National Drinking Water Database
National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants
Dimethylphthalate
Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.
Dimethylphthalate is a manufactured chemicals used in solid rocket propellants, plastics, molding powders, pesticides and insect repellants. [read more]
Detected |
Found above health guidelines |
Found above legal limit |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 3 |
- |
- |
| Water utilities | 3 |
- |
- |
| People Served | 612,500 |
- |
- |
Health Concerns for Dimethylphthalate:
- Allergies/immunotoxicity
- Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
- Developmental/reproductive toxicity
- Persistence and bioaccumulation
- Cancer
- Occupational hazards
- Neurotoxicity
- Ecotoxicology
Dimethylphthalate Exposure by State
Water utilities in 3 states have reported detecting Dimethylphthalate in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.
| State | Water Suppliers with Dimethylphthalate contamination | |
|---|---|---|
| Systems | Population | |
| Washington | 1 | 211,500 |
| Delaware | 1 | 201,000 |
| California | 1 | 200,000 |
| Total | 3 | 612,500 |
The Most Polluted Communities
3 water utilities reported detecting Dimethylphthalate in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies
Ranked by highest average Dimethylphthalate level
| Rank | System | Population Served | Positive test results of total reported tests | Average Level (Range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale-City, Water Dept. Glendale, CA | 200,000 | 1 of 38 | 0.23 ppb (0 to 8.8 ppb) |
| 2 | City of Spokane Spokane, WA | 211,500 | 1 of 6 | 0.04 ppb (0 to 0.23 ppb) |
| 3 | Artesian Water Company Newark, DE | 201,000 | 1 of 73 | < 0.01 ppb (0 to 0.1 ppb) |
Health Based Limits for Dimethylphthalate
| Standard | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|
| EPA Human Health Water Quality Criteria | Water quality criteria set by the US EPA provide guidance for states and tribes authorized to establish water quality standards under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to protect human health. These are non-enforceable standards based upon exposure by both drinking water and the contribution of water contamination to other consumed foods. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 270000 ppb |
Testing Summary for Dimethylphthalate
| Are tests routinely required for Dimethylphthalate by federal law? | No |
| Water suppliers reporting tests for Dimethylphthalate (2004-2009): | 2,553 of 47,576 |
| Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009): | 0.4 per year |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Known human immune system toxicant or allergen | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Known human respiratory toxicant | EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants |
| Classified as medium human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| One or more animal studies show blood effects at very low doses | RTECS®- Gigiena i Sanitariya 1974 |
| One or more animal studies show kidney or renal system effects at very low doses | RTECS®- Gigiena i Sanitariya 1974 |
| One or more animal studies show liver effects at very low doses | RTECS®- Gigiena i Sanitariya 1974 |
| Limited evidence of respiratory toxicity | US EPA, Air Risk Information Support Center |
| One or more animal studies show effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | EPA Categorized List of Inert Pesticide Ingredients |
| One or more animal studies show classified as toxic effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs |
| One or more animal studies show sense organ effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1944 |
| One or more animal studies show metabolic effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- Gigiena Truda i Professional'nye Zabolevaniya 1980 |
| Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| reproductive - weight of evidence unknown/unassessed/unreview: published lit review or major tox study | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Limited evidence of reproductive toxicity | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
| One or more animal studies show reproductive effects at high doses | RTECS®- Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 1972 |
| One or more animal studies show developmental effects at high doses | RTECS®- Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 1972 |
| One or more animal studies show reproductive effects at high doses | RTECS®- Journal of Dairy Science 1972 |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Persistent or bioaccumulative and moderate to high toxicity concern in humans | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Cancer
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Cancer - not classifiable/not likely to be human carcinogen | EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Farmakologiya i Toksikologiya (Moscow) 1977 |
| One or more in vitro tests non-mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1985 |
Occupational hazards
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 |
Neurotoxicity
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| One or more animal studies show brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect effects at high doses | RTECS®- Gigiena Truda i Professional'nye Zabolevaniya 1980 |
Ecotoxicology
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | •Safe as used in cosmetics according to industry panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) •Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product •Determined safe for use in cosmetics based on concentrations of surrogate, related chemical in cosmetics, by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) • |
| EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | •Priority water pollutant under the Clean Water Act |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | 1,2-BENZENEDICARBOXYLIC ACID, DIMETHYL ESTER | •This chemical was deemed a moderate human health priority even though it did not meet the strict criteria of the categorization exercise of CEPA. The chemical was flagged for suspected persistence. |
| EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | •Group D: Not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity (EPA classification) |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | •The chemical has been reported as used in fragrance compounds by IFRA affiliated member companies in 2008. |
| EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | •Hazardous air pollutant under Clean Air Act |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | DIMETHYLPHTHALATE | •Skin Sensitizer - An agent that can induce an allergic reaction in the skin or lungs: Yes; •Reproductive Toxin - A chemical that is toxic to the reproductive system, including defects in the progeny and injury to male and female reproductive function: Yes; •PEL (OSHA) - Permissible exposure limit (OSHA): 5 mg/m3; •LC50 - Lethal concentration in 50% of animals tested: 22149 mg/m3; •TLV (ACGIH) - Threshold limit value (ACGIH): 5 mg/m3; •Flammability (NFPA) - NFPA flammability code: 0 = will not burn; 1 = must be preheated; 2 = high ambient temp required; 3 = may ignite at ambient temp; 4 = burn readily: 1: must be preheated; •IDLH (NIOSH) - Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health: 2000 mg/m3; |
| EPA Categorized List of Inert Pesticide Ingredients | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | •Pesticide inerts: potentially toxic, testing priority, according to EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) |
| EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs | DIMETHYL ESTER1,2BENZENEDICARBOXYLIC ACID | •Toxic, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxics Release Inventory programs |
| US EPA, Air Risk Information Support Center | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | •Respiratory toxicity hazards: suspected |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- Farmakologiya i Toksikologiya (Moscow) 1977 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis (rat skn) |
| RTECS®- Farmakologiya i Toksikologiya (Moscow) 1977 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis (rat skn) |
| RTECS®- Gigiena i Sanitariya 1974 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • blood - Other changes (rat TCLo) |
| RTECS®- Gigiena Truda i Professional'nye Zabolevaniya 1980 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • metabolic - Weight loss or decreased weight gain (rat LD50) • brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Somnolence (general depressed activity) (rat LD50) • brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Withdrawal (rat LD50) |
| RTECS®- Journal of Dairy Science 1972 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • reproductive - Litter size (rat TDLo) |
| RTECS®- Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 1972 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • reproductive - Eye, ear (rat TDLo) • reproductive - Fetal death (rat TDLo) • developmental - Musculoskeletal system (rat TDLo) • reproductive - Post-implantation mortality (rat TDLo) |
| RTECS®- Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1944 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1944 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1985 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (Salmonella typhimurium ) |
| RTECS®- Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1985 | DIMETHYL PHTHALATE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (Salmonella typhimurium ) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
| EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants | |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2008. Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Evidence for human carcinogenicity based on 1986-2005 guidelines. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | IFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25 |
| EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2005. Office of Air. The 112(b)1 Hazardous Air Pollutants List (as modified). Last modified: 12 Dec 2005. |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents. |
| EPA Categorized List of Inert Pesticide Ingredients | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1987 & 2005. Office of Pesticide Programs. Inert (other) Pesticide Ingredients in Pesticide Products - Categorized List of Inert (other) Pesticide Ingredients. |
| EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule. |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | US EPA, Air Risk Information Support Center. Health Effects Notebook for Hazardous Air Pollutants. http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/hapindex.html |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005 | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005 |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 |
| RTECS®- Farmakologiya i Toksikologiya (Moscow) 1977 | RTECS®- Farmakologiya i Toksikologiya (Moscow). For English translation, see PHTXA6 and RPTOAN. (V/O Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga, 113095 Moscow, USSR) V.2- 40,454,1977 |
| RTECS®- Farmakologiya i Toksikologiya (Moscow) 1977 | RTECS®- Farmakologiya i Toksikologiya (Moscow). For English translation, see PHTXA6 and RPTOAN. (V/O Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga, 113095 Moscow, USSR) V.2- 1939- 40,454,1977 |
| RTECS®- Gigiena i Sanitariya 1974 | RTECS®- Gigiena i Sanitariya. For English translation, see HYSAAV. (V/O Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga, 113095 Moscow, USSR) V.1- 1936- 39(12),26,1974 |
| RTECS®- Gigiena Truda i Professional'nye Zabolevaniya 1980 | RTECS®- Gigiena Truda i Professional'nye Zabolevaniya. Labor Hygiene and Occupational Diseases. (V/O Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga, 113095 Moscow, USSR) V.1-36, 1957-1992. For publisher information, see MTPEEI 24(3),25,1980 |
| RTECS®- Journal of Dairy Science 1972 | RTECS®- Journal of Dairy Science. (American Dairy Science Assoc., 309 W. Clark St., Champaign, IL 61820) V.1- 1917- 55,696,1972 |
| RTECS®- Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 1972 | RTECS®- Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. (American Pharmaceutical Assoc., 2215 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20037) V.50- 1961- 61,51,1972 |
| RTECS®- Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1944 | RTECS®- Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. (Williams & Wilkins Co., 428 E. Preston St., Baltimore, MD 21202) V.1- 1909/10- 82,377,1944 |
| RTECS®- Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1944 | RTECS®- Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. (Williams & Wilkins Co., 428 E. Preston St., Baltimore, MD 21202) V.1- 82,377,1944 |
| RTECS®- Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1985 | RTECS®- Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. (Hemisphere Pub., 1025 Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20005) V.1- 1975/76- 16,61,1985 |
| RTECS®- Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1985 | RTECS®- Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. (Hemisphere Pub., 1025 Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20005) V.1- 16,61,1985 |
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