Jump to main content.


Pollutants/Toxics
Pollutants/Toxics subtopics Alphabetical List of All Topics

Pollutants come from many different sources and enter the air, water and land in a variety of ways. EPA's role is to protect plants, animals, humans, wildlife, aquatic life, and the environment from the negative effects pollutants and toxic substances can have on their health. Under a broad range of federal statutes, EPA gathers health/safety and exposure data, requires the necessary testing, and controls human and environmental exposures for numerous chemical substances and mixtures. Under these laws, EPA regulates the production and distribution of commercial and industrial chemicals in order to ensure that chemicals made available for sale and use in the United States do not harm human health or the environment. Along with the regulation of these substances, the Agency has created databases and documents that further the knowledge of the American people about the effects and prevalence of such substances.

Recommended EPA Web pages

List more recommended EPA Pollutants/Toxics web pages
Browse these EPA Pollutants/Toxics subtopics
Agricultural Chemicals

Air Pollutants
Aerosols, Asbestos, Carbon Monoxide, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Criteria Air Pollutants, Ground Level Ozone, Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs), Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), Lead, Mercury, Methane, Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Particulate Matter (PM), Propellants, Radon, Refrigerants, Sulfur Oxides (SOx), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Biological Contaminants

Carcinogens

Chemicals
Benzene, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), Dichloroethylene (DCE), Dioxins, Endocrine Disruptors, Ether, Ethylbenzene, Furans, Halons, Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs), Heavy Metals, Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), Inorganic Cyanides, Ketones, Methane, Methyl Bromide, Methyl Chloride, Methyl-T-Butyl-Ether (MTBE), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Organic Cyanides, Particulate Matter (PM), Perchloroethylene (PCE), Phthalates, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Radionuclides, Styrene, Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6), Sulfur Oxides (SOx), Toluene, Trichloroethylene (TCE), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Microorganisms
Coliform, Cryptosporidium, Viruses

Multimedia Pollutants
Arsenic, Asbestos, Benzene, Cyanide, Lead, Mercury, Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE), Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

Ozone

Radiation
Ionizing Radiation, Radiation Detection, Radiation Exposure, Radiation Protection, Radionuclides, Radon

Soil Contaminants
Acetone, Arsenic, Barium, Benzene, Cadmium, Chloroform, Cyanide, Lead, Mercury, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Tetrachloroethylene, Toluene, Trichloroethylene (TCE)

Toxic Substances
Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Pollutants (PBTs), Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), Toxicological Profiles

Water Pollutants
Arsenic, Contaminated Sediment, Disinfection Byproducts, Dredged Material, Lead, Microbial Pathogens



Jump to main content.