US EPA

The Health and Environmental Effects Profile for methyl ethyl ketone was prepared by the Office of Health and Environmental Assessment, Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office, Cincinnati, OH for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response to support listings of hazardous constituents of a wide range of waste streams under Section 3001 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and to provide health-related limits for emergency actions under Section 101 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). Both published literature and information obtained from Agency program office files were evaluated as they pertained to potential human health, aquatic life and environmental effects of hazardous waste constituents. Quantitative estimates have been presented provided sufficient data are available. Methyl ethyl ketone has been determined to be a systemic toxicant. An Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), defined as the amount of a chemical to which humans can be exposed on a daily basis over an extended period of time (usually a lifetime) without suffering a deleterious effect, for methyl ethyl ketone is 3.2 mg/day for oral exposure. The Reportable Quantity (RQ) value of 1, 10, 100, 1000 or 5000 pounds is used to determine the quantity of a hazardous substance for which notification is required in the event of a release as specified by CERCLA based on chronic toxicity. The RQ value for methyl ethyl ketone is 1000.

U.S. EPA. Health And Environmental Effects Profile for Methyl Ethyl Ketone. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/X-85/363 (NTIS PB88180476).

See also PB86-134111. repared in cooperation with Syracuse Research Corp., NY.