What are the Ohio VAP soil standards for benzo[a]pyrene?

Under the February 2025 CIDARS, benzo[a]pyrene has a residential soil GDCSS of 2.3 mg/kg, a commercial/industrial GDCSS of 62 mg/kg, and a construction worker GDCSS of 230 mg/kg. BaP is often the risk-driving PAH at contaminated sites due to its high carcinogenic potency.

How are carcinogenic PAHs evaluated under Ohio VAP?

Each carcinogenic PAH has its own individual GDCSS in CIDARS. Ohio VAP evaluates each PAH individually against its applicable standard. Some practitioners also calculate benzo[a]pyrene toxic equivalents (BaP-TEQ) using relative potency factors, but the CIDARS standards are compound-specific.

What is TCDD and why is the soil standard so low?

TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) is the most toxic dioxin congener and one of the most potent carcinogens known. The residential soil standard of 0.00009603 mg/kg (about 0.1 parts per billion) reflects its extreme toxicity. Dioxins are persistent in soil and bioaccumulate in the food chain.

Ohio VAP Soil Standards - SVOCs and PAHs

Overview

These are the Ohio VAP generic direct-contact soil standards (GDCSS) for semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the CIDARS database, effective February 16, 2025 with the updated VAP rules.

SVOCs encompass a wide range of organic compounds that are less volatile than VOCs but still pose human health risks through soil ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation of particulates. PAHs - a subset of SVOCs - are among the most commonly encountered contaminants at former industrial sites, manufactured gas plants, and properties with historical petroleum or coal-related operations.

The table below shows the GDCSS values - the lower of the non-cancer and cancer-based standards for each land use category. These are the numbers you compare your analytical results against.

Generic Direct Contact Soil Standards - SVOCs and PAHs

Showing 164 of 164 chemicals

Chemical	CAS Number	Residential (mg/kg)	Commercial/Industrial (mg/kg)
Acenaphthene	83-32-9	7,200	130,000
Acetophenone	98-86-2	2,500	2,500
Acetylaminofluorene, 2-	53-96-3	2.9	19
Acrylamide	79-06-1	4.9	140
Aminobiphenyl, 4-	92-67-1	0.5167	3.4
Ammonium Sulfamate	7773-06-0	31,000	930,000
Aniline	62-53-3	880	12,000
Anthracene	120-12-7	36,000	670,000
Auramine	492-80-8	12	81
Benzenethiol	108-98-5	160	1,300
Benzidine	92-87-5	0.0106	0.308
Benz[a]anthracene	56-55-3	23	610
Benzo[a]pyrene	50-32-8	2.3	62
Benzo[b]fluoranthene	205-99-2	23	620
Benzo[k]fluoranthene	207-08-9	230	6,200
Benzoic Acid	65-85-0	460,000	1,000,000
Biphenyl, 1,1'-	92-52-4	1,700	16,000
Bis(2-chloroethoxy)methane	111-91-1	380	7,600
Bis(2-chloroethyl)ether	111-44-4	5.3	30
Bis(chloromethyl)ether	542-88-1	0.00207	0.0092
Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate	117-81-7	160	5,100
Butyl Benzyl Phthlate	85-68-7	5,700	37,000
Cacodylic Acid	75-60-5	2,500	51,000
Carbosulfan	55285-14-8	1,300	25,000
Chloramben	133-90-4	1,900	38,000
Chloro-2-methylaniline HCl, 4-	3165-93-3	24	150
Chloroacetic Acid	79-11-8	440	8,900
Chloroacetophenone, 2-	532-27-4	7,400	250,000
Chloroaniline, p-	106-47-8	54	350
Chlorobenzilate	510-15-6	99	640
Chloronaphthalene, Beta-	91-58-7	9,600	180,000
Chlorophenol, 2-	95-57-8	780	23,000
Chrysene	218-01-9	2,300	62,000
Cresol, m-	108-39-4	6,300	130,000
Cresol, o-	95-48-7	6,300	130,000
Cresol, p-	106-44-5	2,500	51,000
Cresol, p-chloro-m-	59-50-7	13,000	250,000
Cresols	1319-77-3	13,000	250,000
Diallate	2303-16-4	180	1,200
Dibenz[a,h]anthracene	53-70-3	2.3	62
Dibutyl Phthalate	84-74-2	13,000	250,000
Dichlorobenzene, 1,2-	95-50-1	380	380
Dichlorobenzene, 1,4-	106-46-7	65	290
Dichlorobenzidine, 3,3'-	91-94-1	23	150
Dichlorophenol, 2,4-	120-83-2	380	7,600
Dichloropropionic acid, 2,2-	75-99-0	3,800	76,000
Diethanolamine	111-42-2	250	5,000
Diethyl Phthalate	84-66-2	100,000	1,000,000
Diethylstilbestrol	56-53-1	0.031	0.2024
Dimethoxybenzidine, 3,3'-	119-90-4	6.8	44
Dimethylamino azobenzene [p-]	60-11-7	2.4	15
Dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, 7,12-	57-97-6	0.0092	0.249
Dimethylbenzidine, 3,3'-	119-93-7	0.9865	6.4
Dimethylphenol, 2,4-	105-67-9	2,500	51,000
Dinitrobenzene, 1,2-	528-29-0	13	250
Dinitrobenzene, 1,3-	99-65-0	13	250
Dinitrobenzene, 1,4-	100-25-4	13	250
Dinitro-o-cyclohexyl Phenol, 4,6-	131-89-5	250	5,100
Dinitrophenol, 2,4-	51-28-5	250	5,100
Dinitrotoluene, 2,4-	121-14-2	35	230
Dinitrotoluene, 2,6-	606-20-2	7.3	47
Dinitrotoluene Mixture, 2,4/2,6	25321-14-6	15.9585	100
Diphenylhydrazine, 1,2-	122-66-7	14	89
Diquat	2764-72-9	280	5,600
Endothall	145-73-3	2,500	51,000
Epichlorohydrin	106-89-8	47	210
Ethylene Glycol	107-21-1	100,000	1,000,000
Ethylene Thiourea	96-45-7	10	200
Fluoranthene	206-44-0	4,800	89,000
Fluorene	86-73-7	1,200	89,000
Furan	110-00-9	160	4,700
Furfural	98-01-1	440	9,200
Hexachlorobenzene	118-74-1	1.5643	29
Hexachlorobutadiene	87-68-3	17	17
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene	77-47-4	4.4	16
Hexachloroethane	67-72-1	45	210
Hexachlorophene	70-30-4	38	760
Hexamethylene Diisocyanate, 1,6-	822-06-0	7.9	33
Hexamethylphosphoramide	680-31-9	51	1,000
Hexanedioic Acid	124-04-9	250,000	1,000,000
Hydroquinone	123-31-9	180	1,200
Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene	193-39-5	23	620
Isophorone	78-59-1	11,000	75,000
Maleic Anhydride	108-31-6	13,000	240,000
Maleic Hydrazide	123-33-1	63,000	1,000,000
Malononitrile	109-77-3	13	250
Methomyl	16752-77-5	3,200	63,000
Methylaniline Hydrochloride, 2-	636-21-5	83	540
Methylcholanthrene, 3-	56-49-5	0.1108	3.2
Methylene-bis(2-chloroaniline), 4,4'-	101-14-4	24	710
Methylenebisbenzenamine, 4,4'-	101-77-9	6.8	44
Methylenediphenyl Diisocyanate	101-68-8	4,900	1,000,000
Methylnaphthalene, 1-	90-12-0	0.4605	1.9
Methylnaphthalene, 2-	91-57-6	480	8,900
Methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, N-	70-25-7	1.3074	8.5
Naled	300-76-5	310	9,300
Naphthylamine, 2-	91-59-8	6.0288	39
Nitroaniline, 4-	100-01-6	510	3,500
Nitrobenzene	98-95-3	130	560
Nitroglycerin	55-63-0	13	250
Nitropropane, 2-	79-46-9	690	2,900
Nitrosodiethanolamine, N-	1116-54-7	3.9	25
Nitrosodiethylamine, N-	55-18-5	0.0162	0.472
Nitrosodimethylamine, N-	62-75-9	0.0429	1.062
Nitroso-di-N-butylamine, N-	924-16-3	2.0762	15.965
Nitroso-di-N-propylamine, N-	621-64-7	1.5502	10
Nitrosodiphenylamine, N-	86-30-6	2,200	14,000
Nitrosomorpholine [N-]	59-89-2	1.6196	11
Nitroso-N-ethylurea, N-	759-73-9	0.0903	2.6
Nitroso-N-methylurea, N-	684-93-5	0.0203	0.59
Nitrosopiperidine [N-]	100-75-4	1.1544	7.5
Nitrosopyrrolidine, N-	930-55-2	5.2	34
Nitrotoluene, o-	88-72-2	63	590
Nitrotoluene, p-	99-99-0	510	4,400
Octamethylpyrophosphoramide	152-16-9	250	5,100
Octyl Phthalate, di-N-	117-84-0	1,300	25,000
Oxamyl	23135-22-0	3,200	63,000
Pentachlorobenzene	608-93-5	130	3,700
Pentachloroethane	76-01-7	150	460
Pentachlorophenol	87-86-5	20	100
Phenacetin	62-44-2	4,900	32,000
Phenol	108-95-2	38,000	760,000
Phenylmercuric Acetate	62-38-4	10	200
Phorate	298-02-2	25	510
Phosphoric Acid	7664-38-2	160,000	1,000,000
Phthalic Anhydride	85-44-9	250,000	1,000,000
Pronamide	23950-58-5	9,500	190,000
Propargite	2312-35-8	57	370
Propham	122-42-9	2,500	51,000
Propoxur (Baygon)	114-26-1	510	10,000
Pyrene	129-00-0	3,600	67,000
Pyridine	110-86-1	160	4,700
Quinoline	91-22-5	3.6	24
Safrole	94-59-7	11	320
Strychnine	57-24-9	38	760
TCDD, 2,3,7,8-	1746-01-6	0.00009603	0.00076385
Tetrachlorophenol, 2,3,4,6-	58-90-2	3,800	76,000
Tetraethyl Dithiopyrophosphate	3689-24-5	63	1,300
Tetrahydrofuran	109-99-9	43,000	170,000
Thiofanox	39196-18-4	38	760
Thiophanate, Methyl	23564-05-8	900	5,900
Thiram	137-26-8	1,900	38,000
Toluene-2,4-diisocyanate	584-84-9	0.6695	2.8
Toluene-2,6-diisocyanate	91-08-7	13	56
Toluidine, p-	106-49-0	360	2,400
Triallate	2303-17-5	190	1,800
Trichlorobenzene, 1,2,4-	120-82-1	140	400
Trichlorophenol, 2,4,5-	95-95-4	13,000	250,000
Trichlorophenol, 2,4,6-	88-06-2	130	2,500
Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid, 2,4,5-	93-76-5	1,300	25,000
Trichlorophenoxypropionic acid, -2,4,5	93-72-1	1,000	20,000
Trimethylbenzene, 1,2,3-	526-73-8	290	290
Trimethylbenzene, 1,2,4-	95-63-6	220	220
Trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5-	108-67-8	180	180
Trinitrobenzene, 1,3,5-	99-35-4	1,100	120,000
Urethane	51-79-6	2.4	71
Warfarin	81-81-2	38	760
Acenaphthylene^†	208-96-8	7,200	130,000
Benzo(g,h,i)perylene^†	191-24-2	3,600	67,000
Dibenzofuran^†	132-64-9	160	4,700
Dimethyl phthalate^†	131-11-3	100,000	1,000,000
Dinitro-o-cresol, 4,6-^†	534-52-1	10	200
Nitrotoluene, m-^†	99-08-1	13	250
Phenanthrene^†	85-01-8	36,000	670,000

† Listed in CIDARS under Supplemental Criteria rather than as an Appendix A generic numerical standard.

Key Compounds to Watch

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)

BaP is typically the risk-driving PAH at contaminated sites. Its residential GDCSS of 2.3 mg/kg and commercial/industrial GDCSS of 62 mg/kg are driven by the cancer-based standard. BaP is the index compound for PAH carcinogenicity and serves as the basis for relative potency factors used in risk assessment.

Dibenz[a,h]anthracene

With a residential GDCSS of 2.3 mg/kg and commercial/industrial GDCSS of 62 mg/kg, this compound is one of the most restrictive PAHs. It has comparable carcinogenic potency to BaP.

TCDD (2,3,7,8-Dioxin)

The residential GDCSS of 0.00009603 mg/kg (about 0.1 ppb) and commercial/industrial GDCSS of 0.00076385 mg/kg (about 0.76 ppb) make dioxin the most restrictive compound in this table by orders of magnitude. Dioxin contamination requires specialized analytical methods and very low detection limits.

1-Methylnaphthalene

Often overlooked, 1-methylnaphthalene has a residential GDCSS of only 0.4605 mg/kg and a commercial/industrial GDCSS of 1.9 mg/kg - more restrictive than many PAHs. This compound is common at petroleum sites and can be a surprise exceedance if not anticipated in the analytical program.

Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP)

The residential GDCSS is 160 mg/kg. DEHP is a common plasticizer and frequent laboratory contaminant - always check your method blanks before concluding that a DEHP detection represents site contamination.

Practical Notes

PAHs are rarely found alone. If you detect one PAH above standards, you’ll likely have multiple PAHs above standards. This is because PAHs occur as mixtures from combustion or petroleum sources.
Background PAH concentrations in urban soils can be significant. Ohio urban soils commonly have low-level PAH detections from atmospheric deposition, especially near roads and industrial areas. Background sampling may be warranted at sites with low-level PAH detections.
Lab method matters. SVOCs are typically analyzed by EPA Method 8270 (GC/MS). Make sure your laboratory’s reporting limits are below the applicable GDCSS values - particularly for BaP, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, and TCDD.
Carcinogenic PAHs include: benz[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, chrysene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene. The remaining PAHs are evaluated on a non-cancer basis only.
The GDCSS is the lower of non-cancer and cancer standards for each land use. For carcinogenic PAHs at commercial/industrial land use, the cancer-based standard is almost always the driver.