Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Metropolitan District Commission

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.

 

18

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND30ND
2021ND30ND
2022ND30ND
2023ND30ND

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
2018-07-16AE00927GEND
2018-07-16AE00912GEND
2018-07-16AE00911GEND
2019-06-05AE29314GEND
2019-06-05AE29313GEND
2019-06-05AE29315GEND
2020-06-02AE59301GEND
2020-06-02AE59305GEND
2020-06-02AE59302GEND
2021-11-23V300107450 300107457ND
2021-11-23V300107451 300107463ND
2021-11-29V300109635 300109637ND
2022-12-15V300287053 300287060ND
2022-12-15V300287072 300287079ND
2022-12-15V300287100 300287107ND
2023-12-06V300456527 300456529ND
2023-12-06V300456525 300456531ND
2023-12-06V300456533 300456535ND