op rop ane ) ▁better ▁known ▁as ▁D BC P , ▁is ▁the ▁organ ic ▁comp ound ▁with ▁the ▁formula ▁Br CH ( CH Br )( CH Cl ). ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁dense ▁color less ▁liquid ▁although ▁commercial ▁samples ▁often ▁appear ▁am ber ▁or ▁even ▁brown . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁active ▁ing red ient ▁in ▁the ▁nem atic ide ▁Nem agon , ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁F um az one . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁soil ▁f um ig ant ▁formerly ▁used ▁in ▁American ▁agricult ure . ▁In ▁m amm als ▁it ▁causes ▁male ▁ster ility ▁at ▁high ▁levels ▁of ▁expos ure . ▁After ▁discovery ▁of ▁its ▁de le ter ious ▁health ▁effects ▁on ▁humans , ▁the ▁comp ound ▁was ▁b anned ▁from ▁use ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Environment al ▁Prote ction ▁Agency ▁( E PA ). ▁The ▁continu ing ▁presence ▁of ▁the ▁chemical ▁as ▁a ▁cont amin ant ▁in ▁ground ▁water ▁remains ▁a ▁problem ▁for ▁many ▁communities ▁for ▁years ▁after ▁end ▁of ▁use . ▁ ▁S tere ois omer ism ▁ ▁Us es ▁▁ ▁Until ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁D BC P ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁soil ▁f um ig ant ▁and ▁nem ato cide ▁on ▁over ▁ 4 0 ▁different ▁cro ps ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁It ▁f ights ▁p ests ▁that ▁attack ▁the ▁roots ▁of ▁fruit ▁trees ▁and ▁boost s ▁the ▁weight ▁of ▁har v ests ▁by ▁ 2 0 ▁percent . ▁From ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁to ▁ 1