CAS number
- 79-00-5
Molecular formula
- C2H3Cl3
Formula weight
- 133.4 g/mol
Family
- Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAH)
Compound properties list|
| Melting/boiling point | -37 °C / 114 °C | Liquid |
| Relative density | 1.43 g/cm3 | Sinks in water |
| Vapour pressure | 25 mm Hg | Moderately volatile |
| Vapour density | 4.6 | Denser than air |
| Solubility in water | 4,500 mg/L | Moderately soluble |
| Henry's law constant | 7 x 10-4 atm·m3/mol | Moderate volatilization when dissolved |
| log Koc (Depending on soil or sediment characteristics) | 1.8 - 2.0* | Moderate adsorption to organic matter |
At 20 0C, 1,1,2-trichloroethane is a liquid denser than water and moderately volatile.
Characterized by moderate solubility, it will volatilize moderately once dissolved and adsorbs
moderately to organic matter. During a spill, this compound will partially evaporate but may also
enter into the soil or migrate into a waterway. Once it encounters water (surface or subsurface),
the 1,1,2-trichloroethane will dissolve or sink until it reaches an impermeable surface. The liquid
1,1,2-trichloroethane that accumulates in a saturated zone will gradually dissolve before partially
volatilizing. The adsorbed 1,1,2-trichloroethane in the vadose and saturated zones will take some
time disappear, liberating contamination in either the gaseous or dissolved state. The resulting
plumes (gaseous or dissolved) will be relatively moderate in size.
1,1,2-Trichloroethane should be handled with care as it is toxic.
1,1,2-Trichloroethane is produced industrially from ethene, which is chlorinated to
give 1,2-dichloroethane, followed by further chlorination to produce 1,1,2-trichloroethane. It is
also a co-product in the production of l,l,l-trichloroethane. 1,1,2-Trichloroethane is sometimes
present as an impurity in commercial samples of l,l,l-trichloroethane and trichloroethene. It may
also be formed during the anaerobic biodegradation of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in groundwater or
landfills.
The principal use of 1,1,2-trichloroethane is as an intermediate in the production of
l,l-dichloroethene (vinylidene chloride), which in turn is used to produce polyvinylidene chloride
copolymers. 1,1,2-Trichloroethane is also used, to a limited degree, when a strong solvent is
required, such as for chlorinated rubbers. It may also be used as a solvent for fats, oils, waxes
and resins.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 1989. Toxicological
Profile for 1,1,2-Trichloroethane. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health
Service, Georgia, USA. (Viewed March 2010)
Montgomery, John H. 2007. Groundwater Chemicals, Desk Reference, Fourth Edition, CRC
Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Florida, USA.
