Chloroform

**Semantic type:** Hazardous or Poisonous Substance|Indicator, Reagent, or Diagnostic Aid|Organic Chemical

**Definition:** A colorless, volatile, liquid derivative of trichloromethane with an ether-like odor. Formerly used as an inhaled anesthetic during surgery, the primary use of chloroform today is in industry, where it is used as a solvent and in the production of the refrigerant freon. Acute chloroform toxicity results in impaired liver function, cardiac arrhythmia, nausea and central nervous system dysfunction. As a byproduct of water chlorination, chloroform may be present in small amounts in chlorinated water. (NCI04)

**Synonyms:** - CHLOROFORM - Trichloromethane - Trichloromethane