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MEETING IN NEW ZEALAND: EMERGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS AND CURRENT ISSUES
Citation:
RICHARDSON, S. D. MEETING IN NEW ZEALAND: EMERGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS AND CURRENT ISSUES. Presented at EnviroAnalysis Conference, Wellington, NEW ZEALAND, February 07 - 10, 2007.
Impact/Purpose:
(1) Use a toxicity-based approach to prioritize and identify DBPs that show the greatest toxic response. (2) Comprehensively identify DBPs formed by different disinfectant regimes for the 'Four Lab Study'. (3) Determine the mechanisms of formation for potentially hazardous bromonitromethane DBPs.
Description:
Much has been achieved in the way of environmental protection over the last 30 years. However, as we learn more, new concerns arise (including potential adverse health effects, bioaccumulation, and widespread distribution). This presentation will discuss emerging environmental contaminants that the U.S. EPA and other agencies are currently concerned about. Emerging contaminants include drinking water disinfection by-products (DBPs), pharmaceuticals, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants, pesticide degradation products, sunscreens/UV filters, and algal toxins. Emerging DBPs include iodo-acids, iodo-trihalomethanes, bromonitromethanes, haloamides, and nitrosamines (including nitrosodimethylamine, NDMA). New toxicological research is revealing that some of these emerging DBPs are more genotoxic and cytotoxic than DBPs currently regulated, and the use of newer alternative disinfectants (chloramines, ozone, chlorine dioxide) can increase their formation. Concerns with PFOA and PBDEs include widespread global distribution in the blood of the general population and in wildlife, as well as potential health effects, including cancer and developmental toxicity. Pharmaceuticals are of concern due to antibiotic resistance and potential endocrine disrupting effects. Some of the emerging contaminants (e.g., nitrosamines, PBDE flame retardants, and pesticide degradation products) are currently listed on the proposed Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule (UCMR2), which requires EPA to select five or more contaminants every five years to consider for regulation. Other emerging contaminants are listed on the Contaminant Candidate List (CCL), which identifies drinking water contaminants that might be regulated by EPA at a future date, and other emerging contaminants are currently under consideration for the UCMR and the 3rd CCL. The status and health/environmental issues with these emerging environmental contaminants will be discussed, as well as analytical methods used to measure them.