![[logo] US EPA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090514052239im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Ecological Soil Screening Level (Eco-SSL) Guidance and Documents
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.
EPA's Superfund program has just issued ecological soil screening levels (Eco-SSLs) for thirteen contaminants that are frequently found in soil at Superfund sites. See the Memorandum: Release of Guidance for Developing Ecological Soil Screening Levels (Eco-SSLs) and Eco-SSLs for Nine Contaminants (PDF, 3 pp, 223 kb, About PDF) for background information on the development of Eco-SSLs and how they should be used in the Superfund ecological risk assessment process. Numerical soil concentrations were updated in March of 2005 for antimony, barium, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, dieldrin, and lead. Numerical soil concentrations were updated in March of 2005 for antimony, barium, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, dieldrin, and lead. The changes did not substantially change the final Eco-SSL values – for further information see the Update Sheet (PDF, 4pp, kb, About PDF). In April of 2005, numerical soil concentrations were presented for arsenic, chromium III, chromium VI, pentachlorophenol, and vanadium. Narrative statements were developed for aluminum and iron, metals which are often found at high concentrations under background conditions. The Guidance for Developing Ecological Soil Screening Levels (Eco-SSLs) (PDF, 87 pp, 2.8 mb, About PDF), which clearly describes how these values were developed and how they should be used in screening ecological risks was updated in February of 2005. EPA plans to issue Eco-SSLs for up to 10 more contaminants next year, including values for copper, DDT, manganese, nickel, total PAHs, selenium, silver, and zinc.
The mammalian toxicity reference values developed for these contaminants can also be used in the baseline risk assessment for evaluating site risks. Since a large stakeholder group was involved in developing these Eco-SSLs, every relevant published article was reviewed, and the process used was peer-reviewed, EPA expects that these new values will be widely accepted and used. The Guidance, the thirteen contaminant specific documents, and all the Attachments from the Guidance are available on-line at: http://www.epa.gov/ecotox/ecossl/.
| Availability of Eco-SSL Values April 4, 2005 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant | Plant | Soil Invertebrates |
Mammalian | Avian |
| Aluminum | Narrative statement | |||
| Antimony | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Arsenic | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Barium | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Beryllium | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Cadmium | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chromium (III) | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Chromium (VI) | No | No | Yes | No |
| Cobalt | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Copper | Yes | Yes | Pending | Pending |
| DDT | No | No | Pending | Pending |
| Dieldrin | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Iron | Narrative statement | |||
| Lead | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Manganese | Yes | Yes | Pending | Pending |
| Nickel | Yes | No | Pending | Pending |
| PAHs | No | No | Pending | Pending |
| Pentachlorophenol | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| RDX | No | No | Pending | Pending |
| Selenium | Yes | No | Pending | Pending |
| Silver | No | No | Pending | Pending |
| TNT | Yes | No | Pending | Pending |
| Vanadium | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Zinc | Yes | Yes | Pending | Pending |
| No - Minimum required data not available to derive Eco-SSL Yes - Eco-SSL was derived Pending - Eco-SSL is pending further review and evaluation of literature |
||||