Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

Maunaolu Plantation

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.

 

43

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

11

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.00488 ppb82ND - 0.0210 ppb
20190.00400 ppb82ND - 0.0170 ppb
20200.00557 ppb72ND - 0.0200 ppb
20210.00267 ppb61ND - 0.0160 ppb
20220.00388 ppb82ND - 0.0170 ppb
20230.00383 ppb62ND - 0.0130 ppb

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
2018-03-06C18-03-0022AND
2018-06-04C18-06-0019AND
2018-06-042018060508800.0210 ppb
2018-06-04201806050881ND
2018-08-27C18-08-0240AND
2018-10-30201810310106ND
2018-10-302018103101050.0180 ppb
2018-11-12C18-11-0006AND
2019-04-16C19-04-0115AND
2019-05-14C19-05-0064AND
2019-06-13201906140091ND
2019-06-132019061400900.0150 ppb
2019-07-16C19-07-0154AND
2019-10-22C19-10-0089AND
2019-11-182019111906770.0170 ppb
2019-11-18201911190678ND
2020-05-11ND
2020-06-300.0200 ppb
2020-06-30ND
2020-09-21ND
2020-12-01ND
2020-12-150.0190 ppb
2020-12-15ND
2021-03-02ND
2021-06-30ND
2021-09-08ND
2021-11-17ND
2021-12-27ND
2021-12-270.0160 ppb
2022-02-14ND
2022-02-140.0170 ppb
2022-03-09ND
2022-06-27ND
2022-07-27ND
2022-10-31ND
2022-12-13ND
2022-12-130.0140 ppb
2023-03-06ND
2023-06-19ND
2023-06-190.0130 ppb
2023-12-11ND
2023-12-11ND
2023-12-110.01000 ppb