Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Clark Public Utilities

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.

 

30

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND110ND
2019ND40ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND30ND
2022ND70ND
2023ND50ND

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
2018-08-01ND
2018-08-01ND
2018-08-01ND
2018-08-01ND
2018-08-01ND
2018-08-28ND
2018-08-28ND
2018-09-18ND
2018-09-18ND
2018-09-18ND
2018-11-18ND
2019-02-24ND
2019-02-24ND
2019-07-22ND
2019-09-05ND
2021-06-304143007ND
2021-08-024169136ND
2021-08-024169145ND
2022-07-274328694ND
2022-07-284328702ND
2022-07-284328695ND
2022-07-284328685ND
2022-08-034328680ND
2022-08-034328682ND
2022-08-034328676ND
2023-05-234545879ND
2023-06-124473920ND
2023-06-124473922ND
2023-06-124473924ND
2023-06-124473923ND