Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

Lafourche Water District 1

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.

 

30

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND60ND
2019ND80ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND40ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND40ND

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
2018-01-2535370415009ND
2018-01-2535370415009ND
2018-07-2335406305001ND
2018-07-2335406305001ND
2018-08-2335413196001ND
2018-08-2335413196001ND
2019-01-2935445082001ND
2019-01-2935445082001ND
2019-02-1835449374001ND
2019-02-1835449374001ND
2019-07-2435484855001ND
2019-07-2435484855001ND
2019-08-2835494052001ND
2019-08-2835494052001ND
2020-01-2235526013002ND
2020-01-2235526013001ND
2020-10-1535585520001ND
2020-12-0335596468001ND
2021-03-1135619276001ND
2021-03-1135619285001ND
2021-11-0435675774001ND
2021-12-1635685695001ND
2022-03-0235701429001ND
2022-03-0235701432001ND
2022-08-2535742731001ND
2022-10-1235753130001ND
2023-02-2735782418001ND
2023-03-2735789305001ND
2023-10-2335836721001ND
2023-12-1435848533001ND