Chloroform

Introduction

Chloroform is a colourless, sweet-smelling organic chemical compound with the formula CHCl3 and the IUPAC name trichloromethane. It is a thick liquid with C3 symmetry and tetrahedral molecular geometry.

Chloroform is a very volatile liquid that, due to its narcotic qualities, has been frequently utilised throughout history. It has a reputation for anesthetizing or rendering individuals unconscious, even in little amounts. Chloroform, also known as liquid trichloromethane, is manufactured on a large scale by boiling a mixture of chlorine and either chloromethane or methane.

Where is chloroform found?

Chloroform is indeed a naturally occurring organic chemical that can be found in the air, as well as in coastal waters, lakes, inland waters, and groundwater. However, humans are responsible for the majority of the chloroform found in the environment. Chloroform levels are higher in industrial regions and in the air above swimming pools in which the water has been chlorine-treated.

Smell of chloroform

Chloroform is just a sweet-smelling liquid with a somewhat sweet taste, akin to ether. Some individuals equate the odour to the odour of disinfectants, which is comparable to the odour noticed in hospitals and medical facilities. We spoke with a lot of chemists working in chemical laboratories who said that the smell of chloroform is similar to the scent of acetone, an organic substance.

Volatility

Because chloroform is a volatile liquid, it loses its potency fast when it comes into touch with air. As a result, the “villain clutches a cloth drenched in chloroform while waiting for the victim to appear” scenario is implausible, because the chloroform in the fabric would lose its potency by the time it was pushed against the victim’s nose.

Exposure to Chloroform

Exposure to enviornment

Chloroform can be present in the environment naturally. It is also emitted into the environment from manufacturing plants.

When chlorine combines with organic substances, chloroform is formed in an indirect manner. As a result, many water disinfection operations, such as chlorination of drinking water, waste water, and swimming pools, contribute to the creation and release of chloroform into the environment. Chloroform can also be found in the disinfection procedures in pulp and paper mills.

People exposure to chloroform

People can be exposed to chloroform through breathing contaminated air or consuming chloroform-containing food. Drinking water may potentially expose you to very small levels of chloroform.

Workers involved in the manufacture and use of chloroform, as well as those working at sites wherein chloroform is indirectly produced (such as water treatment plants), could be exposed to higher quantities of chloroform than the general population. Safe limits, on the other hand, are enforced to safeguard personnel; such levels are lower than those anticipated to produce negative effects.

Uses of Chloroform

• Chloroform is frequently employed as a solvent in the chemical synthesis of chemicals.
• Chloroform is used to create the refrigerant Fluorocarbon 22.

• As a solvent, chloroform is employed in floor polishes, lacquers, adhesives, resins, oils, alkaloids, fats, and rubber.
• It’s utilised in the paper, building, and woodworking sectors, among others.
• It’s utilised in pesticides and filmmaking.

An obstetrician named James Young Simpson used chloroform as an anaesthetic for the first time in 1847; he actually used it on two patients. It was successfully employed in a dental treatment in Edinburgh a few days later with no noticeable side effects.

Its reputation as an anaesthetic quickly grew to the point where it was reported to have been used for the delivery of Queen Victoria’s final two children in the 1850s. Its heyday, however, was brief, as it was quickly supplanted by ether, which was far safer than chloroform and had virtually no side effects.

Health hazards of chloroform

Exposure does not always result from the presence of chloroform in the environment. You must come into contact with it for it to have any negative health impacts. You could be exposed to the drug by breathing it in, eating it, or drinking it, or by coming into contact with it on your skin. The adverse health effects that you may experience after being exposed to any chemical depend on a number of factors, including the amount to which you are exposed (dose), the manner in which you are exposed, the duration of exposure, the form of the chemical, and whether you were exposed to any other chemicals.

Inhaling chloroform vapours may cause symptoms such as shortness of breath and mouth and throat dryness. Chloroform ingestion can create a burning sensation in the mouth.

Conclusion

Chloroform (CHCl3) is a colourless liquid that evaporates swiftly into gas. It has the potential to affect the eyes, skin, liver, kidneys, and neurological system. If inhaled or ingested, chloroform can be harmful. Chloroform exposure may potentially result in cancer. Workers may be injured if they are exposed to chloroform. The degree of exposure is determined by the dose, duration, and type of work performed.

Chloroform is utilised in a variety of sectors. It is emitted by pulp and paper factories, hazardous waste sites, chlorinated water, and some landfills. Chloroform is utilised in the production of refrigerants, solvents, and chemicals. The following are some instances of workers who may be exposed to chloroform:

• Employees in the paper manufacturing or recycling industries
• Operators of sanitary landfill equipment
• Employees in water treatment plants
• Employees in the service industry who were exposed to some air conditioner refrigerants