The heterogeneous chemistry of trichloroacetyl chloride was studied using two different techniques allowing direct measurements of the uptake rate by water droplets and of the homogeneous aqueous phase hydrolysis rate. The first technique used was the droplet train technique for the study of the gas/liquid interaction which yielded uptake coefficients lower than 10-3 and estimates of the Henry's law constant H of 2 M atm-1 and of the hydrolysis rate constant kh of 500 s-1 for pH<3.5. The second technique used was a stopped-flow method for the homogeneous aqueous phase study. The results led to a hydrolysis rate constant of 150 s-1 in pure water for pH between 4.8 and 5.8 and strongly catalyzed by hydrogen and hydroxide ions. The results show that trichloroacetyl chloride can react readily with water leading to short residence time in the atmosphere.