Samples of 63 effluent and 22 intake waters were collected from a wide range of chemical manufacturers in areas across the United States. The samples were analyzed for organic compounds in an effort to identify previously unknown and potentially hazardous organic pollutants. Each water sample was preconcentrated for analysis of organic compounds in four fractions: volatile organics by helium-gas stripping and semivolatile organics by extraction with methylene chloride resulting in separate neutral, acidic and basic fractions. All sample analyses involved a GC/MS/COMP system that used high-resolution glass capillary GC columns. Organic constituents were identified using the computerized Biemann mass spectral matching system together with some manual interpretation and quantified using GC-FID peak area determinations. Over 570 compounds were tentatively identified of which 33 are priority pollutants. Generally, industrial effluents contained few priority pollutants. Most of the components found in the effluents were specific for a particular industrial site and did not appear in reoccurring patterns. The data suggest that many possible environmentally important compounds would be overlooked if frequency of occurrence is the major criterion for determining environmentally significant compounds. The authors recommend that future studies concentrate on basic compound analyses and that the biological activity of a compound(s) be established first before exhaustive screening programs are initiated for environmental pollutants. Mass spectral data bases containing all the organic compounds produced by industry should be developed.

"Office of Toxic Substances"--Cover. "EPA-560/78-009, EPA-560/6-78-009." "November 1978." "Project officers: Vincent J., DeCarlo and Ann Alford." Includes bibliographical references (page 75). "This report was submitted in fulfillment of contract no. 68-01-4350 by Battelle, Columbus Laboratories, under sponsorship of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency." Microfiche.