Calculating the Lowest Reportable Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment

Seth H. Frisbie; Erika J. Mitchell; Marwan S. Abualrub; Yousef Abosalem

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12

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Calculating the Lowest Reportable Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment

Seth H. Frisbie, Erika J. Mitchell, Marwan S. Abualrub, Yousef Abosalem

Published in International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (Volume 1, Issue 1)

Received: 21 April 2015 Accepted: 29 April 2015 Published: 7 May 2015

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Abstract

The equation promulgated by 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to calculate method detection limit (MDL) and used since 1981 in the United States and other countries to protect public health and the environment is incorrect. As a result, toxic chemicals in a large number of air, food, water, wastes, and other environmental samples may in fact be present at measurable concentrations even though they are currently being reported as “not detected”. That is, the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water and other liquids we drink may have measurable concentrations of toxic chemicals, despite being reported as not detected and assumed to be absent. Furthermore, many chemicals, such as arsenic (As) in drinking water, are so toxic that they cannot be measured to safe levels and the allowable limits must be set at the lowest reportable concentrations. As a result, the allowable limits for some extremely toxic chemicals may be incorrectly set too high. Therefore, the consequences of this error pose a risk to public health and the environment. The sources of this error are explained and two improved ways of calculating method detection limit are presented.

Published in	International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (Volume 1, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12
Page(s)	9-13
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Method Detection Limit, Method Detection Level, Limit of Detection

References

[1]	APHA (American Public Health Association), American Water Works Association, Water Environment Federation. 2005. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 21st ed. Washington, DC:American Public Health Association.
[2]	Frisbie SH, Mitchell EJ, Yusuf AZ, Siddiq MY, Sanchez RE, Ortega R, et al. 2005. The development and use of an innovative laboratory method for measuring arsenic in drinking water from western Bangladesh. Environ Health Perspect 113:1196-1204.
[3]	Gibbons RD, Coleman DE. 2001. Statistical Methods for Detection and Quantification of Environmental Contamination. New York:John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
[4]	Glaser JA, Foerst DL, McKee GD, Quave SA, Budde WL. 1981. Trace analyses for wastewaters. Environ Sci Technol 15:1426-1435.
[5]	Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants. 1986. 40 CFR Part 136 Appendix B.
[6]	Neter J, Wasserman W, Kutner MH. 1985. Applied Linear Statistical Models. 2nd ed. Homewood, IL:Irwin Press.
[7]	Snedecor GW, Cochran WG. 1982. Statistical Methods. 7th ed. Ames, IA:The Iowa University Press.
[8]	U.S. EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency). 1997. National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference: Constitution, Bylaws, and Standards. EPA 600/R-97/139. Washington, DC:U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
[9]	U.S. EPA. 2013a. Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems, Volume II, Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program. Washington, DC:U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
[10]	U.S. EPA. 2013b. Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Wastes, Physical/Chemical Methods. EPA SW-846 [3rd ed. (Including Updates I, II, IIA, IIB, III, IIIA, IIIB, IVA and IVB]. Washington, DC:U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
[11]	WHO (World Health Organization). 2011. Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. 4th ed. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.

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APA Style

Seth H. Frisbie, Erika J. Mitchell, Marwan S. Abualrub, Yousef Abosalem. (2015). Calculating the Lowest Reportable Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment. International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, 1(1), 9-13. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12

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ACS Style

Seth H. Frisbie; Erika J. Mitchell; Marwan S. Abualrub; Yousef Abosalem. Calculating the Lowest Reportable Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment. Int. J. Appl. Math. Theor. Phys. 2015, 1(1), 9-13. doi: 10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12

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AMA Style

Seth H. Frisbie, Erika J. Mitchell, Marwan S. Abualrub, Yousef Abosalem. Calculating the Lowest Reportable Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment. Int J Appl Math Theor Phys. 2015;1(1):9-13. doi: 10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12,
  author = {Seth H. Frisbie and Erika J. Mitchell and Marwan S. Abualrub and Yousef Abosalem},
  title = {Calculating the Lowest Reportable Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment},
  journal = {International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics},
  volume = {1},
  number = {1},
  pages = {9-13},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijamtp.20150101.12},
  abstract = {The equation promulgated by 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to calculate method detection limit (MDL) and used since 1981 in the United States and other countries to protect public health and the environment is incorrect. As a result, toxic chemicals in a large number of air, food, water, wastes, and other environmental samples may in fact be present at measurable concentrations even though they are currently being reported as “not detected”. That is, the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water and other liquids we drink may have measurable concentrations of toxic chemicals, despite being reported as not detected and assumed to be absent. Furthermore, many chemicals, such as arsenic (As) in drinking water, are so toxic that they cannot be measured to safe levels and the allowable limits must be set at the lowest reportable concentrations. As a result, the allowable limits for some extremely toxic chemicals may be incorrectly set too high. Therefore, the consequences of this error pose a risk to public health and the environment. The sources of this error are explained and two improved ways of calculating method detection limit are presented.},
 year = {2015}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Calculating the Lowest Reportable Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment
AU  - Seth H. Frisbie
AU  - Erika J. Mitchell
AU  - Marwan S. Abualrub
AU  - Yousef Abosalem
Y1  - 2015/05/07
PY  - 2015
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12
T2  - International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics
JF  - International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics
JO  - International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics
SP  - 9
EP  - 13
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-5927
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12
AB  - The equation promulgated by 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to calculate method detection limit (MDL) and used since 1981 in the United States and other countries to protect public health and the environment is incorrect. As a result, toxic chemicals in a large number of air, food, water, wastes, and other environmental samples may in fact be present at measurable concentrations even though they are currently being reported as “not detected”. That is, the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water and other liquids we drink may have measurable concentrations of toxic chemicals, despite being reported as not detected and assumed to be absent. Furthermore, many chemicals, such as arsenic (As) in drinking water, are so toxic that they cannot be measured to safe levels and the allowable limits must be set at the lowest reportable concentrations. As a result, the allowable limits for some extremely toxic chemicals may be incorrectly set too high. Therefore, the consequences of this error pose a risk to public health and the environment. The sources of this error are explained and two improved ways of calculating method detection limit are presented.
VL  - 1
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Seth H. Frisbie

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Norwich University, Northfield, VT, USA; Better Life Laboratories, Inc., East Calais, VT, USA
Erika J. Mitchell

Better Life Laboratories, Inc., East Calais, VT, USA
Marwan S. Abualrub

Preparatory Program (Mathematics), Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Yousef Abosalem

Preparatory Program (Mathematics), Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Seth H. Frisbie, Erika J. Mitchell, Marwan S. Abualrub, Yousef Abosalem. (2015). Calculating the Lowest Reportable Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment. International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, 1(1), 9-13. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12

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ACS Style

Seth H. Frisbie; Erika J. Mitchell; Marwan S. Abualrub; Yousef Abosalem. Calculating the Lowest Reportable Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment. Int. J. Appl. Math. Theor. Phys. 2015, 1(1), 9-13. doi: 10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12

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AMA Style

Seth H. Frisbie, Erika J. Mitchell, Marwan S. Abualrub, Yousef Abosalem. Calculating the Lowest Reportable Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment. Int J Appl Math Theor Phys. 2015;1(1):9-13. doi: 10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12,
  author = {Seth H. Frisbie and Erika J. Mitchell and Marwan S. Abualrub and Yousef Abosalem},
  title = {Calculating the Lowest Reportable Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment},
  journal = {International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics},
  volume = {1},
  number = {1},
  pages = {9-13},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijamtp.20150101.12},
  abstract = {The equation promulgated by 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to calculate method detection limit (MDL) and used since 1981 in the United States and other countries to protect public health and the environment is incorrect. As a result, toxic chemicals in a large number of air, food, water, wastes, and other environmental samples may in fact be present at measurable concentrations even though they are currently being reported as “not detected”. That is, the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water and other liquids we drink may have measurable concentrations of toxic chemicals, despite being reported as not detected and assumed to be absent. Furthermore, many chemicals, such as arsenic (As) in drinking water, are so toxic that they cannot be measured to safe levels and the allowable limits must be set at the lowest reportable concentrations. As a result, the allowable limits for some extremely toxic chemicals may be incorrectly set too high. Therefore, the consequences of this error pose a risk to public health and the environment. The sources of this error are explained and two improved ways of calculating method detection limit are presented.},
 year = {2015}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Calculating the Lowest Reportable Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment
AU  - Seth H. Frisbie
AU  - Erika J. Mitchell
AU  - Marwan S. Abualrub
AU  - Yousef Abosalem
Y1  - 2015/05/07
PY  - 2015
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12
T2  - International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics
JF  - International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics
JO  - International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics
SP  - 9
EP  - 13
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-5927
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijamtp.20150101.12
AB  - The equation promulgated by 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to calculate method detection limit (MDL) and used since 1981 in the United States and other countries to protect public health and the environment is incorrect. As a result, toxic chemicals in a large number of air, food, water, wastes, and other environmental samples may in fact be present at measurable concentrations even though they are currently being reported as “not detected”. That is, the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water and other liquids we drink may have measurable concentrations of toxic chemicals, despite being reported as not detected and assumed to be absent. Furthermore, many chemicals, such as arsenic (As) in drinking water, are so toxic that they cannot be measured to safe levels and the allowable limits must be set at the lowest reportable concentrations. As a result, the allowable limits for some extremely toxic chemicals may be incorrectly set too high. Therefore, the consequences of this error pose a risk to public health and the environment. The sources of this error are explained and two improved ways of calculating method detection limit are presented.
VL  - 1
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download