Priority pollutants categories

U.S. EPA has listed 16 PAH as priority pollutants in wastewaters and 24 PAH in the category of soils, sediments, hazardous wastes, and groundwaters. Some common PAH compounds including the ones listed by U.S. EPA as priority pollutants are presented in Table 2.13.1. All these analytes, as well as any other compound that has a polyaromatic ring, may be analyzed by similar methods. The analytical steps include extraction of the sample with methylene chloride or an appropriate solvent, concentration of the solvent extract into a small volume, cleanup of the extract using silica gel (for dirty samples), and determination of PAH by HPLC, GC, or GC/MS. The HPLC method is superior to packed column GC analysis which suffers from a coelution problem. 

The CWA has established discharge requirements for 129 individual toxic pollutants (VOCs, pesticides, metals and corrosives), known as priority pollutants, and conventional pollutants for 34 industrial categories (EPA, 1998b). Appendix 2 lists these pollutants, which are either individual chemicals or groups of chemicals of a similar nature. Aquatic toxicity testing and temperature measurements also often included into NPDES permits. 

EPA. 1982d. 126 Priority pollutants. Steam electric power generating point source category. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Code of Federal Regulations. 40 CFR Part 423, Appendix A. 

The 1970s show pollution control starting in earnest. Industries were classified into industrial categories. These resulted in the identihcation of priority pollutants and the establishment of categorical standards for a particular industrial category. These standards apply to commercial and industrial discharges that contain the priority pollutants identified by the EPA. Since industries are allowed to discharge into collection systems, these priority pollutants hnd their way into publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). 

The National Pretreatment Program controls the discharge of 126 priority pollutants from industries into sewer systems, as described in the Clean Water Act. These priority pollutants fall into two categories, metals and toxic organics. 

Effluent guidelines steam electric power generating point source category—priority pollutants... 

EPA Priority Pollutant under Solid and Hazardous Waste Category RCRA Hazardous Waste Number U140... 

Percent recoveries for 21 representative semivolatile priority pollutant organic compounds are listed in the method taken from the categories of base (B), neutral (N), and acid (A), the so-called BNAs from the over 100 compounds that are routinely monitored for in EPA-contract-type work. 

In 1976, EPA s focus changed from control of conventional pollutants (biological oxygen demand and suspended solids) to control of toxic pollutants. This shift in EPA s focus was the result of a lawsuit in 1976 which resulted in the Flannery Decree and in the 1977 amendments. " These amendments established a permit program for point souree discharges to foeus on 21 major industrial categories and 65 priority pollutants (see Table 19.2 for list of priority pollutant solvents). Today s list of priority pollutants has been expanded to inelude 129 toxie pollutants from 34 industrial categories. 

The book consists of numerous fields of information on each of the regulated chemicals listed under the general categories of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs), Priority Water Pollutants (PWPs), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Chemicals. Every attempt has been made to present as much information as possible in a 2-3 page setting. For a few of these chemicals, however, information in some of these fields was not available. This is indicated by the notation NOT AVAILABLE. Specific fields for each of the three classes of regulated pollutants are provided below. 

The conunittee s criteria were based on best practices in the chemical indnstry, inclnding a criterion based on pollution prevention (e.g., minimizing the volume of material that must be added at the front end of the process and minimizing the prodnction of high-temperature vapor streams at the back end of the process). The conunittee divided the best practices into two categories top priority criteria and important criteria. The top priority criteria are ... 

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