Chlorine poisoning

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Chlorine is found in non-toxic concentrations in many household products, including swimming pool water, mild cleaners, or mild bleaches. However, swallowing or breathing in (inhaling) inhalation pure or highly concentrated chlorine can cause severe damage to the lungs and other organs. In fact, chlorine gas and related substances have been used as chemical weapons.

• Chlorine, which reacts with water in and out of the body to form hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid. Both are extremely poisonous.

• Swimming pool water (and tablets used in swimming pool water)
• Gas released when mixing bleach with some of the powdered cleansing products and ammonia (chloramine gas)
• Some bleach products
• Gas released when opening a partially filled industrial container of chlorine tablets that have been sitting for several months (for example, the first opening of a container after a pool has been closed all winter)

Review Date: 05/16/2006
Reviewed By: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.