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

City of Dinuba

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

107

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	0.0207 ppb	15	6	ND - 0.0970 ppb
2015	0.0466 ppb	18	12	ND - 0.120 ppb
2016	0.111 ppb	31	30	ND - 0.180 ppb
2017	0.107 ppb	23	22	ND - 0.140 ppb
2018	0.0868 ppb	13	12	ND - 0.130 ppb
2019	0.0629 ppb	7	6	ND - 0.120 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
2014-01-27	5867-016-0936	ND
2014-05-13	5867-016-0809	ND
2014-06-24	5867-016-0926	ND
2014-07-22	5867-016-0846	ND
2014-08-19	5867-016-0902	ND
2014-09-17	5810-011-1252	0.0620 ppb
2014-09-17	5810-014-0912	0.0680 ppb
2014-09-17	5810-015-1130	0.0200 ppb
2014-09-17	5810-017-1330	0.0110 ppb
2014-09-17	5810-020-1052	0.0970 ppb
2014-09-17	5810-021-1215	0.0530 ppb
2014-09-23	5867-016-0832	ND
2014-10-14	5867-016-0940	ND
2014-11-12	5867-016-0842	ND
2014-12-16	5867-016-0840	ND
2015-01-27	5867-016-0817	ND
2015-02-24	5867-016-1317	ND
2015-03-17	5867-016-0853	ND
2015-04-14	5867-016-0842	ND
2015-05-27	5867-016-0822	ND
2015-06-23	5867-016-0837	0.0400 ppb
2015-07-15	5867-016-0844	0.0300 ppb
2015-08-28	5867-016-0929	0.0600 ppb
2015-09-22	5867-016-0855	0.0700 ppb
2015-09-25	5810-011-1136	0.0700 ppb
2015-09-25	5810-014-1114	0.0890 ppb
2015-09-25	5810-015-0908	0.0230 ppb
2015-09-25	5810-017-1340	ND
2015-09-25	5810-020-1324	0.120 ppb
2015-09-25	5810-021-1022	0.0670 ppb
2015-10-13	5867-016-0824	0.0900 ppb
2015-11-10	5867-016-0853	0.0800 ppb
2015-12-11	5867-016-0908	0.1000 ppb
2016-01-13	5867-016-0901	0.1000 ppb
2016-01-21	5867-016-0852	0.1000 ppb
2016-01-27	5867-016-0901	0.110 ppb
2016-02-08	5867-016-1356	0.160 ppb
2016-02-18	5867-016-0904	0.110 ppb
2016-03-01	5867-016-0924	0.150 ppb
2016-03-15	5867-016-0915	0.0600 ppb
2016-03-29	5867-016-0921	0.140 ppb
2016-04-12	5867-016-0930	0.150 ppb
2016-04-26	5867-016-0853	0.0900 ppb
2016-04-27	5810-019-1046	0.0270 ppb
2016-05-10	5867-016-0907	0.110 ppb
2016-05-24	5867-016-0858	0.110 ppb
2016-06-08	5867-016-0854	0.180 ppb
2016-06-21	5867-016-0840	0.150 ppb
2016-07-20	5867-016-0910	0.130 ppb
2016-08-02	5867-016-0814	0.140 ppb
2016-08-16	5867-016-0923	0.120 ppb
2016-08-30	5867-016-0837	0.150 ppb
2016-09-13	5867-016-0949	0.140 ppb
2016-09-20	5810-011-1230	0.0980 ppb
2016-09-20	5810-014-1245	0.110 ppb
2016-09-20	5810-015-0845	0.0260 ppb
2016-09-20	5810-017-1144	ND
2016-09-20	5810-019-0924	0.0320 ppb
2016-09-20	5810-020-1115	0.130 ppb
2016-09-20	5810-021-1309	0.0880 ppb
2016-10-25	5867-016-0940	0.140 ppb
2016-11-15	5867-016-0918	0.130 ppb
2016-12-06	5867-016-0910	0.140 ppb
2016-12-27	5867-016-0912	0.120 ppb
2017-01-17	5867-016-0930	0.130 ppb
2017-02-07	5810-016-0845	0.120 ppb
2017-02-28	5867-016-0900	0.130 ppb
2017-03-22	5810-016-1030	0.110 ppb
2017-04-12	5810-016-0950	0.120 ppb
2017-05-02	5810-016-0845	0.120 ppb
2017-05-23	5810-016-0922	0.0770 ppb
2017-06-13	5810-016-0922	0.130 ppb
2017-07-06	5810-016-0814	0.130 ppb
2017-07-25	5810-016-0848	0.130 ppb
2017-08-29	5810-016-0905	0.130 ppb
2017-09-06	5810-016-0935	0.110 ppb
2017-09-12	5810-011-0931	0.0990 ppb
2017-09-12	5810-014-1144	0.110 ppb
2017-09-12	5810-015-0812	0.0200 ppb
2017-09-12	5810-017-1117	ND
2017-09-12	5810-019-0904	0.0550 ppb
2017-09-12	5810-020-1042	0.130 ppb
2017-09-12	5810-021-1223	0.0870 ppb
2017-09-27	5810-016-0844	0.130 ppb
2017-10-17	5810-016-0814	0.120 ppb
2017-11-20	5810-016-1044	0.130 ppb
2017-12-12	5810-016-0858	0.140 ppb
2018-01-11	5810-016-0950	0.110 ppb
2018-01-31	5810-016-0957	0.1000 ppb
2018-02-06	5810-016-0926	0.120 ppb
2018-02-27	5810-016-0832	0.110 ppb
2018-03-05	5810-016-1115	0.110 ppb
2018-03-26	5810-016-1037	0.130 ppb
2018-09-12	5810-011-1030	0.0940 ppb
2018-09-12	5810-014-1100	0.0950 ppb
2018-09-12	5810-015-0916	0.0170 ppb
2018-09-12	5810-017-1150	ND
2018-09-12	5810-019-0958	0.0470 ppb
2018-09-12	5810-020-0845	0.110 ppb
2018-09-12	5810-021-1126	0.0850 ppb
2019-09-18	5810-011-1052	0.0910 ppb
2019-09-18	5810-014-1025	0.110 ppb
2019-09-18	5810-015-1140	0.0230 ppb
2019-09-18	5810-017-1208	ND
2019-09-18	5810-019-1113	0.0430 ppb
2019-09-18	5810-020-1235	0.120 ppb
2019-09-18	5810-021-1000	0.0530 ppb