FACT SHEET ON A DRINKING WATER CHEMICAL CONTAMINANT
GENERAL INFORMATION
Synonym*:
« Methyibenzene; Phenylmethane; Toluol;
Methylbeozenot; Methacide
Chemical Description:
•	An aromatic, volatile hydrocarbon that occurs
naturally as a component of petroleum oil
Properties:
•	Moderate vapor pressure
•	Slightly soluble in water
•	Soluble in organic solvents
•	Moderate volatility
Production and Uses:
» Used as as a gasoline additive, a raw material
in the production of benzene and other
organic solvents, and as a solvent
» Produced primarily from three sources:
petroleum refining process, indirectly as a by-
product of styrene production, and indirectly
as a by-product of coke-oven operations
ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE
Occurrence:
•	Occurs at low levels in drinking water, with
major source of exposure from air
« Occurs m both ground and surface public
water supplies, with higher levels occurring in
surface wafer supplies
Releases:
» Greatest environmental release is to air as a
result of its us© in gasoline and as a solvent;
smaller amounts released to wafer and soil
•	Releases to wafer due to spills and leaks of
gasoline and other petroleum products, as well
as disposal of waste from paints, inks, and
other products containing toluene
Environmental Fate:
•	Released to soil; will evaporate to air from soil
surface and shallow soil depths; will be
removed by microbial degradation; exoec'ed
to be moderately mobile in soils, with potential
to migrate to groundwaters where it will be
stable (microbial degradation will not occur)
•	Released to surface water: will evapcrcre *c
air; biodegradation may occur
•	Released to air: will photodegrade fairly
rapidly; subject to wash-out by rain
HEALTH EFFECTS
Humans:
•	Relatively low oral toxicity
« Short-term, high-dose exposures to toluene
vapors causes symptoms of central nervous
system (CNS) toxicity such as fatigue,
headache, nausea, muscular weakness,
confusion, and loss of coordination
» long-term, high-dose exposures to toluene
vapors causes detrimental effects primarily
upon the CNS and possibly the peripheral
nervous system such as muscle spasms,
tremors, equilibrium disorders, impaired
speech, vision, hearing, memory, and
coordination; liver and kidney damage also
associated with long-term exposure
Experimental Animals:
•	Both short-term and long-term, high-dose
exposures of rats to toluene vapors resulted tn
detrimental effects upon the CNS, liver, kidney
blood, and lungs
•	Long-term, high-dose oral studies indicated no
adverse effects
•	Possible teratogenic potential related to bone
formation
•	No evidence of mutagenic or carcinogenic
potential

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REGULATORY PROFILE
Health Advisories:
Existing Standards:
•Clean Air Act (CAA): Net regulated
•Clean Water Act (CWA):
Criteria established
~Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA):
Hazardous waste
•Superfund (CERCLA),
•Hazardous waste
•SARA: Toxic substance
•Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA):
Not registered
•Toxic Substances Control Act (T5CA):
Regulated
HEALTH INFORMATION
Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLG):
•	Non-enforceable levels based solely on an
evaluation of possible health risks and
exposure, and taking into consideration a
margin for public safety
•	Set at 1 mg/t to protect against damage to
the kidneys, lungs, and nervous system
MCLG for Toluene = 1 mg/L
(effective July 1992)
Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL):
•	Legally enforceable levels for contaminants in
public drinking water supplies
•	Based on health risks associated with the
contaminants, analytical methods for their
assay, and water treatment feasibility and
practicality aspects
•	Exceedance of the MCL in drinking wafer may
result in adverse effects which will depend
upon the contaminant concentration in water,
amount of water/contaminant ingested,
length of exposure, and other biological
parameters
MCL for Toluene = 1 mg/L
(effective July 1992}
EPA Health Advisories (HA):
•	Short-term HAs: Provide acceptable
concentrations of contaminants in water for
up to 10 day exposures, primarily to evaluate
the public health risk: resulting from an
accidental spill or an emergency
contamination situation
•	Longer-term HAs: Provide guidance for
persistent water contamination situations to
cover a period of up to 7 years
•	Lifetime HAs: Derived m the same way as an
MCLG
Short-term HA for a child = 2 mg/L
Longer-term HA for a child = 2 mg/L
Longer-term HA for an adult = 7 mg/L
Lifetime HA = 1 mg/L
ANALYTICAL METHODS
•	Purge and Trap Gas Chromatography:
EPA Method 502.1
EPA Method 503.1
•	Purge and Trap Column Gas Chromatography
with Photoionization and Electrolytic
Conductivity Defectors in Series:
EPA Method 502.2
•	Purged Column Gas Chromatography/Mass
Spectrometry:
EPA Method 524.1
•	Capillary Column Gas Chromatography/Mass
Spectrometry:
EPA Method 524.2
WATER TREATMENT
Permanent Treatment;
•	lett Available Technology (BAT):
•	Granular Activated Carbon
•" Packed Tower Aeration
SHORT-TERM HAZARD ELIMINATION
•	If the drinking water standards are exceeded,
install BAT or use an alternative drinking water
supply such as bottled wafer
ADDITIONAL HELP
•	Stat© or county health officials can indicate a
certified laboratory for testing
•	Experts in the state Department of
Environmental Protection or Natural Resources
may also be of help
•	The EPA has toll-free numbers for further
information on drinking water quality,
treatment technologies, for obtaining Health
Advisories, and for other regulatory information
•	EPA Hotlines are available Monday through
Friday
•	Safe Drinking Water	800-426-4791
•	National Pesticide*:	800-858-7378
~Superfund/RCRA: 800-424-934A
•	For information on the Clean Water Act, calt
(202) 260-7301
•	For information on the Toxic Substances
Control Act, call (202) 554-1404
•	For information on the Clean Air Act, call
(919) 541-2777

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