Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Rustic Ridge Mobile Home Park

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.

 

21

Samples

3

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

7

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20182.82 ppb43ND - 9.40 ppb
2019ND30ND
20204.43 ppb43ND - 13.2 ppb
20211.60 ppb41ND - 6.40 ppb
2022ND40ND
2023ND20ND

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
2018-01-2292370434002VOCND
2018-06-1992389064002VOC9.40 ppb
2018-10-1592403565001VOC1.10 ppb
2018-11-2092408223001VOC0.770 ppb
2019-06-2437729_19-26930ND
2019-07-2237729_19-30882ND
2019-10-0792448595001_12710ND
2020-03-2492470978001_12710ND
2020-06-2292483005002_127103.70 ppb
2020-09-2292496839001_1271013.2 ppb
2020-11-1792506806001_127100.830 ppb
2021-03-0892526282001_12710ND
2021-04-1992533976001_12710ND
2021-07-1392549354001_127106.40 ppb
2021-10-1392566431001_12710ND
2022-01-2392583961001_12710ND
2022-04-0392596762001_12710ND
2022-07-1092613871001_12710ND
2022-10-0592629553001_12710ND
2023-01-2392648050001_12710ND
2023-09-1792688364001_12710ND