Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

Cecilia Water Corporation

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
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND60ND
2020ND50ND
2021ND40ND
2022ND30ND
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
2019-02-1835449808002ND
2019-02-1835449808003ND
2019-02-1835449808001ND
2019-02-1835449808002ND
2019-02-1835449808003ND
2019-02-1835449808001ND
2020-03-3035540639001ND
2020-09-2835581253002ND
2020-09-2835581253003ND
2020-12-0735597474003ND
2020-12-0735597474004ND
2021-02-0135608904004ND
2021-02-0135608904003ND
2021-05-0335630992003ND
2021-05-0335630992004ND
2022-01-3135694190001ND
2022-01-3135694190002ND
2022-01-3135694190003ND
2023-02-1335779756005ND
2023-02-1335779756009ND
2023-11-0635840310001ND
2023-11-0635840310002ND