National Drinking Water Database
National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants
Bromobenzene
Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.
Bromobenzene is an industrial solvent, an intermediate in chemical manufacturing and a motor oil additive; it may form as a byproduct of water disinfection.
Detected |
Found above health guidelines |
Found above legal limit |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 9 |
- |
- |
| Water utilities | 15 |
- |
- |
| People Served | 153,555 |
- |
- |
Health Concerns for Bromobenzene:
- Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
- Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
- Cancer
- Ecotoxicology
- Miscellaneous
- Persistence and bioaccumulation
Bromobenzene Exposure by State
Water utilities in 9 states have reported detecting Bromobenzene in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.
| State | Water Suppliers with Bromobenzene contamination | |
|---|---|---|
| Systems | Population | |
| New Jersey | 3 | 81,046 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 32,000 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 28,000 |
| Missouri | 3 | 6,197 |
| Washington | 1 | 2,865 |
| New York | 3 | 2,705 |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 525 |
| Virginia | 1 | 121 |
| New Mexico | 1 | 96 |
| Total | 15 | 153,555 |
The Most Polluted Communities
15 water utilities reported detecting Bromobenzene in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies
Ranked by highest average Bromobenzene level
| Rank | System | Population Served | Positive test results of total reported tests | Average Level (Range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jasper Co Pwsd #2 Webb City, MO | 3,330 | 2 of 5 | 2.8 ppb (0 to 12.6 ppb) |
| 2 | Bedford Hills/Taconic Corr. Facilities Bedford Hills, NY | 1,100 | 1 of 1 | 0.5 ppb (0.5 ppb) |
| 3 | MC Donald Co Pwsd #2 Stella, MO | 88 | 1 of 3 | 0.18 ppb (0 to 0.54 ppb) |
| 4 | Wild Oaks Water Company Rockport, NY | 805 | 1 of 3 | 0.17 ppb (0 to 0.5 ppb) |
| 5 | Mcwa, Genesee West Rochester, NY | 800 | 2 of 3 | 0.12 ppb (0 to 0.23 ppb) |
| 6 | Natick Water Department Natick, MA | 32,000 | 1 of 10 | 0.1 ppb (0 to 1 ppb) |
| 7 | LA Association DE Agua DE Los Brazos Los Ojos, NM | 96 | 1 of 2 | 0.1 ppb (0 to 0.2 ppb) |
| 8 | Arena Waterworks Arena, WI | 525 | 1 of 2 | 0.09 ppb (0 to 0.18 ppb) |
| 9 | Madison Water Dept Madison, NJ | 15,820 | 1 of 13 | 0.07 ppb (0 to 0.9 ppb) |
| 10 | Kings Village - Jcsa Williamsburg, VA | 121 | 1 of 8 | 0.06 ppb (0 to 0.5 ppb) |
Health Based Limits for Bromobenzene
| Standard | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure | Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for up to one day of exposure. The One-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 4000 ppb |
| Children's health-based limit for 10-day exposure | Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic effects for up to ten days of exposure. The Ten-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 4000 ppb |
Testing Summary for Bromobenzene
| Are tests routinely required for Bromobenzene by federal law? | No |
| Water suppliers reporting tests for Bromobenzene (2004-2009): | 21,424 of 47,576 |
| Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009): | 0.6 per year |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Known human gastrointestinal toxicant | CHE Toxicant and Disease Database |
| Limited evidence of gastrointestinal or liver toxicity | LaDou, J, 1990 |
| Limited evidence of kidney toxicity | Klaassen, C, 1996 |
| Limited evidence of renal toxicity | CHE Toxicant and Disease Database |
| Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Classified as irritant | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
Cancer
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Mutagenesis 1987 |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 1987 |
| One or more in vitro tests non-mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- JNCI, Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1979 |
Ecotoxicology
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Miscellaneous
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Occupational hazards related to handling | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| European Union - Classification & Labelling | BROMOBENZENE | •Flammable •Irritant (eyes, skin, or lungs) •Irritating to skin •Dangerous for the environment •Toxic to aquatic organisms |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | BENZENE, BROMO- | •This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for suspected persistence. |
| Klaassen, C, 1996 | BROMOBENZENE | •Kidney toxicity hazards: suspected |
| LaDou, J, 1990 | BROMOBENZENE | •Gastrointestinal or liver toxicity hazards: suspected |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 1987 | BROMOBENZENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Sister Chromatid Exchange (hamster ovr) |
| RTECS®- JNCI, Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1979 | BROMOBENZENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA repair (Escherichia coli ) |
| RTECS®- Mutagenesis 1987 | BROMOBENZENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Micronucleus test (mouse ipr) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| European Union - Classification & Labelling | CPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP. |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | Klaassen, C., M. Amdur and J. Doull (eds.). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. The Basic Science of Poisons, 5th Ed. Pergamon Press, NY. 1996. |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | LaDou, J. (ed.). Occupational Medicine. Appleton & Lange, Norwalk, CN. 1990., Malachowsky, M.J. Health Effects of Toxic Substances. Government Institutes. Rockville, MD 1995. |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 1987 | RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis. (Alan R. Liss, Inc., 41 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10003) V.10- 10(Suppl 10),1,1987 |
| RTECS®- JNCI, Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1979 | RTECS®- JNCI, Journal of the National Cancer Institute. (Washington, DC) V.61-79, 1978-87. For publisher information, see JNCIEQ. 62,873,1979 |
| RTECS®- Mutagenesis 1987 | RTECS®- Mutagenesis. (Oxford Univ. Press, Pinkhill House, Southfield Road, Eynsham, Oxford OX8 1JJ, UK) V.1- 2,111,1987 |
"RTECS®" is a United States trademark owned and licensed under authority of the U.S. Government, by and through MDL Information Systems, Inc.