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| CATEGORY | QUALITY | THRESHOLD | OCCURENCE | REFERENCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| smell | plastic, oily, chemical | water | details | |
| smell | plastic, oily, chemical | 1.414e+0 µmol/L | water | details |
| Toxicity Summary |
|---|
| Link to the Distributed Structure-Searchable Toxicity (DSSTox) Database |
| IDENTIFICATION AND USE: Ethylbenzene is a colorless liquid with aromatic odor. It is used as an intermediate for the manufacture of the styrene monomer and as a resin solvent. It is also used as a component of automotive and aviation fuels. HUMAN EXPOSURE AND TOXICITY: Human exposure to ethylbenzene occurs mainly by inhalation. Ethylbenzene has low acute and chronic toxicity for humans. It is toxic to the central nervous system and is an irritant of mucous membranes and the eyes. Ethylbenzene vapor has a transient irritant effect on human eyes at 200 ppm in air. At 1000 ppm on the first exposure it is very irritating and causes tearing, but tolerance rapidly develops. At 2000 ppm eye irritation and lacrimation are immediate and severe; 5000 ppm causes intolerable irritation of the eyes and nose. Volunteers reported irritation and chest constriction after acute-duration exposures to 2,000 ppm ethylbenzene. These symptoms worsened as the concentration was increased to 5,000 ppm. Human exposures in the range of 2,000-5,000 ppm ethylbenzene were associated with dizziness and vertigo. Complete recovery occurs if exposure is not prolonged. Ethylbenzene exposure might be associated with hearing loss, neurobehavioral function impairment, and imbalance of neurotransmitters. Ethylbenzene is an inducer of liver microsomal enzymes. ANIMAL STUDIES: Drop application to rabbit eyes caused slight irritation and no corneal injury demonstrable by fluorescein staining. Standard testing on rabbit eyes gave an injury grade of 2 on a scale of 10. Eye irritation and lacrimation have been observed after acute-duration exposures in rats, mice, and guinea pigs exposed to >/= 1,000 ppm ethylbenzene. Lacrimation was observed in rats exposed to 382 ppm for 4 weeks. In contrast, no ocular effects were seen in rats or mice after a 13-week exposure to 975 ppm ethylbenzene. Mild irritation, reddening, exfoliation, and blistering have been reported in rabbits when ethylbenzene was applied directly on the skin. Slight irritation of the eye and corneal injuries were observed in rabbits when ethylbenzene was instilled onto the eyes. A 50% respiratory depression was observed in mice exposed to >/= 1,432 ppm for 5-30 minutes. Results of 4- and 13-week studies indicate that intermediate-duration oral exposure to ethylbenzene produces effects to the liver. Acute-duration and intermediate-duration studies in animals suggest that the auditory system is a sensitive target of ethylbenzene toxicity. Significant losses of outer hair cells in the organ of Corti have been observed in rats after acute-duration exposure >/= 400 ppm and intermediate-duration inhalation exposure to >/= 200 ppm ethylbenzene. Guinea pigs exposed to sublethal concentrations of ethylbenzene ( |
| Source: DrugBank or Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) |
| Spectrum Type | Spectrum View | Description | Polarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experimental GCMS | view | GCMS | positive |