IRIS Toxicological Review of Tert-Butyl Alcohol (TBA) (External Review Draft, 2017)
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Abstract
The IRIS Toxicological Review of tert-Butyl Alcohol (tert-Butanol or tBA) was released for external peer review in June 2017. EPA’s Science Advisory Board’s (SAB) Chemical Assessment Advisory Committee (CAAC) will conduct a peer review of the scientific basis supporting the tBA assessment and release a final report of their review. Information regarding the peer review can be found on the SAB website.
tert-Butyl Alcohol (tBA) is used as a solvent; as a denaturant for ethanol and several other alcohols; in the manufacture of flotation agents, fruit essences, and perfumes; as an octane booster in gasoline; as a dehydrating agent; and as a chemical intermediate in the manufacture of methyl methacrylate. tBA's production for industrial uses may result in its direct release to the environment through various waste streams. tBA is also a likely degradation product of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). Probable routes of human exposure to tBA include inhalation, ingestion, and skin or eye contact.
tert-Butyl Alcohol (tBA) is used as a solvent; as a denaturant for ethanol and several other alcohols; in the manufacture of flotation agents, fruit essences, and perfumes; as an octane booster in gasoline; as a dehydrating agent; and as a chemical intermediate in the manufacture of methyl methacrylate. tBA's production for industrial uses may result in its direct release to the environment through various waste streams. tBA is also a likely degradation product of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). Probable routes of human exposure to tBA include inhalation, ingestion, and skin or eye contact.
Impact/Purpose
EPA is conducting an Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for tert-butanol (TBA). The outcome of this project is a Toxicological Review for TBA that will be entered into the IRIS database for use in decision making and risk assessment by EPA program and regional offices, as well as state, federal, and international agencies.
Status
Following external peer review, the assessment will be revised. The assessment will then undergo a final EPA internal review and a review by other federal agencies and the Executive Office of the President. Once final, the assessment will be posted to the IRIS database.
Citation
U.S. EPA. IRIS Toxicological Review of Tert-Butyl Alcohol (TBA) (External Review Draft, 2017). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/635/R-17/015, 2017.
History/Chronology
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| Aug 2013 | EPA released preliminary assessment materials (draft literature searches and associated search strategies, evidence tables and exposure response arrays) for discussion at an IRIS Public Science Meeting. |
| Dec 2013 | EPA discussed tert-butanol at the December 2013 IRIS public science meeting. |
| Sep 2014 | EPA sent an interagency science consultation draft for review and comment. |
| May 2016 | EPA released the public comment draft for public review and comment. |
| Jun 2016 | EPA convened a public science meeting June 29-30, 2016 to discuss the public comment draft. |
| Jun 2017 | EPA released the external review draft and charge to reviewers prior to the public peer review meeting.[SAB FR Notice Jun 16, 2017] |
| Jul 2017 | EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) hosted a public teleconference to discuss the draft assessment. |
| Aug 2017 | EPA's SAB hosted a 2-day public meeting on August 15-17, 2017, to discuss the draft assessment. |
| Feb 2019 | EPA's SAB released a final report of their review of the draft IRIS assessment (see downloads). |
This download(s) is distributed solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. It has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency determination or policy.
- IRIS Toxicological Review of tert-Butyl Alcohol (tert-Butanol) (External Review Draft) (PDF) (137 pp, 3 MB, about PDF)
- IRIS Toxicological Review of tert-Butyl Alcohol (tert-Butanol) (External Review Draft), Supplemental Information (External Review Draft) (PDF) (99 pp, 2 MB, about PDF)
- Draft Charge for the Peer Review of tert-Butanol (PDF) (4 pp, 740 KB, about PDF)
- SAB Final Charge to Reviewers (Jul 26, 2017)
- Review of EPA's Draft Assessment Entitled Toxicological Review of Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether and Toxicological Review of tert-Butyl Alcohol (tert-Butanol)
- AGENCY RESPONSE
Related Link(s)
- SAB Meeting Details (July & August 2017 public meetings)
- SAB Activity Page for tert-Butyl Alcohol (tert-butanol)
- IRIS Toxicological Review of Tert-Butyl Alcohol (TBA) (Preliminary Assessment Materials, 2013)
- IRIS Toxicological Review of Tert-Butyl Alcohol (TBA) (Public Comment Draft, 2016)
- IRIS Toxicological Review of Tert-Butyl Alcohol (TBA) (Interagency Science Consultation Draft, 2014)