Indiana Groundwater Published Levels - Metals
IDEM Published Level Table 1 groundwater standards for metals in Indiana. 165 chemicals. No commercial/industrial groundwater levels published.
Overview
These are Indiana’s Published Level Table 1 groundwater standards for metals and inorganic compounds, from the IDEM Risk-based Closure Guide (WASTE-0046-R2, “the R2”), effective March 28, 2025.
Risk basis: Indiana’s published levels use a 1E-05 cancer risk (1 in 100,000) and HQ of 1.0. For carcinogenic metals such as arsenic and hexavalent chromium, Indiana’s values are approximately 10 times higher than default EPA Regional Screening Levels.
Residential values only: IDEM does not publish commercial/industrial groundwater screening levels (the R2, Section 3.3). Groundwater is evaluated under a single residential use scenario.
Qualifier key:
- C = Carcinogenic
- N = Noncarcinogenic
- M = MCL-based - the MCL governs when more restrictive than the risk-based value
- D = Detection limit-based
Blank cells indicate no published level for that chemical - not zero.
Groundwater Published Levels - Metals
| Chemical | CAS Number | Residential (µg/L) | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | 7429-90-5 | 20,000 | N |
| Aluminum metaphosphate | 13776-88-0 | 60,000 | N |
| Aluminum Phosphide | 20859-73-8 | 8 | N |
| Aluminum salts of inorganic phosphates | E524680405 | 6,000 | N |
| Ammonium Perchlorate | 7790-98-9 | 10 | N |
| Ammonium Picrate | 131-74-8 | 40 | N |
| Ammonium Sulfamate | 7773-06-0 | 4,000 | N |
| Antimony (metallic) | 7440-36-0 | 6 | M |
| Antimony Pentoxide | 1314-60-9 | 10 | N |
| Antimony Tetroxide | 1332-81-6 | 8 | N |
| Arsenic, Inorganic | 7440-38-2 | 10 | M |
| Arsine | 7784-42-1 | 0.07 | N |
| Asbestos (units in fibers) | 1332-21-4 | 7,000,000 | M |
| Avermectin B1 | 65195-55-3 | 8 | N |
| Barium | 7440-39-3 | 2,000 | M |
| Benzenediamine-2-methyl sulfate, 1,4- | 6369-59-1 | 6 | N |
| Beryllium and compounds | 7440-41-7 | 4 | M |
| Boron And Borates Only | 7440-42-8 | 4,000 | N |
| Boron Trichloride | 10294-34-5 | 40 | N |
| Boron Trifluoride | 7637-07-2 | 30 | N |
| Bromate | 15541-45-4 | 10 | M |
| Cadmium (Water) | 7440-43-9 | 5 | M |
| Calcium Cyanide | 592-01-8 | 20 | N |
| Chloramines, Organic | E701235 | 4,000 | M |
| Chlorite (Sodium Salt) | 7758-19-2 | 1,000 | M |
| Chlorobenzotrifluoride, 4- | 98-56-6 | 7 | C |
| Chromium(III), Insoluble Salts | 16065-83-1 | 20,000 | N |
| Chromium(VI) | 18540-29-9 | 1 | C |
| Chromium, Total | 7440-47-3 | 100 | M |
| Cobalt | 7440-48-4 | 6 | N |
| Copper | 7440-50-8 | 1,300 | M |
| Copper Cyanide | 544-92-3 | 100 | N |
| Cyanide (CN-) | 57-12-5 | 200 | M |
| Cyanogen | 460-19-5 | 20 | N |
| Cyanogen Bromide | 506-68-3 | 2,000 | N |
| Cyanogen Chloride | 506-77-4 | 1,000 | N |
| Dibutyltin Compounds | E1790661 | 6 | N |
| Dichloramine | 3400-09-7 | 4,000 | M |
| Dipotassium phosphate | 7758-11-4 | 20,000 | N |
| Disodium phosphate | 7558-79-4 | 20,000 | N |
| Endosulfan Sulfate | 1031-07-8 | 100 | N |
| Fluoride | 16984-48-8 | 4,000 | M |
| Fluorine (Soluble Fluoride) | 7782-41-4 | 4,000 | M |
| Glufosinate, Ammonium | 77182-82-2 | 100 | N |
| Guanidine | 113-00-8 | 200 | N |
| Guanidine Chloride | 50-01-1 | 400 | N |
| Guanidine Nitrate | 506-93-4 | 600 | N |
| Hydrazine Sulfate | 10034-93-2 | 0.3 | C |
| Hydrogen Cyanide | 74-90-8 | 2 | N |
| Hydrogen Fluoride | 7664-39-3 | 30 | N |
| Iodine | 7553-56-2 | 200 | N |
| Iron | 7439-89-6 | 10,000 | N |
| Lanthanum | 7439-91-0 | 1 | N |
| Lanthanum Acetate Hydrate | 100587-90-4 | 0.4 | N |
| Lanthanum Chloride Heptahydrate | 10025-84-0 | 0.4 | N |
| Lanthanum Chloride, Anhydrous | 10099-58-8 | 0.6 | N |
| Lanthanum Nitrate Hexahydrate | 10277-43-7 | 0.3 | N |
| Lead acetate | 301-04-2 | 4 | C |
| Lead and Compounds | 7439-92-1 | 10 | M |
| Lead Phosphate | 7446-27-7 | 90 | C |
| Lead subacetate | 1335-32-6 | 20 | C |
| Lithium | 7439-93-2 | 40 | N |
| Lithium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]azanide | 90076-65-6 | 6 | N |
| Lithium Perchlorate | 7791-03-9 | 10 | N |
| Manganese (Non-diet) | 7439-96-5 | 400 | N |
| Mercuric Chloride (and other Mercury salts) | 7487-94-7 | 2 | M |
| Mercury (elemental) | 7439-97-6 | 2 | M |
| Methyl Mercury | 22967-92-6 | 2 | N |
| Methylbenzene-1,4-diamine sulfate, 2- | 615-50-9 | 6 | N |
| Molybdenum | 7439-98-7 | 100 | N |
| Monoaluminum phosphate | 13530-50-2 | 70,000 | N |
| Monochloramine | 10599-90-3 | 4,000 | M |
| Monopotassium phosphate | 7778-77-0 | 20,000 | N |
| Monosodium phosphate | 7558-80-7 | 20,000 | N |
| Nickel Acetate | 373-02-4 | 200 | N |
| Nickel Carbonate | 3333-67-3 | 200 | N |
| Nickel Carbonyl | 13463-39-3 | 0.03 | N |
| Nickel Hydroxide | 12054-48-7 | 200 | N |
| Nickel Oxide | 1313-99-1 | 200 | N |
| Nickel Refinery Dust | E715532 | 200 | N |
| Nickel Soluble Salts | 7440-02-0 | 400 | N |
| Nickel Subsulfide | 12035-72-2 | 0.5 | C |
| Nickelocene | 1271-28-9 | 0.9 | C |
| Nitrate (measured as nitrogen) | 14797-55-8 | 10,000 | M |
| Nitrate + Nitrite (measured as nitrogen) | E701177 | 10,000 | M |
| Nitrite (measured as nitrogen) | 14797-65-0 | 1,000 | M |
| Nitroguanidine | 556-88-7 | 2,000 | N |
| Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) | 78-11-5 | 200 | C |
| Perchlorate and Perchlorate Salts | 14797-73-0 | 15 | M |
| Phenyl Isothiocyanate | 103-72-0 | 3 | N |
| Phenylmercuric Acetate | 62-38-4 | 2 | N |
| Phosphine | 7803-51-2 | 0.6 | N |
| Phosphoric Acid | 7664-38-2 | 20,000 | N |
| Phosphoric acid, aluminum salt (1:1) [aluminum phosphate] | 7784-30-7 | 30,000 | N |
| Phosphoric acid, aluminum sodium salt (1:X:X) [sodium aluminum phosphate acidic (acidic SALP)] | 7785-88-8 | 90,000 | N |
| Phosphorus | 7723-14-0 | 0.4 | N |
| Phosphorus, white | 12185-10-3 | 0.4 | N |
| Polyphosphoric acid | 8017-16-1 | 20,000 | N |
| Potassium Cyanide | 151-50-8 | 40 | N |
| Potassium Perchlorate | 7778-74-7 | 10 | N |
| Potassium salts of inorganic phosphates | E524680403 | 20,000 | N |
| Potassium Silver Cyanide | 506-61-6 | 80 | N |
| Potassium tripolyphosphate | 13845-36-8 | 20,000 | N |
| Selenious Acid | 7783-00-8 | 100 | N |
| Selenium | 7782-49-2 | 50 | M |
| Selenium Sulfide | 7446-34-6 | 100 | N |
| Silver | 7440-22-4 | 90 | N |
| Silver Cyanide | 506-64-9 | 2,000 | N |
| Sodium aluminum phosphate (anhydrous) | 10279-59-1 | 100,000 | N |
| Sodium aluminum phosphate (tetrahydrate) | 10305-76-7 | 70,000 | N |
| Sodium Azide | 26628-22-8 | 80 | N |
| Sodium Cyanide | 143-33-9 | 200 | M |
| Sodium Fluoride | 7681-49-4 | 4,000 | M |
| Sodium Fluoroacetate | 62-74-8 | 0.4 | N |
| Sodium hexametaphosphate | 10124-56-8 | 20,000 | N |
| Sodium Metavanadate | 13718-26-8 | 20 | N |
| Sodium Perchlorate | 7601-89-0 | 10 | N |
| Sodium polyphosphate | 68915-31-1 | 20,000 | N |
| Sodium pyrophosphate | 7758-16-9 | 20,000 | N |
| Sodium salts of inorganic phosphates | E524680404 | 20,000 | N |
| Sodium trimetaphosphate | 7785-84-4 | 20,000 | N |
| Sodium tripolyphosphate | 7758-29-4 | 20,000 | N |
| Sodium Tungstate | 13472-45-2 | 20 | N |
| Sodium Tungstate Dihydrate | 10213-10-2 | 20 | N |
| Strontium, Stable | 7440-24-6 | 10,000 | N |
| Tetraethyl Dithiopyrophosphate | 3689-24-5 | 7 | N |
| Tetraethyl Lead | 78-00-2 | 0.001 | N |
| Tetrapotassium phosphate | 7320-34-5 | 20,000 | N |
| Tetrasodium pyrophosphate | 7722-88-5 | 20,000 | N |
| Thallic Oxide | 1314-32-5 | 0.4 | N |
| Thallium (I) Nitrate | 10102-45-1 | 0.2 | N |
| Thallium (Soluble Salts) | 7440-28-0 | 2 | M |
| Thallium Acetate | 563-68-8 | 0.2 | N |
| Thallium Carbonate | 6533-73-9 | 0.4 | N |
| Thallium Chloride | 7791-12-0 | 0.2 | N |
| Thallium Selenite | 12039-52-0 | 0.2 | N |
| Thallium Sulfate | 7446-18-6 | 0.4 | N |
| Thiocyanates | E1790665 | 4 | N |
| Thiocyanic Acid | 463-56-9 | 4 | N |
| Tin | 7440-31-5 | 10,000 | N |
| Titanium Tetrachloride | 7550-45-0 | 0.2 | N |
| Trialuminum sodium tetra decahydrogenoctaorthophosphate (dihydrate) | 15136-87-5 | 70,000 | N |
| Tributyl Phosphate | 126-73-8 | 50 | C |
| Tributyltin Compounds | E1790679 | 6 | N |
| Tributyltin Oxide | 56-35-9 | 6 | N |
| Trichloramine | 10025-85-1 | 4,000 | M |
| Tricresyl Phosphate (TCP) | 1330-78-5 | 200 | N |
| Trimethyl Phosphate | 512-56-1 | 40 | C |
| Triphenylphosphine Oxide | 791-28-6 | 400 | N |
| Triphosphoric acid, aluminum salt (1:1) [aluminum triphosphate] | 13939-25-8 | 60,000 | N |
| Tripotassium phosphate | 7778-53-2 | 20,000 | N |
| Tris(1,3-Dichloro-2-propyl) Phosphate | 13674-87-8 | 400 | N |
| Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate | 13674-84-5 | 200 | N |
| Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate | 126-72-7 | 0.07 | C |
| Tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate | 115-96-8 | 40 | C |
| Tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate | 78-42-2 | 200 | C |
| Trisodium phosphate | 7601-54-9 | 20,000 | N |
| Tungsten | 7440-33-7 | 20 | N |
| Uranium | 7440-61-1 | 30 | M |
| Vanadium and Compounds | 7440-62-2 | 90 | N |
| Vanadium Pentoxide | 1314-62-1 | 200 | N |
| Zinc and Compounds | 7440-66-6 | 6,000 | N |
| Zinc Cyanide | 557-21-1 | 1,000 | N |
| Zinc Phosphide | 1314-84-7 | 6 | N |
| Zirconium | 7440-67-7 | 2 | N |
No results found.
Practical Notes
MCL-governed metals: Many metals have groundwater published levels set by the Safe Drinking Water Act MCL (qualifier M), meaning the regulatory standard is the drinking water standard rather than a risk-based calculation. Arsenic (10 µg/L MCL), lead (action level), nitrate (10 mg/L MCL), and others are governed by federal drinking water standards.
Arsenic is frequently the metals risk driver at Indiana sites due to its low MCL (10 µg/L) and its common occurrence near background concentrations in Indiana groundwater. Natural arsenic concentrations in Indiana aquifers - particularly in alluvial deposits - can approach or exceed the MCL without anthropogenic contamination. Background data are essential before concluding arsenic exceedances represent site contamination.
Manganese can occur at elevated concentrations in Indiana groundwater under reducing conditions, particularly in alluvial aquifers. It is a secondary drinking water contaminant (aesthetic, not primary health standard) and its presence at elevated concentrations does not necessarily indicate site contamination.
Chromium speciation: Total chromium analytical results must be distinguished from hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) for meaningful comparison to carcinogenic standards. If total chromium exceeds the published level, hexavalent chromium speciation analysis is needed before determining exceedance of the cancer-risk-based standard.
Soil-to-groundwater pathway: Elevated metals in soil may indicate a leaching pathway to groundwater. Compare soil results to Indiana Soil - Metals and groundwater results to this page as part of a complete site evaluation.