klooritud

Klooritud is an Estonian adjective meaning “chlorinated” and is used in chemistry and environmental science to describe molecules or materials in which one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced by chlorine atoms. The stem kloor- comes from the Estonian word for chlorine, and the suffix -itud forms a participial adjective.

In chemical nomenclature, klooritud compounds encompass a broad class known as organochlorines, including simple chlorinated hydrocarbons such as chloromethane and more complex substances like polychlorinated biphenyls. The term is commonly used to distinguish chlorinated analogs from non-chlorinated ones. In water treatment, chlorination produces chlorinated residuals that act as disinfectants to suppress microbial growth; water quality reports may reference the presence and concentration of such residuals.

Safety, health, and environmental considerations are central to discussions of klooritud compounds. Many chlorinated substances can be persistent in the environment, show toxic effects, or bioaccumulate, leading to regulatory controls on their production, use, disposal, and monitoring. In environmental science, the term is frequently encountered when discussing chlorinated pollutants and the trade-offs between disinfection benefits and ecological risk.

Examples commonly discussed in scientific literature include chloromethane and perchloroethylene, along with other chlorinated solvents and, in broader contexts, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as representative chlorinated pollutants.

See also: chlorination; organochlorine compounds; disinfection; environmental pollutants.