Chloroform or chloroform (often abbreviated as TCM), an organic compound with the formula CHCl3, is a common 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 [13] The chloroform molecule can be viewed as a methane molecule in which three hydrogen atoms have been replaced by three chlorine atoms, leaving one hydrogen atom.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 of chloroform formula
The total annual global flux of chloroform 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