Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Ethylbenzene

Whitworth Water District 2

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.”

 

29

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND130ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND30ND
2022ND110ND
2023ND10ND

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
2018-03-20ND
2019-04-18ND
2019-04-18ND
2019-04-18ND
2019-04-18ND
2019-05-09ND
2019-05-21ND
2019-05-21ND
2019-05-28ND
2019-05-28ND
2019-05-28ND
2019-05-28ND
2019-06-18ND
2019-06-21ND
2021-03-184094088ND
2021-07-084138074ND
2021-10-284196693ND
2022-01-244236842ND
2022-03-314261610ND
2022-04-214272380ND
2022-04-214272384ND
2022-05-184288406ND
2022-06-274309802ND
2022-06-274309800ND
2022-07-144309807ND
2022-07-144309808ND
2022-07-144309809ND
2022-10-114356380ND
2023-04-274452170ND