Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a clear, colorless, nonflammable (at room temperature) stable toxic liquid with chloroform-like odor (ATSDR, 2011). It is slightly soluble in water, is soluble in greases and common organic solvents, and boils at 87°C (190 F).
On contact with air, it slowly decomposes and forms phosgene, hydrogen chloride, and dichloroacetyl chloride. Trichloroethylene in contact with water becomes corrosive and forms dichloroacetic acid and hydrochloric acid. It is soluble in methanol, diethyl ether, and acetone.
Trichloroethylene is also known as trichloroethene, acetylene trichloride, 1-chloro-2,2- dichloroethylene, and ethylene trichloride, and it is also commonly abbreviated to TRI. It is a volatile, chlorinated organic hydrocarbon that is widely used for degreasing metals and as a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC-134a) intermediate (ATSDR, 2013). It is also used in adhesives, paint-stripping formulations, paints, lacquers, and varnishes. In the 1930s, TCE was introduced for use in dry cleaning, but this practice was largely discontinued in the 1950s when TCE was replaced by tetrachloroethylene (PCE). It has a number of other past uses in cosmetics, drugs, foods, and pesticides (US EPA, 2011). It is an environmental contaminant that has been detected in air, groundwater, surface waters, and soil