Which statement about chloroform is correct?

• A. It is highly flammable.
• B. It is not flammable or combustible, but when heated, it may form a toxic gas.
• C. It is used as a clearing agent.
• D. It forms a harmless gas when heated.

Answer: (B)

Chloroform is not flammable under normal conditions, but it can decompose when heated to produce phosgene, a highly toxic gas that irritates the lungs and can be fatal at sufficient concentrations. That combination of nonflammability with hazardous gas formation on heating is the key safety fact here, which is why the statement describing it as not flammable but capable of forming a toxic gas when heated is correct. While chloroform has historically been used as a clearing agent in histology, the important point for this question is its heating-decomposition hazard, not the clearing-agent use. The idea that heating forms a harmless gas is false, and saying it’s highly flammable is inaccurate.