Trichlorethylene is a colorless liquid used as an industrial solvent and degreaser. It was also used for extracting oils, flavoring agents, and as an anesthetic. Exposure can cause health problems, and it is found in soil and groundwater. Regulatory guidelines exist to reduce risks.
Trichlorethylene is a chemical compound classified as a chlorinated hydrocarbon. It is a non-flammable, colorless liquid, but has a sweet odour. In addition to being commercially available under various trade names, trichlorethylene is also referred to as Trike and Tri, and simply by the acronym TCE. While the compound is so named according to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) nomenclature standards, this compound is also known by several other standard chemical names, including 1,1,2-trichlorethylene, 1,1- dichloro-2-chloroethylene, acetylene trichloride and trethylene.
Used today primarily as an industrial solvent and degreaser, trichlorethylene was first used in the 1920s to aid the extraction of vegetable oils from plant sources, such as coconut, soybean, and palm. It was also commonly used to extract flavoring agents from some spices and herbs, such as hops, as well as decaffeinate coffee beans. From the 1930s to the early 1960s, the vaporized form of trichlorethylene served as a gaseous anesthetic substitute for chloroform and ether. However, when this compound was later determined to be a neurotoxin, its application in the food industry or as an anesthetic was discontinued.
Information on adverse human health effects from exposure to trichlorethylene has largely been obtained from workplace incidents where exposure has exceeded occupational air standards. Since the compound is not completely soluble in water, it tends to evaporate rapidly from surface water and remain in the air as a vapor. If inhaled, the compound can suppress the central nervous system and produce intoxication-like symptoms. Additionally, high or long-term exposure levels can lead to heart abnormalities, compromised immunity, and liver and kidney damage.
There is abundant evidence that trichlorethylene has become systemic in the environment. It is frequently found in soil and groundwater samples where it binds to water particles and can reside for long periods of time. In the home, exposure can occur from frequent use of typewriter correction fluids or spot removers, as well as drinking, bathing, or swimming in water contaminated with trichlorethylene.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have developed regulatory guidelines regarding the proper use and disposal to reduce the risks to the environment and human health. In the workplace, the maximum exposure level is limited to 100 parts of trichlorethylene per million parts of air (100ppm) for an 8-hour workday, 40-hour week. Drinking water that does not exceed 5 parts trichlorethylene per billion parts of water is considered safe for human consumption.
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