National Drinking Water Database
National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants
p-Isopropyltoluene
Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.
p-Isopropyltoluene is a widely used industrial chemical used in the manufacture of paint, furniture and other consumer goods.
Detected |
Found above health guidelines |
Found above legal limit |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 12 |
- |
- |
| Water utilities | 22 |
- |
- |
| People Served | 43,725 |
- |
- |
Health Concerns for p-Isopropyltoluene:
- Neurotoxicity
- Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
- Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
- Ecotoxicology
- Multiple, additive exposure sources
- Persistence and bioaccumulation
p-Isopropyltoluene Exposure by State
Water utilities in 12 states have reported detecting p-Isopropyltoluene in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.
| State | Water Suppliers with p-Isopropyltoluene contamination | |
|---|---|---|
| Systems | Population | |
| New York | 6 | 20,265 |
| Nebraska | 1 | 6,591 |
| Arkansas | 1 | 6,112 |
| Virginia | 3 | 3,638 |
| Missouri | 2 | 2,844 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | 1,649 |
| Vermont | 1 | 825 |
| California | 1 | 665 |
| North Carolina | 2 | 440 |
| Maryland | 1 | 378 |
| Alaska | 1 | 293 |
| Texas | 1 | 25 |
| Total | 22 | 43,725 |
The Most Polluted Communities
22 water utilities reported detecting p-Isopropyltoluene in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies
Ranked by highest average p-Isopropyltoluene level
| Rank | System | Population Served | Positive test results of total reported tests | Average Level (Range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar Hollow Mobile Home Park Wappingers Falls, NY | 200 | 1 of 1 | 2.8 ppb (2.8 ppb) |
| 2 | Freedom Sanitary District Kaukauna, WI | 1,000 | 1 of 1 | 2.5 ppb (2.5 ppb) |
| 3 | Collingwood Associates, L.P. King Of Prussia, NY | 360 | 1 of 3 | 1.77 ppb (0 to 5.3 ppb) |
| 4 | Huslia Public Water Supply Huslia, AK | 293 | 1 of 1 | 1 ppb (1 ppb) |
| 5 | Jensen's Hyde Park Mobile Home Park Southington, MD | 378 | 1 of 1 | 0.6 ppb (0.6 ppb) |
| 6 | Bedford Hills/Taconic Corr. Facilities Bedford Hills, NY | 1,100 | 1 of 1 | 0.5 ppb (0.5 ppb) |
| 7 | Red Mountain S/D Rougemont, NC | 168 | 1 of 1 | 0.43 ppb (0.43 ppb) |
| 8 | Spring Meadows-Meadow Gate Warwick, VA | 2,254 | 1 of 3 | 0.43 ppb (0 to 1.3 ppb) |
| 9 | Town of Cape Charles Cape Charles, VA | 1,134 | 1 of 3 | 0.4 ppb (0 to 1.2 ppb) |
| 10 | Walraven Subdivision Houston, TX | 25 | 1 of 3 | 0.31 ppb (0 to 0.92 ppb) |
Testing Summary for p-Isopropyltoluene
| Are tests routinely required for p-Isopropyltoluene by federal law? | No |
| Water suppliers reporting tests for p-Isopropyltoluene (2004-2009): | 20,559 of 47,576 |
| Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009): | 0.6 per year |
Neurotoxicity
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Limited evidence of toxicity | Lam HR, Ladefoged O, Ostergaard G, Lund SP, Simonsen L, 1996 |
| One or more animal studies show brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect effects at high doses | RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1964 |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| 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, galogenproisvodnie uglevodorodov" 1990 |
| One or more animal studies show sense organ effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1964 |
| One or more animal studies show gastrointestinal effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1964 |
| 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, galogenproisvodnie uglevodorodov" 1990 |
| Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| 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®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1974 |
Ecotoxicology
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | P-CYMENE | • Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought. |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | BENZENE, 1-METHYL-4-(1-METHYLETHYL)- | •This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for as a low human health priority. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | P-CYMENE | •The chemical has been reported as used in fragrance compounds by IFRA affiliated member companies in 2008. |
| Lam HR, Ladefoged O, Ostergaard G, Lund SP, Simonsen L, 1996 | P-CYMENE | Inhalation exposure to p-cymene in laboratory animals was associated with neurotoxicity (reduced density and number of synapses). |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogenproisvodnie uglevodorodov" 1990 | PARACYMENE | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (mouse LD50) |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1974 | PARACYMENE | • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1964 | PARACYMENE | • sense organ - Chromodacyrorrhea (rat LD50) • gastrointestinal - Hypermotility, diarrhea (rat LD50) • brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Somnolence (general depressed activity) (rat LD50) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
| 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 |
| Open scientific literature | Lam HR, Ladefoged O, Ostergaard G, Lund SP, Simonsen L. 1996. Four weeks |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogenproisvodnie uglevodorodov" 1990 | RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogenproisvodnie uglevodorodov". (Hazardous substances: Galogenated hydrocarbons) Bandman A.L. et al., Chimia, 1990. -,180,1990 |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1974 | RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology. (London, UK) V.1-19, 1963-81. For publisher information, see FCTOD7. 12,401,1974 |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1964 | RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology. (London, UK) V.1-19, 1963-81. For publisher information, see FCTOD7. 2,327,1964 |
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