National Drinking Water Database
National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants
Hexachloroethane
Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.
Hexachloroethane is a synthetic chemical used in aluminum production and in military applications for smoke-producing devices.
Detected |
Found above health guidelines |
Found above legal limit |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 1 |
1 |
- |
| Water utilities | 1 |
1 |
- |
| People Served | 14,000 |
14,000 |
- |
Health Concerns for Hexachloroethane:
- Cancer
- Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
- Persistence and bioaccumulation
- Occupational hazards
- Ecotoxicology
Hexachloroethane Exposure by State
Water utilities in 1 states have reported detecting Hexachloroethane in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.
| State | Water Suppliers with Hexachloroethane contamination | Water suppliers reporting Hexachloroethane above health-based limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systems | Population | Systems | Population | |
| New Jersey | 1 | 14,000 | 1 | 14,000 |
| Total | 1 | 14,000 | 1 | 14,000 |
The Most Polluted Communities
1 water utilities reported detecting Hexachloroethane in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies
Ranked by highest average Hexachloroethane level
| Rank | System | Population Served | Positive test results of total reported tests | Average Level (Range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South River W Dept South River, NJ | 14,000 | 1 of 3 | 0.83 ppb (0 to 2.5 ppb) |
Health Based Limits for Hexachloroethane
| Standard | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Lifetime health-based limit, non-cancer risk | Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for a lifetime of exposure. The Lifetime health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is based on exposure for a a 70-kg adult consuming 2 liters of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 0 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. | 0.7 ppb |
| 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. | 1.4 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. | 3 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. | 40 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. | 300 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. | 5000 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. | 5000 ppb |
Testing Summary for Hexachloroethane
| Are tests routinely required for Hexachloroethane by federal law? | No |
| Water suppliers reporting tests for Hexachloroethane (2004-2009): | 478 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 |
| Possible carcinogen | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Mutation Research 1995 |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 1987 |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Classified as a high human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Persistent or bioaccumulative and moderate to high toxicity concern in humans | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife | EPA PBTs - Waste Minimization Program (RCRA) |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Occupational hazards
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- MSHA STANDARD-air: 3,124,1971 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Gen Indu): 29,1910 1994 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Construc): 29,1926 1994 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Shipyard): 29,1915 1993 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Fed Cont): 41,50-204 1994 |
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 | HEXACHLOROETHANE (PERCHLOROETHANE) | •Confirmed animal carcinogen with unknown relevance to humans (ACGIH classification A3) |
| EPA PBTs - Waste Minimization Program (RCRA) | ETHANE, HEXACHLORO- | •Persistent, bioaccumulative toxicant - Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, priority chemical for voluntary waste/emission reductions |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | ETHANE, HEXACHLORO- | •This chemical was deemed a high human health priority and was flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical is suspected to be carcinogenic, persistent, and toxic to aquatic organisms. |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | ETHANE, HEXACHLORO- | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 1987 | ETHANE, HEXACHLORO- | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Sister Chromatid Exchange (hamster ovr) |
| RTECS®- MSHA STANDARD-air: 3,124,1971 | ETHANE, HEXACHLORO- | • occupationally related - MSHA STANDARD-air (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1995 | ETHANE, HEXACHLORO- | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: other mutation test systems (mouse orl) |
| RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Construc): 29,1926 1994 | ETHANE, HEXACHLORO- | • occupationally related - OSHA PEL (Construc) (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Fed Cont): 41,50-204 1994 | ETHANE, HEXACHLORO- | • occupationally related - OSHA PEL (Fed Cont) (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Gen Indu): 29,1910 1994 | ETHANE, HEXACHLORO- | • occupationally related - OSHA PEL (Gen Indu) (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Shipyard): 29,1915 1993 | ETHANE, HEXACHLORO- | • occupationally related - OSHA PEL (Shipyard) (human TWA) |
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. |
| 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. |
| 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®- 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®- MSHA STANDARD-air: 3,124,1971 | RTECS®- MSHA STANDARD-air: 3,124,1971 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1995 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 343,157,1995 |
| RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Construc): 29,1926 1994 | RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Construc): 29,1926.55,1994 |
| RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Fed Cont): 41,50-204 1994 | RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Fed Cont): 41,50-204.50,1994 |
| RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Gen Indu): 29,1910 1994 | RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Gen Indu): 29,1910.1000,1994 |
| RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Shipyard): 29,1915 1993 | RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Shipyard): 29,1915.1000,1993 |
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