1,4-Dioxane

Environmental behavior

Persistence and movement

It mixes readily with water, moves rapidly through groundwater, and is difficult to remove using conventional carbon treatment.

Pathways

How exposure may occur

• Drinking contaminated water
• Breathing contaminated workplace air
• Skin contact can contribute in concentrated occupational settings

People

Potential long-term human effects

• Long-term exposure can affect the liver and kidneys.
• Health agencies evaluate it as a potential or likely cancer hazard based largely on animal evidence.

Other living systems

Potential ecological effects

• It generally has lower acute aquatic toxicity than many solvents but can persist in contaminated groundwater.
• Ecological significance depends on concentration and discharge to surface water.

Limits

Important uncertainty

Its high water solubility makes plume boundaries and drinking-water pathways particularly important.