Styrene
C₆H₅CH=CH₂·Affects liver, brain
A precursor to polystyrene plastic and synthetic rubber. Contaminates groundwater through industrial discharge and landfill leaching.
C₆H₅CH=CH₂
EPA limit
0.1 mg/L (MCL)
Most at risk
Households near plastics manufacturing, landfills, or industrial sites
Found in
City water · Well water · Industrial areas
AquaOx filters
YesActivated coconut shell carbon
What it does to you
Health effects
Styrene primarily targets the central nervous system and liver. Chronic exposure is linked to symptoms including headache, fatigue, dizziness, reduced concentration, and impaired hearing. Workplace studies of occupational exposure document neurological effects at concentrations well above drinking-water levels, and the EPA's MCL is set to keep dietary exposure below those thresholds.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies styrene as Group 2A (probably carcinogenic to humans), based on evidence of leukemia and lymphoma in occupational cohorts. The National Toxicology Program reached a similar "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" classification.
The 0.1 mg/L MCL reflects both cancer and non-cancer endpoints, with a safety factor below observed effect levels.
Where it comes from
How it gets into your water
Styrene contamination in drinking water comes primarily from industrial discharge at plants that produce styrene, polystyrene plastics, synthetic rubber (SBR), or fiberglass-reinforced products. The chemical is also released from improperly disposed plastic waste in landfills, where it can leach into groundwater over time.
A secondary pathway is leaching from polystyrene materials in contact with water, including some older pipes and food containers, though this is typically a low-level concern compared with industrial point sources. Ethylbenzene plumes sometimes carry trace styrene as a co-contaminant.
Plastics manufacture
Polystyrene and resin production
Rubber & fiberglass
Industrial process discharge
Contaminated wells
Near landfills or chemical plants
Landfill leachate
Polystyrene waste breakdown
Find out for yourself
Is it in your water?
Public water utilities are required to test for styrene and report results in the annual Consumer Confidence Report. Most municipal systems report non-detect or trace levels far below the 0.1 mg/L MCL.
Private well owners near plastics or rubber manufacturing facilities, landfills, or known industrial contamination sites should request a VOC panel that includes styrene. State environmental agencies maintain registries of known contaminated sites.
The fix
How AquaOx filters it
Activated carbon is the EPA's recommended best-available technology for filtering styrene from drinking water. The Centaur catalytic carbon and coconut shell activated carbon stages in The AquaOx adsorb styrene efficiently, with independent testing showing high reductions across the VOC family.
For households with known industrial contamination, we recommend pairing The AquaOx with the under-sink RO at the kitchen tap for a second-stage polish on drinking and cooking water.