Aquatic Life Criteria

Acrolein

Draft Aquatic Life Criteria

December 2008

We are publishing draft national recommended water quality criteria (NRWQC) for protecting aquatic life for acrolein. These draft criteria are based on EPA's Guidelines for Deriving Numerical National Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Aquatic Organisms and Their Uses (1985), (EPA R-85-100; 104 pp., 3.3 MB). These Guidelines describe the Agency's current approach for deriving national recommended water quality criteria to protect aquatic life. Toxicity data and other information on the effects of acrolein were obtained from reliable sources and subjected to both internal and external peer review.

Download the draft criteria (PDF) (49 pp., 130 K; About PDF). Comments on the draft Aquatic Life Criteria for Acrolein should be submitted by March 17, 2009.

Freshwater

Freshwater aquatic organisms and their uses should not be affected unacceptably if the acute (one-hour average) concentration of acrolein does not exceed 3.0 ug/l more than once every three years on the average, and if the chronic (four-day average) concentration of acrolein does not exceed 3.0 ug/l more than once every three years on the average.

Saltwater

Saltwater criteria cannot be derived for acrolein at this time because of a lack of acute and chronic toxicity data.

Additional Information

For more information, contact Dr. Frank Gostomski (gostomski.frank@epa.gov), Health and Ecological Criteria Division (4304T), U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20460; (202) 566-1105.

A Federal Register Notice is available (December 17, 2008). EPA has also established an official public docket for this action (docket # EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0795).

You can find updated national recommended water quality criteria.

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