Substance profile
Trichloroethylene
Trichloroethylene is a colorless liquid (unless dyed blue) with an ethereal odor.
01 · Identification
What Trichloroethylene is
Trichloroethylene is a colorless liquid (unless dyed blue) with an ethereal odor. Its molecular formula is C2HCl3 and its molecular weight is 131.38 g/mol. It boils at 87.2 °C, melts at -84.7 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger. It is classed as hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs).
02 · Identifiers
Trichloroethylene identifiers and molecular data
Trichloroethylene CAS number and EC number
Trichloroethylene molecular formula and molecular weight
Other names for Trichloroethylene
- TCE
- trichlor
- Acetylene Trichloride
- Algylen
- Anamenth
- Benzinol
- Blacosolv
- Blancosolv
- Cecolene
- Chlorilen
- 1-Chloro-2,2-Dichloroethylene
- Chlorylea
- Chlorylen
- Chorylen
- trichloroethene
03 · GHS classification
Trichloroethylene hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
Trichloroethylene pictograms and signal word
Trichloroethylene hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin corrosion/irritation GHS chapter 3.2 | Category 2 | H315 | GHS07 |
| Serious eye damage/eye irritation GHS chapter 3.3 | Category 2A | H319 | GHS07 |
| Germ cell mutagenicity GHS chapter 3.5 | Category 2 | H341 | GHS08 |
| Carcinogenicity GHS chapter 3.6 | Category 1A or 1B | H350 | GHS08 |
| Specific target organ toxicity - single exposure GHS chapter 3.8 | Category 3 narcotic | H336 | GHS07 |
| Hazardous to the aquatic environment - chronic GHS chapter 4.1 | Category 3 | H412 | — |
Where two values are shown with “or”, the hazard statement is shared by more than one category or by more than one class, and the code alone does not say which. H272, for example, belongs to oxidising liquids and to oxidising solids — the physical state decides. The binding answer for a specific entry is in the CLP Annex VI table itself.
Trichloroethylene hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H350 | May cause cancer <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>. |
| H341 | Suspected of causing genetic defects <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>. |
| H336 | May cause drowsiness or dizziness. |
| H315 | Causes skin irritation. |
| H319 | Causes serious eye irritation. |
| H412 | Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to Trichloroethylene. The full reference lives on the hazard statements hub, the precautionary statements hub and the GHS pictograms hub.
Safety Data Sheet
Getting an SDS for Trichloroethylene
Our own Trichloroethylene safety data sheet walks through all sixteen sections of the published data. What it is not is the document an inspector asks for: an SDS is issued for a product by its supplier, so the sheet covering the grade actually standing in your store exists only in that supplier’s version. Collecting those and keeping them current as suppliers revise them is a separate job.
04 · Precautionary statements
Trichloroethylene precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 13 precautionary statements to Trichloroethylene. They are grouped the way a label groups them: what to do before handling, what to do when something has already happened, how to store it and how to dispose of it.
Prevention
What to do before and during handling so the hazard never happens.
Response
What to do once exposure, spillage or fire has already happened.
Disposal
What has to happen to the contents and the empty container.
Reading the notation. … is a blank the supplier fills in — not a truncated sentence.· [square brackets] mark a part printed only when it applies.
05 · Names in the regulation
Trichloroethylene name in 23 EU languages
CLP Annex VI Part 3 is published in every language edition of the regulation, and the identification column is written out in each of them. Nothing below is translated by us: each line is the name as that edition prints it. Under Art. 18(2) the substance name from Annex VI is a lawful product identifier, so this is the wording to put on a label going to that market — and where the cell lists several designations, any one of them qualifies.
| Language | Name in CLP Annex VI Part 3 |
|---|---|
| Bulgarian български | трихлороетилен трихлороетен |
| Spanish español | Tricloroetileno tricloroeteno |
| Czech čeština | trichlorethylen trichlorethen |
| Danish dansk | trichlorethylen trichlorethen |
| German Deutsch | Trichlorethylen Trichlorethen |
| Estonian eesti | trikloroetüleen trikloroeteen |
| Greek ελληνικά | τριχλωροαιθυλένιο τριχλωροαιθένιο |
| English English | trichloroethylene trichloroethene |
| French français | trichloroéthylène trichloroéthène |
| Croatian hrvatski | trikloretilen trikloreten |
| Italian italiano | tricloroetilene tricloroetene |
| Latvian latviešu | trihloretilēns trihloretēns |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | trichloretilenas trichloretenas |
| Hungarian magyar | triklóretilén triklóretén |
| Maltese Malti | trikloroetilen trikloroeten |
| Dutch Nederlands | trichloorethyleen trichlooretheen |
| Polish polski | trichloroetylen trichloroeten |
| Portuguese português | tricloroetileno tricloroeteno |
| Romanian română | tricloroetilenă tricloroeten |
| Slovak slovenčina | trichlóretylén trichlóretén |
| Slovenian slovenščina | trikloroetilen trikloroeten |
| Finnish suomi | trikloorietyleeni trikloorieteeni |
| Swedish svenska | trikloretylen trikloreten |
All 23 language editions of Annex VI carry this entry. Irish is the twenty-fourth official EU language and has no line here for a different reason: no consolidated CLP text has ever been published in Irish, so there is no Irish edition of Annex VI to quote a name from. Source: consolidated CLP, CELEX 02008R1272, language editions. © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu — only the electronic Official Journal of the European Union is authentic.
06 · Label elements
Trichloroethylene GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Trichloroethylene, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Danger
Trichloroethylene
- May cause cancer <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>.
- Suspected of causing genetic defects <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>.
- May cause drowsiness or dizziness.
- Causes skin irritation.
- Causes serious eye irritation.
- Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
- Obtain special instructions before use.
- Wash … thoroughly after handling.
- Avoid release to the environment.
- Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/…
- IF ON SKIN:
- IF IN EYES:
- IF exposed or concerned:
- Get medical advice/attention.
- If skin irritation occurs:
- If eye irritation persists:
- Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing.
- Wash with plenty of water/…
- Dispose of contents/container to …
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open Trichloroethylene in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
Trichloroethylene health hazards and exposure limits
Trichloroethylene hazard summary
Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a nonflammable, colorless liquid with a somewhat sweet odor and a sweet, burning taste. It is used mainly as a solvent to remove grease from metal parts, but it is also an ingredient in adhesives, paint removers, typewriter correction fluids, and spot removers. Trichloroethylene is not thought to occur naturally in the environment. However, it has been found in underground water sources and many surface waters as a result of the manufacture, use, and disposal of the chemical.
Source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Trichloroethylene carcinogenicity classification
Under the conditions of these 2-year gavage studies of trichloroethylene in male and female ACI, August, Marshall, and Osborne-Mendel rats, trichloroethylene administration caused renal tubular cell cytomegaly and toxic nephropathy in both sexes of the four strains. However, these are considered to be inadequate studies of carcinogenic activity because of chemically induced toxicity, reduced survival, and deficiencies in the conduct of the studies. Despite these limitations, tubular cell neoplasms of the kidney were observed in rats exposed to trichloroethylene and interstitial cell neoplasms of the testis were observed in Marshall rats exposed to trichloroethylene.
Source: US National Toxicology Program · TR-273: Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Trichloroethylene (CASRN 79-01-6) in Four Strains of Rats (ACI, August, Marshall, Osborne-Mendel) (Gavage Studies) (1988 )
Trichloroethylene is known to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in humans.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
An IARC group and a CLP classification answer different questions. IARC judges whether the evidence for cancer in humans is strong enough; CLP Annex VI is the legally binding EU classification. A substance can carry one and not the other.
Trichloroethylene occupational exposure limits
| Limit | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PEL | 100.0 [ppm], Ceiling(OSHA) = 200 ppm(300 ppm for 5-min peak in any 2 hrs) | Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| PEL | 100 ppm | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| PEL | 200 ppm; 300 ppm (Peak), for a single time period up to 5 min in any 2 hours | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| REL | Ca See Appendix ASee Appendix C | The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
| IDLH | 1000 ppm ; A potential occupational carcinogen. (NIOSH, 2024) | CAMEO Chemicals |
| IDLH | 1000.0 [ppm] | Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| IDLH | NIOSH considers trichloroethylene to be a potential occupational carcinogen. | Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) |
These are United States values. The European Union sets its own indicative and binding limits, and the figure that applies at a given workplace is the one in the local regulation — not the one shown here.
08 · Physical and chemical properties
Trichloroethylene properties
Every value is shown with the conditions it was measured under and the source it came from. Where sources disagree, all values are listed rather than one being picked — the difference is usually a different form of the substance, not an error.
Trichloroethylene boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 87.2 °C (189 °F) | HSDB | |
| 16 °C (60.8 °F) | HSDB | ||
| 87.22 °C (189 °F) | NIOSH |
Trichloroethylene melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | -84.7 °C (-120.5 °F) | HSDB | |
| -72.78 °C (-99 °F) | NIOSH |
Trichloroethylene density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.46 g/cm³ | NIOSH | |
| 1.4642 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| 1.46 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | CAMEO |
Trichloroethylene solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Miscible with ethanol, ethyl ether; soluble in acetone, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform | HSDB | |
| In water, range of 999-1,472 mg/L at 25 °C (average of 1,118 mg/L) | at 25 °C | HSDB | |
| In water, 1,280 mg/L at 25 °C | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Trichloroethylene vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 58 mmHg | NIOSH | |
| 60 mmHg | at 20 °C | CAMEO | |
| 69 mmHg | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Trichloroethylene flash point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash point | 93.33 °C (200 °F) | above this value | CAMEO |
Trichloroethylene autoignition temperature
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autoignition temperature | 420 °C (788 °F) | HSDB | |
| 410 °C (770 °F) | CAMEO |
Trichloroethylene lower explosive limit (LEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | 12.5 % by volume | CAMEO | |
| 8 % by volume | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Trichloroethylene upper explosive limit (UEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper explosive limit (UEL) | 90 % by volume | CAMEO | |
| 10.5 % by volume | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Trichloroethylene vapor density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor density | 4.53 (air = 1) | HSDB | |
| 4.5 (air = 1) | ICSC |
Trichloroethylene odor threshold
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odor threshold | 5.00X10-1 mg/l (liquid) (detection in water) | HSDB | |
| 2.14X10+1 ppm (recognition in air) (chemically pure) | HSDB | ||
| Odor Threshold Low: 0.5 [ppm] | Haz-Map |
Trichloroethylene critical temperature and pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical temperature and pressure | 271.05 °C (519.9 °F) | HSDB |
Trichloroethylene corrosivity
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrosivity | Non-corrosive | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Fire and explosion
Trichloroethylene fire and explosion behaviour
These are descriptions rather than measured values, so they are kept out of the table above and quoted here with the source that reported them.
Trichloroethylene fire potential
Nonflammable, but high concentrations of trichloroethylene vapor in high-temperature air can be made to burn mildly if plied with a strong flame.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
10 · Handling and storage
Trichloroethylene storage and handling
Trichloroethylene reactive group
CAMEO Chemicals places Trichloroethylene in the reactive groups Halogenated Organic Compounds, Hydrocarbons, Aliphatic Unsaturated. Compatibility with other chemicals is worked out from the group, not from the individual substance — which is why two substances you have never seen react can still be flagged as a pair that must be separated.
A reactive group is a CAMEO Chemicals (US NOAA) grouping, not a GHS hazard class: it has no code, no category and no legal force. It is what the storage compatibility matrix on this site computes from.
Trichloroethylene safe storage
Separated from metals, strong bases, food and feedstuffs, combustible substances and ignition sources. See Chemical Dangers. Dry. Keep in the dark. Keep in a well-ventilated room. Cool.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Trichloroethylene storage conditions
Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place. Containers which are opened must be carefully resealed and kept upright to prevent leakage. Light sensitive. Handle and store under inert gas.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Trichloroethylene incompatible materials
Incompatible materials: Oxidizing agents, strong bases, magnesium.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Trichloroethylene reactivity
It has been determined experimentally that mixtures of finely divided barium metal and a number of halogenated hydrocarbons possess an explosive capability. Specifically, impact sensitivity tests have shown that granular barium in contact with monofluorotrichloromethane, trichlorotrifluoroethane, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, or tetrachloroethylene can detonate (ASESB Pot. Incid. 39. 1968; Chem. Eng. News 46(9):38. 1968). It has been determined experimentally that a mixture of beryllium powder with carbon tetrachloride or with trichloroethylene will flash or spark on heavy impact (ASESB Pot. Incid. 39. 1968). A mixture of powdered magnesium with trichloroethylene or with carbon tetrachloride will flash or spark under heavy impact (ASESB Pot. Incid, 39. 1968).
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Trichloroethylene in the storage compatibility matrix →
11 · Transport
Trichloroethylene UN number and transport classification
Transport classification is a separate system from the GHS classification above. It decides how a package is marked and how a load may be carried; it does not follow from the workplace label, and the workplace label does not follow from it. The entries below are linked by CAS number, never by name.
Trichloroethylene under UN 1710 — shipping name, class and packing group
Europe · ADR 2025, Table A
| Proper shipping name (3.1.2) | Class | Classification code | PG | Labels (column 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRICHLOROETHYLENE | 6.1 | T1 | III | |
Source: ADR 2025, Table A of Chapter 3.2 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. I (UNECE). Class 6.1 is “Toxic substances” (ADR 2.1.1.1).
United States · 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table
| Proper shipping name (column 2) | Class or division | PG | Labels (column 6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trichloroethylene | 6.1 | III | |
Source: 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03. Class 6.1 is “Poisonous materials” (49 CFR 173.2).
12 · Questions
Trichloroethylene — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of Trichloroethylene?
The CAS number of Trichloroethylene is 79-01-6. Its EC number is 201-167-4.
What is the chemical formula of Trichloroethylene?
The molecular formula of Trichloroethylene is C2HCl3 and its molecular weight is 131.38 g/mol.
What does a Trichloroethylene label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for Trichloroethylene carries the pictograms Health hazard and Exclamation mark and the signal word is Danger.
Is Trichloroethylene flammable?
CLP Annex VI assigns Trichloroethylene no flammability hazard class. That is not a statement that it cannot burn: the harmonised list only records the hazards that were assessed for it. The flash point reported for it is 93.33 °C (200 °F), above this value (CAMEO).
Is Trichloroethylene a carcinogen?
Yes. CLP Annex VI classifies Trichloroethylene as a category 1A or 1B carcinogen and assigns it H350: may cause cancer. IARC places it in Group 1: carcinogenic to humans.
What is the exposure limit for Trichloroethylene?
The US occupational exposure limit reported for Trichloroethylene is 100.0 [ppm], Ceiling(OSHA) = 200 ppm(300 ppm for 5-min peak in any 2 hrs) (Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases). Limits differ by country: the EU sets its own indicative and binding values, and the figure that applies at a given workplace is the one in the local regulation.
What is the boiling point of Trichloroethylene?
The boiling point reported for Trichloroethylene is 87.2 °C (189 °F) (HSDB).
What is the melting point of Trichloroethylene?
The melting point reported for Trichloroethylene is -84.7 °C (-120.5 °F) (HSDB).
How should Trichloroethylene be stored?
Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place. Containers which are opened must be carefully resealed and kept upright to prevent leakage. Light sensitive. Handle and store under inert gas. (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB))
Nearby
Substances next to Trichloroethylene
Keep going: substances starting with T, or search the whole database by name, CAS number, pictogram or signal word.
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