Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Ayer DPW Water Division

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.

 

44

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND80ND
2019ND100ND
2020ND80ND
2021ND90ND
2022ND20ND
2023ND70ND

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 Result
2018-06-13ND
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-14ND
2019-03-05ND
2019-03-05ND
2019-09-19ND
2019-09-19ND
2019-09-19ND
2019-09-19ND
2019-09-19ND
2019-09-19ND
2019-09-19ND
2019-12-10ND
2020-07-07ND
2020-07-07ND
2020-07-07ND
2020-07-07ND
2020-07-07ND
2020-07-07ND
2020-07-07ND
2020-07-07ND
2021-08-06ND
2021-08-06ND
2021-08-06ND
2021-08-06ND
2021-08-06ND
2021-08-06ND
2021-08-06ND
2021-10-19ND
2021-12-02ND
2022-01-19ND
2022-04-25ND
2023-05-02ND
2023-07-27ND
2023-08-07ND
2023-08-07ND
2023-08-07ND
2023-08-07ND
2023-08-07ND