Chemistry in the Environment: Chlorine in Chlorofluorocarbons

• Synthetic compounds known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are destroying a vital compound called ozone, O3. in Earth’s upper atmosphere.
• CFCs are chemically inert molecules used primarily as refrigerants and industrial solvents.
• In the upper atmosphere, sunlight breaks bonds within CFCs, resulting in the release of chlorine atoms.
• The chlorine atoms react with ozone and destroy it by converting it from O3 into O2.
• The thinning of ozone over populated areas is dangerous because ultraviolet light can harm living things and induce skin cancer in humans.
• Most developed nations banned the production of CFCs on January 1, 1996.
• CFCs still lurk in older refrigerators and air conditioning units and can leak into the atmosphere and destroy ozone.