Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Christian Life Center

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.

 

19

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND20ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND40ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND40ND

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
2018-03-21Q1811503001ND
2019-01-17Q1902677003ND
2019-12-16Q1980080001ND
2020-03-11Q2010309001ND
2020-06-09Q2023128001ND
2020-08-12Q2032150001ND
2020-11-16Q2044883001ND
2021-02-23Q2104566001ND
2021-06-03Q2114440001ND
2021-08-30Q2123494001ND
2021-12-01Q2133191002ND
2022-03-15Q2208767002ND
2022-04-28Q2212814005ND
2022-08-24Q2225169001ND
2022-12-14Q2237848001ND
2023-02-15Q2306287001ND
2023-04-25Q2315529002ND
2023-07-26Q2329822001ND
2023-12-06Q2352154002ND