Halogenated compounds are chemical substances that contain one or more halogen atoms (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, or astatine) bonded to carbon atoms. These compounds are widely used in industrial applications such as solvents, refrigerants, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals.
The term halogenated comes from the word “halogen,” derived from Greek:
“hal-” (ἅλς) meaning salt, and
“-gen” (γεννάω) meaning to produce -referring to the salt-producing nature of halogens when they react with metals (e.g., forming sodium chloride).