Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Ethylbenzene

Westwood Beach

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.”

 

23

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND30ND
20212.13 ppb75ND - 9.31 ppb
20220.895 ppb43ND - 2.01 ppb
20230.190 ppb31ND - 0.570 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
2018-10-10Q1840455006ND
2018-10-10Q1840455012ND
2018-10-10Q1840455005ND
2019-06-13Q1935800008ND
2019-06-13Q1935800010ND
2019-06-13Q1935800012ND
2020-05-14Q2019532007ND
2020-05-14Q2019532009ND
2020-05-14Q2019532011ND
2021-05-13Q2112500012ND
2021-05-13Q21125000109.31 ppb
2021-05-13Q21125000010.600 ppb
2021-07-20Q21188960012.98 ppb
2021-07-20Q21188960030.970 ppb
2021-12-15Q21355180011.07 ppb
2021-12-15Q2135518003ND
2022-07-26Q22211640010.890 ppb
2022-07-26Q22211640032.01 ppb
2022-07-26Q2221164005ND
2022-12-05Q22360470010.680 ppb
2023-02-28Q2307933002ND
2023-10-02Q23420890040.570 ppb
2023-10-02Q2342089006ND