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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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

Gainesville

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.

 

14

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND20ND
2015ND20ND
2016ND20ND
2017ND20ND
2018ND20ND
2019ND40ND

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
2014-03-18AI36418ND
2014-03-18AI36419ND
2015-03-03AI66010ND
2015-03-03AI66011ND
2016-03-15AJ08273ND
2016-03-15AJ08274ND
2017-05-23AJ56042ND
2017-05-23AJ56043ND
2018-03-27AJ86534ND
2018-03-27AJ86535ND
2019-04-23AK15728ND
2019-04-23AK15729ND
2019-10-15AK35163ND
2019-10-15AK35165ND