SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
                                                   4303T
EPA-820-F-11-015
                                              December  2011
     Methods  Update Rule - Notice of Data Availability
Summary
EPA is publishing a notice of data availability
(NODA) for the methods update rule which was
proposed in the Federal Register on September
23, 2010. The proposed rule would approve
several new or revised analytical methods (test
procedures) in wastewater regulations.

EPA periodically updates analytical methods
and generally includes new and revised methods
published by EPA, commercial entities, and
voluntary consensus organizations (e.g.,
American Society for Testing and Materials
(ASTM) International, Standard Methods
Committee) for use in water quality monitoring
programs. These changes and additional
methods will provide increased flexibility to the
regulated community and laboratories in their
selection of analytical methods for use in Clean
Water Act programs.

The NODA includes additional data received
since the proposal on a new ASTM method for
the determination of oil and grease.

Why is EPA publishing this Notice of Data
Availability?
EPA described but did not propose the new
ASTM method for oil and grease in the
September 23, 2010 Federal Register notice.
This method was not initially proposed because
it uses a different extractant (a membrane rather
than a solvent) and a different measurement
technique (infrared absorption rather than
gravimetry) from the extractant and
measurement technique of currently approved
methods for oil and grease.

Oil and grease is a method-defined parameter
which means that the analytical results obtained
are dependent on the particular method used.
EPA generally docs not approve alternative
methods for method-defined parameters  based
on different extraction and/or measurement
                          techniques because it is unclear how to translate
                          measurements using these alternative methods to
                          those obtained under existing methods for
                          purposes of comparison.

                          However, EPA is considering revising its
                          regulatory requirements for oil and grease based
                          on comments and additional data received on the
                          new ASTM method for oil and grease (ASTM
                          D7575-10).

                          After evaluating the new data, EPA finds that
                          ASTM D7575-10 is a good stand-alone method
                          for the measurement of oil in grease in
                          wastewater for the applicable reporting range (5-
                          200 mg/L), and that it produces results that are
                          generally very close to results using Method
                          1664A for those matrices tested. Further, it has
                          certain advantages over the approved method.
                          EPA is particularly persuaded by the substantial
                          advantages associated with the green aspects of
                          this membrane technology (e.g., it does not use
                          an extraction solvent and, therefore, there is no
                          solvent waste and no analyst exposure to the
                          solvent).

                          In the NODA. EPA solicits comment for a 60-
                          days period on the new data and on EPA's
                          consideration of ASTM D7575-10 as an
                          alternative choice for the determination of oil
                          and grease in Clean Water Act programs.

                          For more information
                          You can view the Federal Register Notice at
                          http://www.epa.gov/scitech/methods. In
                          addition, the NODA will be available at
                          http://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID:
                          EPA-HQ-OW-2010-0192.

                          You may also contact Maria Gomez-Taylor at
                          Gomez-Taylor.Maria a epa.gov.

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