United States
              Environmental Protection
              Agency
Office of Water
Mail Code 4304
EPA-822-F-93-012
October 1993
               FACT  SHEET
          Technical Basis for  Deriving Sediment
          Quality Criteria for Nonionic Organic
          Contaminants for the Protection of
          Benthic Organisms  by Using  Equilibrium
          Partitioning
AUTHORITY

Sediment quality criteria are published
pursuant to Section 304(a) of the Clean
Water Act and may form the basis for
enforceable standards if adopted by a
State into water quality standards.  The
criteria reflect the  latest scientific
knowledge  on the concentration of a
nonionic organic contaminant that EPA
has  determined  causes  or has  the
potential to cause adverse  effects on
benthic organisms.  They are developed
using  an  approach  described  in  the
Technical  Basis for Deriving Sediment
Quality Qriteria for Nonionic Organic
Contaminants  for the  Projection of
Benthic Organisms  bv Using Equilibrium
Partitioning (EPA-822-R-93-011).

BACKGROUND

The  approach was selected  after
considering a  variety of approaches that
could be used to  assess sediment
contamination.  Technical reviews of the
methodology  and  supporting  science
was  conducted by the  EPA Science
Advisory Board in February 1989 and
June  1992.   It was found  that this
approach  established a causitive  link
between the  bioavailable  fraction  of a
contaminant in  the sediment and  the
effects on benthic organisms.
 AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENT

 Copies of the technical basis document
 (EPA-822-R-93-011) and other reflated
 documents, may be obtained from

      U. S. Environmental Protection
      Agency
      Water Resource Center
      (Mail Code  RC-4100)
      401 MSt.,S. W.
      Washington, D.C. 20460
 For further information, you may contact

      Ms. Mary C. Reiley
      U. S. Environmental Protection
      Agency
      Office of Water
      (Mail Code 4304)
      401 M St., S.W.
      Washington, D.C.  20460

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