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

City of Manteca

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

109

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	0.0840 ppb	20	12	ND - 0.170 ppb
2015	0.0883 ppb	18	13	ND - 0.160 ppb
2016	0.0707 ppb	18	13	ND - 0.130 ppb
2017	0.0621 ppb	20	12	ND - 0.130 ppb
2018	0.0732 ppb	17	11	ND - 0.130 ppb
2019	0.0688 ppb	16	10	ND - 0.130 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	5810-013-1025	0.140 ppb
2014-01-14	5810-014-0928	ND
2014-01-14	5810-032-1010	ND
2014-02-11	5810-013-0746	0.140 ppb
2014-03-11	5810-013-0736	0.120 ppb
2014-04-08	5810-013-0553	0.120 ppb
2014-05-13	5810-013-0747	0.160 ppb
2014-06-10	5810-013-0843	0.170 ppb
2014-06-10	5810-015-0720	ND
2014-06-10	5810-028-0930	ND
2014-06-10	5810-036-1115	ND
2014-06-10	5810-042-0750	ND
2014-06-17	5810-038-0655	ND
2014-07-08	5810-013-0705	0.150 ppb
2014-08-12	5810-013-0935	0.110 ppb
2014-08-12	5810-040-0950	ND
2014-09-09	5810-013-0735	0.140 ppb
2014-10-07	5810-013-0605	0.130 ppb
2014-11-12	5810-013-0656	0.140 ppb
2014-12-09	5810-013-0530	0.160 ppb
2015-01-13	5810-013-0620	0.140 ppb
2015-02-10	5810-013-0608	0.160 ppb
2015-02-10	5810-044-0644	ND
2015-03-10	5810-013-0746	0.140 ppb
2015-04-07	5810-013-0655	0.130 ppb
2015-04-21	5810-013-0600	0.120 ppb
2015-05-12	5810-013-0750	0.110 ppb
2015-05-12	5810-016-0725	ND
2015-06-09	5810-013-0727	0.110 ppb
2015-06-09	5810-028-0812	ND
2015-06-09	5810-036-0836	ND
2015-07-07	5810-013-1020	0.130 ppb
2015-07-21	5810-034-0812	ND
2015-08-11	5810-013-0900	0.110 ppb
2015-09-08	5810-013-0755	0.110 ppb
2015-10-07	5810-013-0550	0.120 ppb
2015-11-10	5810-013-0720	0.110 ppb
2015-12-01	5810-013-0715	0.1000 ppb
2016-01-13	5810-013-0645	0.120 ppb
2016-01-13	5810-030-0805	0.0140 ppb
2016-02-02	5810-013-0708	0.110 ppb
2016-03-08	5810-013-0630	0.110 ppb
2016-04-19	5810-012-0920	ND
2016-04-19	5810-013-0535	0.110 ppb
2016-05-17	5810-013-0815	0.0840 ppb
2016-06-14	5810-013-0830	0.0970 ppb
2016-06-21	5810-028-0635	ND
2016-07-12	5810-013-0545	0.110 ppb
2016-08-01	5810-013-0700	0.0920 ppb
2016-08-01	5810-049-0830	ND
2016-09-13	5810-013-0800	0.1000 ppb
2016-09-13	5810-049-0535	ND
2016-10-04	5810-013-0915	0.0990 ppb
2016-10-04	5810-036-0700	ND
2016-11-08	5810-013-0940	0.0960 ppb
2016-12-13	5810-013-0745	0.130 ppb
2017-01-09	5810-013-1050	0.130 ppb
2017-01-09	5810-014-0850	ND
2017-01-09	5810-032-1110	ND
2017-02-14	5810-013-0950	0.120 ppb
2017-03-14	5810-013-0725	0.110 ppb
2017-04-04	5810-013-0805	0.130 ppb
2017-05-09	5810-013-0640	0.0910 ppb
2017-06-13	5810-013-0645	0.0960 ppb
2017-06-13	5810-028-0555	ND
2017-06-13	5810-038-0626	ND
2017-06-13	5810-042-0745	ND
2017-07-10	5810-013-0721	0.0970 ppb
2017-08-08	5810-013-0831	0.0790 ppb
2017-08-08	5810-015-0625	ND
2017-08-08	5810-040-0609	ND
2017-09-12	5810-013-0725	0.0880 ppb
2017-10-09	5810-013-0811	0.1000 ppb
2017-10-09	5810-036-1155	ND
2017-11-14	5810-013-0821	0.1000 ppb
2017-12-12	5810-013-0702	0.1000 ppb
2018-01-08	5810-013-0648	0.0940 ppb
2018-02-12	5810-013-0613	0.1000 ppb
2018-02-13	5810-044-0849	ND
2018-03-13	5810-013-0710	0.110 ppb
2018-04-09	5810-013-0830	0.110 ppb
2018-05-08	5810-013-0725	0.110 ppb
2018-05-08	5810-016-0600	ND
2018-06-12	5810-028-0758	ND
2018-06-19	5810-013-0700	ND
2018-07-10	5810-013-0758	0.130 ppb
2018-08-14	5810-013-0608	0.110 ppb
2018-09-18	5810-013-0605	0.130 ppb
2018-10-09	5810-013-0618	0.120 ppb
2018-10-30	5810-036-0657	ND
2018-11-13	5810-013-0835	0.110 ppb
2018-11-13	5810-044-0642	ND
2018-12-11	5810-013-0540	0.120 ppb
2019-01-07	5810-013-0740	0.130 ppb
2019-02-05	5810-013-1147	0.1000 ppb
2019-03-12	5810-013-0713	0.120 ppb
2019-04-08	5810-013-0831	0.130 ppb
2019-04-23	5810-012-0547	ND
2019-05-14	5810-013-0852	0.110 ppb
2019-06-04	5810-056-1242	ND
2019-06-11	5810-028-0808	ND
2019-06-11	5810-030-0808	ND
2019-07-09	5810-013-0633	0.110 ppb
2019-08-13	5810-013-0830	0.1000 ppb
2019-09-10	5810-013-0856	0.1000 ppb
2019-09-10	5810-049-0629	ND
2019-10-07	5810-013-0840	0.1000 ppb
2019-10-07	5810-036-0946	ND
2019-11-12	5810-013-0830	0.1000 ppb