Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Yadkinville, Town of

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.

 

39

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

1

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND50ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND70ND
2021ND110ND
20220.1000 ppb71ND - 0.700 ppb
2023ND60ND

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
2018-02-0892372538001VOCND
2018-04-0592379790004VOCND
2018-05-3192386687001VOCND
2018-08-2392396902001VOCND
2018-11-0892406563001VOCND
2019-05-3092431146001_12710ND
2019-08-2292442598001_12710ND
2019-10-1092449202001_12710ND
2020-02-2792467096001_12710ND
2020-06-0492480494001_12710ND
2020-08-1892491332001_12710ND
2020-11-1792506645001A_12710ND
2020-11-1792506645002_12710ND
2020-11-1792506645002A_12710ND
2020-11-1792506645001_12710ND
2021-02-1192521779001_12710ND
2021-03-1192527294001_12710ND
2021-05-2792541146001_12710ND
2021-05-2792541146002_12710ND
2021-08-1892556587001_12710ND
2021-08-1892556587002_12710ND
2021-09-0192559299001_12710ND
2021-09-0192559299002_12710ND
2021-10-0792565459001_12710ND
2021-12-0892577072001_12710ND
2021-12-0992577072002_12710ND
2022-02-2392590106001_12710ND
2022-02-2492590106002_12710ND
2022-08-0492618638001_12710ND
2022-09-072092964-01ND
2022-09-072092964-02ND
2022-10-052103511-010.700 ppb
2022-10-242111860-01ND
2023-01-023013256-01ND
2023-01-053013426-01ND
2023-04-0592660667001_12710ND
2023-07-0692676043003_12710ND
2023-10-0592691709001_12710ND
2023-10-0592691709002_12710ND