Immediately or within a few hours after breathing chlorine gas, the lungs can become irritated, causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. The amount of time before these symptoms occur is dependent on the amount of chlorine to which one is exposed.
High-level Exposures
Concentrations of about 400 ppm and beyond are generally fatal over 30 minutes, and at 1,000 ppm and above, fatality ensues within only a few minutes. A spectrum of clinical findings may be present in those exposed to high levels of chlorine.
Chlorine gas can stay in the air for just a few minutes to several hours. It depends on the size and ventilation of the area as well as the amount of gas present. Open windows and doors to let in fresh air.
If high amounts are breathed in, breathing problems may show up right away. Symptoms of exposure to higher levels of chlorine include the following: Blurred vision or eye tearing. Burning feeling in the nose, throat, lungs, and eyes.
Exposure to low concentrations of chlorine (1 to 10 ppm) may cause eye and nasal irritation, sore throat, and coughing. Inhalation of higher concentrations of chlorine gas (>15 ppm) can rapidly lead to respiratory distress with airway constriction and accumulation of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema).
► Exposure to Chlorine can cause headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. ► Repeated exposure can lead to permanent lung damage. OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 1 ppm, not to be exceeded at any time.
Chlorine exposure can cause health symptoms (by breathing, touching, or consuming it). Symptoms can begin within seconds to minutes and can vary depending to the amount of chlorine you were exposed to, how you were exposed to it, and how long you were exposed.
Running an air purifier with an activated carbon filter is one of the most effective ways you can use this kind of technique for neutralizing chlorine gas.
Long-term (chronic) effects:
Long-term exposure to low levels of chlorine gas is potentially linked to diseases of the lung (bronchitis, shortness of breath, possible permanent damage) and tooth corrosion.
You can usually treat chlorine rash symptoms at home with over-the-counter creams. You will have to avoid chlorinated pools and hot tubs until the rash heals, but in most cases, it takes only a few days for symptoms to disappear.
Ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate, in essence Vitamin C, neutralizes the chlorine. It's the main ingredient in commercial chlorine removers. To make your own, buy Vitamin C crystals and mix about 1 teaspoon in a pint-size spray bottle of water.
Some chloride ions leave the body within hours or days, mainly in the urine. Most chlorite that is not broken down also leaves the body in the urine within a few days after exposure to chlorine dioxide or chlorite.
The effect of excess chlorine in pools is an alteration in pH levels of pool water, making it more acidic. Signs of high chlorine levels can include itchy sensations in the eyes, nose and throat, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lung irritation, and skin rashes.
Treatment of chlorine gas exposure is mostly supportive. Removal of the individual from the contaminated environment is the first step of management. Clinicians will assess the patient's airway, breathing, and circulation and provide humidified oxygen as necessary. Severe exposures may require endotracheal intubation.
No antidotes are available. Emergency department (ED) personnel are at low risk for cross-contamination in cases of exposure to chlorine gas. However, the patient's clothing should be removed if it has been contaminated with liquid chlorine.
Vitamin C effectively neutralizes chlorine and is safer to handle than sulfur-based dechlorination chemicals. The sodium ascorbate form of vitamin C has less affect on pH than the ascorbic acid form.
If you are sure your tap water contains chlorine and not chloramine, you can let the water sit for 1-5 days to allow all the chlorine to evaporate. To speed up the evaporation process, aerate the water with an air stone for 12-24 hours or boil the water for 15-20 minutes.
Short-term exposure to chlorine in air
throat irritation at 5-15 ppm. immediate chest pain, vomiting, changes in breathing rate, and cough at 30 ppm. lung injury (toxic pneumonitis) and pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs) at 40-60 ppm. death after 30 minute exposure to 430 ppm.
Chlorination Guidelines
Maintain a free chlorine residual of 0.3-0.5 mg/l after a 10-minute contact time.
Immediate symptoms
Chlorine dissolves on the surface of the eye to produce acidic eye injury. Skin: burning pain, redness, and blisters on the skin if exposed to gas. Skin injuries similar to frostbite can occur if exposed to liquid chlorine. ENT: burning sensation in the nose, throat and eyes.
The long-term effects of chlorine exposure can include the development of chronic lung problems, including bronchitis and asthma, and even some cancers. Even a short, single exposure to high concentrations of chlorine can cause immediate lung damage, which could be irreparable.
Acute or short-term exposure assumes that a person has been exposed to a chemical for a short period of time. Long term, also known as chronic, exposure assumes a person has been constantly exposed to a chemical for a lifetime, or approximately 70 years.
Acute health effects: The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to chlorine dioxide: irritate the nose and throat, causing coughing and chest pain; eye irritation with watery eyes and seeing halos around lights; breathing chlorine dioxide can irritate the lungs ...