DRINKING WATER ORGANIC POLLUTANTS
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html#mcls
Organic Chemicals
Contaminant MCLG1   (mg/L)2 MCL or TT1  (mg/L)2     Potential Health Effects from Ingestion of Water
Sources of Contaminant in Drinking Water

Acrylamide zero TT9                                        Nervous system or blood problems; increased risk of cancer
Added to water during sewage/wastewater treatment

Alachlor zero  0.002                               Eye, liver, kidney or spleen problems; anemia; increased risk of cancer
Runoff from herbicide used on row crops

Atrazine 0.003   0.003                             Cardiovascular system or reproductive problems
Runoff from herbicide used on row crops

Benzene zero  0.005                                Anemia; decrease in blood platelets; increased risk of cancer
Discharge from factories; leaching from gas storage tanks and landfills

Benzo(a)pyrene (PAHs) zero  0.0002       
Reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer
Leaching from linings of water storage tanks and distribution lines

Carbofuran 0.04   0.04                       
 Problems with blood, nervous system, or reproductive system
Leaching of soil fumigant used on rice and alfalfa

Carbon  tetrachloride zero  0.005          
 Liver problems; increased risk of cancer
Discharge from chemical plants and other industrial activities

Chlordane zero 0.002                                        
Liver or nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer
Residue of banned termiticide

Chlorobenzene 0.1  0.1                                  
 Liver or kidney problems
Discharge from chemical and agricultural chemical factories

2,4-D    0.07    0.07                                       
 Kidney, liver, or adrenal gland problems
Runoff from herbicide used on row crops

Dalapon 0.2    0.2                                                
 Minor kidney changes
Runoff from herbicide used on rights of way

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) zero  0.0002    
 Reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer
Runoff/leaching from soil fumigant used on soybeans, cotton, pineapples, and orchards

o-Dichlorobenzene 0.6   0.6                                        
Liver, kidney, or circulatory system problems
Discharge from industrial chemical factories

p-Dichlorobenzene 0.075  0.075                                
Anemia; liver, kidney or spleen damage; changes in blood
Discharge from industrial chemical factories

1,2-Dichloroethane zero   0.005                                
Increased risk of cancer
Discharge from industrial chemical factories

1,1-Dichloroethylene 0.007  0.007                                   
     Liver problems
Discharge from industrial chemical factories

cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene 0.07     0.07                                       
 Liver problems
Discharge from industrial chemical factories

trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene 0.1  0.1                                        
Liver problems
Discharge from industrial chemical factories

Dichloromethane zero  0.005                                               
 Liver problems; increased risk of cancer
Discharge from drug and chemical factories

1,2-Dichloropropane zero   0.005                                               
 Increased risk of cancer
Discharge from industrial chemical factories

Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate 0.4  0.4                         
Weight loss, liver problems, or possible reproductive difficulties.
Discharge from chemical factories

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate zero 0.006                
Reproductive difficulties; liver problems; increased risk of cancer
Discharge from rubber and chemical factories

Dinoseb 0.007  0.007                                                                
Reproductive difficulties
Runoff from herbicide used on soybeans and vegetables

Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) zero  0.00000003                                
 Reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer
Emissions from waste incineration and other combustion; discharge from chemical factories

Diquat 0.02  0.02                                                                        
Cataracts
Runoff from herbicide use

Endothall 0.1  0.1                                                       
 Stomach and intestinal problems
Runoff from herbicide use

Endrin 0.002   0.002                                                     
   Liver problems
Residue of banned insecticide

Epichlorohydrin zero  T9                      
 Increased cancer risk, and over a long period of time, stomach problems
Discharge from industrial chemical factories; an impurity of some water treatment chemicals

Ethylbenzene 0.7  0.7                                       
 Liver or kidneys problems
Discharge from petroleum refineries

Ethylene dibromide zero  0.00005               
 Problems with liver, stomach, reproductive system, or kidneys;           
                                                                      increased risk of cancer
Discharge from petroleum refineries

Glyphosate 0.7  0.7                                                
Kidney problems; reproductive difficulties
Runoff from herbicide use

Heptachlor zero 0.0004                                               
 Liver damage; increased risk of cancer
Residue of banned termiticide

Heptachlor epoxide zero  0.0002                               
 Liver damage; increased risk of cancer
Breakdown of heptachlor

Hexachlorobenzene zero   0.001    
 Liver or kidney problems; reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer
Discharge from metal refineries and agricultural chemical factories

Hexachlorocyclopentadiene 0.05  0.05      
 Kidney or stomach problems
Discharge from chemical factories

Lindane 0.0002  0.0002                                
Liver or kidney problems
Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on cattle, lumber, gardens

Methoxychlor 0.04  0.04                                                
Reproductive difficulties
Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on fruits, vegetables, alfalfa, livestock

Oxamyl (Vydate) 0.2  0.2                                
Slight nervous system effects
Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on apples, potatoes, and tomatoes

Polychlorinated  biphenyls (PCBs) zero 0.0005               
 Skin changes; thymus gland problems; immune
                                                                                      deficiencies; reproductive or nervous system
                                                                                      difficulties; increased risk of cancer
Runoff from landfills; discharge of waste chemicals

Pentachlorophenol zero  0.001                                         Liver or kidney problems; increased cancer risk
Discharge from wood preserving factories

Picloram 0.5 0.5                                                     
   Liver problems
Herbicide runoff

Simazine 0.004 0.004                                              
  Problems with blood
Herbicide runoff

Styrene 0.1  0.1                                                    
 Liver, kidney, or circulatory system problems
Discharge from rubber and plastic factories; leaching from landfills

Tetrachloroethylene zero  0.005                        Liver problems; increased risk of cancer
Discharge from factories and dry cleaners

Toluene 1  1                                                                
Nervous system, kidney, or liver problems
Discharge from petroleum factories

Toxaphene zero 0.003                              
  Kidney, liver, or thyroid problems; increased risk of cancer
Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on cotton and cattle

2,4,5-TP (Silvex) 0.05  0.05                       
 Liver problems
Residue of banned herbicide

1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 0.07  0.07                        
Changes in adrenal glands
Discharge from textile finishing factories

1,1,1-Trichloroethane 0.20  0.2               
 Liver, nervous system, or circulatory problems
Discharge from metal degreasing sites and other factories

1,1,2-Trichloroethane 0.003  0.005        
Liver, kidney, or immune system problems
Discharge from industrial chemical factories

Trichloroethylene zero 0.005                                
Liver problems; increased risk of cancer
Discharge from metal degreasing sites and other factories

Vinyl chloride zero  0.002                                  
 Increased risk of cancer
Leaching from PVC pipes; discharge from plastic factories

Xylenes (total) 10  10                                                         
 Nervous system damage
Discharge from petroleum factories; discharge from chemical factories