Aquatic Life Criterion - Selenium
What is Selenium?
Selenium is a naturally occurring element present in sedimentary rocks, shales, coal and phosphate deposits and soils. There are around 40 known selenium-containing minerals but all are rare and generally occur together with sulfides of metals such as copper, zinc and lead.
Where does Selenium Enter Surface Water?
Selenium can be released into water resources by natural sources via weathering and by anthropogenic sources, such as surface mining, coal-fired power plants, and irrigated agriculture.
How does Selenium Affect Aquatic Life?
Selenium is a nutritionally essential element for animals in small amounts, but toxic at higher concentrations. Selenium bioaccumulates in the aquatic food chain and chronic exposure in fish and aquatic invertebrates can cause reproductive impairments (e.g., larval deformity or mortality). Selenium can also adversely affect juvenile growth and mortality.
Selenium is also toxic to water fowl and other birds that consume aquatic organisms containing excessive levels of selenium.
Final Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criterion for Selenium - Freshwater 2016
EPA’s water quality criterion for selenium provides recommendations to states and tribes authorized to establish water quality standards under the Clean Water Act. This final criterion includes information to help states to develop site specific criteria that account for differing local conditions.
- Fact Sheet: Final Selenium Criterion (June 2016)
- Federal Register: 2016 Selenium Criterion (July 13, 2016)
- Final Criterion: Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criterion for Selenium - Freshwater 2016 (June 30, 2016)
- Response to Public Comment: 2015 Draft Selenium Aquatic Life Criterion (June 30, 2016)