Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Selenium

Heartland House

Selenium is an essential element in diets. But too much selenium can decrease thyroid hormone production and cause hair loss, skin lesions and brittle fingernails.

 

24

Samples

1

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

1

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20185.29 ppb43ND - 8.08 ppb
201943.3 ppb446.74 ppb - 149.0 ppb
20208.76 ppb446.15 ppb - 11.6 ppb
20218.73 ppb447.82 ppb - 9.76 ppb
2022ND40ND
2023ND40ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 30 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 30 ppb for selenium 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 hair loss and nail damage.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 50 ppb

The legal limit for selenium, established in 1991, was based on human epidemiological studies of populations exposed to naturally occurring selenium in drinking water. This limit does not include any additional consideration of children’s health.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-03-21Q1811522005ND
2018-04-19Q18161640025.64 ppb
2018-08-22Q18335830047.44 ppb
2018-12-12Q18512600028.08 ppb
2019-03-13Q1910690003149.0 ppb
2019-06-06Q19328210036.74 ppb
2019-09-12Q19644430037.98 ppb
2019-12-05Q19791590039.49 ppb
2020-03-19Q201206700411.6 ppb
2020-06-16Q20239400068.50 ppb
2020-09-22Q20375260036.15 ppb
2020-12-08Q20488150038.80 ppb
2021-03-10Q21063900057.82 ppb
2021-06-23Q21164180039.76 ppb
2021-09-08Q21244460029.15 ppb
2021-12-06Q21344680038.19 ppb
2022-03-22Q2209198005ND
2022-06-14Q2216512003ND
2022-09-19Q2227903001ND
2022-12-12Q2237096001ND
2023-03-20Q2310479005ND
2023-06-12Q2322085006ND
2023-09-20Q2340851001ND
2023-12-12Q2352975003ND