Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Jordanelle Special Service District

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.

 

37

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND50ND
2019ND60ND
2020ND50ND
2021ND70ND
2022ND60ND
2023ND80ND

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 Result
2018-01-10ND
2018-04-09ND
2018-07-03ND
2018-07-18ND
2018-10-16ND
2019-01-08ND
2019-04-23ND
2019-06-27ND
2019-06-27ND
2019-07-29ND
2019-10-16ND
2020-01-13ND
2020-04-15ND
2020-07-29ND
2020-08-03ND
2020-10-20ND
2021-01-11ND
2021-01-19ND
2021-04-12ND
2021-06-29ND
2021-07-13ND
2021-09-20ND
2021-10-19ND
2022-01-11ND
2022-04-06ND
2022-07-14ND
2022-07-14ND
2022-07-19ND
2022-10-05ND
2023-01-18ND
2023-04-06ND
2023-05-24ND
2023-05-24ND
2023-06-05ND
2023-07-17ND
2023-08-10ND
2023-10-24ND