Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Appleby Water Supply Corporation

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.

 

52

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND90ND
2019ND60ND
2020ND60ND
2021ND80ND
2022ND100ND
2023ND130ND

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
2018-01-30Q1803539002ND
2018-04-18Q1815998002ND
2018-04-18Q1815998004ND
2018-04-18Q1815998014ND
2018-04-18Q1815998017ND
2018-04-18Q1815998021ND
2018-04-18Q1815998022ND
2018-04-18Q1815998024ND
2018-10-31Q1843888003ND
2019-01-24Q1903594011ND
2019-01-24Q1903594012ND
2019-01-24Q1903594009ND
2019-01-24Q1903594007ND
2019-01-24Q1903594005ND
2019-04-24Q1916506003ND
2020-05-06Q2017875016ND
2020-05-06Q2017875018ND
2020-05-06Q2017875020ND
2020-05-06Q2017875022ND
2020-05-06Q2017875024ND
2020-05-06Q2017875026ND
2021-02-01Q2102897019ND
2021-02-01Q2102897017ND
2021-02-01Q2102897015ND
2021-02-01Q2102897011ND
2021-02-01Q2102897009ND
2021-02-01Q2102897013ND
2021-07-26Q2119473012ND
2021-10-12Q2128274008ND
2022-02-01Q2203639004ND
2022-02-01Q2203639006ND
2022-02-01Q2203639008ND
2022-05-16Q2214437003ND
2022-05-16Q2214437005ND
2022-09-06Q2226362007ND
2022-09-06Q2226362009ND
2022-09-06Q2226362011ND
2022-09-06Q2226362021ND
2022-11-08Q2233715003ND
2023-03-07Q2308836002ND
2023-03-22Q2310842006ND
2023-03-22Q2310842008ND
2023-03-22Q2310842010ND
2023-06-19Q2323052007ND
2023-06-19Q2323052009ND
2023-06-19Q2323052011ND
2023-08-14Q2333697015ND
2023-08-14Q2333697017ND
2023-08-14Q2333697021ND
2023-08-14Q2333697023ND
2023-10-23Q2345174002ND
2023-10-23Q2345174014ND