Fate & Transport
Chloroform evaporates very quickly when exposed to air. Chloroform also dissolves easily in water, but does not stick to the soil very well. This means that it can travel down through soil to ground water where it can enter a water supply.
Chloroform lasts for a long time in both
the air and in the ground water. Most chloroform in the air eventually breaks down, but this process is slow. The breakdown products in air include phosgene, which is more toxi than chloroform, and hydrogen chloride, which is also toxic. Some chloroform may break down in soil. Chloroform does not appear to build up in great amounts in plants and animals, but we find some small amounts of chloroform in foods.
http://www.eco-usa.net/toxics/chcl3.shtml