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Lecture 24 - Monitoring Chemicals in the Environment

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Learning Objectives

  1. Understand the importance of tools such as quality assurance project plans to effective monitoring of environmental chemicals.
  2. Describe the elements of a quality assurance project plan.
  3. Describe the elements in the development of data quality objectives.
  4. Define quality assurance and quality control.
  5. Explore the arguments of chemical vs. biological monitoring of chemical in the environment.
  6. li?Explore the indicator species concept.
  7. Understand the critical elements of a quality-based sampling program.
  8. Use the NPDES program as case study to understand a basis and approach to environmental monitoring.

LECTURE MATERIALS

Slides

PDF Notes

LECTURE ACTIVITIES

Homework

Discussion

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Listen online or Download here

Advanced Reading

  1. Crosby pp. 14-28
  2. CDC/NIOSH: Registry of Toxics Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS)
  3. EPA: What is the Toxics Release Inventory?
  4. EPA: "National Recommended Water Quality Criteria
  5. EPA: NPDES Permit Program
  6. EPA: Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Tests
  7. EPA: Current Drinking Water Standards
  8. EPA: Environmental Test Methods and Guidelines

Resources

Keywords

  • MCL, maximum contaminant level
  • Analytical method
  • Detection limit
  • indicator species
  • Indicator system
  • Data quality objectives
  • Quality assurance project plan
  • NPDES, National Pollution Discharge Elimination System
  • Whole effluent toxicity
  • TRI, Toxics Release Inventory
  • RTECS, Registry of Toxics Effects of Chemical Substances

Suggested Reading

  1. EPA: National Listing of Fish and Wildlife Advisories
  2. EPA: Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Related Compounds Update: Impact on Fish Advisories
  3. EPA Region 10: NPDES Draft Permits for Idaho
  4. EPA: Acid Rain Program
  5. FDA Pesticide Program Residue Monitoring