Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

p-Dichlorobenzene

Dorchester, Village of

p-Dichlorobenzene is a carcinogenic insecticide used in mothballs, and added to deodorant blocks made for trash cans and toilets. Long-term exposure can cause liver damage and kidney problems.

 

13

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND10ND
2020ND30ND
2021ND10ND
2022ND20ND
2023ND50ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 6 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 6 ppb for p-dichlorobenzene 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): 75 ppb

The legal limit for p-dichlorobenzene, established in 1987, was based on toxicity studies conducted in laboratory animals in the 1980s. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to p-dichlorobenzene exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-07-16560158ND
2019-07-15621241ND
2020-05-26667014ND
2020-09-14684285ND
2020-09-28701100ND
2021-07-19745978ND
2022-07-05809302ND
2022-07-27818275ND
2023-01-17842469ND
2023-04-24855387ND
2023-05-15855924ND
2023-07-17873260ND
2023-10-16891653ND