FACTSHEET

FactsAboutChlorine
Whatchlorineis Chlorineisanelementusedinindustryandfoundinsomehouseholdproducts. Chlorineissometimesintheformofapoisonousgas.Chlorinegascanbepressurizedandcooled tochangeitintoaliquidsothatitcanbeshippedandstored.Whenliquidchlorineisreleased,it quicklyturnsintoagasthatstaysclosetothegroundandspreadsrapidly. Chlorinegascanberecognizedbyitspungent,irritatingodor,whichisliketheodorofbleach.The strongsmellmayprovideanadequatewarningtopeoplethattheyhavebeenexposed. Chlorinegasappearstobeyellowgreenincolor. Chlorineitselfisnotflammable,butitcanreactexplosivelyorformexplosivecompoundswith otherchemicalssuchasturpentineandammonia.

Wherechlorineisfoundandhowitisused ChlorinewasusedduringWorldWarIasachoking(pulmonary)agent. ChlorineisoneofthemostcommonlymanufacturedchemicalsintheUnitedStates.Itsmost importantuseisasableachinthemanufactureofpaperandcloth,butitisalsousedtomake pesticides(insectkillers),rubber,andsolvents. Chlorineisusedindrinkingwaterandswimmingpoolwatertokillharmfulbacteria.Itisalsoas usedaspartofthesanitationprocessforindustrialwasteandsewage. Householdchlorinebleachcanreleasechlorinegasifitismixedwithothercleaningagents.

Howpeoplecanbeexposedtochlorine Peoplesriskforexposuredependsonhowclosetheyaretotheplacewherethechlorinewas released. Ifchlorinegasisreleasedintotheair,peoplemaybeexposedthroughskincontactoreyecontact. Theymayalsobeexposedbybreathingairthatcontainschlorine. Ifchlorineliquidisreleasedintowater,peoplemaybeexposedbytouchingordrinkingwaterthat containschlorine. Ifchlorineliquidcomesintocontactwithfood,peoplemaybeexposedbyeatingthecontaminated food. Chlorinegasisheavierthanair,soitwouldsettleinlowlyingareas.

Howchlorineworks Theextentofpoisoningcausedbychlorinedependsontheamountofchlorineapersonisexposed to,howthepersonwasexposed,andthelengthoftimeoftheexposure. Whenchlorinegascomesintocontactwithmoisttissuessuchastheeyes,throat,andlungs,an acidisproducedthatcandamagethesetissues.

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Immediatesignsandsymptomsofchlorineexposure Duringorimmediatelyafterexposuretodangerousconcentrationsofchlorine,thefollowingsigns andsymptomsmaydevelop: o Coughing o Chesttightness o Burningsensationinthenose,throat,andeyes o Wateryeyes o Blurredvision o Nauseaandvomiting o Burningpain,redness,andblistersontheskinifexposedtogas,skininjurysimilarto frostbiteifexposedtoliquidchlorine o Difficultybreathingorshortnessofbreath(mayappearimmediatelyifhighconcentrations ofchlorinegasareinhaled,ormaybedelayediflowconcentrationsofchlorinegasare inhaled) o Fluidinthelungs(pulmonaryedema)within2to4hours Showingthesesignsorsymptomsdoesnotnecessarilymeanthatapersonhasbeenexposedto chlorine.

Whatthelongtermhealtheffectsare Longtermcomplicationsfromchlorineexposurearenotfoundinpeoplewhosurviveasudden exposureunlesstheysuffercomplicationssuchaspneumoniaduringtherapy.Chronicbronchitis maydevelopinpeoplewhodeveloppneumoniaduringtherapy.

Howpeoplecanprotectthemselves,andwhattheyshoulddoiftheyareexposedtochlorine Leavetheareawherethechlorinewasreleasedandgettofreshair.Quicklymovingtoanarea wherefreshairisavailableishighlyeffectiveinreducingexposuretochlorine. o Ifthechlorinereleasewasoutdoors,moveawayfromtheareawherethechlorinewas released.Gotothehighestgroundpossible,becausechlorineisheavierthanairandwill sinktolowlyingareas. o Ifthechlorinereleasewasindoors,getoutofthebuilding. Ifyouthinkyoumayhavebeenexposed,removeyourclothing,rapidlywashyourentirebodywith soapandwater,andgetmedicalcareasquicklyaspossible. Removinganddisposingofclothing: o Quicklytakeoffclothingthathasliquidchlorineonit.Anyclothingthathastobepulled overtheheadshouldbecutoffthebodyinsteadofpulledoverthehead.Ifpossible,seal theclothinginaplasticbag.Thensealthefirstplasticbaginasecondplasticbag. Removingandsealingtheclothinginthiswaywillhelpprotectyouandotherpeoplefrom anychemicalsthatmightbeonyourclothes. o Ifyouplacedyourclothesinplasticbags,informeitherthelocalorstatehealthdepartment oremergencypersonnelupontheirarrival.Donothandletheplasticbags. o Ifyouarehelpingotherpeopleremovetheirclothing,trytoavoidtouchingany contaminatedareas,andremovetheclothingasquicklyaspossible. Washingthebody: o Asquicklyaspossible,washyourentirebodywithlargeamountsofsoapandwater. Washingwithsoapandwaterwillhelpprotectpeoplefromanychemicalsontheirbodies. o Ifyoureyesareburningoryourvisionisblurred,rinseyoureyeswithplainwaterfor10to 15minutes.Ifyouwearcontacts,removethembeforerinsingyoureyes,andplacethemin March18,2003 Page2of3

FactsAboutChlorine (continuedfrompreviouspage) thebagswiththecontaminatedclothing.Donotputthecontactsbackinyoureyes.You shoulddisposeofthemevenifyoudonotweardisposablecontacts.Ifyouweareyeglasses, washthemwithsoapandwater.Youcanputtheeyeglassesbackonafteryouwashthem. Ifyouhaveingested(swallowed)chlorine,donotinducevomitingordrinkfluids. Seekmedicalattentionrightaway.Dial911andexplainwhathashappened.

Howchlorineexposureistreated Noantidoteexistsforchlorineexposure.Treatmentconsistsofremovingthechlorinefromthebodyas soonaspossibleandprovidingsupportivemedicalcareinahospitalsetting. Howpeoplecangetmoreinformationaboutchlorine Peoplecancontactoneofthefollowing: Regionalpoisoncontrolcenter(18002221222) CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention o PublicResponseHotline(CDC) (800)2324636(EnglishandSpanish) TTY(888)2326358 o EmergencyPreparednessandResponseWebsite(http://www.bt.cdc.gov/) o Emailinquiries:cdcinfo@cdc.gov

ThisfactsheetisbasedonCDCsbestcurrentinformation.Itmaybeupdatedasnewinformationbecomesavailable. Lastreviewedon03/23/05. TheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)protectspeopleshealthandsafetybypreventingandcontrollingdiseasesandinjuriesenhances healthdecisionsbyprovidingcredibleinformationoncriticalhealthissuesandpromoteshealthylivingthroughstrongpartnershipswithlocal,national, andinternationalorganizations

Formoreinformation,visitwww.bt.cdc.gov/chemical,orcallCDCat 800CDCINFO(EnglishandSpanish)or8882326348(TTY). March18,2003 Page3of3