The Water Environment Federation® (WEF®) defines microconstituents as natural and manmade substances, including elements and inorganic and organic chemicals, detected within water and the environment, for which a prudent course of action is suggested for the continued assessment of the potential effect on human health and the environment. These compounds include, but are not limited to, endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs). They may be present in the environment due to natural processes or to human influence.

This Technical Practice Update (TPU), one in a series covering issues surrounding microconstituents, provides an analysis of the current state of knowledge on federal regulatory mechanisms in the United States for microconstituents in the environment. Regulatory strengths and weaknesses and examples of potential solutions are examined. Published by WEF. 2007. Electronic download. 42 pages.

KEYWORDS: Safe Drinking Water Act; Food Quality Protection Act; Clean Water Act; Toxic Substances Control Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; Pharmaceuticals; Analytical Methods and Standards