National Drinking Water Database
National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants
Tert-Butyl Alcohol
Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.
tert-Butyl alcohol is used in disinfectants, solvents, paints, laboratory chemicals and in numerous industrial processes; over one billion pounds were manufactured in 2006.
Detected |
Found above health guidelines |
Found above legal limit |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 1 |
- |
- |
| Water utilities | 32 |
- |
- |
| People Served | 917,004 |
- |
- |
Health Concerns for Tert-Butyl Alcohol:
- Persistence and bioaccumulation
- Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
- Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
- Occupational hazards
- Cancer
- Neurotoxicity
- Miscellaneous
- Ecotoxicology
Tert-Butyl Alcohol Exposure by State
Water utilities in 1 states have reported detecting Tert-Butyl Alcohol in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.
| State | Water Suppliers with Tert-Butyl Alcohol contamination | |
|---|---|---|
| Systems | Population | |
| California | 32 | 917,004 |
| Total | 32 | 917,004 |
The Most Polluted Communities
32 water utilities reported detecting Tert-Butyl Alcohol in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies
Ranked by highest average Tert-Butyl Alcohol level
| Rank | System | Population Served | Positive test results of total reported tests | Average Level (Range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Ynez River Water Cons. Dist. Id#1 Santa Ynez, CA | 6,500 | 1 of 12 | 5.5 ppb (0 to 66 ppb) |
| 2 | Edwards Afb - Air Force Research Lab Edwards Air Force Base, CA | 1,215 | 1 of 1 | 4.9 ppb (4.9 ppb) |
| 3 | Cypress Canyon Water System Lake Isabella, CA | 48 | 1 of 1 | 3.6 ppb (3.6 ppb) |
| 4 | Golden State Water Co - Wrightwood Apple Valley, CA | 9,479 | 1 of 3 | 3.33 ppb (0 to 10 ppb) |
| 5 | Yosemite Spring Park Util Co Coarsegold, CA | 3,300 | 2 of 35 | 3.09 ppb (0 to 88 ppb) |
| 6 | Edwards Afb - Main Base Edwards Afb, CA | 14,913 | 1 of 2 | 2.97 ppb (0 to 5.94 ppb) |
| 7 | Paramount - City, Water Dept. Paramount, CA | 55,200 | 1 of 2 | 2.05 ppb (0 to 4.1 ppb) |
| 8 | Kern Valley Mutual Water Lake Isabella, CA | 34 | 1 of 2 | 1.7 ppb (0 to 3.4 ppb) |
| 9 | Hope Foundation/Moriah Heights Plymouth, CA | 300 | 1 of 3 | 1.3 ppb (0 to 3.9 ppb) |
| 10 | Pillar Ridge Mhp (Former EL Granada Mhp) Moss Beach, CA | 1,000 | 1 of 13 | 1.23 ppb (0 to 16 ppb) |
Testing Summary for Tert-Butyl Alcohol
| Are tests routinely required for Tert-Butyl Alcohol by federal law? | No |
| Water suppliers reporting tests for Tert-Butyl Alcohol (2004-2009): | 1,325 of 47,576 |
| Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009): | 0.8 per year |
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 |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| One or more animal studies show sense organ effects at very low doses | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 2351 |
| Classified as medium human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| 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 liver effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- Research Communications in Chemical Pathology and Pharmacology 1979 |
| One or more animal studies show broad systemic effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1984 |
| One or more animal studies show sense organ effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 2351 |
| One or more animal studies show respiratory effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 2351 |
| One or more animal studies show gastrointestinal effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 2351 |
| One or more animal studies show sense organ effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- Industrial Medicine and Surgery 1972 |
| One or more animal studies show cardiovascular effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- Industrial Medicine and Surgery 1972 |
| One or more animal studies show respiratory effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- Industrial Medicine and Surgery 1972 |
| One or more animal studies show broad systemic effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1984 |
| One or more animal studies show kidney or renal system effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- Fundamental and Applied Toxicology 1992 |
| One or more animal studies show metabolic effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- Fundamental and Applied Toxicology 1992 |
| Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Classified as lung irritant | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
| One or more animal studies show skin irritation at moderate doses | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 2351 |
Occupational hazards
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to high doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to high doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to high doses | RTECS®- MSHA STANDARD-air: 3,32,1971 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to high doses | RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Gen Indu): 29,1910 1994 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to high doses | RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Construc): 29,1926 1994 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to high doses | RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Shipyard): 29,1915 1993 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to high doses | RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Fed Cont): 41,50-204 1994 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to high doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 |
Cancer
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| One or more in vitro tests non-mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Mutation Research 1999 |
| One or more animal studies show tumor formation at high doses | RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series 1995 |
| One or more animal studies show tumor formation at high doses | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 2748 |
| One or more in vitro tests on microorganisms show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Environment and Ecology 1989 |
Neurotoxicity
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| One or more animal studies show brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect effects at high doses | RTECS®- Archives Internationales de Pharmacodynamie et de Therapie 1935 |
| One or more animal studies show brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect effects at high doses | RTECS®- Proceedings of the University of Otago Medical School 1976 |
| One or more animal studies show brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect effects at high doses | RTECS®- Fundamental and Applied Toxicology 1992 |
| nervous system - weight of evidence unknown/unassessed/unreview: published lit review or major tox study | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Miscellaneous
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Occupational hazards related to handling | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
Ecotoxicology
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| 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) |
| European Union - Classification & Labelling | 2-METHYLPROPAN-2-OL; TERT-BUTYL ALCOHOL | •Highly flammable •Irritating to eyes and respiratory system |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | •Safe as used in cosmetics according to industry panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) • • • |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | 2-PROPANOL, 2-METHYL- | •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. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | 2-METHYL-2-PROPANOL | •The chemical has been reported as used in fragrance compounds by IFRA affiliated member companies in 2008. |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | TERT-BUTYL ALCOHOL | •Neurotoxin: CNS Solvent Syndrome; •PEL (OSHA) - Permissible exposure limit (OSHA): 100 ppm; •TLV (ACGIH) - Threshold limit value (ACGIH): 100 ppm; •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: 3: may ignite at ambient temperature; •IDLH (NIOSH) - Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health: 1600 ppm; •Odor Threshold High - The lowest concentration at which a substance can be detected or recognized using the sense of smell: 957 ppm; •Odor Threshold Low - The lowest concentration at which a substance can be detected or recognized using the sense of smell: 3.3 ppm; •MAK - Maximum Allowable Concentration (Federal Republic of Germany): 20 ppm; |
| EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs | 2METHYL2PROPANOL | •Toxic, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxics Release Inventory programs |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1984 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (mouse LD50) |
| RTECS®- Archives Internationales de Pharmacodynamie et de Therapie 1935 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Somnolence (general depressed activity) (frog LDLo) • brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Spastic paralysis with or without sensory change (frog LDLo) |
| RTECS®- Environment and Ecology 1989 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis (other insects par) |
| RTECS®- Environment and Ecology 1989 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis (other insects par) |
| RTECS®- Fundamental and Applied Toxicology 1992 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • metabolic - Weight loss or decreased weight gain (rat TDLo) • brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Fluid intake (rat TDLo) • kidney or renal system - Urine volume decreased (rat TDLo) |
| RTECS®- Industrial Medicine and Surgery 1972 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • sense organ - Corneal damage (rabbit LD50) • respiratory - Dyspnea (rabbit LD50) • cardiovascular - Pulse rate (rabbit LD50) |
| RTECS®- MSHA STANDARD-air: 3,32,1971 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • occupationally related - MSHA STANDARD-air (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1999 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (Salmonella typhimurium ) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1999 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (Salmonella typhimurium ) |
| RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 2351 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit ) • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 2351 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • sense organ - Lacrimation (rat LD50) • gastrointestinal - Other changes (rat LD50) • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit ) • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) • respiratory - Respiratory depression (rat LD50) |
| RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 2748 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • cancer - endocrine system neoplasms (mouse TDLo) • cancer - endocrine system tumor formations - equivocal (mouse TDLo) • cancer - kidney or renal system neoplasms (rat TDLo) |
| RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series 1995 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • cancer - endocrine system neoplasms (mouse TDLo) • cancer - kidney or renal system neoplasms (rat TDLo) |
| RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Construc): 29,1926 1994 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • occupationally related - OSHA PEL (Construc) (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Fed Cont): 41,50-204 1994 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • occupationally related - OSHA PEL (Fed Cont) (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Gen Indu): 29,1910 1994 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • occupationally related - OSHA PEL (Gen Indu) (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- OSHA PEL (Shipyard): 29,1915 1993 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • occupationally related - OSHA PEL (Shipyard) (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- Proceedings of the University of Otago Medical School 1976 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Convulsions or effect on seizure threshold (rat TDLo) • brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Withdrawal (rat TDLo) |
| RTECS®- Research Communications in Chemical Pathology and Pharmacology 1979 | T-BUTYL ALCOHOL | • liver - Other changes (mouse LD50) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| European Union - Classification & Labelling | CPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP. |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| 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 |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents. |
| EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule. |
| 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®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1984 | RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia". (Hazardous substances. Galogen and oxygen containing substances), Bandman A.L. et al., Chimia, 1994 -,102,1984 |
| RTECS®- Archives Internationales de Pharmacodynamie et de Therapie 1935 | RTECS®- Archives Internationales de Pharmacodynamie et de Therapie. (Heymans Institute of Pharmacology, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium) V.4- 1898- 50,296,1935 |
| RTECS®- Environment and Ecology 1989 | RTECS®- Environment and Ecology. (Environment and Ecology, C/o Dr. S.K. Konar, Dept. of Zoology, Kalyani University, Kalyani 741253, West Bengal, India) V.1- 1983- 5,321,1989 |
| RTECS®- Environment and Ecology 1989 | RTECS®- Environment and Ecology. (Environment and Ecology, C/o Dr. S.K. Konar, Dept. of Zoology, Kalyani University, Kalyani 741253, West Bengal, India) V.1- 5,321,1989 |
| RTECS®- Fundamental and Applied Toxicology 1992 | RTECS®- Fundamental and Applied Toxicology. (Academic Press, Inc., 1 E. First St., Duluth, MN 55802) V.1-40, 1981-97. For publisher information, see TOSCF2 19,91,1992 |
| RTECS®- Industrial Medicine and Surgery 1972 | RTECS®- Industrial Medicine and Surgery. (Northbrook, IL) V.18-42, 1949-73. For publisher information, see IOHSA5. 41,31,1972 |
| RTECS®- MSHA STANDARD-air: 3,32,1971 | RTECS®- MSHA STANDARD-air: 3,32,1971 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1999 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 446,15,1999 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1999 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- -1964 446,15,1999 |
| RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 2351 | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service. (Springfield, VA 22161) Formerly U.S. Clearinghouse for Scientific & Technical Information. OTS0572351 |
| RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 2351 | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service. (Springfield, VA 22161) Formerly U.S. Clearinghouse for Scientific & Technical Information. OTS0572351 |
| RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 2748 | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service. (Springfield, VA 22161) Formerly U.S. Clearinghouse for Scientific & Technical Information. PB96-162748 |
| RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series 1995 | RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series. (Research Triangle Park, NC 27709) No.206- NTP-TR-436,1995 |
| 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 |
| RTECS®- Proceedings of the University of Otago Medical School 1976 | RTECS®- Proceedings of the University of Otago Medical School. (Otago Medical School Research Soc., Box 913, Dunedin, New Zealand) V.1- 1922- 54,86,1976 |
| RTECS®- Research Communications in Chemical Pathology and Pharmacology 1979 | RTECS®- Research Communications in Chemical Pathology and Pharmacology. (PJD Pub. Ltd., P.O. Box 966, Westbury, NY 11590) V.1- 1970- 26,75,1979 |
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