Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Jefferson Parish

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.

 

33

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

3

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND60ND
2019ND120ND
20200.217 ppb31ND - 0.650 ppb
2021ND60ND
20220.217 ppb32ND - 0.330 ppb
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
2018-03-1535380393003ND
2018-03-1535380393002ND
2018-03-1535380393001ND
2018-03-1535380393002ND
2018-03-1535380393003ND
2018-03-1535380393001ND
2019-02-2735451088001ND
2019-02-2735451093001ND
2019-02-2735451094001ND
2019-02-2735451094001ND
2019-02-2735451093001ND
2019-02-2735451088001ND
2019-09-0535495383002ND
2019-09-0535495383002ND
2019-09-0535495383001ND
2019-09-0535495383003ND
2019-09-0535495383001ND
2019-09-0535495383003ND
2020-03-26355400130010.650 ppb
2020-03-2635540015001ND
2020-03-2635540021001ND
2021-01-2835608086001ND
2021-01-2835608082001ND
2021-01-2835608080001ND
2021-03-1035618309001ND
2021-03-1035618308001ND
2021-03-1035618306001ND
2022-01-2535692989001ND
2022-01-25356929900010.330 ppb
2022-01-25356929910010.320 ppb
2023-01-1135772258001ND
2023-01-1135772259001ND
2023-01-1135772260001ND