Chemical hazards in drinking-water - nitrobenzene
Rolling revision of the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality
Nitrobenzene is included in the plan of work of the rolling revision of the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality.
Expected end-product(s)
Background document for fourth edition.
Progress to date
The Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality Final Task Force meeting (Geneva, 2003) recommended that a background document on nitrobenzene be prepared based on EHC 230, published in 2003.
The Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality Working Group (2004) decided that a background document cannot be prepared, as data are inadequate to determine a NOAEL for humans for the end-point of concern (methaemoglobinaemia) and there are no data on occurrence of nitrobenzene in drinking-water. The Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality Working Group (2005) determined that nitrobenzene does occur in drinking-water, although at low levels.