Nitrite

City of Seabrook

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2014	0.0240 ppm	5	2	ND - 0.1000 ppm
2015	0.0560 ppm	5	5	0.0200 ppm - 0.170 ppm
2016	0.253 ppm	4	4	0.0200 ppm - 0.510 ppm
2017	0.1000 ppm	4	4	0.0300 ppm - 0.270 ppm
2018	0.0960 ppm	5	5	0.01000 ppm - 0.220 ppm
2019	ND	4	0	ND

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
2014-02-18	AC43280	ND
2014-02-18	AC43265	ND
2014-04-28	AC51787	0.0200 ppm
2014-07-14	AC59472	0.1000 ppm
2014-11-17	AC72207	ND
2015-01-20	AC76697	0.0200 ppm
2015-01-20	AC76696	0.0200 ppm
2015-04-15	AC88254	0.0400 ppm
2015-07-20	AD00042	0.170 ppm
2015-11-16	AD13511	0.0300 ppm
2016-01-13	AD17769	0.0200 ppm
2016-04-05	AD31767	0.410 ppm
2016-07-07	AD43249	0.0700 ppm
2016-11-29	AD59280	0.510 ppm
2017-01-24	AD66274	0.0700 ppm
2017-04-27	AD81359	0.0300 ppm
2017-07-26	AD90732	0.0300 ppm
2017-11-20	AE05287	0.270 ppm
2018-02-14	AE13647	0.01000 ppm
2018-03-07	AE17181	0.0200 ppm
2018-05-30	AE27965	0.0500 ppm
2018-07-16	AE33284	0.180 ppm
2018-10-18	AE43865	0.220 ppm
2019-01-15	AE49704	ND
2019-04-10	AE61733	ND
2019-07-24	AE75671	ND
2019-10-21	AE86998	ND