Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Avon 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.

 

30

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND100ND
2019ND80ND
2020ND20ND
2021ND20ND
2022ND70ND
2023ND10ND

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
2018-03-05D8C0238-03VOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-04VOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-05VOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-06VOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-07VOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-08VOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-02VOCND
2018-04-25D8D2151-07VOCND
2018-07-26CA98747ND
2018-10-09VOC1 200508699ND
2019-01-29VOC1 200519995ND
2019-01-29VOC1 200519994ND
2019-01-29VOC1 200519996ND
2019-01-29VOC1 200519993ND
2019-01-29VOC1 200519992ND
2019-01-29VOC1 200519991ND
2019-04-16VOC1 200528742ND
2019-08-13VOC1 200544842ND
2020-08-10VOC1 200585683ND
2020-08-10VOC1 200586606ND
2021-06-01VOC1 200619066ND
2021-06-08VOC1 200620139ND
2022-01-17CK17776ND
2022-01-17CK17777ND
2022-01-17CK17778ND
2022-03-24CK96357ND
2022-03-28CK96358ND
2022-03-28CK96359ND
2022-08-18CM11956ND
2023-03-03CN54373ND