Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

San Antonio 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.

 

20

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND90ND
2020ND10ND
2021N/A00N/A
2022ND100ND
2023N/A00N/A

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
2019-07-16CA3610085_013_013-201907161350ND
2019-07-16CA3610085_016_016-201907161200ND
2019-07-16CA3610085_003_003-201907161305ND
2019-07-16CA3610085_018_018-201907161130ND
2019-07-16CA3610085_017_017-201907161330ND
2019-07-16CA3610085_001_001-201907161100ND
2019-07-16CA3610085_002_002-201907161140ND
2019-07-16CA3610085_011_011-201907161250ND
2019-07-17CA3610085_004_004-201907170800ND
2020-04-07CA3610085_021_021-202004071020ND
2022-07-20CA3610085_018_018-202207201300ND
2022-07-20CA3610085_013_013-202207201130ND
2022-07-20CA3610085_011_011-202207201010ND
2022-07-20CA3610085_003_003-202207201030ND
2022-07-20CA3610085_002_002-202207201230ND
2022-07-20CA3610085_017_017-202207201100ND
2022-07-20CA3610085_001_001-202207201200ND
2022-07-20CA3610085_004_004-202207200945ND
2022-07-21CA3610085_021_021-202207210945ND
2022-07-21CA3610085_016_016-202207211030ND