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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Ethylbenzene

City of South Sioux City

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.”

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

70

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND180ND
2015ND150ND
2016ND90ND
2017ND100ND
2018ND90ND
2019ND90ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2014-01-14283269ND
2014-01-14283268ND
2014-01-14283267ND
2014-01-14283266ND
2014-01-21279073ND
2014-04-14294677ND
2014-04-14294678ND
2014-04-14294676ND
2014-04-14294679ND
2014-07-14311916ND
2014-07-14311917ND
2014-07-14311918ND
2014-07-14311919ND
2014-10-15330666ND
2014-10-15330669ND
2014-10-15330668ND
2014-10-15330667ND
2014-11-12328540ND
2015-01-12344866ND
2015-01-12344867ND
2015-01-12344868ND
2015-01-12344869ND
2015-04-13357462ND
2015-04-13357460ND
2015-04-13357459ND
2015-04-13357461ND
2015-07-13374500ND
2015-07-13374501ND
2015-07-13374502ND
2015-07-13374503ND
2015-10-13393505ND
2015-10-13393506ND
2015-10-19391673ND
2016-01-12ND
2016-01-12ND
2016-04-11ND
2016-04-11ND
2016-07-12ND
2016-07-12ND
2016-10-11ND
2016-10-11ND
2016-10-18ND
2017-01-09ND
2017-01-09ND
2017-01-23ND
2017-04-10ND
2017-04-10ND
2017-07-10ND
2017-07-10ND
2017-10-10ND
2017-10-10ND
2017-11-13ND
2018-01-09532072ND
2018-01-09532071ND
2018-04-09543809ND
2018-04-09543810ND
2018-07-09561585ND
2018-07-09561586ND
2018-10-10578333ND
2018-10-10578334ND
2018-10-22577075ND
2019-01-07590605ND
2019-01-07590606ND
2019-04-08600524ND
2019-04-08600525ND
2019-07-08622408ND
2019-07-08622409ND
2019-10-15638233ND
2019-10-15638232ND
2019-10-21638444ND