Pennsylvania Code & Bulletin
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

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The Pennsylvania Code website reflects the Pennsylvania Code changes effective through 53 Pa.B. 8238 (December 30, 2023).

25 Pa. Code § 93.8c. Human health and aquatic life criteria for toxic substances.

§ 93.8c. Human health and aquatic life criteria for toxic substances.

 (a)  Table 5 and the table of site-specific criteria maintained by the Department list the aquatic life and human health criteria for toxic substances which the Department uses in development of effluent limitations in NPDES Permits and for other purposes. The human health criteria, which include probable modes of exposure (such as, but not limited to ingestion from drinking water and fish consumption, inhalation and dermal absorption), are further defined as to the specific effect (that is, cancer or threshold health effects). For those aquatic life criteria which are a function of local water quality conditions and are specified as a formula, such as several of the heavy metals, the values used for the local water quality condition to derive the appropriate water quality criteria shall be determined by instream measurements or best estimates based on reference waters that are representative of the median concentrations or conditions of the receiving water for the applicable time period and design conditions. Instream measurements for the water quality condition will be gathered using Department data collection protocols. The priority pollutants are a set of specific chemical pollutants regulated by EPA. The priority pollutant numbers (PP NO) used by the EPA to identify priority pollutants are included in Table 5 for reference purposes. The toxics without a PP NO are nonpriority pollutants or State-derived criteria.

 (b)  Some of these criteria may be superseded for the Delaware Estuary, Ohio River Basin, Lake Erie Basin, and Genesee River Basin under interstate and international compact agreements with the Delaware River Basin Commission, Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission and International Joint Commission, respectively. Water quality criteria for the Great Lakes System are contained in §  93.8e (relating to special criteria for the Great Lakes System) and Table 6 (relating to Great Lakes Aquatic Life and Human Health Criteria). Criteria in Table 5 may apply to the Great Lakes System for those substances not listed in Table 6. Criteria may be developed for the Great Lakes System for substances other than those listed in Tables 5 and 6, under the methodologies in §  16.61 (relating to special provisions for the Great Lakes system).

TABLE 5


WATER QUALITY CRITERIA FOR TOXIC SUBSTANCES

Fish and Aquatic Life Criteria
PP
NO
Chemical Name CAS Number Criteria Continuous
Concentrations (ug/L)
Criteria Maximum
Concentration (ug/L)
Human
Health
Criteria
(ug/L)
1M ANTIMONY 07440360 220 1100 5.6 [dagger] H
2M ARSENIC 07440382 150 (As3+) 340 (As3+) 10 H
3M BERYLLIUM 07440417 N/A N/A N/A -
4M CADMIUM 07440439 *{1.101672-(ln[H]x0.041838)}x *{1.136672-(ln[H]x0.041838)} x N/A  
      Exp(0.7409xln[H]-4.719) Exp(1.0166xln[H]-3.924)   -
      (ex: @H=100, CCC=0.25) (ex: @H=100, CMC=2.0)    
5M CHROMIUM III 16065831 *0.860xExp(0.819xln[H]+0.6848) *0.316xExp(0.819xln[H]+3.7256) N/A -
      (ex: @H=100, CCC=74) (ex: @H=100, CMC=570)    
5M CHROMIUM VI 18540299 *11 *16 N/A -
6M COPPER 07440508 *0.960xExp(0.8545xln[H]-1.702) *0.960xExp(0.9422xln[H]-1.700) N/A -
      (ex: @H=100, CCC=9.0) (ex: @H=100, CMC=13)    
7M LEAD 07439921 *{1.46203-(ln[H] x0.145712)} x *{1.46203-(ln[H]x0.145712)} x N/A -
      Exp(1.273xln[H]-4.705) Exp(1.273xln[H]-1.460)    
      (ex: @H=100, CCC=2.5) (ex: @H=100, CMC=65)    
8M MERCURY 07439976 *0.77 (Hg2+) *1.4 (Hg2+) 0.05 H
9M NICKEL 07440020 *0.997xExp(0.846xln[H]+0.0584) *0.998xExp(0.846xln[H]+2.255) 610 [dagger] H
      (ex: @H=100, CCC=52) (ex: @H=100, CMC=470)    
10M SELENIUM 07782492 *4.6 N/A N/A -
11M SILVER 07440224 N/A *0.850xExp(1.72xln[H]-6.590) N/A -
        (ex: @H=100, CMC=3.2)    
12M THALLIUM 07440280 13 65 0.24 [dagger] H
13M ZINC 07440666 *0.986xExp(0.8473xln[H]+0.884) *0.978xExp(0.8473xln[H]+0.884) N/A -
      (ex: @H=100, CCC=120) (ex: @H=100, CMC=120)    
14M CYANIDE, FREE 00057125 5.2 22 4 H
1A 2-CHLOROPHENOL 00095578 110 560 30 H
2A 2,4-DICHLOROPHENOL 00120832 340 1700 10 H
3A 2,4-DIMETHYLPHENOL 00105679 130 660 100 H
4A 4,6-DINITRO-o-CRESOL (2 METHYL-4,6-DINITROPHENOL) 00534521 16 80 2 H
5A 2,4-DINITROPHENOL 00051285 130 660 10 H
E DINITROPHENOLS 25550587 N/A N/A 10 H
6A 2-NITROPHENOL 00088755 1600 8000 N/A -
7A 4-NITROPHENOL 00100027 470 2300 N/A -
8A P-CHLORO-m-CRESOL
(3 METHYL-4-CHLOROPHENOL)
00059507 30 160 500 H
9A PENTACHLOROPHENOL 00087865 Exp(1.005x[pH]-5.134) Exp(1.005x[pH]-4.869) 0.03 CRL
@pH= 6.5 7.8 9.0 @pH= 6.5 7.8 9.0
Crit= 4.1 15 50 Crit= 5.3 19 65
10A PHENOL 00108952 N/A N/A 4000 H
E 2,4,5-TRICHLOROPHENOL 00095954 N/A N/A 300 H
11A 2,4,6-TRICHLOROPHENOL 00088062 91 460 1.5 CRL
1V ACROLEIN 00107028 3.0 3.0 3 H
2V ACRYLONITRILE 00107131 130 650 0.06 CRL
3V BENZENE 00071432 130 640 0.58 CRL
5V BROMOFORM 00075252 370 1800 7.0 CRL
6V CARBON TETRACHLORIDE 00056235 560 2800 0.4 CRL
7V CHLOROBENZENE 00108907 240 1200 100 H
8V CHLORODIBROMO-
METHANE
00124481 N/A N/A 0.8 CRL
9V CHLOROETHANE 00075003 N/A N/A N/A -
10V 2-CHLOROETHYL VINYL ETHER 00110758 3500 18000 N/A -
11V CHLOROFORM 00067663 390 1900 5.7 H
12V DICHLOROBROMO-
METHANE
00075274 N/A N/A 0.95 CRL
14V 1,1-DICHLOROETHANE 00075343 N/A N/A N/A -
15V 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE 00107062 3100 15000 9.9 CRL
16V 1,1-DICHLOROETHYLENE 00075354 1500 7500 33.0 H
17V 1,2-DICHLOROPROPANE 00078875 2200 11000 0.90 CRL
18V 1,3-DICHLOROPROPENE 00542756 61 310 0.27 CRL
19V ETHYLBENZENE 00100414 580 2900 68 H
20V METHYL BROMIDE 00074839 110 550 100 H
21V METHYL CHLORIDE 0074873 5500 28000 N/A -
22V METHYLENE CHLORIDE 00075092 2400 12000 20 CRL
23V 1,1,2,2-TETRACHLOROETHANE 00079345 210 1000 0.2 CRL
24V TETRACHLORO-
ETHYLENE
00127184 140 700 10 CRL
25V TOLUENE 00108883 330 1700 57 H
26V trans-1,2-DICHLOROETHYLENE 00156605 1400 6800 100 H
D 1,2 cis-DICHLORO-
ETHYLENE
00156592 N/A N/A 12 H
27V 1,1,1-TRICHLOROETHANE 00071556 610 3000 10000 H
28V 1,1,2-TRICHLOROETHANE 00079005 680 3400 0.55 CRL
29V TRICHLOROETHYLENE 00079016 450 2300 0.6 CRL
31V VINYL CHLORIDE 00075014 N/A N/A 0.02 CRL
1B ACENAPHTHENE 00083329 17 83 70 H
2B ACENAPHTHYLENE 00208968 N/A N/A N/A -
3B ANTHRACENE 00120127 N/A N/A 300 H
4B BENZIDINE 00092875 59 300 0.0001 CRL
5B BENZO(a)-ANTHRACENE 00056553 0.1 0.5 0.001 CRL
6B BENZO(a)PYRENE 00050328 N/A N/A 0.0001 CRL
7B 3,4-BENZO-FLUOR-
ANTHENE (BENZO(b)FLUORANTHENE)
00205992 N/A N/A 0.001 CRL
8B BENZO(ghi)-PERYLENE 00191242 N/A N/A N/A -
9B BENZO(k)-FLUORANTHENE 00207089 N/A N/A 0.01 CRL
E BIS(CHLOROMETHYL)-
ETHER
00542881 N/A N/A 0.0002 CRL
10B BIS(2-CHLOROETHOXY)-
METHANE
00111911 N/A N/A N/A -
11B BIS(2-CHLOROETHYL)-
ETHER
00111444 6000 30000 0.030 CRL
12B BIS(2-CHLORO-1-METHYLETHYL) ETHER 00108601 N/A N/A 200 H
13B BIS(2-ETHYLHEXYL)-
PHTHALATE
00117817 910 4500 0.32 CRL
14B 4-BROMOPHENYL PHENYL ETHER 00101553 54 270 N/A -
15B BUTYLBENZYL PHTHA-
LATE
00085687 35 140 0.1 H
16B 2-CHLORONAPHTHALENE 00091587 N/A N/A 800 H
17B 4-CHLOROPHENYL
PHENYL ETHER
07005723 N/A N/A N/A -
18B CHRYSENE 00218019 N/A N/A 0.12 CRL
19B DIBENZO(a,h)ANTHRACENE 00053703 N/A N/A 0.0001 CRL
20B 1,2-DICHLOROBENZENE 00095501 160 820 1000 H
21B 1,3-DICHLOROBENZENE 00541731 69 350 7 H
22B 1,4-DICHLOROBENZENE 00106467 150 730 300 H
23B 3,3-DICHLOROBENZIDINE 00091941 N/A N/A 0.05 CRL
24B DIETHYL PHTHALATE 00084662 800 4000 600 H
25B DIMETHYL PHTHALATE 00131113 500 2500 2000 H
26B DI-N-BUTYL PHTHALATE 00084742 21 110 20 H
27B 2,4-DINITROTOLUENE 00121142 320 1600 0.05 for dinitro- toluene CRL
28B 2,6-DINITROTOLUENE 00606202 200 990 See 27B CRL
29B DI-N-OCTYL PHTHALATE 00117840 N/A N/A N/A -
30B 1,2-DIPHENYLHYDRAZINE 00122667 3 15 0.03 CRL
31B FLUORANTHENE 00206440 40 200 20 H
32B FLUORENE 00086737 N/A N/A 50 H
33B HEXACHLOROBENZENE 00118741 N/A N/A 0.00008 CRL
34B HEXACHLOROBUTADIENE 00087683 2 10 0.01 CRL
35B HEXACHLOROCYCLO-
PENTADIENE
00077474 1 5 4 H
36B HEXACHLOROETHANE 00067721 12 60 0.1 CRL
37B INDENO(1,2,3-cd)PYRENE 00193395 N/A N/A 0.001 CRL
38B ISOPHORONE 00078591 2100 10000 34 H
39B NAPHTHALENE 00091203 43 140 N/A -
40B NITROBENZENE 00098953 810 4000 10 H
41B N-NITROSODIMETHYL-
AMINE
00062759 3400 17000 0.0007 [dagger] CRL
42B N-NITROSODI-N-PROPYLAMINE 00621647 N/A N/A 0.005 [dagger] CRL
43B N-NITROSODIPHENYL-
AMINE
00086306 59 300 3.3 [dagger] CRL
E PENTACHLOROBENZENE 00608935 N/A N/A 0.1 H
44B PHENANTHRENE 00085018 1 5 N/A -
45B PYRENE 00129000 N/A N/A 20 H
E 1,2,4,5-TETRACHLOROBENZENE 00095943 N/A N/A 0.03 H
46B 1,2,4-TRICHLOROBENZENE 00120821 26 130 0.07 H
1P ALDRIN 00309002 0.1 3 0.0000008 CRL
2P alpha-HEXACHLORO-
CYCLOHEXANE (HCH)
00319846 N/A N/A 0.0004 CRL
3P beta-HEXACHLORO-
CYCLOHEXANE (HCH)
00319857 N/A N/A 0.008 CRL
4P gamma-HEXACHLOROCYCLO-
HEXANE (HCH) (LINDANE)
00058899 N/A 0.95 4.2 H
5P delta-BHC 00319868 N/A N/A N/A -
6P CHLORDANE 00057749 0.0043 2.4 0.0003 CRL
E CHLOROPHENOXY HERBICIDE (2,4-D) 00094757 N/A N/A 1400 H
E CHLOROPHENOXY HERBICIDE (2,4,5-TP) 00093721 N/A N/A 100 H
7P 4,4-DDT 00050293 0.001 1.1 0.00003 CRL
8P 4,4-DDE 00072559 0.001 1.1 0.00002 CRL
9P 4,4-DDD 00072548 0.001 1.1 0.0001 CRL
10P DIELDRIN 00060571 0.056 0.24 0.000001 CRL
11P alpha-ENDOSULFAN 00959988 0.056 0.22 20 H
12P beta-ENDOSULFAN 33213659 0.056 0.22 20 H
13P ENDOSULFAN SULFATE 01031078 N/A N/A 20 H
14P ENDRIN 00072208 0.036 0.086 0.03 H
15P ENDRIN ALDEHYDE 07421934 N/A N/A 1 H
16P HEPTACHLOR 00076448 0.0038 0.52 0.000006 CRL
17P HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE 01024573 0.0038 0.5 0.00003 CRL
E HEXACHLOROCYCLO-
HEXANE (HCH)-TECHNICAL
00608731 N/A N/A 0.007 CRL
E METHOXYCHLOR 00072435 N/A N/A 0.02 H
18P PCB 0.014 N/A 0.000064 for PCBs [dagger] CRL
25P TOXAPHENE 08001352 0.0002 0.73 0.0007 CRL
PP 2,3,7,8-TCDD 01746016 N/A N/A 5.0 E-9 [dagger] CRL
D ACETONE 00067641 86000 450000 3500 H
D ACRYLAMIDE 00079061 N/A N/A 0.07 CRL
D ALUMINUM 07429905 N/A 750 N/A -
D BARIUM 07440393 4100 21000 2400 H
D BENZENE METADISULFONIC ACID 00098486 1600000 2600000 N/A -
D BENZENE MONOSULFONIC ACID 00098113 1200000 2000000 N/A -
D BENZYL CHLORIDE 00100447 N/A N/A 0.2 CRL
D BORON 07440428 1600 8100 3100 H
D 2-BUTOXY ETHANOL 00111762 N/A N/A 700 H
D COBALT 07440484 19 95 N/A -
D p-CRESOL 00106445 160 800 N/A -
D CYCLOHEXYLAMINE 00108918 N/A N/A 1000 H
E DIAZINON 00333415 0.17 0.17 N/A -
D FORMALDEHYDE 00050000 440 2200 700 H
D 2-HEXANONE 00591786 4300 21000 N/A -
D LITHIUM 07439932 N/A N/A N/A -
D METHYL ETHYL KETONE 00078933 32000 230000 21000 H
D METHYL ISOBUTYL KETONE 00108101 5000 26000 N/A -
D METOLACHLOR 51218452 N/A N/A 69 H
D NONYLPHENOL 84852153 6.6 28 N/A -
D P-PHENOL SULFONIC ACID 00098679 1400000 3500000 N/A -
D 1-PROPANOL 00071238 46000 230000 N/A -
D 2-PROPANOL 00067630 89000 440000 N/A -
D RESORCINOL 01084603 7200 28000 2700 H
D STRONTIUM 07440246 N/A N/A 4000 H
D 1,2,3-TRICHLOROPROPANE 00096184 N/A N/A 210 H
D 1,2,4-TRIMETHYLBENZENE 00095636 N/A N/A 72 H
D 1,3,5-TRIMETHYLBENZENE 00108678 N/A N/A 72 H
D VANADIUM 07440622 100 510 N/A -
D XYLENE 01330207 210 1100 70000 H



Acronyms and Footnotes to Table 5


 * Indicates dissolved metal criterion; others are total recoverable metals. Each listed dissolved criterion in Table 5 is equal to the corresponding total recoverable criterion before rounding (from the EPA National Ambient Water Quality Criteria Documents) multiplied by the conversion factor (from the Conversion Factors Table); a criterion that is expressed as a hardness (H)-based equation is shown in Table 5 as the conversion factor (listed) multiplied by the hardness criterion equation; an example criterion at hardness=100mg/L is included.

 [dagger] Indicates criterion based on the exposure inputs of 2 liters per day of drinking water and consumption of 17.5 grams of fish per day, for protection of a 70 Kg person.

 CAS—Chemical Abstract Service number

 CRL—Cancer risk level at 1 x 10-6

 D—DEP developed criteria

 E—EPA developed criteria

 H—Threshold effect human health criterion; incorporates additional uncertainty factor for some Group C carcinogens.

 ln [H]—Natural Logarithm of the Hardness of stream as mg/l CaCO3

 ug/L—Micrograms per liter

 N/A—Criterion not developed

 PP NO—Priority Pollutant Number

Authority

   The provisions of this §  93.8c amended under sections 5(b)(1) and 402 of The Clean Streams Law (35 P.S. § §  691.5(b)(1) and 691.402); section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P.S. §  510-20).

Source

   The provisions of this §  93.8c adopted May 15, 2009, effective May 16, 2009, 39 Pa.B. 2523; amended July 19, 2013, effective July 20, 2013, 43 Pa.B. 4080; amended July 10, 2020, effective July 11, 2020, 50 Pa.B. 3426. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (367549) to (367561).

Cross References

   This section cited in 25 Pa. Code §  16.24 (relating to metals criteria); 25 Pa. Code §  16.51 (relating to human health and aquatic life criteria); 25 Pa. Code §  16.61 (relating to special provisions for the Great Lakes system); and 25 Pa. Code §  93.8d (relating to development of site-specific water quality criteria).



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