MEMORANDUM
TO:
304(
m)
Record
(
EPA
Docket
Number
OW­
2203­
0074)

FROM:
Cortney
Itle,
ERG
DATE:
December
12,
2003
SUBJECT:
Sodium
Nitrite
Report
Outline
Sodium
nitrite
(
NaNO
2)
has
the
third
highest
toxic­
weighted
pound
equivalents
(
TWPE)
reported
released
in
TRIReleases2000
(
Dioxin
and
dioxin­
like
compounds
have
the
highest
TWPE
and
Polycyclic
aromatic
compounds
have
the
second
highest
TWPE).
For
this
reason,
EPA
anticipates
exploring
issues
related
to
industrial
use
and
discharge
of
sodium
nitrite,
as
presented
in
the
attached
outline.
Sodium
Nitrite
Memo
Outline
I.
Summary
and
Conclusions
II.
Introduction
a.
What
is
sodium
nitrite?
Chemical
formula
Physical
properties
Solubility
b.
Is
sodium
nitrite
a
wastewater
problem?

III.
How
much
sodium
nitrite
is
released
to
the
environment?
a.
Briefly
discuss
TRI
and
TWFs
I.
Define
TRI
and
its
purpose
II.
Describe
ERG
analysis
of
TRI
data
b.
Discuss
sodium
nitrite
in
TRI
III.
Added
in
1995
due
to
health
effects
(
methemoglobinemia)
IV.
Facility
must
report
if
it
is
manufacturing
or
processing
sodium
nitrite
in
quantities
greater
than
25,000
pounds
per
year
or
if
it
is
otherwise
using
sodium
nitrite
in
quantities
greater
than
10,000
pounds
per
year
c.
Present
data
table
of
sodium
nitrite
in
2000
TRI
by
point
source
category
for
all
industries
and
all
releases
(
to
air,
surface
water,
POTWs,
etc.)

IV.
How
much
sodium
nitrite
is
produced
or
imported
in
the
U.
S.
each
year?
a.
What
companies
produce
it
from
what
raw
materials?
b.
Do
manufacturers
release
it
to
the
environment?

V.
What
are
the
industrial
uses
of
sodium
nitrite?
a.
Describe
use
of
sodium
nitrite
in
industries
I.
Corrosion
Inhibitor
in
closed
water
systems
II.
Metal
Products
I.
Oxidizing
agent
and
depolarizer
in
detinning
II.
Accelerator
in
phosphatizing
(
phosphate
coating)
III.
Gold
plating
baths
IV.
Descaling
Steel
and
cast
iron
V.
Used
in
heat
treatment
of
metals
and
alloys
III.
Chemical
Industry
I.
Production
of
azo
dyes,
diazo
compounds,
nitroso
and
isonitroso
compounds
II.
Industrial
cleaners
and
lubricants
III.
Production
of
emulsion
paints
IV.
Rubber
Industry
I.
Polymer
inhibitor
for
synthetic
rubber
II.
Nitrous
acid
source
for
accelerators,
retarders,
and
antioxidants/
antiozonanats
III.
Foam
rubber
blowing
agent
IV.
Navy
I.
Corrosion
inhibitor
in
steam
boilers
I.
Lay­
up
of
ships
II.
Leak
detection
VI.
What
are
the
harmful
effects
of
sodium
nitrite?
a.
Health
Effects
I.
Oral
LD50:
120
mg/
kg
in
rats
II.
NOEL:
6.7.
mg/
kg
bw/
day
expressed
as
nitrite
ion
III.
Nitrites
cause
methemoglobinemia
IV.
Nitrites
oxidize
to
nitrate,
which
causes
eutrophication
V.
Nitrites
can
form
N­
nitroso
compounds
when
ingested
by
humans
VI.
b.
Discuss
CA
Proposition
65
debate
I.
Proposition
65
states
that
compounds
that
cause
developmental
or
reproductive
toxicity
should
be
included
in
TRI
II.
The
state
of
CA
did
an
extensive
study
on
toxicity
data
of
sodium
nitrite
and
found
that
sodium
nitrite
does
not
cause
developmental
or
reproductive
toxicity
c.
Discuss
EAD's
TWF
used
in
TRI
analysis
I.
TWF
is
0.37,
based
on
freshwater
chronic
aquatic
toxicity
of
15ug/
L,
based
on
96­
hr
LC50
of
150
ug/
L
(
acute)
for
the
rainbow
trout
d.
RSEI
toxicity
information
I.
Based
on
human
toxicity
VII.
Is
sodium
nitrite
regulated?
a.
There
are
no
water
quality
or
drinking
water
standards
for
sodium
nitrite,
but
it
dissociates
to
nitrite
which
is
regulated.
I.
Water
Quality
Standards
I.
Nitrite
MCL
is
1
mg/
L
II.
Nitrate
MCL
is
10
mg/
L
III.
Sum
of
nitrate
and
nitrite
is
10
mg/
L
I.
Drinking
Water
Standards
VIII.
Treatment
a.
Discuss
treatment
technology
for
NaNO2
developed
by
the
U.
S.
Navy.
b.
Anion
exchange
and
reverse
osmosis
are
treatments
identified
by
EPA
for
the
removal
of
nitrate
and
nitrite.
