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

City of Upland

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

110

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	0.0464 ppb	13	8	ND - 0.110 ppb
2015	0.0642 ppb	11	8	ND - 0.1000 ppb
2016	0.0315 ppb	15	8	ND - 0.0980 ppb
2017	0.0283 ppb	18	8	ND - 0.0800 ppb
2018	0.0294 ppb	18	8	ND - 0.0840 ppb
2019	0.0105 ppb	35	12	ND - 0.0420 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
2014-01-14	9590-001-1045	ND
2014-01-14	9590-023-1355	0.0410 ppb
2014-01-14	9590-026-1330	0.0250 ppb
2014-01-14	9590-038-0735	ND
2014-04-30	9590-023-0814	0.1000 ppb
2014-04-30	9590-026-0840	0.0300 ppb
2014-04-30	9590-038-1107	ND
2014-07-16	9590-023-1228	0.0990 ppb
2014-07-16	9590-026-1246	0.110 ppb
2014-07-16	9590-038-0900	ND
2014-10-08	9590-023-1222	0.1000 ppb
2014-10-08	9590-026-1245	0.0980 ppb
2014-10-08	9590-038-0851	ND
2015-01-13	9590-023-1224	0.0590 ppb
2015-01-13	9590-026-0739	0.0910 ppb
2015-01-13	9590-038-0855	ND
2015-04-28	9590-023-1017	0.0950 ppb
2015-04-28	9590-026-1039	0.0900 ppb
2015-07-27	9590-023-0732	0.1000 ppb
2015-07-27	9590-026-1008	0.1000 ppb
2015-07-27	9590-038-0715	ND
2015-10-20	9590-023-0745	0.0730 ppb
2015-10-20	9590-026-1005	0.0980 ppb
2015-10-20	9590-038-0948	ND
2016-01-27	9590-023-1124	0.0980 ppb
2016-01-27	9590-026-1324	0.0310 ppb
2016-01-27	9590-038-0935	ND
2016-04-27	9590-023-1315	0.0820 ppb
2016-04-27	9590-026-1107	0.0970 ppb
2016-04-27	9590-038-0917	ND
2016-07-20	9590-023-0730	0.0260 ppb
2016-07-20	9590-026-0630	0.0820 ppb
2016-07-20	9590-038-0726	ND
2016-08-17	9590-024-0830	ND
2016-08-17	9590-036-0930	ND
2016-08-17	9590-040-0930	ND
2016-10-18	9590-023-0725	0.0460 ppb
2016-10-18	9590-026-1115	0.0110 ppb
2016-10-18	9590-038-0800	ND
2017-01-27	9590-001-1200	ND
2017-01-27	9590-023-0755	0.0760 ppb
2017-01-27	9590-026-0745	0.0620 ppb
2017-01-27	9590-038-1050	ND
2017-02-02	9590-001-1110	ND
2017-04-27	9590-001-0837	ND
2017-04-27	9590-023-0947	0.0800 ppb
2017-04-27	9590-026-0735	0.0770 ppb
2017-04-27	9590-038-0825	ND
2017-07-26	9590-001-0815	ND
2017-07-26	9590-023-1430	0.0590 ppb
2017-07-26	9590-026-1417	0.0540 ppb
2017-07-26	9590-038-0942	ND
2017-08-23	9590-021-0831	ND
2017-10-25	9590-001-0745	ND
2017-10-25	9590-023-0845	0.0670 ppb
2017-10-25	9590-026-0823	0.0350 ppb
2017-10-25	9590-038-1050	ND
2018-01-31	9590-001-1110	ND
2018-01-31	9590-023-0800	0.0840 ppb
2018-01-31	9590-026-0816	0.0710 ppb
2018-01-31	9590-038-0851	ND
2018-04-10	9590-040-1330	ND
2018-06-06	9590-001-0935	ND
2018-06-06	9590-023-0910	0.0580 ppb
2018-06-06	9590-026-0925	0.0520 ppb
2018-06-06	9590-038-0820	ND
2018-07-10	9590-040-1400	ND
2018-07-25	9590-001-0900	ND
2018-07-25	9590-023-1057	0.0630 ppb
2018-07-25	9590-026-1037	0.0520 ppb
2018-07-25	9590-038-0950	ND
2018-10-24	9590-001-1212	ND
2018-10-24	9590-023-0945	0.0790 ppb
2018-10-24	9590-026-0920	0.0710 ppb
2018-10-24	9590-038-0810	ND
2019-01-30	9590-001-0830	ND
2019-01-30	9590-023-0955	0.0160 ppb
2019-01-30	9590-038-0749	ND
2019-04-24	9590-001-0835	ND
2019-04-24	9590-023-0925	0.0220 ppb
2019-07-23	9590-040-1352	ND
2019-07-24	9590-001-1115	ND
2019-08-29	9590-023-1030	0.0280 ppb
2019-08-29	9590-024-0937	ND
2019-08-29	9590-036-1035	ND
2019-09-17	9590-040-1412	ND
2019-09-24	9590-023-1430	0.0290 ppb
2019-09-24	9590-040-1345	ND
2019-10-01	9590-040-1345	ND
2019-10-08	9590-023-1310	0.0340 ppb
2019-10-08	9590-040-1443	ND
2019-10-15	9590-040-0139	ND
2019-10-22	9590-023-0136	0.0320 ppb
2019-10-22	9590-040-0230	ND
2019-10-23	9590-001-0833	ND
2019-10-23	9590-023-0944	0.0320 ppb
2019-10-29	9590-040-1344	ND
2019-11-05	9590-040-1326	ND
2019-11-12	9590-040-1347	ND
2019-11-19	9590-023-0955	0.0290 ppb
2019-11-19	9590-040-1050	ND
2019-11-26	9590-040-1410	ND
2019-11-27	9590-023-0140	0.0390 ppb
2019-12-03	9590-023-1349	0.0290 ppb
2019-12-04	9590-040-1300	ND
2019-12-10	9590-040-1320	ND
2019-12-17	9590-023-1320	0.0420 ppb
2019-12-17	9590-040-1247	ND
2019-12-23	9590-040-1226	ND
2019-12-30	9590-023-1506	0.0370 ppb