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Environmental Assessment

IRIS Toxicological Review of Bromobenzene (External Review Draft)

IRIS Toxicological Review of Bromobenzene (External Review Draft)

Note: EPA has updated this document, but this version is provided as a courtesy to the public as a matter of public record.


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Notice

EPA is announcing the release of the Toxicological Review of Bromobenzene and notice of the External Peer Review Panel Meeting in a June 14, 2007 Federal Register Notice. This draft assessment is provided for public viewing and comment. Public comments received on the Toxicological Review within the external review period (next 60 days) will be provided to the peer reviewers prior to the meeting for their consideration. Any comments not received within the requested time period will be considered by EPA in their revisions.

EPA has conducted a peer review of the scientific basis supporting the human health hazard and dose-response assessment of Bromobenzene that will appear on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database. Peer review is meant to ensure that science is used credibly and appropriately in derivation of the dose-response assessments and toxicological characterization.
Background
The draft Toxicological Review of Bromobenzene provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to subchronic and chronic exposure to bromobenzene. Bromobenzene is a heavy, colorless liquid with a pungent odor and is also known as monobromobenzene and phenyl bromide. Bromobenzene is used as an additive to motor oils, as a crystallizing solvent, and in the production of the synthetic intermediate phenyl magnesium bromide. Release of bromobenzene to the environment may occur during its production and the production of phenyl magnesium bromide as well as in its use as a solvent and as an additive in motor oil. Bromobenzene can be formed in small quantities during water chlorination. Bromobenzene is on the Office of Water's Contaminant Candidate List and is found at hazardous waste and Superfund sites. This assessment contains the derivation of reference doses for two durations of exposure (subchronic and chronic). EPA is also putting forth for external review the statement that data are inadequate for an assessment of the human carcinogenic potential of bromobenzene.

History/Chronology

2003The bromobenzene IRIS assessment was initiated in 2003. Bromobenzene was nominated for assessment by the IRIS Program because it appears on the Office of Water's Contaminant Candidate List (CCL). It has also been detected at Superfund sites. An assessment for bromobenzene is not currently on IRIS.
Jun 2007EPA released the external review draft for the Toxicological Review of Bromobenzene.
Aug 2007An external peer review panel workshop was hosted by an independent contractor to review the draft document.
Sep 2009EPA released the Final Toxicological Review (PDF) (123 pp, 764K) and accompanying Summary for Bromobenzene to the IRIS Web site.

Next Steps

Following the External Peer Review, the final assessment will be published on the IRIS database.

Downloads/Related Links

Additional Information

Comments on the assessment may be submitted and reviewed using the e-Government Regulations.gov website. From the site, select Environmental Protection Agency and the key word EPA- HQ-ORD-2007-0351 (for the docket ID).

Citation

U.S. EPA. IRIS Toxicological Review of Bromobenzene (External Review Draft). EPA/635/R-07/002.

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