Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP)

Alligator Rural Water (sc1320004)

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane is a pesticide fumigant banned in the 1970s after scientists discovered it caused sterility in men who worked with it. The chemical causes cancer in laboratory animals and may cause cancer in people. Read More.

This pesticide breaks down very slowly in the environment. It remains in groundwater and drinking water wells in the agricultural areas where it was sprayed in the past. Men exposed to this pesticide in the fields suffered from infertility and testicular damage, and tended to have fewer male babies.

 

20

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

20

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.0480 ppb440.0360 ppb - 0.0650 ppb
20190.0700 ppb440.0630 ppb - 0.0770 ppb
20200.0770 ppb440.0680 ppb - 0.0830 ppb
20210.0780 ppb440.0630 ppb - 0.0850 ppb
20220.0860 ppb110.0860 ppb
20230.0493 ppb330.0450 ppb - 0.0570 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.0017 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.0017 ppb for 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane 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): 0.2 ppb

The legal limit for 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, established in 1991, 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 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-03-20AE096490.0390 ppb
2018-04-03AE102180.0360 ppb
2018-08-01AE160460.0520 ppb
2018-10-02AE189230.0650 ppb
2019-01-17AE243480.0670 ppb
2019-04-16AE289380.0770 ppb
2019-07-02AE330770.0730 ppb
2019-10-08AE384070.0630 ppb
2020-01-14AE428610.0680 ppb
2020-04-16AE473730.0830 ppb
2020-07-14AE513460.0790 ppb
2020-10-13AE556590.0780 ppb
2021-01-05AE592430.0840 ppb
2021-05-18AE660330.0630 ppb
2021-08-25AE710220.0800 ppb
2021-10-12AE733010.0850 ppb
2022-04-14AE821760.0860 ppb
2023-04-05AE996620.0450 ppb
2023-08-29AF078700.0460 ppb
2023-10-02AF093420.0570 ppb