Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Ethylbenzene

North Slope Borough - Point Hope

Ethylbenzene, a component of petroleum, is a volatile cancer-causing chemical primarily used for production of plastics and rubber. Ethylbenzene is also released from gasoline fuel emissions. Read More.

In animal studies, exposure to ethylbenzene causes tumors. Ethylbenzene can also damage lungs, liver, kidneys and the nervous system. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies ethylbenzene as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

 

7

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
201950.0 ppb1150.0 ppb
202012.0 ppb1112.0 ppb
20211.40 ppb111.40 ppb
20221.90 ppb111.90 ppb
20232.30 ppb112.30 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 300 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 300 ppb for ethylbenzene was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against harm to internal organs.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 700 ppb

The legal limit for ethylbenzene, established in 1991, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1950s.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-01-11VO*3855925ND
2018-07-26VO*4009253ND
2019-01-22418499550.0 ppb
2020-01-23455243312.0 ppb
2021-01-2148235261.40 ppb
2022-01-11810-12202-31.90 ppb
2023-01-05810-49930-A-12.30 ppb