Ohio VAP Soil Standards - Metals
Current Ohio VAP generic direct-contact soil cleanup levels for arsenic, lead, chromium, cadmium, and other metals. Residential and commercial/industrial.
Overview
Ohio’s VAP establishes generic direct-contact soil standards for metals under OAC 3745-300-08. These standards represent the single-chemical GDCSS - the lowest applicable value across all direct-contact exposure pathways for each land use category.
The values below are from the current CIDARS database (February 2025 version, accompanying the VAP rules effective February 16, 2025).
Unlike VOCs, metals in soil generally don’t present a vapor intrusion concern (mercury is the notable exception). The driving pathways for metals are typically direct contact (ingestion and dermal absorption) and soil leaching to groundwater.
Generic Direct-Contact Soil Standards
| Chemical | CAS Number | Residential (mg/kg) | Commercial/Industrial (mg/kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum Phosphide | 20859-73-8 | 63 | 1,900 |
| Antimony (Metallic) | 7440-36-0 | 63 | 1,900 |
| Antimony Trioxide | 1309-64-4 | 400,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Arsenic, Inorganic | 7440-38-2 | 14 | 100 |
| Asbestos (fiber >10 micrometers) | 1332-21-4 | NL | NL |
| Barium | 7440-39-3 | 30,000 | 760,000 |
| Beryllium and Compounds | 7440-41-7 | 310 | 8,800 |
| Cadmium | 7440-43-9 | 14 | 350 |
| Chlorine | 7782-50-5 | 0.4797 | 2.015 |
| Chromium(III) | 16065-83-1 | 79,000 | 470,000 |
| Chromium(VI) | 18540-29-9 | 5.9666 | 240 |
| Chromium, Total | 7440-47-3 | NL | NL |
| Cobalt Compounds | 7440-48-4 | 47 | 1,400 |
| Copper | 7440-50-8 | 6,300 | 190,000 |
| Disodium Phosphate | 7558-79-4 | 160,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Hydrogen Chloride | 7647-01-0 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Hydrogen Fluoride | 7664-39-3 | 6,300 | 190,000 |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | 7783-06-4 | 72,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Fluorine (Soluble Fluoride) | 7782-41-4 | 9,400 | 280,000 |
| Manganese Compounds | 7439-96-5 | 3,600 | 88,000 |
| Mercury and Compounds | 7439-97-6 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Nickel Soluble Salts | 7440-02-0 | 2,800 | 52,000 |
| Phosphine | 7803-51-2 | 47 | 1,400 |
| Selenium | 7782-49-2 | 780 | 23,000 |
| Selenious Acid | 7783-00-8 | 780 | 23,000 |
| Silver | 7440-22-4 | 780 | 23,000 |
| Sodium Azide | 26628-22-8 | 630 | 19,000 |
| Sodium Fluoride | 7681-49-4 | 7,800 | 230,000 |
| Sodium Fluoroacetate | 62-74-8 | 2.5 | 51 |
| Sodium Tripolyphosphate | 7758-29-4 | 160,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Sulfuric Acid | 7664-93-9 | 250,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Thallium (Soluble Salts) | 7440-28-0 | NL | NL |
| Titanium Tetrachloride | 7550-45-0 | 200,000 | 830,000 |
| Trisodium Phosphate | 7601-54-9 | 160,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Vanadium Compounds | 7440-62-2 | 780 | 23,000 |
| Zinc and Compounds | 7440-66-6 | 47,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Zinc Phosphide | 1314-84-7 | 47 | 1,400 |
| Calcium Cyanide | 592-01-8 | 160 | 4,700 |
| Copper Cyanide | 544-92-3 | 780 | 23,000 |
| Cyanide (CN-) | 57-12-5 | 51 | 400 |
| Cyanogen | 460-19-5 | 160 | 4,700 |
| Cyanogen Bromide | 506-68-3 | 14,000 | 420,000 |
| Cyanogen Chloride | 506-77-4 | 7,800 | 230,000 |
| Hydrogen Cyanide | 74-90-8 | 51 | 400 |
| Potassium Cyanide | 151-50-8 | 310 | 9,300 |
| Potassium Silver Cyanide | 506-61-6 | 780 | 23,000 |
| Silver Cyanide | 506-64-9 | 16,000 | 470,000 |
| Sodium Cyanide | 143-33-9 | 160 | 4,700 |
| Zinc Cyanide | 557-21-1 | 7,800 | 230,000 |
| Lead Acetate | 301-04-2 | 52 | 340 |
| Lead and Compounds* | 7439-92-1 | 200 | 800 |
| Lead Phosphate | 7446-27-7 | 1,600 | 15,000 |
| Lead Subacetate | 1335-32-6 | 290 | 1,900 |
| Tetraethyl Lead | 78-00-2 | 0.0156 | 0.467 |
No results found.
Practical Notes for Consultants
Lead - The 200 mg/kg Standard
Lead is the metal that generates the most discussion at Ohio cleanup sites. The VAP sets the residential GDCSS at 200 mg/kg by rule (not from the standard risk equations). This now matches EPA’s updated RSL of 200 mg/kg, which was lowered from 400 mg/kg based on more recent blood-lead modeling.
For commercial/industrial sites, the VAP also sets lead at 200 mg/kg for the standard C/I GDCSS, but the construction worker standard jumps to 800 mg/kg. This means a commercial property with lead at 500 mg/kg would pass the construction worker standard but fail the C/I worker standard - a nuance that matters during demolition and redevelopment.
In urban Ohio, background lead concentrations frequently exceed 200 mg/kg, especially near roads with historic leaded gasoline deposition and near older buildings with lead paint. Background characterization may be necessary to demonstrate that concentrations above 200 mg/kg represent ambient conditions rather than a release.
Arsenic - Background vs. Contamination
Ohio soils naturally contain arsenic, typically in the range of 5-20 mg/kg depending on geology. The residential GDCSS of 14 mg/kg falls right in the middle of that range, which means you’ll frequently encounter sites where arsenic exceeds the standard due to natural background, not contamination.
If you suspect background is driving your arsenic results, you’ll need to collect background samples from areas unaffected by site activities and perform a statistical comparison. Ohio EPA’s Technical Guidance Manual provides guidance on background sample collection and statistical methods.
Hexavalent Chromium - Know When to Speciate
The gap between Cr(III) at 79,000 mg/kg and Cr(VI) at 6 mg/kg residential is enormous - over four orders of magnitude. If your site has any history of chrome plating, leather tanning, wood treatment (CCA), or industrial metal finishing, spend the money on speciation analysis (EPA Method 7199 or 7196A for soil). A total chromium result of 50 mg/kg that’s entirely Cr(III) is a non-issue. The same result at 10% Cr(VI) means you have 5 mg/kg hex chrome - close to the 6 mg/kg residential standard.
Mercury - The Exception Among Metals
Mercury is the only common metal with a significant vapor pathway. The residential GDCSS of 3.1 mg/kg is driven by soil saturation, and it’s the same across residential, C/I, and construction worker scenarios. Mercury also has indoor air vapor intrusion standards in CIDARS, unlike other metals. If you encounter mercury contamination in soil, you need to evaluate the vapor pathway in addition to direct contact and leaching.
XRF Field Screening for Metals
Handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers are a powerful tool for real-time metals screening in soil. They can measure most metals of concern (arsenic, lead, chromium, cadmium, zinc, copper, etc.) directly in the field in 30-60 seconds per reading with reasonable accuracy at concentrations relevant to VAP standards.
XRF results are not a substitute for laboratory analysis for compliance purposes, but they allow you to make better decisions about where to collect confirmation samples, how to delineate contamination, and when to stop excavating during removal actions. For lead site work especially, XRF can save thousands of dollars in lab costs by directing your sampling program in real time.
Related Resources
- Ohio VAP Groundwater Standards - Metals - Companion groundwater standards
- Ohio VAP Soil Standards - VOCs - VOC soil standards
- Ohio VAP Program Overview - How the VAP works
- EPA RSL Tables - 2026 Update (coming soon) - Federal screening levels for comparison
Ohio VAP generic direct-contact soil standards for metals - residential, commercial/industrial, and construction worker. CIDARS February 2025.