Chlorine is used in the manufacture of numerous organic chlorine compounds, the most significant of which in terms of production volume are 1,2-dichloroethane and vinyl chloride, intermediates in the production of PVC. Other particularly important organochlorines are methyl chloride, methylene chloride, chloroform, vinylidene chloride, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, allyl chloride, epichlorohydrin, chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzenes and trichlorobenzenes.

Chlorine is also used in the production of chlorates and in bromine extraction.

[

History

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (January 2008)

Chlorine was discovered in 1774 by Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele, who called it dephlogisticated marine acid (see phlogiston theory) and mistakenly thought it contained oxygen. Scheele isolated chlorine by reacting MnO₂ with HCl.

4 HCl + MnO₂ → MnCl₂ + 2 H₂O + Cl₂

Scheele observed several of the properties of chlorine. The bleaching effect on litmus and the deadly effect on insects additional to the yellow green colour and the smell similar to aqua regia. Chlorine was given its current name in 1810 by Sir Humphry Davy, who insisted that it was in fact an element.

[

Safety

Chlorine is a toxic gas that irritates the respiratory system. Because it is heavier than air, it tends to accumulate at the bottom of poorly ventilated spaces. Chlorine gas is a strong oxidizer, which may react with flammable materials.^[28]

Chlorine is detectable in concentrations of as low as 1 ppm. Coughing and vomiting may occur at 30 ppm and lung damage at 60 ppm. About 1000 ppm can be fatal after a few deep breaths of the gas.^[2] Breathing lower concentrations can aggravate the respiratory system, and exposure to the gas can irritate the eyes.

Never use ABC Dry Chemical to fight a chlorine fire, the resulting chemical reaction with the ammonium phosphate will release toxic gases and/or result in an explosion. Water fogs or CAFS should be used to extinguish the material.^[28]

The number of people allergic to chlorine is very small.^{[citation needed]} People who are allergic to chlorine cannot drink tap water, bathe in tap water or swim in pools. Dechlorinating bath salts are used to neutralize the chlorine in bath water. Otherwise, fresh water is boiled and cooled.

[

Chlorine cracking

The element is widely used for purifying water owing to its powerful oxidising properties, especially potable water supplies and water used in swimming pools. However, some polymers are sensitive to attack, including acetal resin and polybutene. Both materials were used in hot and cold water domestic supplies, and stress corrosion cracking cause widespread failures in the USA in the 1980s and 90's. One example shows an acetal joint in a water supply system, which when it fractured, caused substantial physical damage to computers in the labs below the supply. The cracks started at injection moulding defects in the joint and grew slowly until finally triggered. The fracture surface shows iron and calcium salts which were deposited in the leaking joint from the water supply before failure

[

See also

• Chloride
• Polymer degradation

[

References

[

External links

• Chlorine Institute - Trade association and lobby group representing the interests of the chlorine industry
• Chlorine Online - Chlorine Online is an information resource produced by Eurochlor - the business association of the European chlor-alkali industry
• Computational Chemistry Wiki
• Chlorine Production Using Mercury, Environmental Considerations and Alternatives
• National Pollutant Inventory - Chlorine
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - Chlorine Page

v • d • e Diatomic chemical elements Hydrogen H2 | Nitrogen N2 | Oxygen O2 | Fluorine F2 | Chlorine Cl2 | Bromine Br2 | Iodine I2 | Astatine At2

v • d • e Chemical warfare Blood agents Cyanogen chloride (CK) · Hydrogen cyanide (AC) Blister agents Lewisite (L) · Sulfur mustard gas (HD, H, HT, HL, HQ) · Nitrogen mustard gas (HN1, HN2, HN3) Nerve agents G-Agents: Tabun (GA) · Sarin (GB) · Soman (GD) · Cyclosarin (GF) · GV — V-Agents: VE · VG · VM · VX — Novichok agents Pulmonary agents Chlorine · Chloropicrin (PS) · Phosgene (CG) · Diphosgene (DP) Incapacitating agents Agent 15 (BZ) · KOLOKOL-1 Riot control agents Pepper spray (OC) · CS gas · CN gas (mace) · CR gas

v • d • e E numbers Colours (E100–199) • Preservatives (E200–299) • Antioxidants & Acidity regulators (E300–399) • Thickeners, stabilisers & emulsifiers (E400–499) • pH regulators & anti-caking agents (E500–599) • Flavour enhancers (E600–699) • Miscellaneous (E900–999) • Additional chemicals (E1100–1599) Waxes (E900–909) • Synthetic glazes (E910–919) • Improving agents (E920–929) • Packaging gases (E930–949) • Sweeteners (E950–969) • Foaming agents (E990–999) L-cysteine (E920) • L-cystine (E921) • Potassium persulfate (E922) • Ammonium persulfate (E923) • Potassium bromate (E924) • Chlorine (E925) • Chlorine dioxide (E926) • Azodicarbonamide (E927) • Carbamide (E927b) • Benzoyl peroxide (E928)

v • d • e Periodic table
H																															He
Li	Be																									B	C	N	O	F	Ne
Na	Mg																									Al	Si	P	S	Cl	Ar
K	Ca															Sc	Ti	V	Cr	Mn	Fe	Co	Ni	Cu	Zn	Ga	Ge	As	Se	Br	Kr
Rb	Sr															Y	Zr	Nb	Mo	Tc	Ru	Rh	Pd	Ag	Cd	In	Sn	Sb	Te	I	Xe
Cs	Ba	La	Ce	Pr	Nd	Pm	Sm	Eu	Gd	Tb	Dy	Ho	Er	Tm	Yb	Lu	Hf	Ta	W	Re	Os	Ir	Pt	Au	Hg	Tl	Pb	Bi	Po	At	Rn
Fr	Ra	Ac	Th	Pa	U	Np	Pu	Am	Cm	Bk	Cf	Es	Fm	Md	No	Lr	Rf	Db	Sg	Bh	Hs	Mt	Ds	Rg	Uub	Uut	Uuq	Uup	Uuh	Uus	Uuo
Alkali metals Alkaline earth metals Lanthanides Actinides Transition elements Other metals Metalloids Other nonmetals Halogens Noble gases

BCUZ.com FACTS Encyclopedia content is licensed under the GFDL as approved by Wikipedia.
For more information review our copyright contact and privacy policy. © 1996 - BCUZ.COM - We have all the FACTS you need about Small Business Financing, Behavior Disorder, Having Too Many Bills, Needing Cash Fast, Structured Settlements, Frequent Flier Programs, Top Steak Houses, The Mayan Indians, Norfolk and Suffolk England, Growing Longer Hair and a full reference English Encyclopedia and Spanish Encyclopedia.Privacy Policy