Carbon tetrachloride, << `teht` ruh KLAWR eyed, >> is a clear, colorless liquid that does not burn. Industries use it to dissolve oils and rubber, to manufacture refrigerants, and to produce propellants that make liquids spray from containers. The liquid was once widely used as a cleaning fluid. But inhaling its fumes can cause severe illness or death. Carbon tetrachloride will not mix with water, though small amounts can contaminate water supplies. In 1970, the United States government banned the use of carbon tetrachloride in household products.
Manufacturers make carbon tetrachloride by passing chlorine through glowing coke, or by combining chlorine with carbon disulfide or methane.
