Introduction
Chlorinated solvents are chemical compounds, primarily used today in the dry-cleaning industry. Structurally, they are organic compounds, typically containing one to three carbon atoms, arranged in a hydrocarbon chain. Single or multiple chlorine atoms are attached to the hydrocarbon chain by covalent bonds. As shown below in FIGURE 1, chlorinated solvents can be in three forms, dependent on the chemical structure: chlorinated methanes, chlorinated ethanes, and chlorinated ethenes. As the chemical structure of a chlorinated solvent becomes more complex, that compound is more persistent in the environment and thus, becomes more difficult to degrade. Perchloroethene (PCE) is among the most frequently-encountered contaminants in the …show more content…
While its production in the U.S. has decreased over time, due to many factors such as improved equipment efficiencies, new environmental regulations, PCE imports, and more, it is the “fourth-most frequently found organic contaminant at Superfund sites, being reported present at 924 of 1689 National Priorities List (NPL) sites in 2007”.2
Likewise, peak TCE use was during the 1940s and 1950s, due to its cleaning and degreasing properties, as well as its physical properties that make it fit for a wide variety of applications. However, the same environmental regulations that regulated PCE limited TCE emissions and plummeted its usage thereafter. Furthermore, the National Cancer Institute found TCE to be carcinogenic in 1975. While PCE is fourth-most, TCE is the “(first-) most frequently found organic contaminant at Superfund sites, being reported present at 1,022 of 1,689 NPL sites in 2007”. …show more content…
2 Later that decade, the 1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as well as the 1977 Clean Water Act (CWA), further regulated these chlorinated solvents. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) generated a priority pollutant list, as a result of the CWA, which included both PCE and TCE. Also, under RCRA, any wastes containing these chlorinated solvents were classified as hazardous waste. Soon after, the 1980 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as well as the 1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) to RCRA, regulated the spill of PCE and TCE, among other chemicals. CERCLA mandated that spills of the regulated chemicals be reported in terms of quantity, while the HSWA amendments restricted the disposal of untreated solvent wastes over land.
Chlorinated solvents are chemical compounds, primarily used today in the dry-cleaning industry. Structurally, they are organic compounds, typically containing one to three carbon atoms, arranged in a hydrocarbon chain. Single or multiple chlorine atoms are attached to the hydrocarbon chain by covalent bonds. As shown below in FIGURE 1, chlorinated solvents can be in three forms, dependent on the chemical structure: chlorinated methanes, chlorinated ethanes, and chlorinated ethenes. As the chemical structure of a chlorinated solvent becomes more complex, that compound is more persistent in the environment and thus, becomes more difficult to degrade. Perchloroethene (PCE) is among the most frequently-encountered contaminants in the …show more content…
While its production in the U.S. has decreased over time, due to many factors such as improved equipment efficiencies, new environmental regulations, PCE imports, and more, it is the “fourth-most frequently found organic contaminant at Superfund sites, being reported present at 924 of 1689 National Priorities List (NPL) sites in 2007”.2
Likewise, peak TCE use was during the 1940s and 1950s, due to its cleaning and degreasing properties, as well as its physical properties that make it fit for a wide variety of applications. However, the same environmental regulations that regulated PCE limited TCE emissions and plummeted its usage thereafter. Furthermore, the National Cancer Institute found TCE to be carcinogenic in 1975. While PCE is fourth-most, TCE is the “(first-) most frequently found organic contaminant at Superfund sites, being reported present at 1,022 of 1,689 NPL sites in 2007”. …show more content…
2 Later that decade, the 1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as well as the 1977 Clean Water Act (CWA), further regulated these chlorinated solvents. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) generated a priority pollutant list, as a result of the CWA, which included both PCE and TCE. Also, under RCRA, any wastes containing these chlorinated solvents were classified as hazardous waste. Soon after, the 1980 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as well as the 1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) to RCRA, regulated the spill of PCE and TCE, among other chemicals. CERCLA mandated that spills of the regulated chemicals be reported in terms of quantity, while the HSWA amendments restricted the disposal of untreated solvent wastes over land.