BusinessAugust 28, 2026

trichloroethene

try-klawr-oh-EE-theen

Definition

A colorless, volatile industrial solvent and chemical compound that is a common environmental pollutant found at sites where manufacturing occurred.

Etymology

The word is formed from the chemical components 'tri-' (three), 'chlorine', and 'ethene' (a hydrocarbon). It follows standard chemical nomenclature used to describe the molecular structure of the solvent.

In the news

The article identifies trichloroethene as one of the hazardous industrial contaminants remaining in the soil of the former Dico manufacturing plant site.

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The Des Moines Register

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