Is there benzene in drinking water?
Drinking water typically contains less than 0 . 1 ppb benzene . Benzene has been detected in some bottled water, liquor, and food . Leakage from underground gasoline storage tanks or from landfills and hazardous waste sites that contain benzene can result in benzene contamination of well water .
How do you test for benzene?
There is a test for measuring benzene in the breath; this test must be done shortly after exposure. Benzene can also be measured in the blood; however, because benzene disappears rapidly from the blood, measurements are accurate only for extremely recent exposures. Benzene exposure should always be minimized.
What is benzene in drinking water?
Benzene is a volatile, clear, sweet smelling liquid used as a gasoline additive and in production of consumer products such as paints dyes, insecticides and cosmetics. 3 Benzene can get into drinking water from industrial discharge, gas storage tank leaching and landfills.
Does boiling water remove benzene?
Boiling water can remove chemicals with a lower boiling point than water, like benzene and some other Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). However, for many other chemicals like arsenic or mercury, boiling will only increase the concentration in the water that remains.
Is benzene harmful in drinking water?
Drinking water with levels of benzene well above the drinking water standard for a long time increases the risk of affecting the blood. Benzene can affect the bone marrow that makes blood cells. It can cause a decrease in red blood cells. This can lead to anemia.
What causes benzene in water?
The major sources of benzene in water are atmospheric deposition, spills of petrol and other petroleum products, and chemical plant effluents. Levels of up to 179 µg/litre have been reported in chemical plant effluents (1). Levels of 0.03–0.3 mg/litre were found in groundwater contaminated by point emissions (7).
What is benzene test?
Certain metabolites of benzene, such as phenol, muconic acid, and S-phenylmercapturic acid can be measured in the urine. The amount of phenol in urine has been used to check for benzene exposure in workers. The test is useful only when you are exposed to benzene in air at levels of 10 ppm or greater.
How does benzene get into water?
Benzene enters water as discharge from industrial factories or leaching from landfills and gas storage tanks.
How does benzene get in well water?
Benzene leaks from underground storage tanks or from hazardous waste sites containing benzene can contaminate well water. People working in industries that make or use benzene may be exposed to the highest levels of it. A major source of benzene exposure is tobacco smoke.
How do you separate benzene from water?
If we look at the nature of benzene and water they are basically two immiscible liquids Therefore the easiest or straightforward way to separate them from each other is by using a separating funnel.
Can you test your well water for benzene?
The average person cannot obtain an off-the-shelf test kit capable of testing for the presence of benzene in drinking, tap or well water. That sort of testing must get done in a laboratory using advanced analytical techniques and equipment.
What’s the limit for benzene in drinking water?
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has set the maximum permissible level of benzene in drinking water at 0.005 milligrams per liter (0.005 mg/L). The EPA requires that spills or accidental releases into the environment of 10 pounds (4.5 kg) or more of benzene be reported to the EPA.
What are the major sources of benzene in water?
The major sources of benzene in water are atmospheric deposition, spills of petrol and other petroleum products, and chemical plant effluents. Levels of up to 179 µg/litre have been reported in chemical plant effluents (1).
What is the chemical formula for benzene testing?
Benzene testing Benzene, or benzol, is an organic chemical compound and a known carcinogen with the molecular formula C6H6. It is sometimes abbreviated Ph–H. Benzene is a colorless and highly flammable liquid with a sweet smell and a relatively high melting point.