On September 30, 2015, the EPA published the first update to the Steam Electric Power Plant Generating Effluent Limitation Guidelines (ELG) in 33 years. The biggest changes from the previous rule will be dry handling and zero discharge rules for certain wastewater streams and new numerical effluent guidelines for other waste streams. These changes predominantly affect the coal-fired and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant facilities. The numerical guidelines for mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), and selenium (Se) in flue gas desulfurization (FGD) and IGCC wastewaters affect both existing and new sources, which in many cases will require significant upgrades and/or new wastewater treatment facilities to meet the new limits. 

Below is a table that shows a sampling of the new ELGs* for various wastewaters and leachates. More details can be found here.

As facilities and their consultants develop an implementation strategy for compliance with the new rules, one of the key components is knowing what is in the wastewater before it can effectively be treated to remove these hazardous metals. Relying on total metals concentrations is not enough and careful examination of the speciation of each element of concern is crucial, particularly for selenium which can be problematic to treat down to low-ppb levels. Brooks Applied Labs is the industry leader in elemental speciation analyses with decades of experience working with FGD wastewaters, so please Contact Us today to learn more about our services and ask about our expedited turn-around times for your rush projects.

Three members of the Brooks Applied Labs staff will be attending the upcoming National Environmental Monitoring Conference ( NEMC) in Orange Country, California, August 8th - 12th. Our President/CEO, Michelle Briscoe, will be chairing a session on Metals and Metal Speciation Analyses in Environmental Samples the afternoon of Tuesday, August 9th, and our ICP-MS Group Leader, Tamas Ugrai, will be presenting a paper in this session on the "Merits of EPA Method 1640 for Preconcentration of Trace Metals with Online Matrix Removal Coupled to a Highly Sensitive and Selective ICP-QQQ-MS Detection System". The full conference program may be viewed here. Rounding out our team will be our Technical Sales Manager, Jamie Fox, who will be running around trying to catch every talk, visit every exhibition booth, and connecting with all of our clients in attendance! If you'd like to connect with any of them while they are in Southern California, please feel free to Contact Us.

Brooks Applied Labs' Data Management Specialist, Mi Sun Chun, and her husband Derek, welcomed the newest edition to their family, Kaleb Hoon Chun, on May 31st. After a speedy delivery, Kaleb met his parents on what was also their wedding anniversary date! They are happy to report that Kaleb was delivered at a healthy weight of 7 lbs. 10 oz., or in lab terms, 3458.65 grams. Their dog, Teddy, is already in love with the newest family member. All of us at BAL wish to extend whole-hearted congratulations to the Chun family!