We’ll know for sure from the moment you read the title what is chloroform? You start to think because this item will somehow sound familiar to everyone. If you are interested in chemistry or medical science, you already know this substance, its components, what it does, where it is used, its disadvantages and advantages. what is chloroform? The answer to the question may not be so obvious to everyone, so it’s helpful to go into a few details.

Chloroform is a chemical. It is both found in nature and produced artificially. The biggest reason why it is known to everyone is that throughout history it has been used for anesthesia during surgery. Although it is not used for this purpose today, it still holds its place in our memory. Bride what is chloroform? Let’s detail the answer to the question and see what this chemical does.

What is chloroform?

Chloroform is a chemical component represented by the formula CHCl3. This component, also called trichloromethane, is formed by the combination of 1 carbon, 1 hydrogen, 3 chlorine elements. This substance, which is exceedingly fragrant, It is immiscible, non-flammable, heavy, colorless and liquid. Don’t look at the fact that it consists of more than one component, it is a substance that we encounter in nature.

Where is chloroform found?

According to recent research, in a year The amount of chloroform emitted into the environment is more than 600 thousand tons. Don’t worry, people don’t pollute the environment again. Most of this amount that is released occurs naturally. The source of this path are the seas and mushrooms. Many well-known types of seaweed and fungi produce chloroform.

Chloroform dissolves in soil and water and breaks down into dozens of different substances. Upon dissolution, chloroform, which is gaseous in nature, becomes The life span varies between 55 and 620 days. Of course, chloroform is not just a substance that occurs in nature. It started being made in the lab environment about 200 years ago.

What does chloroform do?

Before going into details about where this chemical is used, it’s helpful to talk about what it does. chloroform substance when you inhale it or take it in pill form and swallow it You will feel the strong anesthetic and calming effect in a short time. It is also a very successful chemical solvent.

The effects on humans long-term exposure and short-term exposure We can split it in two. When exposed to chloroform for a short time, the first effects you will see are dizziness, fatigue, and headache. In the next process, irregularities in breathing, nausea, vomiting, negative effects on kidney and liver will be seen.

Even at low levels, prolonged exposure to chloroform depression and irritability will be seen. Chloroform dust, which even has the possibility of cardiac arrest, has negative effects on reproduction. Although not certain, serious problems have been observed in fetuses exposed to chloroform in animal studies. Oddly enough, men exposed to chloroform have increased sperm counts. However, it would not be correct to speak of a healthy increase.

Where is chloroform used?

This fragrant, calming chemical was first prepared by a human in 1831. The first person to use chloroform was Scottish physician James Simpson, who worked at the University of Edinburgh. The official use of chloroform, the narcotic effect of which was discovered in 1847, is for this purpose. During the birth of Queen Victoria’s eighth child in 1853 It was performed by the English physician John Snow.

Just as it was later discovered that many substances used in various sciences were harmful, chloroform actually was Turns out he wasn’t as innocent as he thought. Chloroform causes the formation of toxic substances in the liver and kidneys and indirectly causes cancer.

The main use of chloroform today is in the chemical industry. Chloroform is a great solvent, but Even its use in this field harms both the ozone layer and human health. Chlorine, the main component of the component, is also used all over the world for cleaning drinking water. However, the combination of chlorine and organics in the water poses a major risk as it can produce chloroform.

To make chloroform methane must be combined with chlorine. But even this manufacturing process alone causes harmful gas to be spread. Although studies in the United States aim to completely eliminate the use and production of chloroform in a short time, we are still a long way from this goal.

To summarize, what is the place of chloroform in human life?

At this point you might be a little confused because it’s a little strange that a substance so intertwined with human life can be so harmful at the same time. However Chloroform has not been used for anesthesia for a long time. Today, the negative effects of the drugs used for this purpose on human health are very low.

Despite everything, chloroform is still actively used in the chemical industry. The reason why it is still used, even if it is harmful, There is no replacement available for the same price yet. However, studies on this topic accelerated. It is believed that in the near future we will get rid of all chemicals that are harmful to nature and humans, especially chloroform.

Unfortunately, because our water is polluted quickly, it is used by local municipalities around the world. The drinking water chlorination process continues. There is still a good chance that the organic substances in the water and the chlorine substance will combine and become dangerous components such as chloroform. There is currently no other solution to this problem. However, we hope that this issue will also be resolved in the near future.

Known chemical compound once used as an anesthetic What is chloroform, what is it for, what is it used for? We answered the frequently asked questions and explained the details you need to know about the topic. We hope that we will soon get rid of all chemicals that harm people and nature, such as chloroform, and start living a friendly life with nature.