Water-quality benchmark concentrations of selected radionuclides, organic compounds, and chemical constituents. These benchmarks include the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), Human Health Benchmarks for Pesticides (HHBPs), and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Health-Based Screening Levels (HBSLs).
benchmarksA data frame with columns:
parm_nmLong parameter name, such as "Strontium-90, water, unfiltered, picocuries per liter".
pcodeU.S. Geological Survey 5-digit parameter code used to identify the constituent measured,
see parameters dataset for details. For example, the parameter code for Tritium is "07000".
mclMaximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), a standard set by the EPA for drinking water quality. An MCL is the legal threshold limit on the amount of a substance that is allowed in public water systems under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
hhbp_noncancerEPA Chronic Noncancer HHBPs.
hhbp_cancer_minEPA Carcinogenic HHBPs for a one-in-one million cancer risk.
hhbp_cancer_maxEPA Carcinogenic HHBPs for a one-in-ten thousand cancer risk.
hbsl_noncancerUSGS Noncancer HBSLs.
hbsl_cancer_minUSGS Cancer HBSLs for a one-in-one million cancer risk.
hbsl_cancer_maxUSGS Cancer HBSLs for a one-in-ten thousand cancer risk.
remarkBenchmark remarks that provide additional information about some MCLs, HHBPs, and HBSLs.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2015, Protection of environment---Code of Federal Regulations 40, Part 141, Subpart G, National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, Maximum Contaminant Levels and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Levels: Washington, D.C., Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration.