Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Morrisville State College

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.

 

18

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

8

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
20190.433 ppb31ND - 1.30 ppb
20200.400 ppb31ND - 1.20 ppb
20210.600 ppb31ND - 1.80 ppb
20220.677 ppb32ND - 1.40 ppb
20230.945 ppb43ND - 1.70 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
2018-11-0811081803CND
2018-11-0811081802CND
2019-10-1710171906CPOCND
2019-10-1710171907CPOCND
2019-10-1710171905CPOC1.30 ppb
2020-10-0710072005CPOCND
2020-10-0710072004CPOCND
2020-10-0710072003CPOC1.20 ppb
2021-11-0411042104CND
2021-11-0411042103CND
2021-11-0411042102C1.80 ppb
2022-11-0911092203C0.630 ppb
2022-11-0911092202CND
2022-11-0911092201C1.40 ppb
2023-06-21EHS2300034560POC1.40 ppb
2023-12-0712072304C0.680 ppb
2023-12-0712072302C1.70 ppb
2023-12-0712072303CND