What Does
Chlorinated Solvent Mean?
A chlorinated solvent is a chemical compound that consists of one or two carbon atoms and at least one chlorine atom joined by covalent bonds.
A chlorinated solvent is used in commercial (aerospace, military and metalworking) and domestic applications, such as paint thinners; thinning or mixing host in solutions, resins, degreasers, pesticides and chemical intermediates; and manufacturing and industrial cleaning solutions, such as dry cleaning. The chlorine structure in a chlorinated solvent gives it the ability to absorb organic materials.
Corrosionpedia Explains Chlorinated Solvent
Some of the commonly known chlorinated solvents include:
- Dichloromethane (DCM)
- Vinyl chloride (VC)
- Dichloroethene (DCE)
- Tetrachloroethene (PCE)
- 1, 1, 1 – Trichloroethane (TCA)
- Trichloroethene (TCE)
- TetrachloromethaneCT)
- Trichloroethylene (TCE)
- Methylene chloride or chloromethane (MC)
These relatively soluble solvents contain at least one atom of chlorine and one or two atoms of carbon covalently bonded; this leads to structural variety and divergence in chemical properties, making them have multiple applications. A chlorinated solvent is known to be volatile and less dense than water. Its use as a cleaning agent makes it a common soil and groundwater contaminant. Chlorinated solvents have a low viscosity and are chemically stable under typical aerobic conditions.
In health, a chlorinated solvent poses as a risk and is classified as an actual or potential cancer-causing compound. In air and water surfaces, chlorinated solvents disintegrate sequentially into other chlorinated solvents. The solvent can dissolve in groundwater and soil pore water. This is why its degradation is by biochemical and abiotic reactions: oxidation, substitution, dehydrohalogenation and reduction.