25 Pa. Code § 16.102 - Approved EPA and DEP analytical methods and detection limits
Appendix A, Table 2A contains approved Department analytical methods and detection limits. The following data elements are to be used as follows:
(1) The Chemical
Abstracts Service (CAS) number, a unique chemical identifier, is to be used for
completeness of identification. The CAS number should always be verified to
ensure proper identification, particularly with chemicals with ambiguous or
unfamiliar names, or both.
(2) If
the EPA has an approved test method for analysis of a specific pollutant, the
NPDES permittee shall use the approved test method (or an approved alternate
test method) for the specific pollutant under 40 CFR Part 136 (relating to
guidelines establishing test procedures for the analysis of pollutants).
Methods are detailed in one or more of the following sources:
(i) EPA-approved analytical methods and
guidelines in 40 CFR Parts 122, 136, 141, 143, 430, 455 and 465. EPA-approved
analytical methods must be sufficiently sensitive and capable of detecting and
measuring the pollutants at or below the applicable water quality criteria or
permit limits consistent with the EPA's regulations in 40 CFR Part 122
(relating to EPA administered permit programs: the National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System) and 40 CFR Part 136 .
(ii) If an EPA-approved analytical method is
not available for a pollutant, an analytical method may be used that is capable
of detecting and measuring the pollutant at or below the applicable water
quality criterion or permit limit. The analytical method should be consistent
with guidelines for developing analytical methods, as described in this
Chapter.
(iii)
Standard
Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 20th Edition,
APHA-AWWA-WEF, 1998.
(iv)
Hach Handbook of Wastewater Analysis, Hach Chemical Company,
1979.
(v)
Direct Current
Plasma (DCP) Optical Emission Spectrometric Method for Trace Elemental Analysis
of Water and Wastes, Method AES0029. Applied Research Laboratories,
Inc., 1986-Revised 1991, Fison Instruments, Inc.
(vi)
ASTM Annual Book of Standards,
Section 11, Water. American Society for Testing and Materials,
1999.
(3) MDL is the
method detection limit for each chemical for each method. The MDL is defined as
the minimum concentration that can be measured and reported with 99% confidence
that the value is above zero-that is, something is really there. The MDL
achieved in a given analysis will vary depending on instrument sensitivity and
matrix effects.
(i) When MDLs are not
available, detection limits based on other criteria approved by the Department
may be used.
(ii) For any pollutant
with an effluent limitation below the method detection limit, the permittee is
expected to generally achieve the detection limit of the most sensitive method
that is below detection available.
(iii) If two approved analytical methods for
the same parameter have detection limits that differ by less than 1 µg/l
or a factor of 2 (whichever is greater), the permit may be written designating
either method as acceptable. The permittee also has the option of using an
alternate method approved by the Department and the EPA that the permittee
selects as long as the level of detection of the cited method or the numerical
water quality-based limit are achieved.
(iv) When the EPA has not performed an MDL
study or reported the detection limit, other sources-particularly, Standard
Methods-are consulted. When there is no literature on detection limit, the
Department's Bureau of Laboratories may develop a detection limit or review and
approve a Department-accredited lab's development of a detection limit using an
MDL study.
(4) Permittees
will be required to meet the detection limits listed in Appendix A, Table
2A.
(5) When permittees cannot meet
a listed detection limit, they may be granted case-specific MDLs if they submit
complete documentation demonstrating a matrix effect in their particular
effluent. The permittees shall follow the procedure for determining MDLs
published in Appendix B of 40 CFR Part 136 . The Bureau of Laboratories will
evaluate the data and advise the regional office of their
decision.
Notes
This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 250.10 (relating to measurement of regulated substances in media).
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