Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Dorchester, Village 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.

 

13

Samples

4

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

10

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.966 ppb110.966 ppb
20191.20 ppb111.20 ppb
20202.09 ppb32ND - 4.06 ppb
20212.50 ppb112.50 ppb
202221.1 ppb2218.9 ppb - 23.3 ppb
20234.39 ppb53ND - 12.2 ppb

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
2018-07-165601580.966 ppb
2019-07-156212411.20 ppb
2020-05-26667014ND
2020-09-146842854.06 ppb
2020-09-287011002.20 ppb
2021-07-197459782.50 ppb
2022-07-0580930223.3 ppb
2022-07-2781827518.9 ppb
2023-01-17842469ND
2023-04-248553876.18 ppb
2023-05-15855924ND
2023-07-1787326012.2 ppb
2023-10-168916533.57 ppb