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Glite Dictionary
perchloroethylene

perchloroethylene

1 9.6
A clear liquid used in dry cleaning to remove stains and grease
  • noun
  • /pɜrˌklɔːrəˈɛθɪliːn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : percloroetileno
  • When estimating the effects of redistricting, low-dose metabolism of perchloroethylene, missing survey responses, radon levels, or voting patterns, there are no guarantees; we just have to do our best.
  • perchloroethylene, a solvent
  • perchloroethylene, a dry-cleaning
  • perchloroethylene, a chemical

Examples

  • The target is a tank containing 100,000 gallons of C2Cl4 (perchloroethylene, a cleaning fluid), deep in the Homestake Gold Mine in Lead, South Dakota.

    Academic text (1990)

  • We argued that if our understanding of nuclear processes in the interior of the Sun was correct, then a large tank filled with 100,000 gallons of cleaning fluid (perchloroethylene, which is composed mostly of chlorine

    Academic text (2001)

  • Davis had shown previously that he could extract tiny amounts of neutrino-produced argon from large quantities of perchloroethylene.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Examples of VOMs include industrial chemicals such as benzene, perchloroethylene, toluene, and xylene.

    Academic text (2007)

  • "One major objective is to avoid using perchloroethylene or perc, which in a 1995 EPA report was cited as a "probable human carcinogen."

    Academic text (1998)

  • A tank was built to hold 615 tons of perchloroethylene (C2Cl4), a common dry-cleaning fluid.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Many dry cleaners rely on perchloroethylene because it effectively removes grease from fabrics.

  • You should ventilate the room after using perchloroethylene as it can produce harmful vapors.

  • The label on the garment indicated that it was cleaned with perchloroethylene, a common solvent in the industry.

Synonyms

tetrachloroethylene
vsperchloroethylene
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A clear chemical liquid used for dry cleaning and removing grease

is used mainly for dry cleaning and grease removal rather than medical treatment

How Volatile

diethyl ether
  • Archaic
8.6
water
∞ 1.0
perchloroethylene
  • Specialized
1 9.6
kerosene
41 3.8

Surface Forms

perchloroethylene singular
perchloroethylenes plural

Morphology

perchloroethylene = ethylene (semi-transparent) = per + chloro + ethylene

The name is transparently built from chemical combining forms ('per-' + 'chloro-' + 'ethylene'), but as a specialized technical term its meaning is not obvious to general learners without chemistry knowledge.

Etymology

The word perchloroethylene breaks into three parts: per- meaning 'fully' or 'many', chloro- from chlorine (a 'greenish' chemical), and ethylene (the name of a simple 'gas'). So, the name tells you it is an ethylene molecule with many chlorine atoms attached, which helps explain why perchloroethylene is a powerful solvent used in dry cleaning.