Ethylbenzene
C₆H₅C₂H₅·Affects liver, kidneys
A petroleum-derived solvent and key BTEX compound. Found in groundwater near gas stations, refineries, and styrene production sites.
C₆H₅C₂H₅
EPA limit
0.7 mg/L (MCL)
Most at risk
Households on private wells near petroleum or chemical operations
Found in
City water · Well water · Industrial areas
AquaOx filters
YesActivated coconut shell carbon
What it does to you
Health effects
Ethylbenzene primarily affects the liver and kidneys at chronic exposure levels. Animal studies show hepatic and renal damage at sustained doses, and the EPA's MCL is calibrated to keep human exposure well below these thresholds.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies ethylbenzene as Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans), based on evidence of kidney and testicular tumors in animal studies. The EPA has not adopted a cancer-based MCL, but the classification supports keeping exposure as low as practical.
Short-term high exposure causes eye and throat irritation, dizziness, and respiratory effects. Ethylbenzene is also a precursor to styrene, and trace styrene contamination sometimes accompanies ethylbenzene plumes.
Where it comes from
How it gets into your water
Ethylbenzene is part of the BTEX family in gasoline, present at roughly 1 to 2 percent by volume. Leaking underground storage tanks at gas stations are the dominant route into groundwater. Refinery discharge, fuel pipeline leaks, and oil spills add to the load.
Industrially, ethylbenzene is produced in large volumes as a feedstock for styrene manufacture, which goes on to make polystyrene plastic. Facilities producing or using ethylbenzene and styrene can release the compound through process water or air emissions that settle into surface water.
Gas stations
Leaking underground storage tanks
Refineries
Process water and spills
Contaminated wells
Near petroleum or styrene plants
Plastics manufacture
Styrene production feedstock
Find out for yourself
Is it in your water?
Public water utilities test for ethylbenzene and report results in the annual Consumer Confidence Report. Most municipal supplies show non-detect; utilities drawing from contaminated aquifers occasionally report low-level detections.
Private well owners near gas stations, fuel terminals, refineries, or styrene/plastics plants should request a BTEX or VOC panel. Ethylbenzene typically appears alongside benzene, toluene, and xylenes when the source is gasoline.
The fix
How AquaOx filters it
Activated carbon is the EPA's recommended best-available technology for filtering ethylbenzene from drinking water. The Centaur catalytic carbon and coconut shell activated carbon stages in The AquaOx adsorb ethylbenzene efficiently, with independent testing showing reductions above 95 percent across the BTEX family.
Because The AquaOx treats every tap in the home, it also reduces inhalation exposure from showers, which is significant for volatile compounds like ethylbenzene.