Chlorine's fate?"Special Treatment: Tiny technology tackles mega messes" (SN: 4/23/05, p. 266), on the reaction of nanoparticles of iron with trichloroethane tri·chlo·ro·eth·ane n. Either of two colorless, nonflammable, isomeric compounds, C2H3Cl3, having a sweet odor, used as solvents for adhesives, pesticides, and lubricants, and in industrial cleaning solutions. (TCE TCE trichloroethylene. TCE Environment A volatile chlorinated hydrocarbon that boils at 88ºC and is highly soluble–1000 ppm in water, with various industrial uses Toxicity Peripheral neuropathy, carcinogenic. ) contaminating an aquifer, states that the TCE is converted "into ethane ethane (ĕth`ān), CH3CH3, gaseous hydrocarbon. It is a continuous-chain alkane. As a constituent of natural gas, it is used for fuel. It can be prepared by cracking and fractional distillation of petroleum. ." What happens to the chlorine stripped off the TCE? Is it converted into insoluble inorganic compounds or is it available to react with another aquifer contaminant contaminant /con·tam·i·nant/ (kon-tam´in-int) something that causes contamination. contaminant something that causes contamination. to possibly form another toxic substance? CHARLES MCCHESNEY, MARS, PA. The chlorine atoms stripped from TCE are converted into harmless chloride ions that float freely in the groundwater.--A. GOHO |
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