&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Office of Water
(MC-4304)
EPA-822-F-93-OOI
   October, 1993
                      Fact Sheet
                      Ambient Aquatic Life Water Quality  Criteria
                      for Aniline
         AUTHORITY

         Ambient water 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 identifiable effects of
         pollutants on public health and welfare, aquatic life and recreation. They are developed
         using a process described in the "Guidelines for Deriving Numerical National Water Quality
         Criteria  for the Protection of Aquatic Organisms and Their Uses"  (Stephan et aLT 1985).

         BACKGROUND

         Aniline (aminobenzene, benzenamine, phenylamine) occurs naturally in coal tars and is
         manufactured through various chemical procedures. The major uses of aniline are in the
         polymer, rubber, agricultural and dye industries.  Aniline is used to manufacture
         polyurethanes, antioxidants, antidegradants, vulcanization accelerators, and sulfa drugs
         Aniline derivatives are used in herbicides,  fungicides, insecticides,  repellents, and defoliants.
         Aniline has also been used as an antiknock compound in gasolines. Aniline is the simplest of
         the aromatic amines (C6H5NH:t).
        CRITERIA VALUES

        Except where locally important species are
        very sensitive:

        *     Freshwater aquatic organisms and
              their uses should not be affected
              unacceptably if the four-day
              average concentration (i.e., chronic
              exposure) of aniline does not
              exceed 14 ug/1 more than once
              every three years on  the average
              and if the one-hour average
              concentration,  (i.e., acute exposure)
              does not exceed 28 ug/1 more than
              once every three years on the
              average, and
                                    Saltwater aquatic organisms and
                                    their uses should not be affected
                                    unacceptably if the four-day
                                    average concentration (i.e., chronic
                                    exposure) of aniline does not
                                    exceed 37 ug/1 more than once
                                    every three  years on the average
                                    and if the one-hour average
                                    concentration (i.e., acute exposure)
                                    does not exceed 77 ug/1 more than
                                   once every three years on the
                                   average.

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IMPLEMENTATION INTO STATE
STANDARDS

Ambient water quality criteria may form
the basis for enforceable standards if
adopted by a State into water quality
standards.  States may opt to develop site
specific criteria (Water Quality Standards
Handbook, December,  1983, EPA#:
440/5-83-011). Replacement of national
criteria with  site specific criteria may
include site specific criterion
concentrations, mixing zone considerations
(Water Quality Standards Handbook,
December, 1983, EPA#: 440/5-83-011),
averaging periods and site-specific
frequencies of allowed exceedences
(Guidelines for Deriving Numerical
National Water Quality  Criteria for the
Protection of Aquatic Organisms and Their
Uses, Stephan etal.. 1985). When the
basis for site  specific criteria relate to the
averaging period, there  should be a
justification for why variability
assumptions underlying  national criteria
are inappropriate.
AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENT

Copies of the proposed criteria document,
and other referenced documents, may be
obtained from the address below.
Aniline Proposal
Water Resource Center,  (RC-4100)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C., 20460

For further information please contact:

Mrs. Amy L. Leaberry
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Water Quality Criteria Section
(Mail Code - 4304)
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460

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