Chlorine and compounds: Health effects
Description
Exposure to low concentrations can cause burning of eyes, nose, and mouth; as the concentration increases, the effects become more severe: lacrimation (tear formation) and rhinorrhea (streaming nose); coughing, sneezing, choking, and substernal (chest) pain; nausea and vomiting; headaches and dizziness; fainting; fatal pulmonary oedema; pneumonia; conjunctivitis; inflammation of the cornea; pharyngitis; burning chest pain; difficulty breathing; bleeding in the respiratory system; oxygen deficiency; dermatitis; and skin blisters.
When inhaled in high concentrations, chlorine causes emphysema and damage to the pulmonary blood vessels. Chronic exposure can cause corrosion of the teeth. Cardiac arrest may occur secondary to oxygen deficiency.
Inhalation of small amounts of chlorine causes few or no symptoms. In larger amounts, it is a powerful irritant to the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and throat.
Exposures of 1-3 ppm can cause mild mucous membrane irritation; 5-15 ppm, moderate irritation of upper respiratory tract; 30 ppm, immediate chest pain, vomiting, dyspnoea, and cough; 40-60 ppm, toxic pneumonitis and pulmonary oedema; 430 ppm, lethal over 30 minutes; and 1,000 ppm, death within a few minutes. Death is possible from asphyxia, shock, reflex spasm in the larynx, or massive pulmonary oedema.
Populations at special risk from chlorine exposure are individuals with pulmonary disease, breathing problems, bronchitis, or chronic lung conditions.
Limited information is available on adverse developmental or reproductive effects of chlorine in humans or animals via inhalation exposure.
Entering the body
Through inhalation, skin or eye contact with the gas, or ingestion, skin or eye contact with any of the numerous products that contain chlorine.
Exposure
The dominant exposure for the general public is likely to be from drinking chlorinated drinking water and using household chemicals (such as bleach and pool chemicals) that may release chlorine during use. Living near industries or facilities (such as water and wastewater treatment plants) that produce or use chlorine can also result in exposure.
Health guidelines
Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (NHMRC and ARMCANZ, 1996):
Health: Maximum of 5 mg/L (i.e. 0.005 g/L)
Aesthetic: Maximum of 0.6 mg/L (i.e. 0.0006 g/L)
Worksafe Australia:
Maximum eight hour time weighted average (TWA) exposure is 3 mg/m3
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