Consumer Factsheet on: ETHYLBENZENE
List of Contaminants
As part of the Drinking Water and Health pages, this fact
sheet is part of a larger publication:
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations
This is a factsheet about a chemical that may be found in some
public or private drinking water supplies. It may cause health
problems if found in amounts greater than the health standard set
by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
What is Ethylbenzene and how is it used?
Ethylbenzene is a colorless organic liquid with a sweet,
gasoline-like odor. The greatest use - over 99 percent - of
ethylbenzene is to make styrene, another organic liquid used as a
building block for many plastics. It is also used as a solvent for
coatings, and in making rubber and plastic wrap.
The list of trade names given below may help you find out whether
you are using this chemical at home or work.
Trade Names and Synonyms:
Ethylbenzol
Phenylethane
Why is Ethylbenzene being Regulated?
In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act. This law
requires EPA to determine safe levels of chemicals in drinking
water which do or may cause health problems. These non-enforceable
levels, based solely on possible health risks and exposure, are
called Maximum Contaminant Level Goals.
The MCLG for ethylbenzene has been set at 0.7 parts per million
(ppm) because EPA believes this level of protection would not cause
any of the potential health problems described below.
Based on this MCLG, EPA has set an enforceable standard called a
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs
as possible, considering the ability of public water systems to
detect and remove contaminants using suitable treatment
technologies.
The MCL has also been set at 0.7 ppm because EPA believes, given
present technology and resources, this is the lowest level to which
water systems can reasonably be required to remove this contaminant
should it occur in drinking water.
These drinking water standards and the regulations for ensuring
these standards are met, are called National Primary Drinking Water
Regulations. All public water supplies must abide by these
regulations.
What are the Health Effects?
Short-term: EPA has found ethylbenzene to potentially cause the
following health effects when people are exposed to it at levels
above the MCL for relatively short periods of time: drowsiness,
fatigue, headache and mild eye and respiratory irritation.
Long-term: Ethylbenzene has the potential to cause the following
effects from a lifetime exposure at levels above the MCL: damage to
the liver, kidneys, central nervous system and eyes.
How much Ethylbenzene is produced and released to the environment?
Production of ethylbenzene has increased: from 6.9 billion lbs. in
1982 to 11.8 billion lbs in 1993. It is released to the air
primarily from its use in gasoline. More localized may be due to
waste water and spills from its production and industrial use.
From 1987 to 1993, according to EPA's Toxic Chemical Release
Inventory, ethylbenzene releases to water and land totalled over
761,000 lbs. These releases were primarily from petroleum refining
industries. The largest releases occurred in Texas. The largest
direct releases to water occurred in Virginia.
What happens to Ethylbenzene when it is released to the
environment?
Ethylbenzene will evaporate rapidly from water, and will be
degraded by microbes. It binds only moderately to aquatic sediment
and to soils. Thus, it may leach to ground water if released to
land. Ethylbenzene has little potential for accumulating in aquatic
life.
How will Ethylbenzene be Detected in and Removed from My Drinking
Water?
The regulation for ethylbenzene became effective in 1992. Between
1993 and 1995, EPA required your water supplier to collect water
samples every 3 months for one year and analyze them to find out if
ethylbenzene is present above 0.5 ppb. If it is present above this
level, the system must continue to monitor this contaminant.
If contaminant levels are found to be consistently above the MCL,
your water supplier must take steps to reduce the amount of
ethylbenzene so that it is consistently below that level. The
following treatment methods have been approved by EPA for removing
ethylbenzene: Granular activated charcoal in combination with
Packed Tower Aeration.
How will I know if Ethylbenzene is in my drinking water?
If the levels of ethylbenzene exceed the MCL, 0.7 ppm, the system
must notify the public via newspapers, radio, TV and other means.
Additional actions, such as providing alternative drinking water
supplies, may be required to prevent serious risks to public
health.
Drinking Water Standards:
Mclg: 0.7 ppm
Mcl: 0.7 ppm
Ethylbenzene Releases to Water and Land, 1987 to 1993 (in pounds):
| Water | Land |
TOTALS (in pounds) | 47,293 | 714,580 |
Top Ten States |
---|
TX | 9,870 | 480,164
|
VI | 1,233 | 72,245
|
IL | 31 | 44,789
|
PR | 0 | 23,980
|
VA | 17,997 | 1,950
|
DE | 3,460 | 13,324
|
NJ | 1,892 | 11,510
|
NM | 0 | 13,076
|
WY | 250 | 12,755
|
LA | 4,383 | 4,552
|
Major Industries |
---|
Petroleum refining | 55,201 | 718,884
|
Plastics, resins | 12,384 | 9,212
|
Indust. Organics | 10,683 | 9,781
|
Pharmaceuticals | 14,090 | 0
|
Metal containers | 0 | 11,510
|
* Water/Land totals only include facilities with releases greater
than a certain amount - usually 1000 to 10,000 lbs.
Learn more about your drinking water!
EPA strongly encourages people to learn more about their drinking
water, and to support local efforts to protect and upgrade the
supply of safe drinking water. Your water bill or telephone books
government listings are a good starting point.
Your local water supplier can give you a list of the chemicals they
test for in your water, as well as how your water is treated.
Your state Department of Health/Environment is also a valuable
source of information.
For help in locating these agencies or for information on drinking
water in general, call: EPAs Safe Drinking Water Hotline: (800)
426-4791.
For additional information on the uses and releases of chemicals in
your state, contact the: Community Right-to-Know Hotline: (800) 424-9346.
List of Contaminants
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