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Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant. Di-n-butylphthalate is an industrial solvent or additive used in many consumer products such as nail polish, cosmetics, some printing inks, pharmaceutical coatings, and insecticides. Potential health impacts associated with Di-n-butylphthalate include developmental toxicity, endocrine toxicity, gastrointestinal or liver toxicity, immunotoxicity, kidney toxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, and skin sensitivity. [read more] Sources of Di-n-butylphthalate:  | Sprawl and Urban Areas (road runoff, lawn pesticides, human waste) |  | Industry |
An Environmental Working Group analysis of Di-n-butylphthalate tests reported by 3,103 public water suppliers in 13 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 795 thousand people in 79 communities drank water contaminated with Di-n-butylphthalate. Di-n-butylphthalate remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit. Exposure Summary 795,383 | People drinking water contaminated with Di-n-butylphthalate | 79 | Communities served water contaminated with Di-n-butylphthalate |
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Table. Di-n-butylphthalate Exposure by State795 thousand Americans in 10 states were served tap water contaminated with Di-n-butylphthalate between 1998 and 2003. | State | Water suppliers with Di-n-butylphthalate contamination |
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| Systems | Population |
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| California | 6 | 306,066 | | Florida | 6 | 232,084 | | Washington | 8 | 71,218 | | New Mexico | 25 | 57,585 | | Maine | 7 | 47,057 | | New Hampshire | 16 | 43,380 | | Texas | 2 | 22,249 | | Arkansas | 6 | 12,184 | | Nevada | 2 | 3,500 | | Delaware | 1 | 60 | | Total | 79 | 795,383 |
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Table. The most polluted communities795,000 Americans in 79 communities were served tap water contaminated with Di-n-butylphthalate between 1998 and 2003 Ranked by highest average Di-n-butylphthalate level | Rank | System
| Population Served
| Positive test results of total reported tests
| Average Level
(Range) |
|---|
| 1 | Elsinore Valley Municiple Water District
Lake Elsinore, CA | 95,040 | 1 of 1 | 27 ppb
(27 to 27 ppb) | | 2 | Oxford Pines Trailer Pk
Carbondale, CO | 338 | 1 of 1 | 13 ppb
(13 to 13 ppb) | | 3 | Kittery Water District
Kittery, ME | 11,625 | 1 of 1 | 11 ppb
(11 to 11 ppb) | | 4 | Stonegate Acres
Hebron, NH | 63 | 1 of 1 | 6.4 ppb
(6.4 to 6.4 ppb) | | 5 | Minneola Water Department
Minneola, FL | 7,791 | 1 of 1 | 6.3 ppb
(6.3 to 6.3 ppb) | | 6 | Caribou Utilities District
Caribou, ME | 4,323 | 1 of 1 | 6 ppb
(6 to 6 ppb) | | 7 | Kennebunk Water
Kennebunk, ME | 24,455 | 1 of 2 | 4.25 ppb
(0 to 8.5 ppb) | | 8 | Sanbornville Water Department
Wakefield, NH | 1,500 | 3 of 3 | 3.87 ppb
(2.8 to 4.4 ppb) | | 9 | Dustin Homestead Mgt
Rochester, NH | 150 | 1 of 1 | 3.8 ppb
(3.8 to 3.8 ppb) | | 10 | Mountain Home Estates Assoc
| 500 | 1 of 1 | 3.4 ppb
(3.4 to 3.4 ppb) |
Next --> Health based limits for Di-n-butylphthalate
| Health Limit | Limit Value | Limit Description |
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| EPA Human Health Water Quality Criteria | 2000 ppb | 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. | | Drinking Water Equivalent Level | 4000 ppb | 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. | Testing Summary for Di-n-butylphthalate Water suppliers report an average of 0.5 Di-n-butylphthalate tests per year. 36,648 water suppliers failed to report
any Di-n-butylphthalate tests at all. | Are tests routinely required for Di-n-butylphthalate by federal law? | No | | Water suppliers reporting tests for Di-n-butylphthalate (1998-2003): | 3,103 of 39,751 | | Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): | 0.5 per year |
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Di-n-butylphthalate Violations Because Di-n-butylphthalate is unregulated in tap water, no violations are
recorded in EPA's violations database, the Safe Drinking Water Information
System. Under the federal tap water law, water suppliers are not required
to routinely test for Di-n-butylphthalate, and any level is legal in tap water.
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