BTEX addendum

[zweifel@nexus.chapman.edu]

Posting from "Don Zweifel" <zweifel@nexus.chapman.edu>

Peter,

As a clarification may we say that 1% of the TPH (total petroleum
hydrocarbon) volume of JP-5 jetfuel is benzene.

On an added note, the `E' in BTEX stands for ethylbenzene. This
constituent of jetfuel is known to be moderately water soluble and volatile.
It has a biochemical decay coefficient identical to benzene and has been
classified as a priority pollutant by the USEPA. The risk to human health
in regards to water and fish ingestion is expressed as moderately high for
ethylbenzene and moderate for benzene and very high for toluene.

According to 33 USCA (US Code Annotated) section 1317 of the Clean Water
Act, "Such published effluent standard shall take into acct the toxicity
of the pollutant, its persistence, degradability" and etc. Subsection (3):
Each such effluent standard shall be reviewed and if appropriate, revised
every three years. Section 134 : Permits for discharge of pollutants.
The administrator may after opportunity for public hearing, issue a permit
for the discharge of any pollutant or combination of pollutants...

One may conjecture that there may be exceptions to enforcement but
evidently only on a case by case basis. 

If anyone on the net can augment this argument pls come aboard and give us
a hand.

 Don Zweifel