CHEMICAL FACT SHEET This fact sheet is part of a series of chemical fact sheets to address community concerns on public health and environmental issues associated with the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR). Terms identified in bold are defined in the glossary. WHAT IS CHLOROFORM? Chloroform, also called trichloromethane, is a colorless liquid with a pleasant odor and a slight, sweet taste. It dissolves easily in water. Chloroform is both a synthetic and naturally-occurring compound, although sources from humans, such as septic systems and other water treatment processes involving chlorination, are responsible for most of the chloroform in the environment. Chloroform enters the air and water from some industrial processes, leaking containers, and waste disposal. It also is a byproduct of the chlorination of drinking water, municipal and industrial wastewater, and swimming pool and spa water. Chloroform may also enter the environment via the chemical breakdown of chlorinated compounds. HOW WAS CHLOROFORM USED AT THE MMR? Chloroform is not known to be associated with any groundwater plumes emanating from MMR. Chloroform has been detected in groundwater samples from areas on and around the MMR as well as other areas on and off Cape Cod. Chloroform in the groundwater on Cape Cod is widespread. In fact, nationwide studies have found that nearly half of the groundwater locations sampled have detectable levels of chloroform. . WHAT HAPPENS TO CHLOROFORM WHEN IT ENTERS THE ENVIRONMENT?
HOW MIGHT I BE EXPOSED TO CHLOROFORM? You can be exposed to chloroform only when you come in contact with it by drinking, breathing, eating, or touching it. Examples include:
HOW MAY CHLOROFORM AFFECT MY HEALTH? If you are not exposed to chloroform, it does not pose a risk to your health. If there is exposure to chloroform, several factors will determine whether harmful effects may occur and what the type and severity of those health effects may be. These factors include:
In scientific experiments conducted on
laboratory animals, results indicated that the health effects of chloroform are similar
whether it is inhaled or ingested. These effects include damage to the liver, kidneys, and
the central nervous system of rats. Moderate amounts (300,000 parts per billion (ppb))
of chloroform affected reproduction, but it is unknown if these effects apply to humans. IS CHLOROFORM LIKELY TO CAUSE CANCER? In laboratory studies, animals that were exposed to high levels of chloroform developed liver and kidney cancer. Although there is insufficient evidence that chloroform causes cancer in humans, EPA has listed chloroform as a probable human carcinogen based on evidence that it causes cancer in laboratory animals. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that chloroform may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen. WHAT FEDERAL AND STATE STANDARDS EXIST TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT? EPA has established a safe drinking water
standard of 80 ppb for total trihalomethanes, a group of compounds including chloroform,
bromoform, bromodichloromethane, and dibromochloromethane. This means that the total sum
of all trihalomethanes in a sample should not exceed 80 ppb for safe drinking water.
Trihalomethanes are a common byproduct of the chlorination of public water supplies. HOW CAN I HAVE MY WATER OR AIR CHECKED FOR CHLOROFORM? Your local board of health can help you determine whether you are exposed to chloroform exceeding regulatory standards. There is generally a fee associated with laboratory analysis.. WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CHEMICAL? For additional technical information and a review of current research, contact EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791, the Massachusetts Office of Research and Standards at (617) 556-1160 or see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's (ATSDR) Toxicological Profile for Chloroform. Information about obtaining this profile is available by calling ATSDR's 24-hour Toxicology Information Service at (404) 639-6000 or by leaving a message on (800) 447-1544. To order toxic-ological profiles contact the National Technical Information Service at (800) 553-6847 or (707) 487-4650. There may be a fee for the profile. parts per billion (ppb): a measure of concentration. One part per billion equals 1 part in 1,000,000,000 parts. An analogy for parts per billion is one drop in 22,000 gallons. POINTS OF CONTACT
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Additional information about the cleanup program at the MMR
is available on the program's website (http://www.mmr.org). The website includes a variety
of information, including technical documents, meetings agendas and summaries, maps,
glossaries, weekly reports, and news releases. It also includes links to other websites,
including those of EPA Region 1, DEP, DPH, and ATSDR.
The Administrative Record, which is a public record of all documents used in decision-making, is available for review at the Falmouth Public Library or by contacting the IRP Office at (508) 968-4678. This fact sheet was developed through a collaborative effort of the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Joint Program Office (JPO), and local officials.
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