National Drinking Water Database
National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants
Fluoranthene
Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.
Fluoranthene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) released from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels; it is a constituent of coal tar and asphalt coatings on pipes and storage tanks in tap water distribution systems.
Detected |
Found above health guidelines |
Found above legal limit |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 4 |
- |
- |
| Water utilities | 13 |
- |
- |
| People Served | 463,874 |
- |
- |
Health Concerns for Fluoranthene:
Fluoranthene Exposure by State
Water utilities in 4 states have reported detecting Fluoranthene in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.
| State | Water Suppliers with Fluoranthene contamination | |
|---|---|---|
| Systems | Population | |
| Delaware | 2 | 207,699 |
| California | 1 | 200,000 |
| Arkansas | 8 | 55,866 |
| Iowa | 2 | 309 |
| Total | 13 | 463,874 |
The Most Polluted Communities
13 water utilities reported detecting Fluoranthene in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies
Ranked by highest average Fluoranthene level
| Rank | System | Population Served | Positive test results of total reported tests | Average Level (Range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plover Water Supply Storm Lake, IA | 95 | 1 of 1 | 1.1 ppb (1.1 ppb) |
| 2 | Hampton Waterworks Hampton, AR | 1,770 | 4 of 5 | 1.05 ppb (0 to 2.48 ppb) |
| 3 | Rector Waterworks Rector, AR | 2,194 | 8 of 15 | 0.27 ppb (0 to 1.4 ppb) |
| 4 | Palmer Water Supply Palmer, IA | 214 | 1 of 2 | 0.15 ppb (0 to 0.3 ppb) |
| 5 | Arsenal Water System Pine Bluff, AR | 2,577 | 1 of 2 | 0.13 ppb (0 to 0.26 ppb) |
| 6 | Harrisburg Waterworks Harrisburg, AR | 2,192 | 1 of 3 | 0.1 ppb (0 to 0.3 ppb) |
| 7 | Seaford Water Department Seaford, DE | 6,699 | 2 of 4 | 0.04 ppb (0 to 0.1 ppb) |
| 8 | United Water Arkansas Pine Bluff, AR | 40,052 | 1 of 7 | 0.04 ppb (0 to 0.26 ppb) |
| 9 | Mineral Springs Waterworks Mineral Springs, AR | 1,250 | 1 of 4 | < 0.01 ppb (0 to 0.03 ppb) |
| 10 | MC Gehee Waterworks Mcgehee, AR | 4,839 | 1 of 6 | < 0.01 ppb (0 to 0.04 ppb) |
Health Based Limits for Fluoranthene
| 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. | 130 ppb |
| Health-Based Screening Level | A benchmark concentration of contaminants in water that may be of potential concern for human health, if exceeded. For noncarcinogens, the HBSL represents the contaminant concentration in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse effects over a lifetime of exposure. For carcinogens, the HBSL range represents the contaminant concentration in drinking water that corresponds to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 chance in 1 million to 1 chance in 10 thousand. Source: U.S. Geological Survey. | 300 ppb |
Testing Summary for Fluoranthene
| Are tests routinely required for Fluoranthene by federal law? | No |
| Water suppliers reporting tests for Fluoranthene (2004-2009): | 1,360 of 47,576 |
| Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009): | 0.5 per year |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife and humans | EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs |
| Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife | Canada PBTs - Accelerated Reduction/Elimination of Toxics (ARET) |
| Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife | Great Lakes BTS (Binational Toxics Strategy) PBTs |
| Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife | OSPAR PBTs - Substances of Possible Concern |
| Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife | Emerging PBTs from peer-reviewed literature |
| Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife | EPA PBTs - Waste Minimization Program (RCRA) |
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®- Developments in Toxicology and Environtal Science 1982 |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1973 |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Mutation Research 1986 |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Environmental Mutagenesis 1984 |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Toxicologist 2005 |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Mutation Research 2005 |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Mutation Research 2008 |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Mutagenesis 2007 |
| One or more in vitro tests non-mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Mutation Research 2002 |
| One or more in vitro tests non-mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2004 |
| One or more in vitro tests non-mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Mutation Research 2007 |
| Cancer - not classifiable/not likely to be human carcinogen | Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Limited evidence of gastrointestinal or liver toxicity | Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 2004 |
Ecotoxicology
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants |
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | European Union - Water Framework Directive |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants | FLUORANTHENE | •Priority water pollutant under the Clean Water Act |
| European Union - Water Framework Directive | FLUORANTHENE | •Priority substance in EU water policy |
| Aarhus Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants | FLUORANTHENE | Obligates Parties to reduce emissions under Aahrus Protocol for Persistent Organic Pollutants |
| Canada PBTs - Accelerated Reduction/Elimination of Toxics (ARET) | FLUORANTHENE | •Persistent, bioaccumulative toxicant under Canada's Accelerated Reduction/Elimination of Toxics program - targeted for elimination or reduction |
| Great Lakes BTS (Binational Toxics Strategy) PBTs | FLUORANTHENE | •Persistent, bioaccumulative toxicant - Great Lakes Binational Strategy, Tier 2 concern (moderate), targeting for monitoring/testing |
| OSPAR PBTs - Substances of Possible Concern | FLUORANTHENE | •Persistent, bioaccumulative toxicant - Oslo-Paris (OSPAR) Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, chemical of concern |
| EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs | FLUORANTHENE | •Persistent, bioaccumulative toxicant - targeted for waste reporting under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxics Release Inventory programs |
| Emerging PBTs from peer-reviewed literature | FLUORANTHENE | •Persistent, bioaccumulative toxicant - Limited or emerging evidence in open scientific literature |
| EPA PBTs - Waste Minimization Program (RCRA) | FLUORANTHENE | •Persistent, bioaccumulative toxicant - Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, priority chemical for voluntary waste/emission reductions |
| EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) | FLUORANTHENE | •Group D: Not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity (EPA classification) |
| Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens | FLUORANTHENE | •IARC Group 3 (no cancer link) |
| Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 2004 | FLUORANTHENE | •Gastrointestinal or liver toxicity hazards: suspected |
| RTECS®- Developments in Toxicology and Environtal Science 1982 | FLUORANTHENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Mammalian Somatic Cells ( human lym) |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2004 | FLUORANTHENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (Salmonella typhimurium ) |
| RTECS®- Environmental Mutagenesis 1984 | FLUORANTHENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Mammalian Somatic Cells (hamster ovr) |
| RTECS®- Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1973 | FLUORANTHENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Morphological Transform (rat emb) |
| RTECS®- Mutagenesis 2007 | FLUORANTHENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Adduct (rat lvr) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1986 | FLUORANTHENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Sister Chromatid Exchange (hamster ovr) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 2002 | FLUORANTHENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage (Escherichia coli ) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 2005 | FLUORANTHENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage ( human ovr) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 2007 | FLUORANTHENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (Salmonella typhimurium ) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 2008 | FLUORANTHENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage (hamster fbr) |
| RTECS®- Toxicologist 2005 | FLUORANTHENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Adduct (rat orl) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants | |
| European Union - Water Framework Directive | EU (European Union). 2000. Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC ) - integrated river basin management for Europe. List of priority substances. |
| Aarhus Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants | Aarhus LRTAP. 1998. Aarhus Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, United Nations Environment Program. |
| Canada PBTs - Accelerated Reduction/Elimination of Toxics (ARET) | EC (Environment Canada). 1994. Accelerated Reduction/Elimination of Toxics (ARET). ARET substance list of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals. |
| Great Lakes BTS (Binational Toxics Strategy) PBTs | Great Lakes BTS (Binational Toxics Strategy). 1997. Canada-United States Strategy for the Virtual Elimination of Persistent Toxic Substances in the Great Lakes. Appendix I - Level 1 and Level 2 substances. |
| OSPAR PBTs - Substances of Possible Concern | OSPAR (Oslo-Paris). 2002. OSPAR List of Substances of Possible Concern. Secondary OSPAR List of Substances of Possible Concern. Secondary OSPAR. Place Published, OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environement of North-East Atlanic. |
| EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule. |
| Emerging PBTs from peer-reviewed literature | Emerging PBTs from peer-reviewed literature |
| EPA PBTs - Waste Minimization Program (RCRA) | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1998. Resource Conservatin and Recovery Act (RCRA) Waste Minimization Program - priority chemicals for elimination or reduction. |
| 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. |
| Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens | IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). 2008. Overall Evaluations of Carcinogenicity to Humans, as evaluated in IARC Monographs Volumes 1-99 (a total of 935 agents, mixtures and exposures). |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Minimal risk Levels for Hazardous Substances. January 2004. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mrls.html |
| RTECS®- Developments in Toxicology and Environtal Science 1982 | RTECS®- Developments in Toxicology and Environtal Science. (Elsevier Science, New York, NY) V.1-15, 1977-87. Discontinued 10,277,1982 |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2004 | RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis. (Alan R. Liss, Inc., 41 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10003) V.10- 44,304,2004 |
| RTECS®- Environmental Mutagenesis 1984 | RTECS®- Environmental Mutagenesis. (New York, NY) V.1-9, 1979-87. For publisher information, see EMMUEG. 6,539,1984 |
| RTECS®- Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1973 | RTECS®- Journal of the National Cancer Institute. (Washington, DC) V.1-60, 1940-78. For publisher information, see JJIND8. 51,799,1973 |
| RTECS®- Mutagenesis 2007 | RTECS®- Mutagenesis. (Oxford Univ. Press, Pinkhill House, Southfield Road, Eynsham, Oxford OX8 1JJ, UK) V.1- 22,55,2007 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1986 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 174,125,1986 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 2002 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 515,85,2002 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 2005 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 575,17,2005 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 2007 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 626,88,2007 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 2008 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 650,96,2008 |
| RTECS®- Toxicologist 2005 | RTECS®- Toxicologist. (Soc. of Toxicology, Inc., 475 Wolf Ledge Parkway, Akron, OH 44311) V.1- 1981- 44,306,2005 |
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