Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

Gurdon Waterworks

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.

 

27

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND100ND
2020ND30ND
2021ND60ND
2022ND50ND
2023N/A00N/A

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-01-2218025000709ND
2018-04-2418115005403ND
2018-04-2418115005503ND
2019-01-2319024002009ND
2019-01-2319024002101ND
2019-01-2319024002003ND
2019-04-3019122001708ND
2019-04-3019122001703ND
2019-08-0619220001803ND
2019-08-0619220001809ND
2019-09-0319248000101ND
2019-11-1819324000203ND
2019-11-1819324000209ND
2020-02-0420037002001ND
2020-02-0420037002101ND
2020-02-0420037002201ND
2021-02-0921041002203ND
2021-02-0921041002103ND
2021-02-0921041002401ND
2021-02-0921041002108ND
2021-04-0521098004003ND
2021-04-0521098004103ND
2022-01-1022013000101ND
2022-01-1122013002609ND
2022-01-1122013002603ND
2022-05-04O197615-EDB-1ND
2022-10-03O202442-VOC-1ND