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New Standards Protect Infants From Blue Baby Syndrome
Author(s) -
Pontius Frederick W.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
opflow
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1551-8701
pISSN - 0149-8029
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8701.1993.tb00328.x
Subject(s) - nitrite , nitrate , chemistry , dietary nitrate , environmental chemistry , organic chemistry
New federal standards for nitrate and nitrite took effect in June 1992. The maximum contaminant level (MCL) for nitrate is 10 mg/L‐N, and the MCL for nitrite is 1 mg/L‐N. Both nitrate and nitrite can occur together in drinking water. Because their health impacts are related, a combined MCL has been set at 10 mg/L‐N. This means that the sum of nitrate and nitrite, as nitrogen, must not exceed 10 mg/L‐N. This article provides an overview of the reasons for the regulation and some ways that nitrate and nitrite can be removed from drinking water.