Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Ethylbenzene

Middletown Water Department

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.”

 

13

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
2019ND20ND
2020ND20ND
2021ND30ND
2022ND20ND
2023ND20ND

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
2018-03-28VOC1 200490770ND
2018-04-16VOC1 200492154ND
2019-05-13VOC1 200531893ND
2019-05-21VOC1 200533083ND
2020-05-06VOC1 200574723ND
2020-05-14VOC1 200575833ND
2021-03-03VOC1 200612185ND
2021-03-30VOC1 200612183ND
2021-03-30VOC1 200612184ND
2022-05-11V300182524 300182531ND
2022-05-11V300182526 300182544ND
2023-06-23V300370771 300370772ND
2023-06-23V300370773 300370774ND