Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

Marston PWS

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.

 

39

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND80ND
2021ND80ND
2022ND80ND
2023ND80ND

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
2018-05-02AD18671ND
2018-07-11AD29590ND
2018-10-11AD35068ND
2019-01-08AD38381ND
2019-04-10AD46672ND
2019-07-11AD52717ND
2019-10-17AD57379ND
2020-01-12AD60698ND
2020-01-12AD60699ND
2020-04-142004302ND
2020-04-142004303ND
2020-07-152011774ND
2020-07-152012319ND
2020-10-182016645ND
2020-10-182016644ND
2021-01-102020243ND
2021-01-102020244ND
2021-04-122103856ND
2021-04-122103857ND
2021-07-112113866ND
2021-07-112113867ND
2021-10-182118175ND
2021-10-182118176ND
2022-01-122121678ND
2022-01-122121677ND
2022-04-132204414ND
2022-04-132204415ND
2022-07-182214867ND
2022-07-182214868ND
2022-10-102219709ND
2022-10-102219710ND
2023-01-082223379ND
2023-01-082223378ND
2023-04-122303545ND
2023-04-122303544ND
2023-07-192311776ND
2023-07-192311777ND
2023-10-182316888ND
2023-10-182316887ND