Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Averydale Mutual Water Company

Carbon tetrachloride, a volatile carcinogenic solvent, has been used in industrial chemical production and as a dry cleaning ingredient. Read More.

Carbon tetrachloride is no longer permitted in products intended for home use in the U.S. In the past, it was widely used as a dry cleaning ingredient, fire extinguishing chemical, pesticide and chemical intermediate for manufacturing refrigerants. Carbon tetrachloride does not break down easily and can remain in groundwater for years. In addition to increasing cancer risk, carbon tetrachloride harms the liver and causes central nervous system depression, irregular heart rate, and kidney damage. Maternal exposure to carbon tetrachloride in drinking water has been associated with a risk of birth defects.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

25

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND50ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND40ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND40ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.1 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.1 ppb for carbon tetrachloride 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): 5 ppb

The legal limit for carbon tetrachloride, established in 1987, 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 carbon tetrachloride exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-02-06CA1910023_004_004-201802061330ND
2018-02-20CA1910023_004_004-201802201400ND
2018-08-21CA1910023_006_006-201808211324ND
2018-08-21CA1910023_003_003-201808211241ND
2018-08-21CA1910023_001_001-201808211318ND
2019-02-19CA1910023_004_004-201902191302ND
2019-08-20CA1910023_003_003-201908201400ND
2019-08-20CA1910023_006_006-201908201426ND
2019-08-20CA1910023_001_001-201908201422ND
2020-02-18CA1910023_004_004-202002181305ND
2020-08-18CA1910023_006_006-202008181334ND
2020-08-18CA1910023_003_003-202008181300ND
2020-08-18CA1910023_001_001-202008181317ND
2021-02-16CA1910023_004_004-202102161355ND
2021-08-17CA1910023_003_003-202108171430ND
2021-08-17CA1910023_006_006-202108171454ND
2021-08-17CA1910023_001_001-202108171450ND
2022-02-22CA1910023_004_004-202202221258ND
2022-08-16CA1910023_006_006-202208161254ND
2022-08-16CA1910023_003_003-202208161240ND
2022-08-16CA1910023_001_001-202208161250ND
2023-02-21CA1910023_004_004-202302211250ND
2023-08-15CA1910023_006_006-202308151405ND
2023-08-15CA1910023_001_001-202308151400ND
2023-08-15CA1910023_003_003-202308151340ND