1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP)

Makawao

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane is a pesticide fumigant banned in the 1970s after scientists discovered it caused sterility in men who worked with it. The chemical causes cancer in laboratory animals and may cause cancer in people. Read More.

This pesticide breaks down very slowly in the environment. It remains in groundwater and drinking water wells in the agricultural areas where it was sprayed in the past. Men exposed to this pesticide in the fields suffered from infertility and testicular damage, and tended to have fewer male babies.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

115

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2014	0.0114 ppb	38	26	ND - 0.0190 ppb
2015	0.0177 ppb	13	12	ND - 0.0230 ppb
2016	0.0167 ppb	15	13	ND - 0.0230 ppb
2017	0.0131 ppb	20	14	ND - 0.0200 ppb
2018	0.0169 ppb	15	14	ND - 0.0210 ppb
2019	0.0166 ppb	14	13	ND - 0.0200 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.0017 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.0017 ppb for 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 0.2 ppb

The legal limit for 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, established in 1991, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date	Lab ID	Result
2014-02-20	201402260442	0.0160 ppb
2014-02-20	201402260442	0.0160 ppb
2014-03-12	201403140362	0.0180 ppb
2014-03-12	201403140362	0.0180 ppb
2014-03-17	201403190885	ND
2014-03-17	201403190888	ND
2014-03-17	201403190889	ND
2014-03-17	201403190885	ND
2014-03-17	201403190888	ND
2014-03-17	201403190889	ND
2014-03-18	201403200528	0.0170 ppb
2014-03-18	201403200528	0.0170 ppb
2014-04-10	201404150381	0.0170 ppb
2014-04-10	201404150381	0.0170 ppb
2014-04-29	201405010562	0.0180 ppb
2014-04-29	201405010616	ND
2014-04-29	201405010665	ND
2014-04-29	201405010562	0.0180 ppb
2014-04-29	201405010616	ND
2014-04-29	201405010665	ND
2014-05-01	201405050006	ND
2014-05-01	201405050006	ND
2014-05-21	201405230299	0.0150 ppb
2014-05-21	201405230299	0.0150 ppb
2014-06-09	201406111008	0.0150 ppb
2014-06-09	201406111008	0.0150 ppb
2014-07-22	201407240309	0.0150 ppb
2014-07-22	201407240309	0.0150 ppb
2014-08-13	201408150424	0.0150 ppb
2014-08-13	201408150424	0.0150 ppb
2014-09-10	201409130140	0.0180 ppb
2014-09-10	201409130140	0.0180 ppb
2014-10-15	201410170308	0.0190 ppb
2014-10-15	201410170308	0.0190 ppb
2014-11-13	201411180413	0.0170 ppb
2014-11-13	201411180413	0.0170 ppb
2014-12-17	201412180338	0.0160 ppb
2014-12-17	201412180338	0.0160 ppb
2015-01-15	201501170063	0.0180 ppb
2015-01-15	201501170064	0.0190 ppb
2015-01-28	201501300213	ND
2015-02-05	201502100339	0.0200 ppb
2015-03-12	201503170677	0.0200 ppb
2015-05-07	201505120231	0.0160 ppb
2015-06-23	201506250441	0.0230 ppb
2015-07-23	201507280387	0.0180 ppb
2015-08-06	201508110467	0.0200 ppb
2015-09-08	201509100857	0.0150 ppb
2015-10-21	201510230201	0.0200 ppb
2015-11-18	201511200257	0.0220 ppb
2015-12-10	201510170113	0.0190 ppb
2016-01-14		0.0170 ppb
2016-02-17		0.0200 ppb
2016-02-19		0.0200 ppb
2016-02-19		ND
2016-03-16		0.0190 ppb
2016-04-21		0.0230 ppb
2016-05-24		0.0190 ppb
2016-05-24		ND
2016-06-16		0.0190 ppb
2016-07-14		0.0190 ppb
2016-08-11		0.0180 ppb
2016-09-26		0.0190 ppb
2016-10-26		0.0190 ppb
2016-11-21		0.0180 ppb
2016-12-20		0.0200 ppb
2017-01-19		0.0190 ppb
2017-01-27		ND
2017-01-31		0.0190 ppb
2017-01-31		ND
2017-01-31		ND
2017-02-09		0.0200 ppb
2017-03-20		0.0200 ppb
2017-04-25		0.0190 ppb
2017-05-11		0.0190 ppb
2017-06-27		0.0180 ppb
2017-07-20		0.0180 ppb
2017-08-04		0.0180 ppb
2017-09-07		ND
2017-09-21		0.0190 ppb
2017-10-19		0.0180 ppb
2017-10-25		0.0180 ppb
2017-10-25		ND
2017-10-25		ND
2017-11-08		0.0180 ppb
2017-12-01		0.0180 ppb
2018-01-18	201801190425	0.0170 ppb
2018-02-01	201802020326	0.0180 ppb
2018-02-01	201802020127	ND
2018-02-01	201802020322	0.0170 ppb
2018-03-01	201803050156	0.0170 ppb
2018-04-02	201804030559	0.0180 ppb
2018-05-10	201805110553	0.0190 ppb
2018-06-07	201804160017	0.0180 ppb
2018-06-15	201806190238	0.0180 ppb
2018-07-05	201805170027	0.0210 ppb
2018-08-09	201806160106	0.0180 ppb
2018-09-06	201807170008	0.0200 ppb
2018-10-19	201810230619	0.0180 ppb
2018-11-01	201811060443	0.0180 ppb
2018-12-14	201812180301	0.0160 ppb
2019-01-16	201901180113	0.0200 ppb
2019-01-30	201902010208	0.0170 ppb
2019-01-30	201902010195	ND
2019-02-20	201901300107	0.0170 ppb
2019-03-21	201901300105	0.0180 ppb
2019-04-17	201902140009	0.0190 ppb
2019-05-16	201903160040	0.0180 ppb
2019-06-19	201904160009	0.0170 ppb
2019-07-11	201907160443	0.0170 ppb
2019-08-23	201906160007	0.0180 ppb
2019-09-24	201909250558	0.0180 ppb
2019-10-16	201910180494	0.0160 ppb
2019-11-21	201909160019	0.0200 ppb
2019-12-12	201910170056	0.0180 ppb