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Book

Chloroform Toxicity

Vanessa M. Guillen  1 , Lisandro Irizarry, Michael K. Connolly
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
.
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Book

Chloroform Toxicity

Vanessa M. Guillen et al.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

Chloroform (CHCl3) is a colorless liquid and a volatile organic compound that has historically been widely used as an anesthetic. This substance is now primarily used in laboratory settings and in the manufacturing of various industrial products.[1][2] Due to its toxicity and associated health risks, chloroform is considered a hazardous substance, and it falls under strict regulatory oversight by governmental agencies to safeguard its proper handling and disposal.[3]

Although chloroform toxicity is infrequent, it can occur through accidental inhalation of its vapors during occupational exposures and, less commonly, through ingestion or intentional inhalation in suicide attempts.[4][5] Numerous case reports have indicated a potential correlation between both acute and chronic chloroform exposure and heightened risks of liver and kidney diseases, along with other health complications.[3]

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Vanessa Guillen declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Lisandro Irizarry declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Michael Connolly declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

References

    1. Reuber MD. Carcinogenicity of chloroform. Environ Health Perspect. 1979 Aug;31:171-82. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Purdue MP, Stewart PA, Friesen MC, Colt JS, Locke SJ, Hein MJ, Waters MA, Graubard BI, Davis F, Ruterbusch J, Schwartz K, Chow WH, Rothman N, Hofmann JN. Occupational exposure to chlorinated solvents and kidney cancer: a case-control study. Occup Environ Med. 2017 Mar;74(4):268-274. - PMC - PubMed
    1. DeMarini DM. A review on the 40th anniversary of the first regulation of drinking water disinfection by-products. Environ Mol Mutagen. 2020 Jul;61(6):588-601. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Zhu SM, Li C, Xu JJ, Zhang HQ, Su YF, Wu YT, Huang HF. Exposure to Chloramine and Chloroform in Tap Water and Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in Shanghai. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 27;19(11) - PMC - PubMed
    1. Sridhar N, Krishnakishore C, Sandeep Y, Sriramnaveen P, Manjusha Y, Sivakumar V. Chloroform poisoning--a case report. Ren Fail. 2011;33(10):1037-9. - PubMed

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