Table of Contents
Is chlorine poisonous What is it used for?
Gaseous chlorine is poisonous and classified as a pulmonary irritant. It has intermediate water solubility with the capability of causing acute damage to the upper and lower respiratory tract. Chlorine gas has many industrial uses, but it was also once used as a chemical weapon in World War I.
Why is chlorine gas considered poisonous?
Chlorine reacts with water outside of the body and on mucosal surfaces inside your body — including the water in your digestive tract — causing hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid to form. Both of these substances can be extremely poisonous to humans.
What is the hazardous nature of chlorine?
Chlorine (Cl₂) is a greenish-yellow gas with a pungent, irritating odor. Exposure to low levels of chlorine can result in nose, throat, and eye irritation. At higher levels, breathing chlorine gas may result in changes in breathing rate and coughing, and damage to the lungs.
What is chloramine used for?
Chloramines are disinfectants used to treat drinking water. Chloramines are most commonly formed when ammonia is added to chlorine to treat drinking water. Chloramines provide longer-lasting disinfection as the water moves through pipes to consumers. This type of disinfection is known as secondary disinfection.
Is pool chlorine toxic?
The fact is that chlorine is poisonous, flammable and corrosive. When stored and used properly, it can serve the function of keeping the water in your swimming pool clean. Used improperly, chlorine poses serious risks of illness, injury, fire and explosion.
What is chlorine and its uses?
Chlorine has a variety of uses. It is used to disinfect water and is part of the sanitation process for sewage and industrial waste. During the production of paper and cloth, chlorine is used as a bleaching agent. It is also used in cleaning products, including household bleach which is chlorine dissolved in water.
Is chlorine bad for the environment?
Chlorine causes environmental harm at low levels. Chlorine is especially harmful to organisms living in water and in soil.
What are the effects of exposure to chlorine gas?
Chlorine is a potent irritant to the eyes, the upper respiratory tract, and lungs. Chronic (long-term) exposure to chlorine gas in workers has resulted in respiratory effects, including eye and throat irritation and airflow obstruction.
Why was chlorine gas used as a chemical weapon?
Chlorine gas is itself very poisonous, and was used as a chemical weapon during the First World War. The chloride ion is essential to life. It is mostly present in cell fluid as a negative ion to balance the positive (mainly potassium) ions.
What are the physical and chemical properties of chlorine?
Some of the chemical/physical properties of chlorine include: Chlorine is a yellow-green gas at room temperature. Chlorine has a pungent, irritating odor similar to bleach that is detectable at low concentrations.
What are the uses and benefits of chlorine?
Chlorine 1 Uses & Benefits. Chlorine chemistry helps keep drinking water and swimming pools safe. 2 Safety Information. Chlorine chemistry helps families lead safer, more convenient, more comfortable lives. 3 Answering Questions