DEHP Concentrations in New Mexico Community Water Systems: Annual Mean and Maximum DEHP Concentration (Micrograms per Liter) by Year, 1999-2020, 1999 to 2022
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Why Is This Important?
DEHP is a man-made chemical commonly added to plastics to increase their elasticity. It is a colorless oily liquid with a slight odor (https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/ToxProfiles/ToxProfiles.aspx?id=684&tid=65). It is slightly soluble in water. It is lipophilic and therefore, soluble in blood and body fluids containing lipoproteins. Most (about 95%) of DEHP produced is added as a plasticizer to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for manufacturing flexible vinyl products. A long list of PVC products containing DEHP includes tablecloths, shower curtains, furniture and automobile upholstery, imitation leather, garden hoses, vinyl floor tiles and flooring, swimming-pool liners, sheathing for wire and cable, rainwear, shoes, toys, food packaging materials, weather stripping and medical devices, such as blood and intravenous solution bags, catheters, tubing for dialysis and intravenous solutions, and oxygen masks. Due to its widespread use in plastics, DEHP may be present everywhere in the environment, including air, soil, water, plants, fish, and other animals. DEHP in soil, water, and animals high on the food chain can be broken down by microorganisms into harmless chemicals, with gaseous carbon dioxide being one of the main products. It does not break down easily when present in the deep soil or on the bottom of lakes and rivers, as it attaches strongly to soil/sediment particles. For the general public, ingestion of contaminated drinking water and food, inhalation of contaminated indoor air, and exposure through medical procedures are the primary pathways of potential exposure to DEHP.
Definition
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) concentrations (in micrograms of DEHP per liter of water or mcg/L) in community drinking water systems (CWS) are combined with information about each CWS (such as service population) to generate the following measures shown in this report: 1) statewide DEHP concentration distribution in CWSs by mean and maximum over time, 2) annual distribution of mean and maximum DEHP concentration for persons served by CWS and 3) annual distribution of mean and maximum DEHP concentration by CWS. Go to the NM Tracking to generate your data queries at https://nmtracking.doh.nm.gov/dataportal/query/Index.html. A CWS is a public water system (PWS) that serves year-round residents of a community, subdivision, or mobile home park that has at least 15 service connections or an average of at least 25 residents. These CWSs are a subset of all New Mexico PWSs.
How the Measure is Calculated
Numerator:
Concentration of DEHP.Denominator:
Not applicable