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 does benzene do in water?
Benzene evaporates into the air very quickly. Its vapor is heavier than air and may sink into low-lying areas. Benzene dissolves only slightly in water and will float on top of water.
Is benzene bad?
Benzene is a known human carcinogen (a substance that likely causes cancer in humans) linked to blood cancers like leukemia. Heightened exposure to benzene can increase your risk of being diagnosed with cancer and blood disorders.
How do you test for benzene in water?
The test for benzene in water involves an LC-MS test (liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry). At Arvia we have in-house laboratory facilities and can test your water for this and other pollutants.
Does boiling water remove benzene?
Organic compounds that boil at temperatures greater than the boiling point of water (some pesticides) can be effectively removed from the water (MSUE 2003). Organic compounds that boil at temperatures lower than the boiling point of water (ex., benzene and toluene) will be vaporized along with the water.
Where is 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).
Where is benzene found?
Benzene is produced naturally by volcanoes and forest fires. In homes, benzene may be found in glues, adhesives, cleaning products, paint strippers, tobacco smoke and gasoline. Most benzene in the environment comes from our use of petroleum products. Benzene quickly evaporates from water or soil.
What is another name for benzene?
Benzene
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Preferred IUPAC name Benzene | |
| Other names Benzol (historic/German) Cyclohexa-1,3,5-triene; 1,3,5-Cyclohexatriene [6]Annulene (not recommended) | |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 71-43-2 |
How do you remove benzene from water?
Treatment options are available to remove benzene from well water. The most commonly used is granular activated carbon filtration. Options include central treatment (at the well or entry to home) or a point-of-use device (kitchen sink filter).
How do you filter benzene from water?
Benzene removal from water can also be achieved using reverse osmosis. This process uses pressure to force water through a partially permeable membrane to ‘filter’ out contaminants. Unfortunately, the contaminants are not destroyed using this technology, just filtered out.
How do you remove water from benzene?
Benzene can be removed with activated carbon. Approximately 1000 gallons of water containing 570 ppb of benzene can be treated with 0.35 lbs of activated carbon, in other words; 94,300 gallons of water can be treated for every cubic foot of carbon.
Why benzene in drinking water is very dangerous?
Though not as common, exposure also can occur through consumption of benzene-contaminated drinking water. Large concentrations of benzene in groundwater can be a health risk because benzene is known to cause cancer . The maximum contaminant level goal set by the EPA is zero (0) micrograms per liter (µg/L).
Why does benzene not dissolve in water?
Benzene is a symmetrical compound and thus it has zero dipole moment and is non-polar, while water is a polar compound possessing dipole moment. When benzene is mixed with water, the attraction between water molecules is high and is not easy to break thus benzene cannot interfere between water molecules, and thus it is insoluble.
What are the hazards of benzene?
Benzene irritates the linings of the airways. Exposure to low concentration benzene vapors can cause inflammation of the nasal airways and throat. High-level exposure can severely damage the lungs causing fluid accumulation and bleeding, which is often fatal.
What foods contain benzene?
The presence of benzene also was reported in butter, eggs, meat, and certain fruits; levels of these findings ranged from 0.5 ng/g in butter to 500-1900 ng/g in eggs.