Chlorine and its hazards

    Chlorine(CL2), a yellow-green gas soluble in water and alkaline solutions, is a major product of the chlor-alkali industry and can be used as a strong oxidant. It is highly corrosive, easily corroding equipment and containers. It is also a Class II (highly hazardous) poison, invading the human body through the respiratory tract and dissolving in the moisture contained in the mucous membranes, generating hypochlorous acid and hydrochloric acid, which can cause damage to the body.

    Hypochlorous acid causes intense oxidative damage to tissues, while hydrochloric acid irritates mucous membranes, causing inflammation and swelling. This leads to edema of the respiratory tract mucosa and excessive mucus secretion, resulting in difficulty breathing. Therefore, the most obvious symptom of chlorine poisoning is a severe cough. In severe cases, pulmonary edema may develop.

    Chlorine gas entering the body through the esophagus can cause nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and diarrhea.

Preventing chlorine leaks

    Chlorine gas safety accidents have occurred frequently in recent years. Chlorine gas accidents pose a serious threat to our health, life, and living environment due to their rapid spread, difficulty in containment, extreme toxicity, wide-ranging impact, long duration, and significant social impact. Appropriate measures should be taken during the production and use of chlorine gas to prevent chlorine gas leaks and avoid poisoning accidents.

    Chlorine gas detection primarily relies on chlorine gas sensors, typically electrochemical ones. Electrochemical chlorine gas sensors offer low power consumption, high precision, high sensitivity, a wide linear range, and strong anti-interference capabilities, making them widely used for chlorine gas leak detection in various situations.

MQ-E3-Cl2 Electrochemical Cl2 Sensor

TE03-CL2 electrochemical module

    In addition to industrial production, where chlorine gas poisoning must be particularly prevented, chlorine gas also surrounds us in everyday life. In the home, 84 disinfectant, whose main ingredient is sodium hypochlorite, and toilet cleaner, whose main ingredient is hydrochloric acid, produce chlorine gas when mixed. Therefore, 84 disinfectant and toilet cleaner should never be used together! (Always wait at least half an hour between using these two items.)