Tetrachloroethylene

<p>Tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene or under the systematic name tetrachloroethene, and abbreviations such as perc (or PERC), and PCE, is a <a href="/facts/Chlorocarbon/IbblBkcB">chlorocarbon</a> with the formula Cl2C=CCl2. It is a non-flammable, stable, colorless and heavy liquid widely used for <a href="/facts/Dry_cleaning/jIJkjnrE">dry cleaning</a> of fabrics and occasionally as a highly effective automotive <a href="/facts/Brake_cleaner/SCVBaC3x">brake cleaner</a>. It has a mildly sweet, sharp odor, detectable by most people at a concentration of 50 ppm. 
</p><p>Tetrachloroethylene is regarded as a toxic substance, a <a href="/facts/Hazard/09kGfaao">human health hazard</a>, and an <a href="/facts/Environmental_hazard/E7ArNUFC">environmental hazard</a>. In 2020, the United States <a href="/facts/United_States_Environmental_Protection_Agency/ghI985SI">Environmental Protection Agency</a> stated that "tetrachloroethylene exposure may harm the nervous system, liver, kidneys, and reproductive system, and may be harmful to unborn children", and reported that numerous <a href="/facts/Toxicology/L6XHRIJH">toxicology</a> agencies regard it as a <a href="/facts/Carcinogen/soH8Y9CE">carcinogen</a>.
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Tetrachloroethylene open-in-new

Tetrachloroethylene