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Liquid Chlorine Information

Liquid chlorine is a substance utilized in industry and present in certain household cleaning products such as disinfectants and bleaches. Chlorine gas is typically pressurized and cooled, transforming it into liquid chlorine so it can be shipped and stored. If liquid chlorine is released into the atmosphere, it swiftly turns into a gas that can spread rapidly

  1. Identification

    • Liquid chlorine is an amber-yellow colored liquid and has a pungent, agitating odor. It is 1.5 times heavier than water and is usually produced by bubbling chlorine gas via a solution of caustic soda. This operation yields a yellowish liquid with a 15 percent concentration of available liquid chlorine.

    Significance

    • Liquid chlorine is often used for the purification of drinking water via the purification of wells or water systems. According to an NTP Study Report, typical dilution ratios are approximately 1 liter of a domestic bleaching product per 4,000 liters of water. It has also been used in the pulp and textile industries as a powerful bleaching agent. It can also be utilized as a base chemical to aid with the production of synthetic rubbers, PVC, various pesticides and insecticides and in the production of pharmaceuticals.

    Features

    • In its household form, liquid chlorine is often used as a base ingredient in bleaches to removes stubborn stains from clothing, although it can cause damage to organic fibers such as cotton because of its potency. A weak dilution of bleach in water (around 25 percent) is also effective in cleaning surfaces and effectively killing bacteria.

    Safety

    • There have been some concerns that the chlorination of drinking water can produce trihalomethanes, which are organically produced contaminants, suspected of being linked to the emergence of certain cancers in humans. Certain volatile compounds are thought to be released during general cleaning of surfaces using household bleaches containing liquid chlorine. According to a study conducted by the Department of Environmental Engineering at Dokuz Eylul University in Turkey in 2008, the fumes produced through cleaning, especially in an enclosed domestic environment, may cause carcinogenic fumes to be released. The use of chlorine disinfectants in household water supplies is widespread, but concerns remain as small measures of harmful byproducts such as chloroform are produced by the process of chlorination.

    Storage

    • Liquid chlorine is usually carefully fed into storage tanks. It can then be loaded onto tankers traveling by road via the use of pumps or on freight trains. Liquid chlorine should be stored in a dry and sufficiently ventilated area and should be kept clear of any substantial external sources of heat.

    Risks

    • There have been some concerns that the chlorination of drinking water can produce trihalomethanes, which are organically produced contaminants, suspected of being linked to the emergence of certain cancers in humans. Certain volatile compounds are thought to be released during general cleaning of surfaces using household bleaches containing liquid chlorine. According to a European report conducted by M. Odabasi, the fumes produced through cleaning, especially in an enclosed domestic environment, may cause carcinogenic fumes to be released. The use of chlorine disinfectants in household water supplies is widespread, but concerns remain as small measures of harmful byproducts such as chloroform are produced by the process of chlorination.

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