Chloroform or chloroform (often abbreviated as TCM) is an organic compound with the formula CHCl3 and is a common organic solvent. It is a highly volatile, colorless, thick-smelling liquid that is mass-produced as a precursor to polytetrafluoroethylene and refrigerants [10], and is a trihalomethane that, after inhalation or ingestion Acts as a strong anesthetic, euphoric, anxiolytic and sedative. From the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century, chloroform was used as an anesthetic. [11][12] Chloroform is miscible with many solvents but only very slightly soluble in water (only 8 g/L at 20 °C).

Structure and name[edit]
The molecule adopts a tetrahedral molecular geometry with C3v symmetry. [13] The chloroform molecule can be viewed as a methane molecule in which three hydrogen atoms have been replaced by three chlorine atoms, leaving one hydrogen atom.

The name "chloroform" is a portmanteau of trichloride (tertiary chlorine, trichloride) and formyl, an obsolete name derived from the methylene group (CH) of formic acid.

naturally occurring [edit]
The total annual global flux of chloroform formula through the environment is approximately 660,000 tons,[14] with approximately 90% of the emissions coming from natural sources. Many species of seaweed produce chloroform, and fungi are thought to produce chloroform in soil. [15] Abiotic processes are also thought to contribute to the production of natural chloroform in soil, although the mechanism remains unclear. [16]

Since chloroform is a VOC,[17] it readily dissipates from soil and surface water and degrades in air to produce phosgene, methylene chloride, formyl chloride, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen chloride. Its half-life in air is 55 to 620 days. Biodegrades slowly in water and soil. Chloroform does not bioaccumulate significantly in aquatic organisms.