IRIS

Xylenes

System	RfD (mg/kg-day)	Basis	PoD	Composite UF	Confidence
Other	2 x 10^-1	Decreased body weight, increased mortality	NOAEL : 1.79 x 10² mg/kg-day	1000	Medium

System	RfC (mg/m³)	Basis	PoD	Composite UF	Confidence
Nervous	1 x 10^-1	Impaired motor coordination (decreased rotarod performance)	NOAEL (HEC): 39 mg/m³	300	Medium

Weight of Evidence for Cancer (PDF) (33 pp, 203 K) Last Updated: 02/21/2003

WOE Characterization	Framework for WOE Characterization
Data are inadequate for an assessment of human carcinogenic potential	Revised Draft Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment (U.S. EPA, 1999)

Basis:

Under the Draft Revised Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment (U.S. EPA, 1999), data are inadequate for an assessment of the carcinogenic potential of xylenes. Adequate human data on the carcinogenicity of xylenes are not available, and the available animal data are inconclusive as to the ability of xylenes to cause a carcinogenic response. Evaluations of the genotoxic effects of xylenes have consistently given negative results.
This may be a synopsis of the full weight-of-evidence narrative.

Not assessed under the IRIS Program.

Not assessed under the IRIS Program.

Additional EPA toxicity information may be available by visiting the following sites:

Human Health Benchmarks for Pesticides (HHBP). This database provides human health benchmarks for pesticides that may be present in drinking water.
Office of Pesticide Programs Pesticide Chemical Search. This database provides links to health effects information and registration status for pesticides.
Chemistry Dashboard. This database provides information on chemical structures, experimental and predicted physicochemical, and toxicity data.

You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA’s PDF page to learn more.