Table 5 – Polar Compounds results for monitoring boreholes (Detailed results in Annex 6) PARAMETER BH1 BH2 BH3 BH4 BH5 BH6 BH7 BH8 Acetone <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l Methanol <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l Ethanol <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l Acetaldehyde <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l Methyl acetate <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l Ethyl acetate <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l Propyl acetate <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l Butyl acetate <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l n-propanol <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l n-butanol <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l Isopropyl alcohol <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l 2-butoxyethanol <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l <10mg/l Dissolved metals (45 metals were included in the analyses – Annex 6) were also analysed and three metals – namely, calcium, sodium and vanadium – were over drinking water limits, although not by significant amounts (Table 6). These have no relation to oil and gas drilling but are rather present naturally. ALTHOUGH THESE COMPOUNDS ARE FOUND AT OVER THE RECOMMENDED LIMITS, THEY DO NOT POSE A SIGNIFICANT HEALTH IMPACT. Table 6 – Summary results of dissolved metals over the drinking water quality guidelines (Detailed results can be found in Annex 6) BH1 BH2 BH3 BH4 BH5 BH6 BH7 BH8 Calcium - Vanadium Sodium, vanadium Vanadium - Sodium, vanadium Sodium, vanadium As described by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (2001, Parameters of Water Quality Interpretation and Standards), although these compounds are found at over the recommended limits, they do not pose a significant health impact. Calcium is essential for normal growth and health with a maximum daily requirement of 1-2 grams. Evidence exists to show that the incidence of heart disease is reduced in areas with drinking water with a high degree of hardness, the primary constituent of which is calcium, so that the presence of the element in a water supply is beneficial to health. Despite the potential health benefits of calcium abundance, there may be problems associated with water hardness. Vanadium is not generally considered a hazard of significance in water from a health or sanitary perspective, but it may cause undesirable physiological effects, such as, for example, ear, nose and throat irritations. Sodium is also an essential dietary requirement, and the normal intake is as common salt (sodium chloride) in food; daily consumption may amount to 5 grams or more. The main reason for limiting it is the joint effect which it exercises with sulphate with too excessive an intake (the latter normally being 2-3 times the dietary threshold) can cause hypertension. 15