A copy of the The Facts About Chlorine (Technical Information) is available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF, 63 KB, 3pg.). For more information: Chlorine is a gas found naturally occurring in the map. And chlorine chemistry even contributes to the beauty of every room in your home by helping to manufacture durable paints. Spas and hot tubs are like swimming pools in that they need chemicals to control the level of algae and bacteria in them. Wind turbine blades made from chlorine-based epoxy resins help convert wind power into electricity. The key ingredient for pool chlorine is calcium hypochlorite, which constitutes around 60-65% of the forte. When used as a mouthwash: Chlorine dioxide is POSSIBLY SAFE when used as a mouthwash. You can find out whether there is a disinfectant in your water, what kind of disinfectant is used, and how well your utility has followed the rules about disinfection by obtaining a copy of your utility’s consumer confidence report . Chlorine dioxide 0.01% to 0.8% solutions are swished around the mouth for 30-60 seconds and then spit out. Chlorine chemistry is used on planes, trains, automobiles, and boats, in the manufacture of seat cushions, bumpers, brake fluid and airbags that help keep passengers safe and comfortable. Chlorine’s disinfection properties have helped improve the lives of billions of people around the world. The element is used to manufacture chlorates, Chlorine. Types of Chlorine Used in Water Treatment “Pure chlorine” is seldom used for water treatment. Read more: Understanding Risk and Hazard When it Comes to Chemicals, Read more: Chlorine Bleach / Sodium Hypochlorite Solution. They both kill germs but a disinfectant is stronger than an antiseptic. Higher exposures may result in severe chemical burns or ulcerations. Dry chlorine gas won't bleach, but in water it forms hypochlorite, responsible for the bleaching action, and also responsible for its disinfectant action. Durin… The health effects resulting from most chlorine exposures begin within seconds to minutes. Much chlorine is used to sterilize water and wastes, and the substance is employed either directly or indirectly as a bleaching agent for paper. Much chlorine is used to sterilize water and wastes, and the substance is employed either directly or indirectly as a bleaching agent for paper. Chlorine dioxide is a gas. Chlorine was used during World War I as a choking (pulmonary) agent. Chlorine is what you might describe as a Jekyll and Hyde element; it is the friend of the synthetic chemist and has found a use in a number of 'nice' applications such as the disinfecting of drinking water and keeping our swimming pools clean. Use the search box to find information on the chemicals that are essential to the products you use every day. Contains information on how to use chlorine as a disinfectant for municipal wastewater. It may be updated as new information becomes available. Chloroquine, is used to treat malaria. Tablets can also contain other helpful substances such as algaecide and water clarifier, removing the need to purchase and add these independently. What are the Uses of Iodine? Chlorine chemistry is used to manufacture household chlorine bleach, which whitens and disinfects clothes and disinfects kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Chlorine is important when it comes to medical equipment. (pp. Chlorine In Wastewater. Division of Toxicology, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Keep area wet for 2 minutes (2 to 10 minutes for exterior areas), then rinse thoroughly and dry. It occurs naturally in a wide variety of compounds, including many of the salts in the oceans. Chlorine chemistry is also used to manufacture contact lenses, safety glasses and respiratory inhalers. Chlorine's odor provides adequate early warning of its presence, but also causes olfactory fatigue or adaptation, reducing awareness of one's prolonged exposure at low concentrations. Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Sheets. Health & Safety in the Home, Workplace & Outdoors, Clinical Guidelines, Standards & Quality of Care, All Health Care Professionals & Patient Safety, The Facts About Chlorine (Technical Information), Chemical Terrorism Preparedness and Response Card (PDF, 45KB, 7pg. It is used as a step before chlorine disinfection to eliminate trihalomethanes — the possible carcinogenic by-products of chlorine that are produced by its reaction with organic matter. Chlorine’s tendency to combine with other elements and compounds has been used to produce thousands of essential products, from drinking water disinfectants to solar energy panels to replacement knee and hip joints. http://chlorine.americanchemistry.com/FAQs, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chlorine and chloramine are the major disinfectants used in public water systems. The most common use of chlorine dioxide is for bleaching pulp fibers produced from wood. Chlorine Dioxide/Miracle Mineral Supplement/MMS Quick Summary. At higher levels of exposure, signs and symptoms may progress to chest tightness, wheezing, dyspnea, and bronchospasm. While laboratory testing for chlorine exposure is not useful in assisting treatment decisions, routine studies to monitor blood count, glucose and electrolytes may be useful for evaluating complications. Thanks! Table Salt The salt on your table is made with chlorine. Plastics Think about sprinkler systems. The “films” used in X-ray images use silver chloride. Chlorine is not sold as a consumer product itself, but is used to manufacture consumer and industrial products, and may or may not be present in the finished consumer product. Some herbal drugs also contain chlorine; one plant used in traditional Chinese medicine contains five different chlorine compounds. This should be done cautiously for patients whose exposure has resulted in frostbite. A floating chlorine dispenser is a little container for chlorine pucks that floats around the surface of your pool, slowly dissolving and releasing the chlorine into the water. Chloramines provide longer-lasting disinfection as the water moves through pipes to consumers. Bromine is the preferred hot tub sanitizer but is more expensive than other options. – LIFE Magazine. 2. In addition, they may be exposed to higher levels than adults in the same location because of their shorter height and the higher levels of chlorine gas that may be found nearer the ground. The three most common chlorine-containing substances used in water treatment are chlorine gas, sodium hypochlorite, and calcium hypochlorite. Chlorine is used in almost all pools that are open to the public. If you drive a car, use a computer, drink a glass of water, or wear vinyl rain gear, chlorine is working for you. Chlorine chemistry is also used to manufacture shatter-resistant windows, wire and cable, steel hulls, and navigation systems. The severity of the signs and symptoms caused by chlorine will vary according to amount, route and duration of exposure. Chlorine kills bacteria though a fairly simple chemical reaction. Chlorine opens doors to thousands of social and public health benefits. If contact with liquid chlorine occurs, immediate decontamination of skin and eyes with copious amounts of water is important. Plastic foam insulation, manufactured using chlorine chemistry, increases the energy efficiency of home heating and air-conditioning systems, reducing energy bills and conserving natural resources. Chlorine chemistry is used to manufacture bullet-resistant vests worn by soldiers and police officers. This fact sheet is based on the most current information. Diluted bleach and water solutions are especially effective at killing germs that may be found on household surfaces that make people sick, including the norovirus (also known as the “stomach bug”) and seasonal flu. Given the ubiquity and volume of chlorine in industrial and commercial locations, widespread exposures could occur from an accidental spill or release, or from a deliberate terrorist attack. Chlorine-based pool sanitizers help reduce swimmers’ risk of waterborne illnesses, such as diarrhea, swimmer’s ear, and various skin infections. Like chlorine, chlorine dioxide is used to disinfect drinking water. Children may receive a larger dose than adults exposed to environments with the same levels of chlorine gas because they have greater lung surface area-to-body weight ratios and increased minute volumes-to-weight ratios. Sodium hypochlorite comes in liquid form and contains about 10% available chlorine. It is also used in cleaning products, including household bleach which is chlorine dissolved in water. Montvale, NJ: Thomson/Physicians’ Desk Reference, 2002. Chlorine is used for producing safe drinking water. Some of the chemical/physical properties of chlorine include: Chlorine has a variety of uses. Chlorine chemistry helps families lead safer, more convenient, more comfortable lives. If the chlorine level is too low, the spa won't be sanitary. Chlorine is deadly to all germs including Food Poisoning and Slimelung. For example, titanium metal, used for everything from bicycles to artificial knee replacements, is purified using chlorine chemistry. Public Health Service: Atlanta, GA.http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts172.html, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Diluted bleach and water solutions are especially effective at killing germs that may be found on household surfaces that make people sick, including the norovirus (also known as the “stomach bug”) and seasonal flu. In treating cancer, the substance is able to cause cancer cells to revert back into normal, healthy cells. Chlorine chemistry is also used to produce parachutes and night vision goggles as well as cockpit canopies and missile guidance technologies. The antimicrobial properties of chlorine dioxide are used to disinfect food, surgical tools, and more [ 10, 11, 9 ]. Other uses of chlorine compounds include dyestuffs, petroleum products, medicines, antiseptics, insecticides, foodstuffs, solvents, paints and plastics. Chlorine chemistry is also used to produce 93 percent of all prescription drugs used in the U.S. Handled properly, consumers can safely use bleach without significant environmental effects. WHAT IS IT USED FOR? The chlorine solution you pour into the water breaks down into many different chemicals, including hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypochlorite ion (OCl -). Chlorine used in fresh produce washing is usually generated from using sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, or through the onsite generation of chlorine gas directly into aqueous solution. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Other than being found in drinking water and cleaning the bacteria out of pools, what is chlorine used for? Swimming pools use chlorine-based disinfectants, and chlorine is also essential in the manufacture of vinyl, which has an array of consumer and industrial applications. From these naturally occurring salts, elemental chlorine gas (Cl 2) is produced through a manufacturing process. There is a difference between an antiseptic and a disinfectant. For general pool treatment, chlorine has three essential characteristics: it acts as a rapid and persistent sanitizer, an effective algaecide and a strong oxidizer of undesired contaminants. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), http://chlorine.americanchemistry.com/FAQs. The strong oxidizing effects of chlorine cause hydrogen to split from water in moist tissue, resulting in the release of nascent oxygen and hydrogen chloride which produce corrosive tissue damage. Chlorine also is an essential chemical building block, used to make many products that contribute to public health and safety, advanced technology, nutrition, security and transportation. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls drinking water chlorination “one of the most significant public health advances in U.S. history.”. Chlorine is used in the preparation of chlorides, chlorinated solvents, pesticides, polymers, synthetic rubbers, and refrigerants. Because you use chlorine, whether you're responsible for running a public facility or a water park, you have the necessary tools to make your job easier. In fact, EPA requires treated tap water to contain a detectable level of chlorine to help protect against germs all the way to consumers’ taps. Chlorine is a chemical element, one of roughly 90 basic building blocks of matter. It is produced commercially by electrolysis of sodium chloride brine. During the production of paper and cloth, chlorine is used as a bleaching agent. The filtration of drinking water plus the use of chlorine is probably the most significant public health advance of the millennium. Chlorine is a naturally occurring element (#17 on the Periodic Table of the Elements). The health effects of chlorine are primarily due to its corrosive properties. It is known that 25 percent of medical devices is made of chlorine for example: Blood bags, sterile tubing, prosthetics and X-ray films. Chloramines are most commonly formed when ammonia is added to chlorine to treat drinking water. Guidance documents on use of these compounds for environmental and healthcare infection control in the context of the Ebola preparedness and response in the United States have recently been published9. How? Chlorine was also the first poison gas to be used as a weapon during World War I. 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