United Stales
Environmenul Protection
Office of Water
(4304)
EPA-822-F-93-004
October, 1993
Fact Sheet
Sediment Quality Criteria for the Protection of
Benthic Organisms: Fluoranthene
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 present the U.S. EPA's best recommendation of the concentration of
fluoranthene that may be present in sediment while still protecting benthic organisms from its
effects. They are developed using an approach described in the "Technical Basis for
Deriving Sediment Quality Criteria for Nonionic Organic Contaminants for the Protection of
Benthic Organisms by using Equilibrium Partitioning" (EPA-822-R-93-011).
BACKGROUND'
Fluoranthene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and a combustion product produced by the
pyrolysis or organic raw materials, such as coal and petroleum at high temperature. It is
ubiquitous in the environment. (CAS No. 206-44-0)
CRITERIA VALUES
* Freshwater benthic organisms
should not be affected unacceptably
if the concentration of fluoranthene
in the sediment never exceeds
620 ug/g
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Sediment Quality Criteria for the
Protection of Benthic Organisms:
Fluoranthene (EPA-822-R-93-012)
Water Resource Center, (RC-4100)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C., 20460
For further information please contact:
Ms. Mary C. Reiley
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Ecological Risk Assessment Branch
(Mail Code - 4304)
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
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