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

City of Livingston

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

130

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2013	N/A	0	0	N/A
2014	0.01000 ppb	28	6	ND - 0.0800 ppb
2015	0.0185 ppb	27	9	ND - 0.110 ppb
2016	0.0348 ppb	31	16	ND - 0.190 ppb
2017	0.0376 ppb	27	13	ND - 0.170 ppb
2018	0.0250 ppb	14	3	ND - 0.120 ppb
2019	ND	3	0	ND

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
2014-02-04	4450-008-1220	ND
2014-02-04	4450-011-1220	ND
2014-02-04	4450-012-1150	ND
2014-02-28	4450-009-1310	ND
2014-03-04	4450-009-1120	ND
2014-03-04	4450-014-1050	0.0300 ppb
2014-03-11	4450-012-1030	ND
2014-04-15	4450-009-1215	ND
2014-05-06	4450-008-1135	ND
2014-05-06	4450-009-1145	ND
2014-05-06	4450-011-1200	ND
2014-05-06	4450-012-1240	ND
2014-06-03	4450-009-1200	ND
2014-06-03	4450-014-1120	0.0300 ppb
2014-07-01	4450-009-1145	0.0300 ppb
2014-08-05	4450-008-1210	ND
2014-08-05	4450-009-1225	ND
2014-08-05	4450-011-1240	ND
2014-08-05	4450-012-1320	ND
2014-09-02	4450-009-1230	0.0700 ppb
2014-09-02	4450-014-1140	0.0400 ppb
2014-09-02	4450-025-1155	ND
2014-10-07	4450-009-0955	ND
2014-11-10	4450-008-0830	ND
2014-11-10	4450-011-0845	ND
2014-11-10	4450-012-0940	ND
2014-11-26	4450-009-1200	ND
2014-12-09	4450-014-0830	0.0800 ppb
2015-02-10	4450-008-0919	ND
2015-02-10	4450-009-0946	ND
2015-02-10	4450-011-1003	ND
2015-02-10	4450-012-1046	ND
2015-03-10	4450-009-0950	ND
2015-03-10	4450-014-0901	0.0400 ppb
2015-04-13	4450-009-1107	ND
2015-05-12	4450-009-1205	ND
2015-05-12	4450-011-1225	ND
2015-05-12	4450-012-0955	ND
2015-05-14	4450-008-1510	ND
2015-06-09	4450-009-1210	0.0300 ppb
2015-06-09	4450-014-1055	0.110 ppb
2015-07-15	4450-009-1009	0.0500 ppb
2015-08-03	4450-008-1200	ND
2015-08-03	4450-009-1215	0.0300 ppb
2015-08-03	4450-011-1230	ND
2015-08-03	4450-012-1050	ND
2015-09-08	4450-009-1140	0.0300 ppb
2015-09-08	4450-014-1055	0.0700 ppb
2015-10-12	4450-009-1430	0.0800 ppb
2015-11-09	4450-008-1400	ND
2015-11-09	4450-009-1215	ND
2015-11-09	4450-011-1155	ND
2015-12-14	4450-009-1250	ND
2015-12-14	4450-012-1250	ND
2015-12-14	4450-014-1220	0.0600 ppb
2016-01-11	4450-009-1425	0.0200 ppb
2016-02-08	4450-008-1410	ND
2016-02-08	4450-009-1425	ND
2016-02-08	4450-011-1450	ND
2016-02-08	4450-012-1520	ND
2016-03-14	4450-009-1300	0.0200 ppb
2016-03-14	4450-014-1205	0.0800 ppb
2016-04-11	5810-009-1159	0.0380 ppb
2016-05-09	5810-008-1040	0.0110 ppb
2016-05-09	5810-009-1020	0.0400 ppb
2016-05-09	5810-011-1000	ND
2016-05-09	5810-012-1208	0.0220 ppb
2016-05-09	5810-015-1240	ND
2016-06-13	4450-009-1105	ND
2016-06-13	4450-014-1055	0.1000 ppb
2016-07-11	5810-009-1040	0.0520 ppb
2016-08-08	4450-008-1145	ND
2016-08-08	4450-009-1220	ND
2016-08-08	4450-011-1245	ND
2016-08-08	4450-012-1040	ND
2016-09-09	5810-009-1125	0.0480 ppb
2016-09-09	5810-014-1045	0.140 ppb
2016-10-10	5810-009-1130	0.0450 ppb
2016-10-10	5810-014-1000	0.160 ppb
2016-11-08	5810-008-0920	ND
2016-11-14	5810-009-1400	0.0620 ppb
2016-11-14	4450-011-1410	ND
2016-11-14	4450-012-1110	ND
2016-11-17	5810-013-0930	ND
2016-12-12	5810-009-1025	0.0500 ppb
2016-12-12	5810-014-1000	0.190 ppb
2017-01-09	5810-009-1025	0.0450 ppb
2017-02-13	5810-009-1005	0.0430 ppb
2017-02-13	5810-011-1020	ND
2017-02-13	5810-012-1135	ND
2017-03-13	5810-009-1020	0.0440 ppb
2017-03-13	5810-012-1305	ND
2017-03-13	5810-014-1135	0.170 ppb
2017-04-10	5810-009-1015	0.0370 ppb
2017-05-08	5810-009-0945	0.0430 ppb
2017-05-08	5810-011-1000	ND
2017-05-08	5810-012-1110	ND
2017-05-09	5810-028-1000	ND
2017-06-13	5810-009-0915	0.0490 ppb
2017-06-13	5810-014-1120	0.160 ppb
2017-06-16	5810-008-1345	ND
2017-07-10	5810-009-1200	0.0490 ppb
2017-08-14	5810-008-1410	ND
2017-08-14	5810-009-1020	0.0460 ppb
2017-08-14	5810-011-1005	ND
2017-08-14	5810-012-1200	ND
2017-09-11	5810-009-1125	0.0490 ppb
2017-09-12	5810-014-1015	0.150 ppb
2017-09-12	5810-025-0910	ND
2017-11-13	5810-011-1220	ND
2017-11-13	5810-012-1115	ND
2017-11-16	5810-008-0940	ND
2017-12-11	5810-014-1425	0.130 ppb
2018-02-12	5810-008-1340	ND
2018-02-12	5810-011-1015	ND
2018-02-12	5810-012-1045	ND
2018-03-12	5810-014-1330	0.120 ppb
2018-05-14	5810-008-1415	ND
2018-05-14	5810-011-1350	ND
2018-05-14	5810-012-1125	ND
2018-05-14	5810-028-1040	ND
2018-06-11	5810-014-1055	0.120 ppb
2018-08-13	5810-008-1305	ND
2018-08-13	5810-011-1010	ND
2018-08-13	5810-012-1150	ND
2018-09-10	5810-014-1305	0.110 ppb
2018-11-09	5810-028-1508	ND
2019-11-26	5810-013-0855	ND
2019-11-26	5810-015-1015	ND
2019-11-26	5810-028-0915	ND