Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Mustang Valley Water Supply Corporation

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
2019ND50ND
2020ND60ND
2021ND50ND
2022ND50ND
2023ND50ND

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
2018-02-20Q1806881002ND
2018-11-28Q1848373003ND
2018-11-28Q1848373005ND
2018-11-28Q1848373006ND
2018-11-28Q1848373008ND
2019-03-13Q1910654001ND
2019-03-13Q1910654005ND
2019-03-13Q1910654009ND
2019-03-13Q1910654013ND
2019-09-11Q1964031002ND
2020-06-10Q2023470003ND
2020-08-26Q2034243038ND
2020-08-26Q2034243029ND
2020-08-26Q2034243019ND
2020-08-26Q2034243011ND
2020-08-26Q2034243027ND
2021-07-28Q2119759001ND
2021-07-28Q2119759006ND
2021-07-28Q2119759008ND
2021-07-28Q2119759010ND
2021-07-28Q2119759012ND
2022-10-12Q2230979013ND
2022-10-12Q2230979019ND
2022-10-12Q2230979017ND
2022-10-12Q2230979015ND
2022-10-12Q2230979002ND
2023-07-24Q2329212003ND
2023-07-24Q2329212017ND
2023-10-31Q2346536005ND
2023-10-31Q2346536007ND
2023-10-31Q2346536009ND