Chloroform

Synonyms

Methane trichloride; Trichloromethane; [NIOSH] Formyl trichloride; Methenyl trichloride; Methyl trichloride; Trichloroform; [CHEMINFO]

Category

Chlorinated Aliphatics

Description

Colorless liquid with a pleasant odor; [NIOSH]

Sources/Uses

Has been used mainly for extraction and spot cleaning; [LaDou, p. 552] Used mainly in production of chlorodifluoromethane; [CHEMINFO] Uses have included dry cleaning agent and solvent for resins, plasticizers, rubber chemicals, and flavors; [HSDB]

Comments

Anesthesia is produced at concentrations of 10,000 ppm. Laboratory animals develop dose-dependent hepatic necrosis. Chloroform is embryotoxic in high-dose inhalation studies of pregnant rats. [ACGIH] Chloroform is in the list of "Some volatile substances which may be abused by inhalation" published on the web site of the U.N. International Drug Control Programme, indicating its potential to cause narcosis in workers. [Reference #1] Acute exposure to high concentrations of chloroform can cause liver and kidney injury, but much less than that caused by carbon tetrachloride. [Rosenstock, p. 575]

No longer used as a fumigant in the U.S. [EPA Pesticides]

Reference Link #1

Biomedical References

Insufficient data

10 ppm

Ceiling(OSHA) = 50 ppm

0.5 ppm

500 ppm

Excerpts from Documentation for IDLHs

It has been reported that inhalation of 10,000 ppm has produced clinical anesthesia [NIOSH 1974] and that exposure for 2 minutes to 1,107 ppm has caused dizziness and vertigo [Lehmann et al. 1936]. Workers exposed 4 hours/day to concentrations of 57 to 71 ppm complained of lassitude, loss of appetite, and nausea [Challen et al. 1958]. Exposures to 390 ppm were tolerated for 30 minutes without complaint, whereas 1,030 ppm resulted in dizziness, intracranial pressure, and nausea in 7 minutes, with headache for several hours [Lehmann and Flury 1943].

197 mm Hg

133 ppm

Odor Threshold High

276 ppm

LC50 (rat) = 47,702 mg/m3/4H

Explanatory Notes

Detection odor threshold from AIHA (mean = 192 ppm); VP from HSDB;

Whole body: 1.5 hours; [TDR, p. 318]

Reference Link #2

will not burn

Not appropriate

50 ppm

5,000 ppm

Acute solvent syndrome

Hepatoxic (a) from occupational exposure (secondary effect) or (b) in animal studies or in humans after ingestion

Yes

Yes

Possible (2b)

Anticipated human carcinogen

Confirmed Animal

Diseases

Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent:

• Fumigants, acute toxic effect
• Solvents, acute toxic effect

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Dry Cleaning
• Plastic Composites Manufacturing

Activities

Activities with risk of exposure:

• Smoking cigarettes