Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate
DEHA·Affects liver, reproductive
A plasticizer used in food wrap, plastic tubing, and PVC products. DEHA leaches from plastics into water and food, particularly when materials are warm or in contact with fatty substances.
DEHA
EPA limit
0.4 mg/L (MCL)
Most at risk
Long-term consumers, infants, people on PVC-piped supplies
Found in
City water · Well water · Industrial areas
AquaOx filters
YesActivated coconut shell carbon
What it does to you
Health effects
The EPA sets the DEHA limit at 0.4 mg/L based primarily on documented effects on the liver and reproductive system. Long-term high-dose exposure in animal studies caused liver enlargement, altered enzyme activity, and reduced fertility. Human epidemiology is more limited than for DEHP, but the structural similarity and shared metabolic pathway support the EPA's precautionary limit.
DEHA is metabolized in the body to 2-ethylhexanol and adipic acid. The 2-ethylhexanol metabolite is the bioactive species linked to liver effects. Unlike PCBs and dioxins, DEHA does not accumulate to nearly the same degree because the body clears it within days, but chronic low-dose exposure still contributes to liver workload.
DEHA is not currently classified as a human carcinogen by the IARC, though animal data have prompted ongoing review of its endocrine-disruption potential.
Where it comes from
How it gets into your water
DEHA enters drinking water by leaching from plastic materials in contact with the water supply. PVC water pipes, gaskets, plastic storage tanks, and certain types of well-pump components all contain DEHA as a flexibility-enhancing plasticizer. Warm water, low pH, and long contact times all accelerate the leaching rate.
Industrial discharge from plastics manufacturing and PVC processing facilities adds DEHA to surface water and groundwater near production sites. DEHA is also found in landfill leachate where plastic waste breaks down over time.
PVC water pipes
Plasticizer leaches with time + heat
Plastics manufacturing
Industrial discharge to water
Plastic storage tanks
Cisterns, well pressure tanks
Landfill leachate
Plastic-waste decomposition
Find out for yourself
Is it in your water?
DEHA testing is part of standard EPA-mandated municipal testing and results appear in the Consumer Confidence Report. Levels are typically well below the 0.4 mg/L limit but vary by the materials in the distribution network. Older systems with extensive PVC piping can show measurable DEHA at the tap.
Private well users with plastic well casings, pressure tanks, or polymer-lined storage should request a DEHA test if the water has a faint chemical odor or if the well system uses older PVC components.
The fix
How AquaOx filters it
DEHA is a large, fat-soluble organic molecule. Activated carbon adsorbs it efficiently as water passes through the filter bed. The coconut shell carbon and Centaur catalytic carbon stages in The AquaOx both contribute to DEHA capture.
Whole-house filtration matters here because DEHA leaches throughout the home plumbing system, not just at one fixture. Treating water at the point of entry catches DEHA before it has a chance to concentrate in hot water heaters or storage tanks.