Pure Appl. Chem., 1996, Vol. 68, No. 9, pp. 1757-1769
doi:10.1351/pac199668091757
The Atmospheric Fate and Impact of Hydrochlorofluorocarbons and Chlorinated Solvents
Howard Sidebottom1 and James Franklin2
1Department of Chemistry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland; 2Alternative Fluorocarbon Environmental Acceptability Study (AFEAS), The West Tower - Suite 400, 1333 H Street NW, Washington DC, USA
Abstract:
A very considerable body of data pertaining to the atmospheric behaviour of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and chlorinated solvents is now available and leads to the following conclusions: (a) these compounds, with the exception of 1,1,1-trichloroethane, make a small or insignificant contribution to stratospheric ozone depletion, global warming, "photo-chemical smog", "acid rain", or chloride and fluoride levels in precipitation; (b) it seems highly unlikely that the chlorinated solvents degrade in the atmosphere to give chloroacetic acids as major products, as has often been claimed in the literature.