Nitrite
City of Commerce
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.
25
Samples
2
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
0
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 0.448 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.314 ppm - 0.821 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.522 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.357 ppm - 0.617 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.292 ppm | 4 | 3 | ND - 0.420 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.263 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0540 ppm - 0.430 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.758 ppm | 5 | 4 | ND - 1.04 ppm |
| 2023 | 1.01 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.840 ppm - 1.21 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-02-14 | Q1806236006 | 0.314 ppm |
| 2018-06-04 | Q1822047008 | 0.330 ppm |
| 2018-08-09 | Q1831967001 | 0.325 ppm |
| 2018-11-06 | Q1844315001 | 0.821 ppm |
| 2019-02-21 | Q1907743016 | 0.617 ppm |
| 2019-05-06 | Q1920265001 | 0.587 ppm |
| 2019-09-23 | Q1967447001 | 0.527 ppm |
| 2019-12-16 | Q1980083001 | 0.357 ppm |
| 2020-02-12 | Q2005708001 | ND |
| 2020-05-07 | Q2018051009 | 0.384 ppm |
| 2020-08-04 | Q2030361007 | 0.362 ppm |
| 2020-11-02 | Q2042327003 | 0.420 ppm |
| 2021-01-27 | Q2102032012 | 0.335 ppm |
| 2021-05-06 | Q2111774003 | 0.232 ppm |
| 2021-09-07 | Q2124186001 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2021-11-03 | Q2130891001 | 0.0540 ppm |
| 2022-02-10 | Q2204939006 | 0.959 ppm |
| 2022-04-25 | Q2212345001 | 0.971 ppm |
| 2022-08-24 | Q2225210001 | 1.04 ppm |
| 2022-10-26 | Q2232338011 | ND |
| 2022-10-26 | Q2232338012 | 0.822 ppm |
| 2023-02-15 | Q2306243013 | 0.993 ppm |
| 2023-05-30 | Q2319967001 | 0.997 ppm |
| 2023-08-21 | Q2335126003 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2023-11-28 | Q2350597001 | 1.21 ppm |