The chlorine gas (dichlorine, diatomic chlorine, molecular chlorine or simply chlorine) is a greenish-yellow gas, with a pungent and suffocating odor, not combustible at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
It is the element with the highest electron affinity and the third highest electronegativity, behind only oxygen and fluorine. It is extremely reactive and a strong oxidizing agent.
Elemental chlorine's high oxidizing potential led to the development of commercial bleaches and disinfectants, as well as a reagent for many processes in the chemical industry..
In the form of chloride ions, chlorine is necessary for all known species of life. But elemental chlorine in high concentrations is extremely dangerous and poisonous to all living organisms, which is why it was used in World War I as the first gaseous chemical warfare agent..
It is toxic by inhalation. In the long term, inhalation of low concentrations, or short term, inhalation of high concentrations of chlorine gas, have harmful effects on health..
Vapors are much heavier than air and tend to settle in low areas. It does not burn, but supports combustion. It is slightly soluble in water. Contact with unconfined liquids can cause frostbite by evaporative cooling..
Used to purify water, bleach wood pulp, and make other chemicals.
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Formula: Cl-Cl
CAS number: 7782-50-5
Chlorine gas belongs to the reactive group of strong oxidizing agents. These compounds often react vigorously with other compounds..
Chlorine gas also belongs to the reactive group of strong halogenating agents, which transfer one or more halogen atoms to the compound with which they are reacting..
Halogenating agents are generally acidic and therefore react, in some cases violently, with bases.
Many of these compounds are reactive to water and reactive to air. Halogens are highly electronegative and strong oxidants.
Chlorine gas is a strong oxidizing agent. Reacts with water. Water dissolves chlorine gas, forming a mixture of hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acids.
It can ignite other combustible materials (wood, paper, oil, etc.). Mixing with fuels can cause an explosion. Container may explode on contact with fire. There is a risk of explosion (and poisoning) from the accumulation of its vapors indoors, in sewers or outdoors..
Hydrogen and chlorine mixtures (5-95%) can explode by the action of almost any form of energy (heat, sunlight, sparks, etc.).
It emits highly toxic fumes when heated. When combined with water or steam it produces toxic and corrosive hydrochloric acid vapors.
Chlorine reacts explosively with (or supports the burning of) many common materials.
Chlorine (in its liquid or gaseous form) reacts with:
Chlorine gas is poisonous and can be fatal if inhaled. Contact can cause skin and eye burns, as well as bronchitis or chronic lung conditions..
Approximately 15,000 chlorine compounds are used commercially today. Sodium chloride is by far the most common chlorine compound, and is the main source of chlorine and hydrochloric acid for the huge chlorine chemical industry..
Of all the elemental chlorine produced, approximately 63% is used in the manufacture of organic compounds, 18% in the manufacture of inorganic chlorine compounds, and the remaining 19% of produced chlorine is used for bleaches and disinfection products..
Among the most significant organic compounds in terms of production volume are 1,2-dichloroethane and vinyl chloride (intermediate products in the production of PVC), methyl chloride, methylene chloride, chloroform, chloride of vinylidene, among others.
The main inorganic compounds include HCl, Cl2O, HOCl, NaClO3, AlCl3, SiCl4, SnCl4, PCl3, PCl5, POCl3, AsCl3, SbCl3, SbCl5, BiCl3, S2Cl2, SCl2, SOCI2, ClF3, ICl, ICl3, MoCl3, TiCl4 , FeCl3, ZnCl2, and many more.
Chlorine gas is used in industrial bleaching operations, wastewater treatment, the manufacture of tablets for the chlorination of swimming pools or in chemical warfare.
Chlorine gas (known as bertholite), was first used as a weapon in World War I by Germany.
After its first use, both sides in the conflict used chlorine as a chemical weapon, but it was soon replaced by phosgene and mustard gas, which are more deadly..
Chlorine gas was also used during the Iraq War in Anbar province in 2007.
Chlorine gas is one of the most common occupational and environmental single inhalation irritant exposures. Recent studies have reported that the mixture of bleach (bleach, made mainly based on sodium hypochlorite) with other cleaning products, is the most frequent cause (21% of cases) of single inhalation exposure reported in poison control centers. from United States.
The main toxic effects are due to local tissue damage rather than systemic absorption. Cell injury is believed to result from oxidation of functional groups on cellular components; to reactions with water in tissues to form hypochlorous acid and hydrochloric acid; and the generation of oxygen free radicals (although this idea is now controversial).
In mild to moderate intoxication there are: cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, burning sensation in the throat and in the retrosternal area, nausea or vomiting, eye and nasal irritation, suffocation, muscle weakness, dizziness, abdominal discomfort and headache.
In severe poisoning, there is: upper airway edema, laryngospasm, severe pulmonary edema, pneumonia, persistent hypoxemia, respiratory failure, acute lung injury, and metabolic acidosis.
Chronic exposure to chlorine gas is one of the most common causes of occupational asthma. It can cause dyspnea, palpitations, chest pain, reactive upper airway dysfunction syndrome, erosion of tooth enamel, and increased prevalence of viral syndromes. Chronic exposure to 15 ppm causes coughing, hemoptysis, chest pain, and sore throat.
Dermal exposure can cause skin erythema, pain, irritation, and burns. Severe exposure can cause cardiovascular collapse and respiratory arrest. In high concentrations, syncope and almost immediate death can occur. Chlorine (as hypochlorite) is teratogenic in experimental animals.
Hazard statements of the Globally Harmonized System of classification and labeling of chemicals (GHS).
The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) is an internationally agreed system, created by the United Nations designed to replace the various classification and labeling standards used in different countries by using consistent criteria at the global level (Nations United, 2015).
The hazard classes (and their corresponding GHS chapter), classification and labeling standards, and recommendations for chlorine gas are as follows (European Chemicals Agency, 2017; United Nations, 2015; PubChem, 2017):
H270: May cause or intensify fire; Oxidizer [Danger Oxidizing gases - Category 1]
H280: Contains gas under pressure; May explode if heated [Warning Gases under Pressure - Compressed Gas, Liquefied Gas, Dissolved Gas]
H315: Causes skin irritation [Warning Skin corrosion / irritation - Category 2]
H319: Causes serious eye irritation [Warning Serious eye damage / eye irritation - Category 2A]
H330: Fatal by inhalation [Hazard Acute toxicity, inhalation - Category 1, 2]
H331: Toxic by inhalation [Hazard Acute toxicity, inhalation - Category 3]
H335: May cause respiratory tract irritation [Warning Specific target organ toxicity, single exposure; Respiratory tract irritation - Category 3]
H400: Very toxic to aquatic life [Warning Hazardous to the aquatic environment, acute hazard - Category 1]
H410: Very toxic to aquatic organisms with long lasting effects [Warning Hazardous to the aquatic environment, long term hazard - Category 1]
(PubChem, 2017)
P220, P244, P260, P261, P264, P271, P273, P280, P284, P302 + P352, P304 + P340, P305 + P351 + P338, P310, P311, P312, P320, P321, P332 + P313, P337 + P313, P362, P370 + P376, P391, P403, P403 + P233, P405, P410 + P403, and P501.
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