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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Selenium

Missouri American St. Louis County & St. Charles County

Selenium is an essential element in diets. But too much selenium can decrease thyroid hormone production and cause hair loss, skin lesions and brittle fingernails.

 

40

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
20140.600 ppb153ND - 3.00 ppb
2015ND50ND
20161.80 ppb53ND - 3.00 ppb
2017ND50ND
20181.20 ppb53ND - 2.00 ppb
20190.400 ppb51ND - 2.00 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 30 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 30 ppb for selenium 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 hair loss and nail damage.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 50 ppb

The legal limit for selenium, established in 1991, was based on human epidemiological studies of populations exposed to naturally occurring selenium in drinking water. This limit does not include any additional consideration of children’s health.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-04-1525144101ND
2014-04-1525143201ND
2014-04-1525144401ND
2014-04-1625141401ND
2014-04-1625142301ND
2014-07-23AC29362ND
2014-07-23AC29365ND
2014-07-23AC29364ND
2014-07-23AC29363ND
2014-07-23AC29361ND
2014-07-2326417901ND
2014-07-2326417801ND
2014-07-23264177013.00 ppb
2014-07-23264176013.00 ppb
2014-07-23264175013.00 ppb
2015-04-2228625601ND
2015-04-2228624701ND
2015-04-2228626501ND
2015-04-2228627401ND
2015-04-2228627701ND
2016-04-0531777301ND
2016-04-0531776301ND
2016-04-20317783013.00 ppb
2016-04-20317793013.00 ppb
2016-04-20317796013.00 ppb
2017-04-1135121701ND
2017-04-1135122701ND
2017-04-1135123001ND
2017-04-1935120701ND
2017-04-1935119701ND
2018-04-0639051501ND
2018-04-0639052401ND
2018-04-16390533012.00 ppb
2018-04-16390542012.00 ppb
2018-04-16390545012.00 ppb
2019-04-0843597901ND
2019-04-0843598401ND
2019-04-0943599301ND
2019-04-09436002012.00 ppb
2019-04-0943600301ND