MoreThe EPA has released guidelines establishing new test procedures for the analysis and sampling of pollutants under the Clean Water Act.
The rule approves the 2005 versions of EPA Method 1622, Cryptosporidium in Water by Filtration/IMS/FA and EPA Method 1623, Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Water by Filtration/IMS/FA in Table IH for ambient water.
The rule approves revised versions of EPA Methods 1103.1, 1106.1, 1600, 1603, and 1680 in Table IH. The rule also approves the revised version of EPA Methods 1600, 1603 and 1680 in Table IA. We corrected technical errors in these revisions.
Non-Conventionals
The rule adds EPA Method 1627, Kinetic Test Method for the Prediction of Mine Drainage Quality to Table IB as a new parameter termed Acid Mine Drainage.
Organics
The rule approves EPA Method 624, Purgeables, for the determination of acrolein and acrylonitrile in wastewater and revises footnote 4 to Table IC to specify that the laboratory must provide documentation about its ability to measure these analytes at the levels necessary to comply with associated regulations.
NPDES Testing Methods Overview
The EPA has released guidelines establishing test procedures for the analysis and sampling of pollutants under the Clean Water Act. In the EPA’s Federal Register Volume 77, Number 97, the agency released a rule modifying the testing procedures approved for analysis and sampling under the Clean Water Act.
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed these changes for public comment on Sept. 23, 2010. This regulation is effective on June 18, 2012.
Who does this apply to?
EPA Regions, as well as states, territories and tribes authorized to implement the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, issue permits with conditions designed to ensure compliance with the technology-based and water quality-based requirements of the Clean Water Act (CWA). In the private sector, facilities that must conduct monitoring to comply with NPDES permits are affected.
Summary
The following sections describe the changes EPA is making in the final rule. This rule approves new EPA methods and new versions of already approved EPA methods. The following discussion briefly describes the EPA methods added to 40 CFR, Part 136.
Oil and grease
The rule adds a new version of EPA Method 1664, 1664 Revision B: n-Hexane Extractable Material (HEM; Oil and Grease) and Silica Gel Treated n-Hexane Extractable Material (SGT-HEM; Non-polar Material) by Extraction and Gravimetry for use in CWA programs. Today, the EPA is also amending the RCRA regulations at 40 CFR 260.11, which currently specify the use of Method 1664 Rev. A, to provide additionally for use of the revised version, 1664 Rev. B. As stated in the preamble to the proposal (75 FR 58026, Sept. 23, 2010), the EPA encourages that future delistings cite Method 1664 Rev. B while delistings already granted may continue to use Method 1664 Rev. A.
On Dec. 14, 2011, the EPA published a notice of data availability (NODA) on a new method for oil and grease for use in CWA programs (see 76 FR 77742). This method, ASTM D-7575-10, uses a different extractant (a membrane filter instead of n-hexane for the extraction of oil and grease material) and a different measurement technique (infrared absorption instead of gravimetry) from the extractant and measurement technique of currently approved methods for oil and grease. The new method was discussed in the Sept. 23, 2010 notice but the agency did not propose it for use as an approved method to be codified at 40 CFR 136.3 because oil and grease is a method-defined parameter.
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed these changes for public comment on Sept. 23, 2010. This regulation is effective on June 18, 2012.
Who does this apply to?
EPA Regions, as well as states, territories and tribes authorized to implement the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, issue permits with conditions designed to ensure compliance with the technology-based and water quality-based requirements of the Clean Water Act (CWA). In the private sector, facilities that must conduct monitoring to comply with NPDES permits are affected.
Summary
The following sections describe the changes EPA is making in the final rule. This rule approves new EPA methods and new versions of already approved EPA methods. The following discussion briefly describes the EPA methods added to 40 CFR, Part 136.
Oil and grease
The rule adds a new version of EPA Method 1664, 1664 Revision B: n-Hexane Extractable Material (HEM; Oil and Grease) and Silica Gel Treated n-Hexane Extractable Material (SGT-HEM; Non-polar Material) by Extraction and Gravimetry for use in CWA programs. Today, the EPA is also amending the RCRA regulations at 40 CFR 260.11, which currently specify the use of Method 1664 Rev. A, to provide additionally for use of the revised version, 1664 Rev. B. As stated in the preamble to the proposal (75 FR 58026, Sept. 23, 2010), the EPA encourages that future delistings cite Method 1664 Rev. B while delistings already granted may continue to use Method 1664 Rev. A.
On Dec. 14, 2011, the EPA published a notice of data availability (NODA) on a new method for oil and grease for use in CWA programs (see 76 FR 77742). This method, ASTM D-7575-10, uses a different extractant (a membrane filter instead of n-hexane for the extraction of oil and grease material) and a different measurement technique (infrared absorption instead of gravimetry) from the extractant and measurement technique of currently approved methods for oil and grease. The new method was discussed in the Sept. 23, 2010 notice but the agency did not propose it for use as an approved method to be codified at 40 CFR 136.3 because oil and grease is a method-defined parameter.
By definition, the measurement results of method-defined parameters are specific to the described method and are not directly comparable to results obtained by another method. However, since publication of the Methods Update Rule proposal, the agency received additional data and information about this method and is re-considering whether it should add this method to the list of approved methods for oil and grease at 40 CFR 136.3.
In the NODA, the EPA proposed to include ASTM D-7575 for the measurement of oil and grease based on comments received in response to its September 23, 2010 proposal and the additional data. The EPA will make a decision on the inclusion of the new method once it reviews the public comments received in response to the NODA and will then publish that decision in a separate Federal Register notice.
Metals
The rule adds EPA Method 200.5 (Revision 4.2): Determination of Trace Elements in Drinking Water by Axially Viewed Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry to Table IB. The rule also clarifies that the axial orientation of the torch is allowed for use with EPA Method 200.7. Thus, the EPA will allow the use of axial instruments or radial instruments to measure metals in water samples.
Pesticides
The rule adds EPA Method 525.2 to Table IG (Test Methods for Pesticide Active Ingredients) as an additional approved method for all parameters for which the agency has previously approved EPA Method 525.1, and also adds Methods 525.1 and 525.2 to Table ID for the same parameters for which EPA had previously approved Method 525.1 in Table IG. The rule also adds some of the methods for Pesticide Active Ingredients (Table IG) to applicable parameters listed in Table ID for general use. These methods are:
Metals
The rule adds EPA Method 200.5 (Revision 4.2): Determination of Trace Elements in Drinking Water by Axially Viewed Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry to Table IB. The rule also clarifies that the axial orientation of the torch is allowed for use with EPA Method 200.7. Thus, the EPA will allow the use of axial instruments or radial instruments to measure metals in water samples.
Pesticides
The rule adds EPA Method 525.2 to Table IG (Test Methods for Pesticide Active Ingredients) as an additional approved method for all parameters for which the agency has previously approved EPA Method 525.1, and also adds Methods 525.1 and 525.2 to Table ID for the same parameters for which EPA had previously approved Method 525.1 in Table IG. The rule also adds some of the methods for Pesticide Active Ingredients (Table IG) to applicable parameters listed in Table ID for general use. These methods are:
- EPA Method 608.1, The Determination of Organochlorine Pesticides in Municipal and Industrial Wastewater. This method measures chlorobenzilate, chloroneb, chloropropylate, dibromochloropropane, etridiazole, PCNB, and propachlor.
- EPA Method 608.2, The Determination of Certain Organochlorine Pesticides in Municipal and Industrial Wastewater. This method measures chlorothalonil, DCPA, dichloran, methoxychlor, and permethrin.
- EPA Method 614, The Determination of Organophosphorus Pesticides in Municipal and Industrial Wastewater. This method measures azinphos methyl, demeton, diazinon, disulfoton, ethion, malathion, parathion methyl, and parathion ethyl.
- EPA Method 614.1, The Determination of Organophosphorus Pesticides in Municipal and Industrial Wastewater. This method measures dioxathion, EPN, ethion, and terbufos.
- EPA Method 615, The Determination of Chlorinated Herbicides in Municipal and Industrial Wastewater. This method measures 2,4-D, dalapon, 2,4-DB, dicamba, dichlorprop, dinoseb, MCPA, MCPP, 2,4,5-T, and 2,4,5-TP.
- EPA Method 617, The Determination of Organohalide Pesticides and PCBs in Municipal and Industrial Wastewater. This method measures aldrin, [alpha]-BHC, [beta]-BHC, [gamma]-BHC (lindane), captan, carbophenothion, chlordane, 4,4'-DDD, 4,4'-DDE, 4,4'-DDT, dichloran, dicofol, dieldrin, endosulfan I, endosulfan II, endosulfan sulfate, endrin, endrin aldehyde, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, isodrin, methoxychlor, mirex, PCNB, perthane, strobane, toxaphene, trifluralin, PCB-1016, PCB-1221, PCB-1232, PCB-1242, PCB-1248, PCB-1254, and PCB-1260.
- EPA Method 619, The Determination of Triazine Pesticides in Municipal and Industrial Wastewater. This method measures ametryn, atraton, atrazine, prometon, prometryn, propazine, sec-bumeton, simetryn, simazine, terbuthylazine, and terbutryn.
- EPA Method 622, The Determination of Organophosphorus Pesticides in Municipal and Industrial Wastewater. This method measures azinphos methyl, bolstar, chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos methyl, coumaphos, demeton, diazinon, dichlorvos, disulfoton, ethoprop, fensulfothion, fenthion, merphos, mevinphos, naled, parathion methyl, phorate, ronnel, stirofos, tokuthion, and trichloronate.
- EPA Method 622.1, The Determination of Thiophosphate Pesticides in Municipal and Industrial Wastewater. This method measures aspon, dichlofenthion, famphur, fenitrothion, fonophos, phosmet, and thionazin.
- EPA Method 632, The Determination of Carbamate and Urea Pesticides in Municipal and Industrial Wastewater. This method measures aminocarb, barban, carbaryl, carbofuran, chlorpropham, diuron, fenuron, fenuron-TCA, fluometuron, linuron, methiocarb, methomyl, mexacarbate, monuron, monuron-TCA, neburon, oxamyl, propham, propoxur, siduron, and swep.
The rule approves the 2005 versions of EPA Method 1622, Cryptosporidium in Water by Filtration/IMS/FA and EPA Method 1623, Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Water by Filtration/IMS/FA in Table IH for ambient water.
The rule approves revised versions of EPA Methods 1103.1, 1106.1, 1600, 1603, and 1680 in Table IH. The rule also approves the revised version of EPA Methods 1600, 1603 and 1680 in Table IA. We corrected technical errors in these revisions.
Non-Conventionals
The rule adds EPA Method 1627, Kinetic Test Method for the Prediction of Mine Drainage Quality to Table IB as a new parameter termed Acid Mine Drainage.
Organics
The rule approves EPA Method 624, Purgeables, for the determination of acrolein and acrylonitrile in wastewater and revises footnote 4 to Table IC to specify that the laboratory must provide documentation about its ability to measure these analytes at the levels necessary to comply with associated regulations.
View Pollution Engineering's popular 
