You are here:
USEPA'S APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR EMERGING CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER
Citation:
MUNCH, J. W. AND J. A. SHOEMAKER. USEPA'S APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR EMERGING CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER. Presented at Groundwater Resources Association of California 18th Symposium on Groundwater Contaminants "Emerging Contaminants in Groundwater: A Continually Moving Target, Concord, CA, June 07 - 08, 2006.
Impact/Purpose:
The objective of this research effort is to develop analytical methods to be used to measure the occurence of priority water pollutants in the nation's drinking water supplies. To accomplish this objective, ORD scientists must first coordinate with staff from the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW) to identify the most appropriate chemical contaminants for which analytical methods need to be developed, and then ORD must develop, and demonstrate the applicability of, new or improved analytical methods, that are specific, sensitive, and practical enough for application in commercial laboratories as part of the UCMR monitoring efforts.
Description:
The 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act require USEPA to perform Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring (UCM) for chemicals of interest to the Agency for possible future regulation. Many of these chemicals fall into the category of "emerging contaminants". An important element of UCM is the use of sensitive and specific analytical methods for nationwide monitoring of finished drinking water. As part of the regulatory determination process, the Agency uses this data to assess exposure to these contaminants by drinking water consumers. The Office of Research and Development's National Exposure Research Laboratory is one of the two primary sources within USEPA for the development of analytical methods used for UCM and for the analysis of emerging contaminants in drinking water.
Brief descriptions of the research associated with recently completed methods for acetanilide degradation products and nitrosamines (including NDMA) will be presented. Current ORD research activities, which include the development of a solid phase extraction (SPE) LC/MS/MS method for the analysis of perfluorinated compounds, and an SPE GC/MS method for water soluble volatile compounds including t-butyl alcohol and 1,4-dioxane, will also be presented.