Ethyl Benzene

Toxicological Profile

At a glance

NCEH/ATSDR makes peer review information available to demonstrate efforts to utilize transparent and independent peer review, appropriate research methods, and the highest level of data quality. This ATSDR toxicological profile succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects of ethyl benzene.

Details

Title: Toxicological Profile for Ethyl Benzene

Subject of planned Report: The ATSDR toxicological profile succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects for the substance being described.

Purpose of Planned Report: The purpose of the toxicological profile is to provide a source of toxicological and epidemiological data. Data on these hazardous substances most commonly found at hazardous waste sites supports public health assessment efforts.

Type of Dissemination: ISI

Timing of Review (including deferrals): April 2010

Type of Review (panel, individual or alternative procedure): Individual

Opportunities for the Public to Comment (how and when): A draft of this profile was made available on October 23, 2007. The draft was available for a 90-day public comment period.

Peer Reviewers Provided with Public Comments before the Review: No

Anticipated Number of Reviewers: 3 or fewer

Primary Disciplines or Expertise: toxicology, environmental health, chemistry

Reviewers Selected by (agency or designated outside organization): CDC/ATSDR

Public Nominations Requested for Reviewers: No

Charge to Peer Reviewers: DTEM Charge to Peer Reviewers

Reviewers

Academic and Professional Credentials
  • A.B., Chemistry, Hamilton College
  • Ph.D., Anatomy and Teratology, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Fellow, Academy of Toxicological Sciences (1999)
  • Fellow, American College of Forensic Examiners (1998)
  • Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Examiners (1995)
Current Position Title
  • Senior Fellow
  • Senior Principal Scientist for Health Science, Toxicology, and Risk Assessment
  • Director of the Biomedical Research Institute, Mitretek Systems Center for Science and Technology
Organizational Affiliation(s)
Current and past member of:
  • Academy of Toxicological Sciences
  • American Association of Anatomists
  • American College of Forensic Examiners
  • American Society for Cell Biology
  • American Society for Reproductive Medicine (formerly American Fertility Society)
  • Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology
  • International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics
  • Microscopy Society of America
  • Mid Atlantic Reproduction and Teratology Association (MARTA)
  • Sigma Xi Society for Risk Analysis
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, Relevant Experiences
Dr. DeSesso is a highly experienced toxicologist, teratologist, and expert in risk assessment and reproductive toxicology. In addition to his extensive work for private industry, he has served on numerous government scientific panels and peer review committees, particularly for EPA, FDA, and the US Air Force. He has peer reviewed for the EPA Office of Toxic Substances (OTS) and prepared and supervised Health Hazard Assessments (HHA) for EPA. For the National Research Council, Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, he was an external reviewer of Scientific Frontiers in Developmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment.

Dr. DeSesso has also reviewed manuscripts for nine major journals. He has reviewed grant proposals for the:

  • United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation
  • Environmental Protection Agency’s Cooperative Agreements Program,
  • National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
  • National Institute of Alcoholism & Alcohol Abuse
  • National Foundation/March of Dimes
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
He has served as an ad hoc reviewer for several National Institutes of Health Study Sections including:
  • Pharmacology
  • Human Embryology and Development 2
  • Safety and Occupational Health
  • Neuroscience and Behavior
In addition, he has served as a referee for the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Health Sciences Prize (Canada). He has also served as a reviewer for grant applications for Pomona College Irvine Grants and Air Force Broad Agency Announcements.
Recommended by Scientific/Professional
Society or General Public
No

Dr. DeSesso's experience continued

Among his projects as Senior Scientist at Mitretek, Dr. DeSesso has headed:

  • The assessment of the state of the science regarding interpretation of neural tube defects observed in safety tests.
  • Preparation of a new risk assessment concerning the developmental toxicity potential of environmental exposure to inorganic arsenic.
  • The assessment of the use of bioavailability data in non-cancer risk assessment.

In addition to this work for government and private sector clients, Dr. DeSesso has published numerous scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and presentations to scientific meetings. He currently holds faculty appointments at three medical colleges and universities.

Dr. DeSesso has served as a committee member or committee chairman in the Society of Toxicology, the American Society of Testing Materials, and the Teratology Society. He served as an officer of both the Teratology Society (including treasurer, vice-president, president). He also served as the president of the Mid Atlantic Reproduction and Teratology Association (MARTA). He has been the Chairman of the scientific program committees for two national meetings of the Teratology Society including, one meeting with the International Federation of Teratology Societies.

Academic and Professional Credentials
Ph.D., Pharmacology/Toxicology, University of Arizona
Current Position Title
Professor and Director of Toxicology research, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University
Organizational Affiliation(s)
  • Member, TLV® Chemical Substances Committee of the American Congress of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (2005)
  • Member, Committee on Toxicology of the National Research Council
  • Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, Relevant Experiences
Professor McDougal is a highly experienced research toxicologist expert in inhalation toxicology and dermal absorption of toxic substances. Prior to his tenure as professor at Wright State University, he held positions as:

  • Senior Scientist and Department Manager of the Operational Toxicology Branch at Ge0-Centers (Wright-Patterson AFB)
  • Director of Research and Deputy Director of the Toxicology Division at Armstrong Laboratory (Wright-Patterson AFB)
  • Chief of Life Sciences and Human Systems at the European Office of Aerospace Research & Development under the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, in New York.
He has authored and coauthored over 45 peer-reviewed professional journal articles on his research into dermal exposures and inhalation toxicology. In 1985, he was cited for the Paper of the Year by the Inhalation Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology. In addition, Professor McDougal has authored and co-authored numerous book chapters and contributions to professional society proceedings. He was the senior author, for example, of Biologically Based Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Models of the Skin, in Dermal Absorption Models in Toxicology and Pharmacology, J.E. Riviere (ed., 2005), pp 89-112.
Recommended by Scientific/Professional
Society or General Public
No

Academic and Professional Credentials
D. Phil, M.A., B.A. (Biochemistry), Oxford University, U.K. (St. John’s College)
Current Position Title
Senior Toxicologist and Chief, Air Toxicology and Risk Assessment Section, Air Toxicology and Epidemiology Branch
Organizational Affiliation(s)
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, Relevant Experiences
Dr. Salmon was editor and contributing author of the health effects section of the report “Health and Environmental Assessment of the Use of Ethanol as a Fuel Oxygenate.” This report was delivered to the California Environmental Policy Council in December 1999. He has been principal or contributing author of a number of health risk assessments of potentially carcinogenic chemicals in drinking water, including Public Health Goal documents on MTBE, DEHP, and perchloroethylene.

He also worked for a number of years for the program that supplies technical support for the Proposition 65 program. He prepared several documents providing prioritization, hazard identification and dose-response assessments of carcinogenic chemicals. In addition to the 89 items articles in scientific journals and books, and conference presentations with peer-reviewed and published abstracts, he has contributed to numerous internal technical reports and State of California regulatory or guidance documents.
Recommended by Scientific/Professional
Society or General Public
No

Dr. Salmon's experience continued

Dr. Salmon leads the group of toxicologists in OEHHA responsible for public health risk assessments of Toxic Air Contaminants (TACs) under the State of California's Air Toxics programs. This includes development of risk assessments for the TACs, which are used by the California Air Resources Board for their Air Toxics Control Measures. The group also provides the methodological guidelines and health protective standards for the Hot Spots program. These guidelines are used by local Air Quality Management Districts in regulating stationary sources of TACs and other air pollutants.

Dr. Salmon's group is currently evaluating all of the Air Toxics public health standards to determine whether these are protective of the health of children and other potentially sensitive sub-populations. This is in response to California's recent Children's Environmental Health Protection legislation ("SB25").

Earlier research activities included a range of biochemical and toxicological studies (including inhalation exposure studies) undertaken at academic and commercial laboratories. Interests included:

  • Chemical carcinogenesis
  • Pharmacokinetics and metabolism (including biophysical and cell culture studies of cytochrome P-450
  • Metabolism studies in vivo and in vitro of pesticides and volatile halocarbons)
  • Neurobehavioral studies of hydrocarbon solvents.

He also studied toxic effects of methyl isocyanate, working with epidemiologists who were examining the after-effects of the Bhopal disaster.