ABSTRACT
This book deals with four the major chlorinated solvents: methyl chloroform, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, and dichloromethane. Carbon tetrachloride is also an important chlorinated solvent, but it was more commonly used between 1900 and 1960. Its primary use since then has been as an intermediate in the production of chlorofl uorocarbons and other chemicals (Doherty, 2000a; Shepherd, 1962). The more common names for these four major solvents include 1,1,1-trichloroethane or TCA (for methyl chloroform), trichloroethene or TCE (for trichloroethylene), tetrachloroethene or PCE (for perchloroethylene), and methylene chloride (for dichloromethane). Tables 1.1 and 1.2 present identifying information and chemical structures for the four major chlorinated solvents, as well as lists of synonyms and trade names.
