Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Ethylbenzene

Scottville, City of

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.”

 

26

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND90ND
20200.683 ppb43ND - 1.50 ppb
20210.250 ppb41ND - 1.000 ppb
20220.213 ppb41ND - 0.850 ppb
2023ND40ND

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
2018-09-12LLI05115ND
2019-08-21LLI58390ND
2019-08-21LLI58390ND
2019-08-21LLI58390ND
2019-08-21LLI58390ND
2019-08-21LLI58390ND
2019-08-21LLI58390ND
2019-08-21LLI58390ND
2019-08-21LLI58390ND
2019-12-11LLI82940ND
2020-02-04ND
2020-05-290.730 ppb
2020-08-031.50 ppb
2020-11-020.500 ppb
2021-02-02ND
2021-05-03ND
2021-08-021.000 ppb
2021-11-01ND
2022-02-07ND
2022-05-02ND
2022-08-010.850 ppb
2022-11-28ND
2023-02-03ND
2023-05-01ND
2023-08-09ND
2023-11-06ND