Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

Ivanhoe Public Utility District

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.

 

20

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

10

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.0215 ppb64ND - 0.0400 ppb
20190.0216 ppb74ND - 0.0470 ppb
20200.00767 ppb31ND - 0.0230 ppb
2021N/A00N/A
20220.00650 ppb41ND - 0.0260 ppb
2023N/A00N/A

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-02-22CA5410019_007_007-2018022213300.0250 ppb
2018-05-30CA5410019_007_007-2018053011100.0310 ppb
2018-08-31CA5410019_007_007-2018083111180.0330 ppb
2018-08-31CA5410019_004_004-201808311120ND
2018-08-31CA5410019_008_008-201808311130ND
2018-11-20CA5410019_007_007-2018112013400.0400 ppb
2019-02-27CA5410019_007_007-2019022712000.0470 ppb
2019-02-27CA5410019_006_006-201902271305ND
2019-05-24CA5410019_007_007-2019052412340.0400 ppb
2019-08-26CA5410019_006_006-201908261235ND
2019-08-26CA5410019_007_007-2019082611450.0320 ppb
2019-08-26CA5410019_004_004-201908261155ND
2019-11-25CA5410019_007_007-2019112513110.0320 ppb
2020-08-25CA5410019_007_007-2020082511100.0230 ppb
2020-08-25CA5410019_008_008-202008251148ND
2020-08-25CA5410019_004_004-202008251125ND
2022-08-29CA5410019_004_004-202208291308ND
2022-08-29CA5410019_008_008-202208291338ND
2022-10-21CA5410019_007_007-2022102110580.0260 ppb
2022-12-13CA5410019_006_006-202212131420ND