Concentration environmental protection

Shipment of hydrazine solutions is regulated in the United States by the Department of Transportation (DOT) which classifies all aqueous solutions between 64.4 and 37% N2H4 as "Corrosive" materials with a subsidiary risk of "Poison". Hydrazine has been identified by both the Environmental Protection Agency and the DOT as a hazardous material and has been assigned a reportable quantity (RQ) of 0.450 kg (1 lb) if spilled. Dmms for the shipment of these solutions must bear both the DOT specification "Corrosive" and "Poison" labels in association with the markings "RQ Hydrazine Aqueous Solution UN 2030." Aqueous solutions of 37% concentration or less are a hazard Class 6.1, UN 3293, Packing Group III and require "Keep Away From Food" placards and labels. 

Health nd Safety Factors. Isophorone is considered moderately toxic by ingestion and skin contact. Some rat tumor formation evidence has been found (264), but no demonstration as a human carcinogen has been proven. Isophorone is considered an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) priority pollutant, and has a permissible acute toxicity concentration of 117, 000 ///L to protect freshwater aquatic life, 12, 900 ///L to protect saltwater aquatic life, and 5, 200 ///L to protect human life (265). Isophorone is mildly toxic by inhalation, but because of its low volatiUty it is not a serious vapor hazard. 

Approximately 5% of the U.S. consumption of is in agriculture. Boron is a necessary trace nutrient for plants and is added in small quantities to a number of fertilizers. Borates are also used in crop sprays for fast rehef of boron deficiency. Borates, when apphed at relatively high concentration, act as nonselective herbicides. Small quantities of borates are used in the manufacture of alloys and refractories (qv). Molten borates readily dissolve other metal oxides usage as a flux in metallurgy is an important apphcation. Other important small volume apphcations for borates are in fire retardants for both plastics and ceUulosic materials, in hydrocarbon fuels for fungus control, and in automotive antifreeze for corrosion control (see Corrosion and corrosion inhibitors). Borates are used as neutron absorbers in nuclear reactors. Several borates, which are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can be used for insecticidal purposes, eg, TIM-BOR. 

Cement plants in the United States are now carehiUy monitored for compliance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for emissions of particulates, SO, NO, and hydrocarbons. AH plants incorporate particulate collection devices such as baghouses and electrostatic precipitators (see Air POLLUTION CONTROL methods). The particulates removed from stack emissions are called cement kiln dust (CKD). It has been shown that CKD is characterized by low concentrations of metals which leach from the CKD at levels far below regulatory limits (63,64). Environmental issues continue to be of concern as the use of waste fuel in cement kilns becomes more widespread. 

Fig. 4-4. Urban trends in annual sulfur dioxide concentrations. Source U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1992,...

Mean Chemical Composition and Atmospheric Concentrations of Suspended Particulate Matter Sampled by the United States Environmental Protection Agency s Inhalable Particle and National Air Surveillance Networks—/rg/m and Percentage of Total Mass Sampled, 1980... 

Fig. 4-8. Sulfur dioxide concentration versus averaging time and frequency for 1980 at U S. National Aerometric Data Bank (NADB) Site 264280007 HOI, 8227 S. Broadway, St. Loutis, Missouri. Source Chart courtesy of Dr. Ralph Larsen, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC see also Fig. 19-13.

Fig. 10-11. The pH scale is a measure of hydrogen ion concentration. The pH of common substances is shown with various values along the scale. The Adirondack Lakes are located in the state of New York and are considered to be receptors of acidic deposition. Source U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Acid Rain—Research Summary," EPA-600/8-79-028, Cincinnati, 1979.

Fig. 12-2. NO-NO2-O3 ambient concentration profiles from average of four Regional Air Monitoring Stations (RAPS) in downtown St. Louis, Missouri (USA) on October 1, 1976. Source RAPS, Data obtained from the 1976 data file for the Regional Air Pollution Study Program. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 1976.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for protection of human health and welfare. These standards are defined in terms of concentration and hme span for a specific pollutant for example, the NAAQS for carbon monoxide is 9 ppmV for 8 hr, not to be exceeded more than once per year. For a state or local government to establish compliance with a National Ambient Air Quality Standard, measurements of the actual air quality must be made. To obtain these measurements, state and local governments have established stationary monitoring networks with instrumentation complying with federal specifications, as discussed in Chapter 14. The results of these measurements determine whether a given location is violating the air quality standard. 

Estimation of Permissible Concentrations of Pollutants for Continuous Exposure," Report 600/2-76-155. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 1976. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concentrates on modeling the dispersion of toxic material in the environment and the health effects thereof rather than accident prevention, The... 

The WHO, the CEN, and the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States specify the maximum permissible concentrations of these metals and other pollutants in the environment. 

Recently, much emphasis has been put on the harmful effects of small particles, i.e., particulate matter (PM), on human health. A number of standards have been established to characterize the PM fractions in the air and their effects on human health. A widely used PM standard in force in both Europe and the United States is based on the mass concentration of particles with a diameter of 10 gm or less (PMjo). However, recently the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a new standard that is based on the aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 gm particles. This new standard emphasizes the significant impact of small particles on human health, especially on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. 4 ... 

Air pollution in the United States is regulated at federal, state, and local levels. Allowable concentrations of the major air pollutants are set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the auspices of the Clean Air Act. States and localities implement pollution control plans in accordance with the provisions of the Clean Air Act in regions where air pollutant concentrations exceed the federal standards. Some states and localities have air pollution standards of their own, and in the past, such standards have occasionally been more stringent than those of the EPA. 

Increased morbidity and mortality is associated with increases in outdoor particle concentrations (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1995). Of particular concern are the particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, which are more likely to deposit deep inside the lungs (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1995). Some particles, biological in origin, may cause allergic or inflammatory reactions or be a source of infectious disease. 

EL = emissions level ERA = Environmental Protection Agency HSDB = Hazardous Substances Data Bank lARC = International Agency for Research on Cancer IRIS = Integrated Risk Information System NIOSH = National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health OEL = occupational exposure limit OSHA = Occupational Safety and Health Administration PEL = permissible exposure limit RAC = reference air concentration REL = recommended exposure limit RCRA = Resource Conservation and Recovery Act RfD = reference dose TLV = threshold limit value TWA = time-weighted average WHO = World Health Organization... 

EPA. 1980c. Adsorption, movement and biological degradation of large concentrations of selected pesticides in soils. Cincinnati, OH U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA-600/2-80-124. 

EPA. 1990b. Interim methods for development of inhalation reference concentrations. Washington, DC U.S, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office. EPA600/8-90/066. 

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