from data for endosulfan and is most appropriately applied to the sum of alphaendosulfan and betaendosulfan

cc Wien the concentration of dissolved organic carbon is elevated copper is substantially less toxic and use of Water Effect Ratios might be appropriate

dd The selenium criteria document EPA 440587006 September 1987 provides that if selenium is as toxic to saltwater fishes in the field as it is to freshwater fishes in the

field the status of the fish community should be monitored whenever the concentration of selenium exceeds 50 p91 in salt water because the saltwater CCC does not take

into account uptake via the food chain

ee This recommended water quality criterion was derived on page 43 of the mercury criteria document PDF1144 pp 84MBp EPA 440584026 January 1985 The saltwater

CCC of 0025 ugIL given on page 23 of the criteria document is based on the Final Residue Value procedure in the 1985 Guidelines Since the publication of the Great Lakes

Aquatic Life Criteria Guidelines in 1995 60 FR 1539346399 March 23 1995 the Agency no longer uses the Final Residue Value procedure for deriving CCCs for new or

revised 304a aquatic life Criteria

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EPA003480
National Recommended Water Quality Criteria I

Current Water Quality Criteria I

US EPA Page 4 of 10

hit This recommended water quality altenon wal derived from data for inorganic mercury II but is applied here to total mercury If a substantial portion of the Mercury in the

water column is methylmercury this criterion will probably be under protective In addition even hough inorganic mercury is converted to methylmercury and methylmercury

bioaccumulatea to a great extent this criterion does not account for uptake via the food chain because sufficient data were not available when the criterion was derived

ii This criterion applies to DDT and its metabolites ie the total concentration of DDT and its metaboliles should not exceed this value

mm The available toxicity data when evaluated using the procedures described In the Guidelines for Deriving Numerical National Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of

Aquatic Organisms and Their Uses indicate that freshwater aquatic life should be protected lithe 24hour average and fourday average concentrations do not respectively

exceed the acute and chronic criteria concentrations calculated by the Biotic Ligand Model

Human Health Criteria Table

Final 2015 Updated National Recommended Human Health Criteria

Human Health for the consumption of

Pollutant CAS Number VIP Water + Organ Cm Organism Only Publication Year

4410 PgiL

Acenaphthene 83329 P 70A 90 A 2015

Acrolein 107028 P 3 400 2015

Acrvionittile 107131 P 0061 700 2015

Aldrin 309002 P 000000077 000000077 C 2015

C

alphaHexachlorocvdohexane 110 319846 P 000036 C 000039 0 2015

alphaEndosulfan 959988 P 20 30 2015

Anthracene 120127 P 300 400 2015

Antimonv 7440360 P 56 8 0 640 B 0 2002

Arsenic 7440382 P 00180 D E 014 0 D E 1992

Asbestos 1332214 P 7 million fibers D F 1991

Barium 7440393 NP 1 poo 0 0 1986

Benzene 71432 P 05821 C D 1858 C 0 2015

Benzidine 92875 P 0000140 0011 C 2015

Benzoaanthracene 58553 P 00012 C 00013 C 2015

lenz0alovren 4 50328 P 000012 a 0 000013 C D 2015

Benzobfluoranthene 205992 P 00012 Q 000130 2015

Ben2Ofk1fluoranthere 207089 P 0012 a 00130 2015

Beryllium 7440417 P 2

betaHexachlorocydohexane HCH 319857 P 000800 00140 2015

belaEndosulfan 33213659 P 20 40 2015

Bie2Chloro1mothylethvq Ether 108601 P 200 4000 2015

Bis2Chloreethvi Other 111444 P 0030 C 220 2015

Bis2Ethvlhexvf Phihafate 117817 P 032 Q 2 037 0 0 2015

BisChloromethvri Ether 542881 NP 000015 L 00170 2015

Brornoforrn 75252 P 70 C 0 120 C 0 2015

Butylbenul Phlhalate 85687 P 0100 0100 2015

Cadmium 7440439 P I0

Carbon Tetrachloride 56235 P 040 2 50 2 2015

Chlordane 57749 P 000031 0 0 000032 0 2 2015

Chbrobenzene 1108907 P 1 100 A D 800 A ID 2015

ChbrodibrOMomethane 1

124481 P 080 a D 21 0 Q 2015

Chloroform 67683 P 602 20000 2015

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EPA003481
National Recommended Water Quality Criteria l

Current Water Quality CriteriaIUS EPA Page 5 of 10

Chloroohenoxy Herbicide 241 94757 NP 1 300 0 120001 2015

Chloroohenoxy Herbicide 245TP ISilvext 93721 NP 1000 4001 2015

Chromium III 16065831 P 0 Total

Chromium VI 18540299 P 2 Total

C11ie 218019 P 012 C 0 013 0 0 2015

COOM 7440508 i P 1300 A 2 19g2

Cyanide 57125 P 40 400 2 2015

Rjkenzotah1anthracene 53703 P 000012C 0000130 2015

Dichlorobrornornethanq 75274 P 095 0 0 27 C D 2015

Pieldrin 60571 P 00000012Q 00000020 2015

Diethyl Phthalate 84662 P 690 600 2015

Dimethyl Phthalate 131113 P 2000 2000 2015

2 inBuril Phifiakate 84742 P 20 30 2015

Dinitroohenols 25550587 1NP 10 1000 2015

Endosulfan Stl Kat e 1031078 1P i

20 40 2015

Endrin 72208 P 0032 0030 2015

f ndrin Aldehyde 7421934 1

P 1 1 2015

Etrivlbenzene 100414 1

P 582 130D 2015

Fluoranihene 206440 P 20 20 2015

Fluorene 86737 P 50 70 2015

dammaHexachlorocvdohexane tHCH1Lindanel 58899 P 422 44 2 2015

Heptachlor 76448 P 00000059 0 2 00000059 0 2 2015

liektachlor Eooxide 1024573 P 0000032 C D 00000320 D 2015

Hexachlorobenzene 118741 P 0000079 C D 0000079 C D 2015

Hexachlorobutadiene 87683 P 001 C 2 001 C D 2015

HeYachlorocyclohexane HCH Technical 608731 NP 00066 C 0010 C 2015

Hexachlorocyclooentadiene 77474 P 4 A 2 4 A D 2015

llexachloroethane 67721 P 01 C 01 C 2015

indeno123cdoyrene 193395 P 00012 C 000130 2015

Isoohorone 78591 P 34Q 18000 2015

Manganese 7439965 NP 50 A G I I 100A a

MethYlmercury 22967926 P 03 mgkg 1 2001

Methorchlor 72435 NP 002 0 002 D 2015

Methyl Bromide 74839 P 100 10000 2015

Methylene Chlonde 75092 P 20 C 0 1000 0 Q 2615

Nickel 7440020 P 610 0 4600 8 1998

Nitrates 14797558 NP 10000 D G 1986

Nitrobenzene 98953 P 10 A 600A 2015

Nikosamines NP 00008 i 124 neci

Nilrosodibutvlamlne Ll 924163 NP 000630 0220 2002

Nitrosodiethylamlne U 55185 i

NP 00008 C 1240 i 2002

Nitrosopyrrolidine N 930552 1

NP 0016 C 34 0 i2002

+

NNitrosodimethvlamine 62759 P 0000690 300 2002

NNitrosodinProbylamine 621647 P 00050 C 051 C 2002

NNitrosodioherivlamine 86306 P 33 C 60 C 2002

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EPA003482
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Pathogen and Pathogen Indicators See EPAs 2012 Recreational Vsiater Quality Criteria 2012

Pentechlorobenzene 608935 NP 01 01 2015

Pentachloroehenol 87865 P 003 A C D 004 A C D 2015

122 NP 5 9 1986

Phenol 108952 P 4000 A 300000 A 2015

Polychlorinated 13iphenyls PCBs P 0000064 2 2 j 0000064g 2 2002

129000 P 20

7762492 P 170 2

NP 250000 G

P

Selenium

Solids Dissolved and Salinity

TelraCtIoroChvIene 127184 P

Thaltium 7440280 P

Tolvene 108883 P

Torapheri 8001352 P

Trichloroethylene 79016 P 06 C 0

10 2

0242

57 0

0 00070 C D

30 2015

4200Q 2002

1986

29Q2015

047 D 2003

520Q 2015

000071 C D 2015

7 C D 2015

Vinyl Chloride 75014 P 0022 2 D 16 2 D 2015

Zinc 7440666 P 7400 A 26000 A 2002

111Trichbreethane 71556 P 100000 200000D 2015

1122Tetrachloroethane 79345 P 02 C 3 2 2015

112Trichloroathane 79005 P 055 C D 89 C D 2015

11Dichloroethylene 75354 P 3001 20000Q 2015

124ATetrachlorobenzene 95943 NP 003 003 2015

124TrIchlorobenzene 120821 P 0071 2 00762 2015

12Dichlorohenzene 95501 P 1000 D 30000 2015

12Dichlorodhane 107062 P 99 CI2 650 C D 2015

12Dichtoropropane 78876 P 090Q 2 31 C D 2015

120iphenythydrazine 122867 P 003 C 02C 2015

Trans12DichloreelhvIene 156605 P 1000 40002 2015

1chloroben zone 541731 P 7 10 2015

13Dichloroorooene 542756 P 027 Q 12 C 2015

14Dichlorabenzene 106467 P 300Q 900 0 2015

2378TCDD Dioxin 1746016 P 50E9 C 2 5 1E9 2 0 2002

245Trichlorophenol 95954 NP 300 A 600 A 2015

246Trichloroohenol 88062 P 15A a 28 A C 2015

4Dictiloronhenol 120832 P 10 A 60A 2015

4DIrnethvInhenol 105679 P 100 g 3000i 2015

24Dindroohenol 51285 P 10 300 2015

24Dinitrotoluene 121142 P 0049 C 17 2 2015

2Chloronaphthalene 91587 P 300 1000 2015

ZChlorochenol 95578 P 30 A 800A 2015

2Methyl46Dinitrophenol 1

534521 P 2 30 2015

33Dichlorobenzidine I91941 P 0049 2 015 2 2015 i 3Meth44Chlorophenot i 59507 P 500A 2000A 2015

PVOlehlorOdighenyldichlocoethene ODD 72548 P 000012a 000012 2 2415

goDichlorodichenvidichloroethWene iD0E1 72559 P 00000182 0000018 2 2015

PWDichloradiohenvItrichloroethane ICCM 50293 P 0000030 2 6000030 2 2015

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EPA003483
National Recommended Water Quality Criteria Current Water Quality Criteria 1US EPA Page 7 of 10

Indicates either a Priority Pollutant P or a Non Priority Pollutant NP

Footnotes

A This chemical has a criterion for organoleptic taste and order effects in some cases the organoleptic criterion may be more stringent

B This criterion was revised to reflect EPAs q1 or RIlD as contained in the Integrated Risk information System IRIS as of May 17 2902 The fish tissue bioconcentration

factor BCF is frorn the 1980 Ambient Water Quality Criteria document

C This criterion is based on carcinogenicity of 106 risk

D EPA has issued a Maximum Contaminant Level MCL for this chemical under the Safe Drinking Water Act In some cases the MCL may be more stringent For more

information see EPAs National Primary Drinking Water Regulations

E This recommended water quality criterion for arsenic refers to me inorganic form only

F This criterion for asbestos is the Maximum Contaminant Level MCL developed under the Safe Drinking Water Act SDWA

G This human health criterion is the same as originally published in the Red Book which predates the 1980 methodology aid did not utilize the fish ingestion BCF approach

This same criterion value is published in the Gold Book

H This criterion for manganese is not based on toxic effects but rather is intended to minimize objectionable qualities such as laundry stains and objectionable tastes in

beverages

1 This fish tissue residue criterion for methylmemury is based on a total fish consumption rate of00175 kgday

J This criterion applies to total PCBs eg the sum of all congener oral isomer or homolog or Arocior analyses

Organoleptic Effects eg taste and odor

Pollutant CAS Number Organoleptic Effect Criteria

Pa

FR Cite

Source

Acenaphrhene 83329 20 Gold Book

Color NP Gold Book

Jlgg 7439898 300 Gold Book

Red Book

Monochlorobenzene 108907 20 Gold Book

Tainting Substance NP Gold Book

3Chlorophenol 01 Gold Book

4Chlorophenol 106489 01 Gold Book

23Dichloropherfol 0 64 Gold Book

25Dichloropherol 05 Gold Book

26Dichlorophenol 02 gold Book

34Dichlorophenol 03 Gold Book

245Trichlorophenol 95954 1 Gold Book

246Trichlorophenol 88062 2 Gold Book

2346Tetrachlorophenol 1

Gold Book

2Methyl4Chlorophenol 1890 Gold BOOK

3Methyl4Chlorophenol 59507 3000 GOld Book

3Methy15Chlorophenol 20 Gold Book

2Chlorophenol 95578 01 Gold Book

Copper 7440508 1000 Gold Book

24Dichlorophenol 120832 03 Gold Book

24Dimethylphenol 105679 400 Gold Book

Hexaohlorocyclopentadlene 77474 1 Gold Book

Manganese 7439966

Nitrobenzene 98953 30 Gold Book

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EPA003484
National Recommended Water Quality Criteria Current Water Quality Criteria I

US EPA Page 8 of 10

Pentachlorophenol 87865 30 Gold Book

Phenol 108952 300 Gold Book

Zinc 7440666 5000 45 FR79341

Notes

1 These criteria are based on organoleptic taste and odor effects Because of variations in chemical nomenclature systems this listing of pollutants does not duplicate the

listing in Appendix A of 40 CFR Part423 Also fisted are the Chemical Abstracts Service CAS registry numbers which provide a unique identification for each chemical

Additional Notes

1 Criteria Maximum Concentration and Criterion Continuous Concentration

The Criteria Maximum Concentration CMC is an estimate of the highest concentration of a material in surface water to which an aquatic community can be exposed

briefly without resulting in an unacceptable effect The Criterion Continuous Concentration COG is an estimate of the highest concentration of a material in surface

water to which an aquatic community can be exposed indefinitely without resulting in an unacceptable effect The CMC and CCC are just two of the six pans of an

aquatic life criterion the other four parts are the acute averaging period chronic averaging period acute frequency of allowed exceedence and chronic frequency of

allowed exceedence Because 304a aquatic life criteria are national guidance they are intended to be protective of the vast majority of the aquatic communities in

the United States

2 Criteria Recommendations for Priority Pollutants Non Priority Pollutants and Organoleptic Effects

This compilation lists all priority toxic pollutants and some non priority toxic pollutants and both human health effect arid organoleptic effect criteria issued pursuant to

CWA §304a Blank spaces indicate that EPA has no CWA §304a criteria recommendations For a number of non priority toxic pollutants not listed CWA §304a

wafer + organism human health criteria are not available but EPA has published MCLs under the SUWA that may be uSed in establishing water quality standards to

protect water supply designated uses Because of variations in chemical nomenclature systems this listing of toxic pollutants does not duplicate the listing in

Appendix A of 40 CFR Part 423 Also listed are the Chemical Abstracts Service CAS registry numbers which provide a unique identification for each chemical

3 Human Health Risk

The human health criteria for the priority and non priority pollutants are based on carcinogenicity of 104 risk Alternate risk levels may be obtained by moving the

decimal point eg for a risk level of 106 move the decimal point in the recommended criterion one place to the right

4 Water Quality Criteria published pursuant to Section 304a or Section 303c of the CWA

Many of the values in the compilation were published In the California Toxics Rule Although such values were published pursuant to Section 303c of the CWA they

represent the Agencys most recent calculation of water quality criteria and we thus the Agencys 304a criteria

5 Calculation of Dissolved Metals Criteria

The 304a criteria for metals shown as dissolved metals are calculated in one of two ways For freshwater metals criteria that are hardnessdependent the

dissolved metal criteria were calculated using a hardness of 100 mgil as CaCO3 for illustrative purposes only Saltwater and freshwater metals criteria that are not

hardnessdependent are calculated by multiplying the total recoverable criteria before rounding by the appropriale conversion factors The final dissolved metals

criteria in the table are rounded to two sIgniffcant figures Information regarding the calculation of hardness dependent conversion factors are included in the

footnotes

6 Maximum Contaminant Levels

The compilation Includes footnotes for pollutants with Maximum Contaminant Levels MCLs more stringent than the recommended water quality criteria in the

compilation MCLs for these pollutants are not included in the compilation but can be found in the appropriate drinking water regulations 40 CFR 1411116 and

1416063 or can be accessed through the Safe Drinking Water Hotline 8004264791 or online

7 Organooptic Effects

The compilation contains 304a criteria for pollutants with toxicitybased criteria as well as nontaxicity based criteria The basis for the non toxicity based criteria are

organoleptic effects eg taste and odor which would make water and edible aquatic life unpalatable but not toxic to humans The table includes criteria for

organoleptic effects for 23 pollutants Pollutants with organoleptic effect criteria more stringent than the criteria based on toxicity eg included in both the priority and

non priority pollutant tables are footnoted as such

8 Gold Book

The Gold Book is Quality Criteria for Water 1986 EPA 440586001

9 Correction of Chemical Abstract Services Number

The Chemical Abstract Services number CAS for Bis2Chlorisoprpyl Ether has been revised in IRIS and In the table The correct CAS number for this chemical is

108601 The previous CAS number for this pollutant was 39638329

10 Contaminants with Blanks

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EPA003485
National Recommended Water Quality Criteria Current Water Quality CriteriaI

US EPA Page 9 of 10

EPA has not Calculated criteria for contaminants with blanks However permit authorities should address these contaminants in NPOES permit actions using the

Slates existing narrative criteria for toxics

it Specific Chemical Calculations

Selenium Aquatic Life

This compilation contains aquatic life criteria for selenium that are the same as those published in the proposed CTR in the CTR EPA proposed an acute criterion for

selenium based on the criterion proposed for selenium in the Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System 61 FR 58444 The GLI and CTR proposals take

into account data showing that seleniums two prevalent oxidation states in water selenlie and seienate present differing potentials for aquatic toxicity as well as new

data indicating that various forms of selenium are add live The new approach produces a different selenium acute criterion concentration or CMC depending upon

the relative proportions of selenite catenate and other forms of selenium that are present

EPA is currently undertaking a reassessment of selenium and expects the 304a criteria for selenium will be revised based on thellnal reassessment 63 FR 26186

However until such time as revised water quality criteria for selenium are published by the Agency the recommended water quality criteria in this compilation are

EPAs current 304a criteria

Appendix AConversion Factors for Dissolved Metals

Metal Conversion Factor

freshwater CMC freshwater CCC

Arsenic 1000 1000

Cadmium 1136672On hardness0041838 1101672Rin hardness00418381

Chromium III 0316 0860

Chromium lit 0982 0962

Copper 0980 0960

Lead 1452031ln hardness0145712 146203Rin hardness0145712

Mercury 085 085

Nickel 0998 0997

Selenium

Silver 085 085

Zinc 0978 0986 0946

saltwater CMC

1000

0994

0993

083

0951

085

0990

0998

saltwater CCC

1 000

0994

0993

083

0951

085

0990

0998

0946

Appendix BParameters for Calculating Freshwater Dissolved Metals Criteria That Are Hardness Dependent

Chemical MA bA mc bc Freshwater Conversion Factors CF

CMC CCC

Cadmium 10166 3924 07409 4719 1136872Mhardness00418381 1101872Wnhardness0041838

Chromium III 08190 37256 08190 06648 0316 0860

Copper 09422 1700 08545 1702 0960 0960

Lead 1273 1460 1273 4705 1 48203inhardness0145712 146203phardness0145712

Nickel 08460 2255 08460 00584 0 998 0997

Silver 172 669 085

Zinc 08473 0884 08473 0884 0 978 0986

Hardness dependant metals criteria may be calculated from the following

CMG dissolved expmA Iinhardness+ bA CF

CCC dissolved = expmc Inhardnessii bc CF

The Gold Book

Quality Criteria for Woter 1986 PDF 1477 pp 46 M13 May 1986

The Red Book

Quality Criteria for Water 1976 PDF 534 pp 62 MB July 1975

Chemical Specific Crileria Documents from the 1980s

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