What is Styrene?
CAS#: 000100-42-5
Styrene is primarily a synthetic chemical. It is also known
as vinylbenzene, ethenylbenzene, cinnamene, or phenylethylene.
It's a colorless liquid that evaporates easily and has a sweet
smell. It often contains other chemicals that give it a sharp,
unpleasant smell.
It dissolves in some liquids but doesn't dissolve easily
in water. Billions of pounds are produced each year to make
products such as rubber, plastic, insulation, fiberglass, pipes,
automobile parts, food containers, and carpet backing.
Most of these products contain styrene linked together in
a long chain (polystyrene) as well as unlinked styrene. Low
levels of styrene also occur naturally in a variety of foods
such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, beverages, and meats.
Related Resources for Styrene
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CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substances
Prioritization of substances based on a combination of their
frequency, toxicity, and potential for human exposure at
National Priorities List (NPL) sites.
- Minimal Risk Levels (MRL)
The MRL is an estimate of the daily human exposure to a hazardous substance that is likely to be without appreciable risk of adverse, non-cancer health effects over a specified duration of exposure. The information in this MRL serves as a screening tool to help public health professionals decide where to look more closely to evaluate possible risk of adverse health effects from human exposure.
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Public Health Statement
Summary about a hazardous substance taken from Chapter One
of its respective ATSDR Toxicological Profile.
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ToxFAQ
Fact sheet that answers the most frequently asked questions
about a contaminant and its health effects.
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Toxicological Profile
Succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health
effects information for a hazardous substance.