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National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants

Propachlor

Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.

Propachlor is a carcinogenic herbicide that had been historically used on corn and sorghum. [read more]

Propachlor Propachlor is an herbicide that was used on corn and sorghum (Windholz 1983; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) 1998d). Propachlor is an irritant to the eyes and skin, and may have harmful effects on the kidneys and liver (International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) 1993). Propachlor has been classified as a likely human carcinogen because studies show it causes thyroid tumors in male rats, ovarian tumors in female rats and liver tumors in male mice, along with its ability to induce chromosomal damage (USEPA 1998d; California Environmental Protection Agency 2009d). Propachlor is also associated with adverse developmental effects and reproductive toxicity (California Environmental Protection Agency 2003a). Due to concerns over propachlor toxicity, most uses in the U.S. have been canceled.

	Detected	Found above health guidelines	Found above legal limit
States	4	1	-
Water utilities	6	2	-
People Served	230,978	219	-

Health Concerns for Propachlor:

• Cancer
• Allergies/immunotoxicity
• Occupational hazards
• Developmental/reproductive toxicity
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
• Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
• Ecotoxicology

Propachlor Exposure by State

Water utilities in 4 states have reported detecting Propachlor in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.

State	Water Suppliers with Propachlor contamination		Water suppliers reporting Propachlor above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
New York	3	1,019	2	219
Delaware	1	201,000	0	0
Arkansas	1	28,775	0	0
Maryland	1	184	0	0
Total	6	230,978	2	219

The Most Polluted Communities

6 water utilities reported detecting Propachlor in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies

Ranked by highest average Propachlor level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Sandy Acres Mobile Home Park Plattsburgh, NY	33	1 of 1	50 ppb (50 ppb)
2	Shircliff Court Grand Isle, NY	186	1 of 3	16.67 ppb (0 to 50 ppb)
3	Texarkana Water Utilities Texarkana, AR	28,775	1 of 3	0.07 ppb (0 to 0.22 ppb)
4	Luke / Newpage Luke Mill Luke, MD	184	3 of 11	0.05 ppb (0 to 0.2 ppb)
5	Mcwa, Genesee West Rochester, NY	800	1 of 4	0.04 ppb (0 to 0.15 ppb)
6	Artesian Water Company Newark, DE	201,000	1 of 85	< 0.01 ppb (0 to 0.18 ppb)

Health Based Limits for Propachlor

Standard	Description	Level
One in one million (10-6) Cancer Risk	The concentration of a chemical in drinking water corresponding to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 1,000,000. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	1 ppb
Health-Based Screening Level	A benchmark concentration of contaminants in water that may be of potential concern for human health, if exceeded. For noncarcinogens, the HBSL represents the contaminant concentration in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse effects over a lifetime of exposure. For carcinogens, the HBSL range represents the contaminant concentration in drinking water that corresponds to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 chance in 1 million to 1 chance in 10 thousand. Source: U.S. Geological Survey.	1 ppb-100 ppb
One in ten thousand (10-4) Cancer Risk	The concentration of a chemical in drinking water corresponding to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 10,000. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	100 ppb
Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for up to one day of exposure. The One-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	500 ppb
Children's health-based limit for 10-day exposure	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic effects for up to ten days of exposure. The Ten-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	500 ppb
Drinking Water Equivalent Level	A lifetime exposure concentration protective of adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects, that assumes all of the exposure to a contaminant is from drinking water. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	2000 ppb

Testing Summary for Propachlor

Are tests routinely required for Propachlor by federal law?	No
Water suppliers reporting tests for Propachlor (2004-2009):	13,789 of 47,576
Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009):	0.4 per year

Cancer

Type of concern:	Reference:
Possible human carcinogen	California EPA Proposition 65
Cancer - strong evidence	Proposition 65 List of Carcinogens
One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results	RTECS®- Mutation Research 1997
One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results	RTECS®- Eksperimentalna Meditsina i Morfologiya 1979
One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results	RTECS®- Cytology and Genetics (English Translation) 1980

Allergies/immunotoxicity

Type of concern:	Reference:
Limited evidence of immune system toxicity or allergies	European Union - Classification & Labelling
Limited evidence of immune system toxicity or allergies	European Economic Community, 1991

Occupational hazards

Type of concern:	Reference:
Allowed workplace exposures restricted to low doses	European Union - Classification & Labelling

Developmental/reproductive toxicity

Type of concern:	Reference:
Limited evidence of developmental toxicity	US EPA, 1788

Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)

Type of concern:	Reference:
Classified as irritant	European Union - Classification & Labelling

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Type of concern:	Reference:
Classified as toxic or harmful	European Union - Classification & Labelling
Limited evidence of sense organ toxicity	European Economic Community
One or more animal studies show classified as toxic effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient)	EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs

Ecotoxicology

Type of concern:	Reference:
Wildlife and environmental toxicity	European Union - Classification & Labelling

Government, industry, academic studies and classifications

government/industry list/academic study	appears on list as	classification(s)
European Union - Classification & Labelling	PROPACHLOR	•Harmful •Harmful if swallowed •Irritant (eyes, skin, or lungs) •Irritating to eyes •May cause sensitization by skin contact •Dangerous for the environment •Very toxic to aquatic organisms
EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs	PROPACHLOR	•Toxic, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxics Release Inventory programs
California EPA Proposition 65	PROPACHLOR	•Carcinogen: California Proposition 65
European Economic Community	PROPACHLOR	•Skin or sense organ toxicity hazards: suspected
European Economic Community, 1991	PROPACHLOR	•Immunotoxicity hazards: suspected
US EPA, 1788	PROPACHLOR	•Developmental toxicity hazards: suspected
Proposition 65 List of Carcinogens	PROPACHLOR	•Cancer hazards: recognized
RTECS®- Cytology and Genetics (English Translation) 1980	PROPACHLOR	• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis (mouse orl)
RTECS®- Eksperimentalna Meditsina i Morfologiya 1979	PROPACHLOR	• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: other mutation test systems (rat orl) • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: sperm (rat orl)
RTECS®- Mutation Research 1997	PROPACHLOR	• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Sister Chromatid Exchange ( human lym)

references

government/industry list/academic study	reference
European Union - Classification & Labelling	CPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP.
EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs	EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule.
California EPA Proposition 65	California EPA (California Environmental Protection Agency). 9/2008. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. Chemicals known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.
Scorecard.org Toxicity Information	European Economic Community. Sensitizing Substances in the EEC List of Dangerous Substances. Annex I to Council Directive 67/548/EEC. http://www.kemi.se/default_eng.cfm?page=klass_mark/klasshem_eng.htm
Scorecard.org Toxicity Information	European Economic Community. Sensitizing Substances in the EEC List of Dangerous Substances. Annex I to Council Directive 67/548/EEC. http://www.kemi.se/default_eng.cfm?page=klass_mark/klasshem_eng.htm, Nordic Council of Ministers (Nordic Allergy Project). Kriteriedokumenter fra nordisk allergiprojekt - vurdering af 50 kemiske stoffers evne til at forarsage allergi, en litteraturgennemgang. Nord 1991:51. Copenhagen, 1991.
Scorecard.org Toxicity Information	US EPA. Addition of Certain Chemicals; Toxic Chemical Release Reporting; Community Right to Know. Proposed and Final Rules. 59 Federal Register 1788 (Jan 12, 1994); 59 Federal Register 61432 (November 30, 1994). Summarized in Hazard Information on Toxic Chemicals Added to EPCRA Section 313 Under Chemical Expansion. http://www.epa.gov/tri/chemical/hazard_cx.htm
Scorecard.org Toxicity Information	Proposition 65 List of Carcinogens (July 2004) can be obtained from http://www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65/prop65_list/Newlist.html.
RTECS®- Cytology and Genetics (English Translation) 1980	RTECS®- Cytology and Genetics (English Translation). Translation of TGANAK. (Allerton Press Inc., 150 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011) V.8- 14(6),38,1980
RTECS®- Eksperimentalna Meditsina i Morfologiya 1979	RTECS®- Eksperimentalna Meditsina i Morfologiya. (Hemus, Blvd. Russki 6, Sofia, Bulgaria) V.1- 1962- 18,35,1979
RTECS®- Mutation Research 1997	RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 395,159,1997

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