What is trichloroethylene?
Trichloroethylene is a nonflammable, colorless liquid with a somewhat sweet odor and a sweet, burning taste. It is used mainly as a solvent to remove grease from metal parts, but it is also an ingredient in adhesives, paint removers, typewriter correction fluids, and spot removers. Trichloroethylene is not thought to occur naturally in the environment. However, it is present in most underground water sources and many surface waters as a result of the manufacture, use, and disposal of the chemical.
Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a nonflammable, colorless liquid with a somewhat sweet odor and a sweet, burning taste. It is used mainly as a solvent to remove grease from metal parts, but it is also an ingredient in adhesives, paint removers, typewriter correction fluids, and spot removers. Trichloroethylene is not thought to occur naturally in the environment. However, it has been found in underground water sources and many surface waters as a result of the manufacture, use, and disposal of the chemical.
Trichloroethylene is a chemical compound classified as a chlorinated hydrocarbon. It is a nonflammable and colorless liquid, but is characterized by a sweet odor. Aside from being available commercially under various trade names, trichloroethylene is also referred to as Trike and Tri, and simply by the acronym TCE. While trichloroethylene is so-named under the nomenclature standards of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), this compound is also known by several other standard chemical names, including 1,1,2-Trichloroethene, 1,1-Dichloro-2-Chloroethylene, Acetylene Trichloride and Trethylene. Used primarily as an industrial solvent and degreaser today, trichloroethylene was first put to use in the 1920s to aid in the extraction of vegetable oils from plant sources, such as coconut, soy, and palm. It was also commonly used to extract flavoring agents from certain spices and herbs, such as hops, in addition to decaffeinating coffee beans. From the 1930s through th
This Public Health Statement is the summary chapter from the Toxicological Profile for trichloroethylene. It is one in a series of Public Health Statements about hazardous substances and their health effects. A shorter version, the ToxFAQs™, is also available. This information is important because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present. For more information, call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422-8737.
Trichloroethylene is an industrial chemical. It is a nonflammable, colorless liquid at room temperature with a somewhat sweet odor and a sweet, burning taste. Most people can smell it in the air at low levels. Trade names for trichloroethylene are Triclene and Vitran. Trichloroethylene was once used as an anesthetic for surgery, but it is now used mainly as a solvent to remove grease from metal parts. The automotive and metals industries are the main users. It is also found in some household products like typewriter correction fluid, paint removers, adhesives, and spot removers. Exposure to trichloroethylene happens mostly from breathing workplace air, breathing contaminated air near waste sites or from consumer products or from drinking contaminated water. High levels in air can cause dizziness, headaches, and unconsciousness. Trichloroethylene has been found in at least 791 of 1,300 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency.
