Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Ethylbenzene

City of Dorchester

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.”

 

12

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
20210.565 ppb21ND - 1.13 ppb
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
2018-07-05Q1826628001ND
2018-07-05Q1826628010ND
2019-08-13Q1954235002ND
2019-08-13Q1954235004ND
2020-10-15Q2040499003ND
2020-11-23Q2046450001ND
2021-09-20Q21255980031.13 ppb
2021-12-13Q2134947004ND
2022-06-29Q2218370001ND
2022-10-19Q2231829003ND
2023-08-23Q2335730001ND
2023-11-13Q2348430001ND