Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Tangipahoa Parish Water District

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.

 

42

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND220ND
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND70ND
2021ND50ND
2022N/A00N/A
2023ND80ND

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
2018-01-2935371217004ND
2018-01-2935371217003ND
2018-01-2935371217002ND
2018-01-2935371217001ND
2018-01-2935371217001ND
2018-01-2935371217002ND
2018-01-2935371217003ND
2018-01-2935371217004ND
2018-05-0735391332001ND
2018-05-0735391332002ND
2018-05-0735391332002ND
2018-05-0735391332001ND
2018-12-0335434998002ND
2018-12-0335434998005ND
2018-12-0335434998003ND
2018-12-0335434998002ND
2018-12-0335434998001ND
2018-12-0335434998005ND
2018-12-0335434998004ND
2018-12-0335434998003ND
2018-12-0335434998001ND
2018-12-0335434998004ND
2020-03-0235535343001ND
2020-11-1635593782003ND
2020-11-1635593782004ND
2020-11-1635593782005ND
2020-11-1635593782006ND
2020-11-1635593782001ND
2020-11-1635593782002ND
2021-11-0135675416004ND
2021-11-0135675416005ND
2021-11-0135675416003ND
2021-11-0135675416002ND
2021-11-0135675416001ND
2023-03-2835789166001ND
2023-10-2535837335001ND
2023-10-2535837335002ND
2023-11-0635840552001ND
2023-11-0635840552002ND
2023-11-0635840552003ND
2023-11-0635840552004ND
2023-11-0635840552005ND