National Drinking Water Database
National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants
Hexachlorobutadiene
Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.
Hexachlorobutadiene is an intermediate in manufacture of rubber compounds and fluorinated lubricants; it is used in numerous industrial applications as a solvent and a heat transfer liquid.
Detected |
Found above health guidelines |
Found above legal limit |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 7 |
6 |
- |
| Water utilities | 15 |
11 |
- |
| People Served | 307,115 |
100,414 |
- |
Health Concerns for Hexachlorobutadiene:
- Cancer
- Occupational hazards
- Persistence and bioaccumulation
- Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
- Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
- Ecotoxicology
Hexachlorobutadiene Exposure by State
Water utilities in 7 states have reported detecting Hexachlorobutadiene in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.
| State | Water Suppliers with Hexachlorobutadiene contamination | Water suppliers reporting Hexachlorobutadiene above health-based limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systems | Population | Systems | Population | |
| California | 1 | 92,115 | 1 | 92,115 |
| Wisconsin | 3 | 206,493 | 1 | 2,892 |
| Virginia | 5 | 2,880 | 5 | 2,880 |
| New York | 3 | 2,705 | 2 | 1,905 |
| Utah | 1 | 350 | 1 | 350 |
| North Carolina | 1 | 272 | 1 | 272 |
| Delaware | 1 | 2,300 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 15 | 307,115 | 11 | 100,414 |
The Most Polluted Communities
15 water utilities reported detecting Hexachlorobutadiene in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies
Ranked by highest average Hexachlorobutadiene level
| Rank | System | Population Served | Positive test results of total reported tests | Average Level (Range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oconto Falls Waterworks Oconto Falls, WI | 2,892 | 1 of 1 | 2.7 ppb (2.7 ppb) |
| 2 | Bedford Hills/Taconic Corr. Facilities Bedford Hills, NY | 1,100 | 1 of 1 | 0.5 ppb (0.5 ppb) |
| 3 | Mendota Mental Health Inst Madison, WI | 2,787 | 1 of 1 | 0.31 ppb (0.31 ppb) |
| 4 | Glen Canyon Bullfrog Page, UT | 350 | 1 of 4 | 0.3 ppb (0 to 1.2 ppb) |
| 5 | Monroe Bay Trailer Park Colonial Beach, VA | 85 | 1 of 2 | 0.25 ppb (0 to 0.5 ppb) |
| 6 | Spring Meadows-Meadow Gate Warwick, VA | 2,254 | 1 of 4 | 0.18 ppb (0 to 0.7 ppb) |
| 7 | Wild Oaks Water Company Rockport, NY | 805 | 1 of 3 | 0.17 ppb (0 to 0.5 ppb) |
| 8 | Knoll Woods/Ivy Acres Moneta, VA | 250 | 1 of 7 | 0.14 ppb (0 to 1 ppb) |
| 9 | Mcwa, Genesee West Rochester, NY | 800 | 2 of 3 | 0.14 ppb (0 to 0.28 ppb) |
| 10 | Kings Village - Jcsa Williamsburg, VA | 121 | 1 of 8 | 0.13 ppb (0 to 1 ppb) |
Health Based Limits for Hexachlorobutadiene
| 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. | 0.44 ppb |
| One in one million (10-6) Cancer Risk | The concentration of a chemical in drinking water corresponding to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 1,000,000. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 0.9 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. | 0.9 ppb-90 ppb |
| Drinking Water Equivalent Level | A lifetime exposure concentration protective of adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects, that assumes all of the exposure to a contaminant is from drinking water. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 10 ppb |
| One in ten thousand (10-4) Cancer Risk | The concentration of a chemical in drinking water corresponding to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 10,000. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 90 ppb |
| 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. | 300 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. | 300 ppb |
Testing Summary for Hexachlorobutadiene
| Are tests routinely required for Hexachlorobutadiene by federal law? | No |
| Water suppliers reporting tests for Hexachlorobutadiene (2004-2009): | 20,670 of 47,576 |
| Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009): | 0.6 per year |
Cancer
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Limited evidence of carcinogenicity | Amer Conf of Gov't Industrial Hygienists - Carcinogens |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Cancer Letters (Shannon, Ireland) 1984 |
| 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 on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1981 |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Cytology and Genetics (English Translation) 1988 |
| One or more in vitro tests non-mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 1986 |
| One or more in vitro tests non-mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- HEW Publication (FDA 1978 |
Occupational hazards
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to very low doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Persistent or bioaccumulative and moderate to high toxicity concern in humans | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| One or more animal studies show sense organ effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- European Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Hygiene 1976 |
| One or more animal studies show sense organ effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- "Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie; Organicke Latky," Marhold, J 1986 |
| Classified as a low human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| One or more animal studies show skin irritation at low doses | RTECS®- European Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Hygiene 1976 |
| One or more animal studies show skin irritation at moderate doses | RTECS®- "Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie; Organicke Latky," Marhold, J 1986 |
Ecotoxicology
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Suspected to be an environmental toxin and be persistent or bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| 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) |
| Amer Conf of Gov't Industrial Hygienists - Carcinogens | HEXACHLOROBUTADIENE (HCBD) | •Confirmed animal carcinogen with unknown relevance to humans (ACGIH classification A3) |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | 1,3-BUTADIENE, 1,1,2,3,4,4-HEXACHLORO- | •This chemical was flagged for further attention by CEPA due to suspected bioaccumulation and aquatic toxicity. The chemical was also flagged as a low human health priority. |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | 1,3-BUTADIENE, HEXACHLORO- | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- "Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie; Organicke Latky," Marhold, J 1986 | 1,3-BUTADIENE, HEXACHLORO- | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit ) • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- Cancer Letters (Shannon, Ireland) 1984 | 1,3-BUTADIENE, HEXACHLORO- | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Morphological Transform (hamster emb) • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Unscheduled DNA Synthesis (hamster emb) |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 1986 | 1,3-BUTADIENE, HEXACHLORO- | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (Salmonella typhimurium ) |
| RTECS®- Cytology and Genetics (English Translation) 1988 | 1,3-BUTADIENE, HEXACHLORO- | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis ( human lym) |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 1987 | 1,3-BUTADIENE, HEXACHLORO- | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Sister Chromatid Exchange (hamster ovr) |
| RTECS®- European Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Hygiene 1976 | 1,3-BUTADIENE, HEXACHLORO- | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit ) • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- HEW Publication (FDA 1978 | 1,3-BUTADIENE, HEXACHLORO- | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (Salmonella typhimurium ) |
| RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1981 | 1,3-BUTADIENE, HEXACHLORO- | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Unscheduled DNA Synthesis (rat orl) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| Amer Conf of Gov't Industrial Hygienists - Carcinogens | ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) 2008. ACGIH cancer classification system. www.acgih.org. |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 |
| RTECS®- "Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie; Organicke Latky," Marhold, J 1986 | RTECS®- "Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie; Organicke Latky," Marhold, J., Prague, Czechoslovakia, Avicenum, 1986 -,116,1986 |
| RTECS®- Cancer Letters (Shannon, Ireland) 1984 | RTECS®- Cancer Letters (Shannon, Ireland). (Elsevier Scientific Pub. Ireland Ltd., POB 85, Limerick, Ireland) V.1- 23,297,1984 |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 1986 | RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London). (Oxford Univ. Press, Pinkhill House, Southfield Road, Eynsham, Oxford OX8 1JJ, UK) V.1- 7,431,1986 |
| RTECS®- Cytology and Genetics (English Translation) 1988 | RTECS®- Cytology and Genetics (English Translation). Translation of TGANAK. (Allerton Press Inc., 150 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011) V.8- 22(4),46,1988 |
| 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®- European Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Hygiene 1976 | RTECS®- European Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Hygiene. (Paris, France) V.7-9, 1974-76. For publisher information, see TOERD9. 9,171,1976 |
| RTECS®- HEW Publication (FDA 1978 | RTECS®- HEW Publication (FDA. United States). (Washington, DC) ?-1979(?). For publisher information, see HPFSDS. FDA-78-1046,1978 |
| RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1981 | RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. (Academic Press, Inc., 1 E. First St., Duluth, MN 55802) V.1- 60,287,1981 |
"RTECS®" is a United States trademark owned and licensed under authority of the U.S. Government, by and through MDL Information Systems, Inc.