Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Palmer Center Ugarc

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.

 

31

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND50ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND90ND
2021ND50ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND40ND

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
2018-01-10UG180098POCND
2018-05-09PC180872ND
2018-08-0108011820POCND
2018-08-13EHS1800035918POCND
2018-10-09PC182388ND
2019-01-07PC190059ND
2019-04-24WD190998ND
2019-07-1707171903ND
2019-10-1410151907ND
2020-01-0601072016-POCND
2020-04-2204222018ND
2020-05-1205122005ND
2020-06-0106012004ND
2020-07-0107012020ND
2020-07-2007202003ND
2020-08-1108112028-2-DSND
2020-08-1108112028-1-RAWND
2020-10-0110012002-2ND
2021-01-0501052119-PND
2021-01-25EHS2100013303PND
2021-04-0504052105NND
2021-07-0107012103ND
2021-10-0410042113ND
2022-01-0401042211ND
2022-04-0504052212ND
2022-07-0507052229ND
2022-10-0410042216-2ND
2023-01-0301032324-1ND
2023-04-0304032305ND
2023-07-05PC232245ND
2023-10-185530295ND