9VAC25-32-356
9VAC25-32-356. Pollutant monitoring and limits
Cite as 9 Va. Admin. Code § 25-32-356
Article 2 Operational and Monitoring Requirements
A. Bulk biosolids or biosolids sold or given away in a bag or other container shall be monitored for the parameters identified in Table 1 of this section:
TABLE 1 PARAMETERS for BIOSOLIDS ANALYSIS (1)
TABLE 1 PARAMETERS for BIOSOLIDS ANALYSIS (1)
Pollutant
Pollutant
Percent solids (%)
Percent solids (%)
Volatile solids (%)
Volatile solids (%)
pH (standard units)
pH (standard units)
Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (%)
Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (%)
Ammonia nitrogen (%)
Ammonia nitrogen (%)
Nitrates (mg/kg)
Nitrates (mg/kg)
Total phosphorus (%)
Total phosphorus (%)
Total potassium (%)
Total potassium (%)
Alkalinity as CaCO 3 (mg/kg) (2)
Alkalinity as CaCO 3 (mg/kg) (2)
Arsenic (mg/kg)
Arsenic (mg/kg)
Cadmium (mg/kg)
Cadmium (mg/kg)
Copper (mg/kg)
Copper (mg/kg)
Lead (mg/kg)
Lead (mg/kg)
Mercury (mg/kg)
Mercury (mg/kg)
Molybdenum (mg/kg)
Molybdenum (mg/kg)
Nickel (mg/kg)
Nickel (mg/kg)
Selenium (mg/kg)
Selenium (mg/kg)
Zinc (mg/kg)
Zinc (mg/kg)
(1) Values reported on a dry weight basis unless indicated. (2) Lime treated biosolids (10% or more lime by weight) shall be analyzed for percent CaCO 3 .
(1) Values reported on a dry weight basis unless indicated.
(2) Lime treated biosolids (10% or more lime by weight) shall be analyzed for percent CaCO 3 .
B. Biosolids pollutant limits.
1. Bulk biosolids or biosolids sold or given away in a bag or other container shall not be applied to the land if the concentration of any pollutant in the biosolids exceeds the ceiling concentration for the pollutant in Table 2 of this section.
2. If bulk biosolids is applied to agricultural land, forest, a public contact site, or a reclamation site, either:
a. The cumulative loading rate for each pollutant shall not exceed the cumulative pollutant loading rate for the pollutant in Table 3 of this section; or
b. The concentration of each pollutant in the biosolids shall not exceed the concentration for the pollutant in Table 4 of this section.
3. If bulk biosolids is applied to a lawn or a home garden, the concentration of each pollutant in the biosolids shall not exceed the concentration for the pollutant in Table 4 of this section.
4. If biosolids is sold or given away in a bag or other container for application to the land, either:
a. The concentration of each pollutant in the biosolids shall not exceed the concentration for the pollutant in Table 4 of this section; or
b. The product of the concentration of each pollutant in the biosolids and the annual whole sludge application rate for the biosolids shall not cause the annual pollutant loading rate for the pollutant in Table 5 of this section to be exceeded. The procedure used to determine the annual whole sludge application rate is presented in subsection D of this section.
C. Pollutant concentrations and loading rates - biosolids.
TABLE 2 CEILING CONCENTRATIONS
TABLE 2 CEILING CONCENTRATIONS
Pollutant Ceiling Concentration (milligrams per kilogram)*
Pollutant
Ceiling Concentration (milligrams per kilogram)*
Arsenic 75
Arsenic
75
Cadmium 85
Cadmium
85
Copper 4,300
Copper
4,300
Lead 840
Lead
840
Mercury 57
Mercury
57
Molybdenum 75
Molybdenum
75
Nickel 420
Nickel
420
Selenium 100
Selenium
100
Zinc 7,500
Zinc
7,500
*Dry weight basis
*Dry weight basis
TABLE 3 CUMULATIVE POLLUTANT LOADING RATES (1)
TABLE 3 CUMULATIVE POLLUTANT LOADING RATES (1)
Cumulative Pollutant Loading Rate
Cumulative Pollutant Loading Rate
Pollutant (kilograms per hectare) (pounds per acre)
Pollutant
(kilograms per hectare)
(pounds per acre)
Arsenic (2) 41 36
Arsenic (2)
41
36
Cadmium 39 35
Cadmium
39
35
Copper 1,500 1,340
Copper
1,500
1,340
Lead 300 270
Lead
300
270
Mercury 17 16
Mercury
17
16
Molybdenum (2)
Molybdenum (2)
Nickel 420 375
Nickel
420
375
Selenium 100 89
Selenium
100
89
Zinc 2,800 2,500
Zinc
2,800
2,500
Notes: (1) Such total applications to be made on soils with the biosolids/soil mixture pH adjusted to 6.0 or greater if the biosolids cadmium content is greater than or equal to 21 mg/kg. The maximum cumulative application rate is limited for all ranges of cation exchange capacity due to soil background pH in Virginia of less than 6.5 and lack of regulatory controls of soil pH adjustment after biosolids application ceases. (2) The maximum cumulative application is currently under study by USEPA. Research suggests that for Molybdenum a cumulative pollutant loading rate below 40 kg/hectare may be appropriate to reduce the risk of copper deficiency in grazing animals.
Notes: (1) Such total applications to be made on soils with the biosolids/soil mixture pH adjusted to 6.0 or greater if the biosolids cadmium content is greater than or equal to 21 mg/kg.
The maximum cumulative application rate is limited for all ranges of cation exchange capacity due to soil background pH in Virginia of less than 6.5 and lack of regulatory controls of soil pH adjustment after biosolids application ceases.
(2) The maximum cumulative application is currently under study by USEPA. Research suggests that for Molybdenum a cumulative pollutant loading rate below 40 kg/hectare may be appropriate to reduce the risk of copper deficiency in grazing animals.
TABLE 4 POLLUTANT CONCENTRATIONS
TABLE 4 POLLUTANT CONCENTRATIONS
Pollutant Monthly Average Concentration (milligrams per kilogram)*
Pollutant
Monthly Average Concentration (milligrams per kilogram)*
Arsenic 41
Arsenic
41
Cadmium 39
Cadmium
39
Copper 1,500
Copper
1,500
Lead 300
Lead
300
Mercury 17
Mercury
17
Molybdenum (1)
Molybdenum (1)
Nickel 420
Nickel
420
Selenium 100
Selenium
100
Zinc 2,800
Zinc
2,800
*Dry weight basis Note: (1) The monthly average concentration is currently under study by USEPA. Research suggests that a monthly average Molybdenum concentration below 40 mg/kg may be appropriate to reduce the risk of copper deficiency in grazing animals.
*Dry weight basis
Note: (1) The monthly average concentration is currently under study by USEPA. Research suggests that a monthly average Molybdenum concentration below 40 mg/kg may be appropriate to reduce the risk of copper deficiency in grazing animals.
TABLE 5 ANNUAL POLLUTANT LOADING RATES (1)
TABLE 5 ANNUAL POLLUTANT LOADING RATES (1)
Annual Pollutant Loading Rate (per 365-day period)
Annual Pollutant Loading Rate (per 365-day period)
Pollutant (kilograms per hectare) (pounds per acre)
Pollutant
(kilograms per hectare)
(pounds per acre)
Arsenic (2) 2.0 1.8
Arsenic (2)
2.0
1.8
Cadmium 1.9 1.7
Cadmium
1.9
1.7
Copper 75 67
Copper
75
67
Lead 15 13
Lead
15
13
Mercury 0.85 0.76
Mercury
0.85
0.76
Molybdenum (2)
Molybdenum (2)
Nickel 21 19
Nickel
21
19
Selenium 5.0 4.6
Selenium
5.0
4.6
Zinc 140 125
Zinc
140
125
Notes: (1) Such total applications to be made on soils with the biosolids/soil mixture pH adjusted to 6.0 or greater if the biosolids cadmium content is greater than or equal to 21 mg/kg. The maximum cumulative application rate is limited for all ranges of cation exchange capacity due to soil background pH in Virginia of less than 6.5 and lack of regulatory controls of soil pH adjustment after biosolids application ceases. (2) The maximum cumulative application is currently under study by USEPA.
Notes: (1) Such total applications to be made on soils with the biosolids/soil mixture pH adjusted to 6.0 or greater if the biosolids cadmium content is greater than or equal to 21 mg/kg.
The maximum cumulative application rate is limited for all ranges of cation exchange capacity due to soil background pH in Virginia of less than 6.5 and lack of regulatory controls of soil pH adjustment after biosolids application ceases.
(2) The maximum cumulative application is currently under study by USEPA.
D. Procedures to determine the annual whole sludge application rate (AWSAR) for biosolids. Subdivision B 4 b of this section requires that the product of the concentration for each pollutant listed in Table 4 of this section in biosolids sold or given away in a bag or other container for application to the land and the AWSAR for the biosolids not cause the annual pollutant loading rate for the pollutant in Table 5 to be exceeded. This subsection contains that procedure used to determine the AWSAR for a biosolids that does not cause the annual pollutant loading rates (APLR) in Table 5 of this section to be exceeded.
1. The relationship between the APLR for a pollutant and the AWSAR for a biosolids is shown in equation (1):
EQUATION (1)
EQUATION (1)
APLR = C X AWSAR X 0.001
APLR = C X AWSAR X 0.001
APLR = Annual pollutant loading rate in kilograms per hectare per 365-day period
APLR = Annual pollutant loading rate in kilograms per hectare per 365-day period
C = Pollutant concentration in milligrams per kilogram of total solids (dry weight basis)
C = Pollutant concentration in milligrams per kilogram of total solids (dry weight basis)
AWSAR = Annual whole sludge application rate in metric tons per hectare per 365-day period (dry weight basis)
AWSAR = Annual whole sludge application rate in metric tons per hectare per 365-day period (dry weight basis)
0.001 = A conversion factor
0.001 = A conversion factor
2. To determine the AWSAR, equation (1) is rearranged into equation (2):
EQUATION (2)
EQUATION (2)
AWSAR = APLR/(C X 0.001)
AWSAR = APLR/(C X 0.001)
AWSAR = Annual whole sludge application rate in metric tons per hectare per 365-day period (dry weight basis)
AWSAR = Annual whole sludge application rate in metric tons per hectare per 365-day period (dry weight basis)
APLR = Annual pollutant loading rate in kilograms per hectare per 365-day period
APLR = Annual pollutant loading rate in kilograms per hectare per 365-day period
C = Pollutant concentration in milligrams per kilogram of total solids (dry weight basis)
C = Pollutant concentration in milligrams per kilogram of total solids (dry weight basis)
0.001 = A conversion factor
0.001 = A conversion factor
3. The procedure used to determine the AWSAR for a biosolids is presented below:
a. Analyze a sample of the biosolids to determine the concentration for each of the pollutants listed in Table 4 of this section in the biosolids.
b. Using the pollutant concentrations from subdivision 3 a of this subsection and the APLRs from Table 5 of this section, calculate an AWSAR for each pollutant using Equation (2) above.
c. The AWSAR for the biosolids is the lowest AWSAR calculated in subdivision 3 b of this subsection.