National Drinking Water Database
National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants
Isopropylbenzene
Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.
Isopropylbenzene is an intermediate in industrial chemical production, and is also used as a thinner for paints and enamels and a component of fuel; it is released from petroleum refining, evaporation and combustion.
Detected |
Found above health guidelines |
Found above legal limit |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 17 |
- |
- |
| Water utilities | 52 |
- |
- |
| People Served | 721,208 |
- |
- |
Isopropylbenzene Exposure by State
Water utilities in 17 states have reported detecting Isopropylbenzene in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.
| State | Water Suppliers with Isopropylbenzene contamination | |
|---|---|---|
| Systems | Population | |
| California | 7 | 495,307 |
| Rhode Island | 2 | 70,133 |
| New Mexico | 2 | 56,070 |
| Michigan | 2 | 38,143 |
| Minnesota | 3 | 26,346 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 8,000 |
| Nebraska | 2 | 7,387 |
| New York | 8 | 4,602 |
| Missouri | 3 | 3,853 |
| Wisconsin | 5 | 3,513 |
| Washington | 1 | 2,865 |
| North Carolina | 10 | 1,582 |
| Texas | 2 | 1,258 |
| Virginia | 1 | 924 |
| Vermont | 1 | 825 |
| Montana | 1 | 350 |
| Maryland | 1 | 50 |
| Total | 52 | 721,208 |
The Most Polluted Communities
52 water utilities reported detecting Isopropylbenzene in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies
Ranked by highest average Isopropylbenzene level
| Rank | System | Population Served | Positive test results of total reported tests | Average Level (Range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collingwood Associates, L.P. King Of Prussia, NY | 360 | 1 of 3 | 7 ppb (0 to 21 ppb) |
| 2 | Long Beach Water Department Long Beach, WA | 2,865 | 1 of 11 | 1.73 ppb (0 to 19 ppb) |
| 3 | Woodbridge S/D Mt Airy, NC | 272 | 2 of 10 | 1.08 ppb (0 to 10 ppb) |
| 4 | Jericho Underhill Water Underhill, VT | 825 | 2 of 7 | 0.84 ppb (0 to 5.1 ppb) |
| 5 | The Market AT Meyer Park Spring, TX | 700 | 1 of 2 | 0.73 ppb (0 to 1.45 ppb) |
| 6 | Dove Meadows S/D Gastonia, NC | 41 | 3 of 13 | 0.6 ppb (0 to 4.4 ppb) |
| 7 | East Branch Valley Inc East Branch, NY | 133 | 1 of 2 | 0.6 ppb (0 to 1.2 ppb) |
| 8 | Parkwood Green Sparta, MI | 270 | 2 of 3 | 0.5 ppb (0 to 1.2 ppb) |
| 9 | Bedford Hills/Taconic Corr. Facilities Bedford Hills, NY | 1,100 | 1 of 1 | 0.5 ppb (0.5 ppb) |
| 10 | Delta Shores Resort Isleton, CA | 250 | 1 of 2 | 0.49 ppb (0 to 0.97 ppb) |
Health Based Limits for Isopropylbenzene
| Standard | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | 700 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. | 4000 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. | 11000 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. | 11000 ppb |
Testing Summary for Isopropylbenzene
| Are tests routinely required for Isopropylbenzene by federal law? | No |
| Water suppliers reporting tests for Isopropylbenzene (2004-2009): | 20,680 of 47,576 |
| Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009): | 0.6 per year |