ethylbenzene

[eth-uhl-ben-zeen, -ben-zeen]

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless liquid, C 8 H 10 , used chiefly as an intermediate in the manufacture of styrene and as a solvent and diluent for paints and varnishes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ethylbenzene¹

First recorded in 1870–75; ethyl + benzene

Example Sentences

Wells, storage tanks and other equipment release a mix of particularly hazardous petroleum-based gases known as BTEX, for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene.

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The agency noted Tesla’s use of toxic chemicals in its paint shop — formaldehyde, ethylbenzene, naphthalene, and xylene, “known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious side effects.”

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“We found chemicals like benzene and butylcyclohexane in drinking water and air samples, and breakdown products for chemicals like ethylbenzene, styrene, and toluene in the bodies of children living near fracking wells at levels up to 91 times as high as the average American,” the researchers recounted.

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Water samples taken for the study showed that irrigation wells in the agribusiness-heavy county contained benzene, ethylbenzene and xylenes.

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A 2018 Iranian study found similar concentrations of benzene, ethylbenzene, and xylene in Tehran beauty salons.

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