Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

Gander Woods Pump 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.

 

26

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
2019ND50ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND50ND
2022ND50ND
2023ND50ND

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
2018-08-222334802001ND
2018-11-13S770725ND
2019-01-29S812529ND
2019-04-29S847907ND
2019-08-13S865159ND
2019-08-13S900434ND
2019-10-15S895862ND
2020-01-08S920014ND
2020-04-16S901920ND
2020-08-25S901704ND
2020-10-13S998171ND
2021-01-26S1035134ND
2021-04-28S1066480ND
2021-07-26S1086024ND
2021-07-264968982ND
2021-10-22S1121011ND
2022-01-10S1136749ND
2022-04-05S1120952ND
2022-07-29S1199099ND
2022-08-19S1206469ND
2022-10-13S1230647ND
2023-01-30S1257225ND
2023-04-28S1257101ND
2023-07-31810-72350-9ND
2023-10-31810-83409-1ND
2023-10-31810-83409-2ND