Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Ethylbenzene

Quint-mar Water Authority

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.”

 

14

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND60ND
2020ND10ND
2021N/A00N/A
2022ND70ND
2023N/A00N/A

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
2019-02-05AB32814ND
2019-02-05AB32815ND
2019-02-05AB32816ND
2019-02-05AB32817ND
2019-02-05AB32818ND
2019-04-17AB34289ND
2020-07-20AB43480ND
2022-07-20AB60412ND
2022-07-20AB60413ND
2022-07-20AB60414ND
2022-07-20AB60415ND
2022-07-20AB60416ND
2022-07-20AB60417ND
2022-07-20AB60418ND