Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

American Falls, City of

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.

 

22

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND50ND
2021ND10ND
2022ND110ND
2023ND10ND

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
2018-10-22SI81021203ND
2019-04-01SI90400401ND
2019-05-07SI90505901ND
2019-10-01SI91001401ND
2020-02-19SI00210601ND
2020-02-19SI00210602ND
2020-03-03SI00301801ND
2020-05-12SI00508701ND
2020-06-18SI00625801ND
2021-04-05SI10402501ND
2022-06-20SI20630201ND
2022-07-05SI20701501ND
2022-08-25SI20831002ND
2022-09-06SI20903201ND
2022-09-06SI20903202ND
2022-09-12SI20910201ND
2022-09-14SI20914601ND
2022-09-14SI20914701ND
2022-10-17SI21015801ND
2022-10-17SI21015801AND
2022-10-24SI21023001ND
2023-07-06SI30704801ND