1 ARSENIC Environmental sources of arsenic stem from the

continuing use of its compounds and pesticides, from its

unintended release during the mining of gold and lead
and from the combustion of coal, of which it is a
contaminant. Industrial effluents also contribute arsenic
to water in some areas.
2 LEAD The most common sources of lead in drinking water
are lead pipes, faucets, and plumbing fixtures
3 MERCURY The main source to most aquatic environments in the
U.S. is from atmospheric deposition (rain, snow, dry
particles). Some water bodies also receive mercury from
direct discharge of industrial wastes, mining wastes, or
naturally occurring mercury minerals
4 VINYL CHLORIDE Most of the vinyl chloride that enters the environment
comes from vinyl chloride manufacturing or processing
plants, which release it into the air or into waste water.
5 POLYCHLORINATED Electrical equipment including voltage regulators,
switches, re-closers, bushings, and electromagnets. Oil
BIPHENYLS used in motors and hydraulic systems. Old electrical
devices or appliances containing PCB capacitors.
Fluorescent light ballasts.
6 BENZENE The major sources of benzene in water are atmospheric
deposition, spills of petrol and other petroleum products,
and chemical plant effluents.
7 CADMIUM Cadmium occurs naturally in zinc, in lead and copper
ores, in coal and other fossil fuels, in shales and is
released during volcanic action. These deposits can
serve as sources to ground and surface waters,
especially when in contact with low total dissolved solids
(TDS) and acidic waters
8 BENZO(A)PYRENE Benzo(a)pyrene is found in nature from the eruption of
volcanoes and forest fires. Yet this chemical compound
is also man-made. Benzo(a)pyrene can be found in
surface water, tap water, rainwater, groundwater,
wastewater and sewage sludge.
9 POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC PAHs can reach water bodies mainly through dry and
wet deposition, road runoff, industrial wastewater,
HYDROCARBONS leaching from creosote-impregnated wood, petroleum
spills, and fossil fuel combustio
10 BENZO(B)FLUORANTHENE Benzo(b)fluoranthene is primarily found in gasoline
exhaust, tobacco and cigarette smoke, coal tar, soot,
amino acids and fatty acid pyrolysis products
11 CHLOROFORM Where does chloroform in water come from?
Chloroform enters the environment from chemical
companies and paper mills, It is also found in waste
water from sewage treatment plants and drinking water
to which chlorine has been added. Chlorine is added to
 most drinking water and many waste waters to destroy
bacteria.

12 AROCLOR 1260 1191

13 DDT, P,P’- Exposure to DDT in people likely occurs from eating

foods, including meat, fish, and dairy products. DDT
exposure can occur by eating, breathing, or touching
products contaminated with DDT
14 AROCLOR 1254 1172

15 DIBENZO(A,H)ANTHRACENE AHs are formed primarily from the combustion of fossil

fuels, with major sources being of anthropogenic origin,
although bacteria and plants also contribute some PAHs
to the environment.
16 TRICHLOROETHYLENE Industrial processes are the main sources of TCE in the
environment. It is commonly found in air and water.
Once it is released into the air, TCE will break down
within a week or less.
17 CHROMIUM, HEXAVALENT It is found in many vegetables, fruits, meats, grains, and
yeast. Chromium-6 occurs naturally in the environment
from the erosion of natural chromium deposits. It can
also be produced by industrial processes.
18 DIELDRIN They may arrive in drinking water through banned
insecticide use or industrial contaminants.
19 PHOSPHORUS, WHITE The main sources of phosphorus to aquatic systems
are surface runoff from varying land uses (e.g., arable
land, native grassland, forested, urban), septic fields,
groundwater seepage, atmospheric deposition (dustfall
and precipitation), internal sediment release, waterfowl
and other wildlife
20 HEXACHLOROBUTADIENE HCBD had no natural sources, and anthropogenic
sources made it frequently detected in environmental
medium
21 DDE, P,P’- DDE is found in the environment as a result of the
breakdown of DDT, an insecticide. Human exposure to
DDE appears to be primarily through food
22 CHLORDANE Chlordane has been found in meat, eggs and milk.
Some chlordane metabolites have been found in human
milk. Food is considered to be the major source of
exposure of the general population to chlordane
23 AROCLOR 1242 1125

24 COAL TAR CREOSOTE 1124

25 ALDRIN 1115

26 DDD, P,P’- 1113

27 AROCLOR 1248 1106

28 HEPTACHLOR 1101

29 AROCLOR 1101
30 BENZIDINE 1092
31 ACROLEIN 1090
32 TOXAPHENE 1089
33 TETRACHLOROETHYLENE 1077
34 HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE, 1076
GAMMA-
35 CYANIDE 1069
36 HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE, 1054
BETA-
37 DISULFOTON 1048
38 BENZO(A)ANTHRACENE 1048
39 1,2-DIBROMOETHANE 1043
40 ENDRIN 1038
41 DIAZINON 1038
42 HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE, 1035
DELTA-
43 BERYLLIUM 1030
44 ENDOSULFAN 1029
45 AROCLOR 1221 1028
46 1,2-DIBROMO-3- 1027
CHLOROPROPANE
47 HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE 1021
48 ENDOSULFAN, ALPHA 1019
49 CIS-CHLORDANE 1017
50 CARBON TETRACHLORIDE 1013
51 AROCLOR 1016 1012
52 COBALT 1011
53 DDT, O,P’- 1009
54 METHOXYCHLOR 1007
55 PENTACHLOROPHENOL 1007
56 ENDOSULFAN SULFATE 1004
57 DI-N-BUTYL PHTHALATE 993
58 NICKEL 993
59 ENDRIN KETONE 993
60 DIBROMOCHLOROPROPANE 984
61 BENZO(K)FLUORANTHENE 974
62 TRANS-CHLORDANE 969
63 ENDOSULFAN, BETA 968
64 CHLORPYRIFOS 965
65 XYLENES, TOTAL 962
66 CHROMIUM(VI) TRIOXIDE 961
67 AROCLOR 1232 959
68 ENDRIN ALDEHYDE 959
69 METHANE 952
70 3,3′-DICHLOROBENZIDINE 941
71 2-HEXANONE 940
72 2,3,7,8- 940
TETRACHLORODIBENZO-P-
DIOXIN
73 BENZOFLUORANTHENE 937
74 TOLUENE 914
75 ZINC 913
76 PENTACHLOROBENZENE 907
77 DI(2-ETHYLHEXYL)PHTHALATE 905
78 CHROMIUM 893
79 AROCLOR 1240 889
80 2,4,6-TRINITROTOLUENE 878
81 NAPHTHALENE 878
82 1,1-DICHLOROETHENE 873
83 BROMODICHLOROETHANE 868
84 DDD, O,P’- 867
85 2,4,6-TRICHLOROPHENOL 867
86 BIS(2-CHLOROETHYL)ETHER 867
87 HYDRAZINE 862
88 2,4-DINITROPHENOL 859
89 4,4′-METHYLENEBIS(2- 859
CHLOROANILINE)
90 METHYLENE CHLORIDE 857
91 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE 852
92 THIOCYANATE 847
93 HEXACHLOROBENZENE 844
94 ASBESTOS 840
95 RADIUM-226 833
96 RDX (Cyclonite) 833
97 URANIUM 833
98 2,4-DINITROTOLUENE 831
99 ETHION 831
10 4,6-DINITRO-O-CRESOL 828
0
10 RADIUM 827
1
10 THORIUM 824
2
10 DIMETHYLARSINIC ACID 822
3
10 CHLORINE 821
4
10 1,3,5-TRINITROBENZENE 820
5
10 RADON 818
6
10 HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE, 816
7 ALPHA-
10 RADIUM-228 815
8
10 THORIUM-230 813
9
11 URANIUM-235 812
0
11 THORIUM-228 810
1
11 RADON-222 810
2
11 URANIUM-234 809
3
11 COAL TARS 808
4
11 N-NITROSODI-N- 808
5 PROPYLAMINE
11 METHYLMERCURY 808
6
11 CHRYSOTILE ASBESTOS 806
7
11 PLUTONIUM-239 806
8
11 POLONIUM-210 805
9
12 COPPER 805
0