1,1,2-Trichloroethane, or 1,1,2-TCA, is an

organochloride An organochloride, organochlorine compound, chlorocarbon, or chlorinated hydrocarbon is an organic compound containing at least one covalently bonded atom of chlorine. The chloroalkane class (alkanes with one or more hydrogens substituted by chlo ...

solvent A solvent (s) (from the Latin '' solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for ...

with the molecular formula CHCl. It is a colourless, sweet-smelling

liquid A liquid is a nearly incompressible fluid that conforms to the shape of its container but retains a (nearly) constant volume independent of pressure. As such, it is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, gas, ...

that does not dissolve in

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as ...

, but is soluble in most organic

s. It is an

isomer In chemistry, isomers are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formulae – that is, same number of atoms of each element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. Isomerism is existence or possibility of isomers. Iso ...

of 1,1,1-trichloroethane. It is used as a solvent and as an intermediate in the synthesis of 1,1-dichloroethane. 1,1,2-TCA is a

central nervous system The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting primarily of the brain and spinal cord. The CNS is so named because the brain integrates the received information and coordinates and influences the activity of all par ...

depressant A depressant, or central depressant, is a drug that lowers neurotransmission levels, which is to depress or reduce arousal or stimulation, in various areas of the brain. Depressants are also colloquially referred to as downers as they lower the ...

and inhalation of vapors may cause dizziness, drowsiness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath, and unconsciousness.

Toxicology

Trichloroethane may be harmful by inhalation, ingestion, and

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other cuticle, animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have diffe ...

contact. It is a respiratory and eye irritant. Although no definitive studies currently exist, trichloroethane should be treated as a potential

carcinogen A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive substan ...

since laboratory evidence suggests that low molecular weight chlorinated hydrocarbons may be

ic. The

Occupational Safety and Health Administration The Occupational Safety and Health Administration'' (OSHA ) is a large regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. Congress established the agenc ...

and

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, ) is the United States federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. NIOSH is part of the C ...

have set occupational exposure limits to 1,1,2-Trichloroethane at 10 ppm over an eight-hour time-weighted average.CDC - NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
/ref> It is considered to be a potential occupational carcinogen.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Trichloroethane, 1, 1, 2- Chloroalkanes Halogenated solvents GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators Sweet-smelling chemicals