Trichlorofluoromethane is a harmful chlorofluorocarbon used in refrigeration, aerosols, and plastic foams. Its production and use are restricted due to its impact on the ozone layer. It can cause health risks such as asphyxiation, skin contact, and irregular heartbeats.
Trichlorofluoromethane is a chemical that has industrial uses such as refrigeration. The chemical is a chlorofluorocarbon and is harmful to the ozone layer. Therefore, the uses and production of trichlorofluoromethane are limited in many countries. It is also known by names such as Freon-11®, Refrigerant-11 and Arcton 9®.
At normal room temperatures, trichlorofluoromethane is a liquid, but at 75 degrees Fahrenheit (23.7 degrees Celsius) it boils and turns into a gas. The liquid is colorless and almost odorless. It freezes at -167 degrees Fahrenheit (about -111 degrees Celsius). Each trichlorofluoromethane molecule contains one carbon atom, three chlorine atoms, and one fluorine atom, for a chemical formula of CCL3F. It is not flammable.
Before the adverse effects of chlorofluorocarbons on the ozone layer were well known, trichlorofluoromethane was a popular chemical in aerosols and the industrial production of plastic foams. It was also used as a degreaser, as a solvent, and as an ingredient in fire extinguishers. The 1989 Montreal Protocol, which many countries signed into law, restricted the production and use of the chemical due to its impact on ozone depletion.
The United States, for example, stopped production of the chemical in 1996, although reserve stocks were legally usable after this point. Hydrochlorofluorocarbons replaced limited chlorofluorocarbons, such as trichlorofluoromethane, after the Protocol went into effect. One such substitute is the hydrochlorofluorocarbon HCFC-121b.
All trichlorofluoromethane in use eventually makes its way into the atmosphere as a gas and thus affects the ozone layer. It is also soluble in water up to a concentration of 0.145 percent, and people can ingest the chemical through drinking water. Despite concerns about the potential for this form of contamination, ingesting the substance in this manner is not considered a public health concern. The chemical does not cause cancer in humans.
Health risks from the chemical include asphyxiation when the gas is present in high levels as the affected person cannot absorb enough oxygen from trichlorofluoromethane saturated air. Skin contact can cause dermatitis and exposure to pressurized liquid can cause frostbite. Lack of coordination and muscle twitching are signs of gas inhalation.
The chemical can also cause irregular heartbeats and even heart attacks, which are related to deliberately sniffing the gas. People who already have a lung or heart condition may also have their disease worsened by exposure to the substance. Potential gas hazards are reduced through proper handling and adequate ventilation.
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