Nitrite

City of Desoto

Nitrite, closely related to the fertilizer chemical nitrate, comes from urban runoff and from fertilizer applied to agricultural lands to pollute drinking water. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Excessive nitrite in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer.

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Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2013	N/A	0	0	N/A
2014	0.0170 ppm	1	1	0.0170 ppm
2015	0.567 ppm	1	1	0.567 ppm
2016	0.0496 ppm	4	3	ND - 0.124 ppm
2017	0.0770 ppm	4	4	0.0563 ppm - 0.0972 ppm
2018	0.0290 ppm	5	4	ND - 0.0573 ppm
2019	0.0222 ppm	4	1	ND - 0.0887 ppm

ppm = parts per million

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 1 ppm

The legal limit for nitrite, established in 1991, was based on the rate of conversion of ingested nitrate into nitrite in adults. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to nitrite exposure.

ppm = parts per million

All test results

Date	Lab ID	Result
2014-07-10	Q1427173001	0.0170 ppm
2015-06-04	Q1520454001	0.567 ppm
2016-03-01	Q1608610001	0.0625 ppm
2016-04-27	Q1616637005	0.124 ppm
2016-09-14	Q1637474001	0.0120 ppm
2016-10-10	Q1642685005	ND
2017-03-01	Q1708668001	0.0972 ppm
2017-04-10	Q1714469001	0.0794 ppm
2017-07-06	Q1727613001	0.0749 ppm
2017-10-12	Q1752288001	0.0563 ppm
2018-01-31	Q1803680003	0.0439 ppm
2018-04-25	Q1816861001	0.0223 ppm
2018-05-31	Q1821826001	ND
2018-07-24	Q1829296005	0.0215 ppm
2018-10-17	Q1841467001	0.0573 ppm
2019-01-16	Q1902361001	ND
2019-04-15	Q1915016001	0.0887 ppm
2019-08-06	Q1951796004	ND
2019-10-10	Q1972250001	ND