Harm from chlorinated water. Is bleach harmful? Is chlorine harmful to the human body?

Antipyretics for children are prescribed by a pediatrician. But there are emergency situations with fever when the child needs to be given medicine immediately. Then the parents take responsibility and use antipyretic drugs. What is allowed to be given to infants? How can you lower the temperature in older children? What medications are the safest?

Every day, while taking a shower, washing our face, or washing our hair, we create stress for the body. After all, most of us use ordinary tap water to maintain hygiene, the chlorine content of which is often below the “harmless” mark.

This article will tell you why bleach is harmful from the point of view of external effects on the body, and how to deal with it.

The effect of bleach on the human body

Fortunately, the concentration of chlorine in tap water is not so high that negative effects appear from the first use. However, with regular use of such water for hygiene (on average 2 times a day), bleach, affecting the skin, hair and human body, in general, leads to a number of negative consequences.

The effects of bleach on hair

Hair is most often the first to react to increased chlorine content in tap water. The main "signals" negative reactions hair can become:

Increased hair loss
Increased dryness and fluffiness
Dehydration and dullness (dyed hair quickly loses color, as bleach “eats away” the dye)
Hair fragility and split ends

Effects of chlorine on skin

Skin irritations are also one of the main indicators of high levels of chlorine in water. For most people, skin reactions may include:

Increased dryness and flaking
Weak reaction to moisturizers
Early aging and the appearance of age spots, as well as expression lines and age wrinkles
Redness and itching
Feeling of "tightness"
Sharp reactions (irritations) to usual cosmetics

If you are one of the people prone to dermatitis, skin diseases, allergies, then a reaction to water with a high content of chlorine may appear after the first contact (severe itching, “weeping” spots, eczema).

The effect of chlorine on the body as a whole

In addition to local reactions to hair and skin, chlorinated water can cause much more serious problems with health. With regular long-term contact, bleach can cause:

Oncological diseases
Pulmonary diseases (including asthma)
Exacerbations of allergies
Exacerbations of psoriasis

Also, chlorine compounds with other substances contained in tap water can cause food poisoning(with regular swallowing) and intoxication of the body as a whole.

How to protect yourself from exposure to chlorine

In many countries of the world, including Ukraine, today the issues of replacing the use of bleach as the main method of disinfection with more modern and gentle ones - ozonation and ultraviolet disinfection - are being actively discussed. However, as long as water with bleach flows from our taps, the problem remains relevant.

There are two ways that can significantly reduce the harm from the effects of bleach on the body:

Installation of special filters

This method is the most convenient, although quite expensive. Its advantage is that by fixing the filter on the tap, you get almost the same continuous flow of water as before, but with virtually no chlorine.

The main disadvantage of this method is that the device itself and replacement filters cost a lot of money. And since the volumes of passing water are quite large, the filters will have to be changed frequently.

Water settling

The second method is more economical, but it is unlikely to suit most of us, as it is very labor-intensive. The method is to collect water in large containers and let it sit for at least 48 hours. This will cause most of the chlorine in the water to evaporate and make it usable.

This method can hardly be called convenient. After all, you will practically stop using the usual tap, and all hygiene procedures will have to be performed by heating the water in advance and using the good old ladle.

The undeniable advantage of this method is its cost. Or rather its absence. After all, you will not have to incur any additional expenses other than the regular water fee. In addition, regularly following this method will involuntarily lead to more economical use of water.

Take care of yourself. Be beautiful and healthy!

Auto: Natalia Kay

Chlorine is a yellow-green gas with a pungent odor (the smell of bleach), 2.5 times heavier than air, so when there is a leak, chlorine primarily fills ravines, basements, the first floors of buildings, and spreads along the floor.

Chlorine gas and chemical compounds containing chlorine in active form are hazardous to human health (toxic). Inhalation of this gas may cause acute and chronic poisoning. Clinical forms depend on the concentration of chlorine in the air and the duration of exposure. There are four forms of acute chlorine poisoning: fulminant, severe, moderate and mild.

All these forms are characterized by a sharp primary reaction to gas exposure. Nonspecific irritation of mucosal receptors by chlorine respiratory tract causes reflex protective symptoms (cough, sore throat, lacrimation, etc.). As a result of the interaction of chlorine with the moisture of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, hydrochloric acid and active oxygen are formed, which have a toxic effect on the body.

At high concentrations of chlorine, the victim can die in a few minutes (fulminant form): persistent laryngospasm occurs (narrowing of the glottis leading to respiratory arrest), loss of consciousness, convulsions, cyanosis, swelling of the veins in the face and neck, involuntary urination and defecation.

In severe cases of poisoning, a short-term cessation of breathing occurs, then breathing is restored, but not normal, but superficial, convulsive. The man loses consciousness. Death occurs within 5-25 minutes.

In case of moderate chlorine poisoning, the victims retain consciousness; reflex cessation of breathing is short-lived, but during the first two hours attacks of suffocation may recur. There is burning and pain in the eyes, lacrimation, pain behind the sternum, attacks of painful dry cough, and after 2-4 hours toxic pulmonary edema develops. At mild form Acute chlorine poisoning shows only signs of irritation of the upper respiratory tract, which persist for several days.

Long-term consequences of acute chlorine poisoning manifest themselves as chronic pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, tracheobronchitis, pneumosclerosis, pulmonary emphysema, bronchoectasis, pulmonary heart failure. The same changes in the body occur during prolonged stay in conditions where the air constantly contains chlorine gas in low concentrations (chronic chlorine poisoning). Exposure of unprotected skin to chlorine-containing compounds causes chlorine acne, dermatitis, and pyoderma.

First aid for victims includes:

Rinse the eyes, nose, mouth with a 2% solution of baking soda;

Instillation of Vaseline or olive oil into the eyes, and for pain in the eyes - 2-3 drops of 0.5% dicaine solution;

Chlorine is a gas with a strong, specific odor. It is heavier than air and resembles fog when it evaporates.

Chlorine began to be used as an effective bactericide almost two centuries ago. On the one hand, it has saved hundreds of thousands of lives thanks to its ability to destroy harmful bacteria and viruses, but at the same time it has a poisonous effect on humans.

In addition, chlorine is one of the most important products of the chemical industry in terms of production volume and area of application.

Properties of chlorine

Under normal conditions, chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas with a sharp irritating odor; in a liquefied state, chlorine can only be found at excess pressure or at a temperature below minus 34 ° C.

When leaked, chlorine smokes, liquefies at a temperature of -34 °C, and solidifies at a temperature of -101 °C. Chlorine is slightly soluble in water - about two volumes of it dissolve in one volume of water. Liquid chlorine is 1.5 times heavier than water, gaseous chlorine is 2.5 times heavier than air.

One kilogram of liquid chlorine, when evaporated, produces 315 liters of chlorine gas; when evaporated in air in significant quantities, it produces white fog with water vapor. When mixed with hydrogen (more than 50% hydrogen), chlorine is explosive, and when heated, containers with chlorine explode.

The liquid is stored and transported in vessels that can withstand excess pressure. One cylinder of liquid chlorine, when depressurized, becomes a bomb with a damage radius of 150 meters to 1 kilometer, with an effect in the affected area for more than a day.

Why is chlorine dangerous?

The greatest danger is chlorine in a liquefied state. For liquid chlorine releases, the deadly zone is an area within a radius of approximately 400 m from the release site.

The danger of chlorine lies in the interaction of chlorine gas with human mucous membranes - hydrochloric acid is formed, causing pulmonary edema, damage to the eyes and nose, and skin irritation. Inhaling high concentrations of chlorine can be fatal - when it enters the lungs, it burns the lung tissue and causes suffocation.

Scientists suggest that, like the products of its interaction with other substances, it increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, allergic reactions and miscarriages in pregnant women.

Signs of chlorine poisoning

When inhaled, chlorine causes a convulsive, painful cough; in severe cases, spasm of the vocal cords and pulmonary edema occur. Chlorine is irritating to wet skin, causing redness and chemical burns and frostbite. Chlorine also has a chilling effect on the central nervous system.

First clear signs Chlorine poisoning are:

– sharp pain in the chest

– dry cough,

- vomit,

– pain in the eyes (lacrimation),

– loss of coordination of movements.

What to do in case of a chlorine release accident

When receiving information about an accident you need to:

– Protect respiratory organs and body surfaces. The face, nose and mouth can be protected using gas masks of all types, a gauze bandage moistened with water or a 20% soda solution (1 teaspoon per glass of water). Any cape can serve as a means of protecting the skin.

– Leave the area of the accident in the direction indicated in the message. Outdoors, exit the chemical contamination zone in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the wind. Avoid crossing tunnels, ravines and hollows, as chlorine concentrations will be higher in low areas.

– If it is impossible to leave the dangerous zone, you need to stay in the room and seal it: tightly close the windows, doors, ventilation holes, chimneys, seal the cracks in the windows and at the joints of the frames. Entrance doors curtain using blankets and any thick fabrics. If possible, go to the upper floors of the building. You cannot take shelter on the first floors of multi-storey buildings, in basements and semi-basements.

– Once outside the danger zone, you need to take off your outer clothing and leave it outside.

– Take a shower as quickly as possible, rinse your eyes and nasopharynx.

– Monitor your health and consult a doctor at the first sign of poisoning. While waiting for help, the victim needs rest and warm drinks.

How to help the victim?

A victim of chlorine poisoning must be removed from the danger zone as quickly as possible. During transportation, the victim must be in a horizontal position.

Outside the danger zone, remove all clothing that would restrict breathing from the victim and place him in a horizontal position. It is necessary to ensure peace, warmth, and a flow of fresh air.

– plenty of warm drink – 2% soda solution, Borjomi, milk with soda, tea, coffee;

– for a cough or sore throat, warm-moist inhalations with a 2% soda solution and antitussive drugs are necessary;

– for watery, burning eyes – rinse the eyes with water or a 2% soda solution. You need to rinse your nose with the same solution. You can drip a 30% solution of albucid into your eyes;

– if there is difficulty breathing, hoarseness, 1 ml of 0.1% atropine solution is injected subcutaneously;

- in case of fainting - you need to give ammonia to sniff. If there is no breathing, immediately begin to restore it.

Chlorine, one might say, is already a constant companion in our daily lives. It's rare that a house won't have household products, based on the disinfecting effect of this element. But at the same time it is very dangerous for humans! Chlorine can enter the body through the mucous membrane respiratory system, digestive tract, skin. You can be poisoned by it both at home and on vacation - in many swimming pools and water parks it is the main means of water purification. The effect of chlorine on the human body is sharply negative; it can cause serious dysfunction and even death. Therefore, everyone needs to be aware of the symptoms of poisoning and first aid methods.

Chlorine - what is this substance?

Chlorine is a gaseous element with a yellowish color. Has a pungent, specific odor - In gaseous form, as well as in chemical forms, which imply it active state, dangerous, toxic to humans.

Chlorine is 2.5 times heavier than air, so if there is a leak, it will spread along ravines, the spaces of the first floors, and along the floor of the room. If it is inhaled, the victim may develop one of the forms of poisoning. We'll talk about this further.

Symptoms of poisoning

Both prolonged inhalation of vapors and other exposure to the substance are very dangerous. Since it is active, the effect of chlorine on the human body manifests itself quickly. The toxic element mainly affects the eyes, mucous membranes and skin.

Poisoning can be either acute or chronic. However, in any case, if assistance is not provided in a timely manner, there is a risk of death!

Symptoms of chlorine vapor poisoning can vary depending on the specifics of the case, duration of exposure and other factors. For convenience, we have differentiated the characteristics in the table.

Degree of poisoning	Symptoms
Light. The safest one is that it goes away on its own in an average of three days.	Irritation, redness of mucous membranes and skin.
Average. Required health care and comprehensive treatment!	Heart rhythm disturbances, suffocation, pain in the area chest, lack of air, excessive lacrimation, dry cough, burning sensation on the mucous membranes. The most dangerous symptom-consequence is pulmonary edema.
Heavy. Resuscitation measures are needed - death can occur in 5-30 minutes!	Dizziness, thirst, convulsions, loss of consciousness.
Lightning fast. Unfortunately, in most cases, help is useless - death occurs almost instantly	Convulsions, swelling of the veins in the face and neck, breathing problems, cardiac arrest.
Chronic. A consequence of frequent work with a substance that contains chlorine.	Cough, convulsions, chronic diseases of the respiratory system, frequent headaches, depression, apathy, and frequent loss of consciousness.

This is the effect of chlorine on the human body. Let's talk about where you can get poisoned by its toxic fumes and how to provide first aid in this case.

Poisoning at work

Chlorine gas is used in many industries. You may well get a chronic form of poisoning if you work in the following industries:

Chemical industry.
Textile factory.
Pharmaceutical industry.

Poisoning on vacation

Although many people know about the effect of chlorine on the human body (of course, in large quantities), not all saunas, swimming pools, and entertainment water complexes strictly monitor the use of such a budget disinfectant. But it is very easy to accidentally exceed its dosage. Hence the chlorine poisoning of visitors, which happens quite often these days.

How can you notice that the dose of an element in the pool water is exceeded during your visit? It’s very simple - you will feel a strong specific smell of the substance.

What happens if you often visit a swimming pool where the instructions for using Dez-chlor are violated? Visitors should be wary of constant dry skin, brittle nails and hair. In addition, if you swim in highly chlorinated water, you risk getting mild poisoning from the element. It manifests itself with the following symptoms:

cough;
vomit;
nausea;
In rare cases, pneumonia occurs.

Home poisoning

You can also be poisoned at home if you violate the instructions for using Des-chlor. A chronic form of poisoning is also common. It develops if a housewife often uses the following cleaning products:

Bleaches.
Preparations intended to combat mold.
Tablets, washing liquids that contain this element.
Powders, solutions for general disinfection of premises.

The effects of chlorine on the body

Constant exposure to even small doses of chlorine (the physical state can be any) on the human body threatens people with the following:

Pharyngitis.
Laryngitis.
Bronchitis (acute or chronic form).
Various diseases skin covers.
Sinusitis.
Pneumosclerosis.
Tracheitis.
Deterioration of vision.

If you have noticed one of the ailments listed above, provided that you have been constantly or once (cases of visiting a swimming pool also included) exposed to chlorine vapor, then this is a reason to contact a specialist as soon as possible! The doctor will prescribe a comprehensive diagnosis to study the nature of the disease. After studying its results, he will then prescribe treatment.

First aid for poisoning

Chlorine is a gas that is very dangerous to inhale, especially in large quantities! In case of moderate or severe poisoning, the victim must immediately provide first aid:

Whatever the person's condition, do not panic. The first thing you should do is pull yourself together, and then calm him down.
Take the victim to fresh air or to a ventilated area where there are no chlorine fumes.
Call as quickly as possible ambulance.
Make sure that the person is warm and comfortable - cover him with a blanket, blanket or sheet.
Make sure that he breathes easily and freely - remove tight clothes and jewelry from the neck.

Medical assistance for poisoning

Before the ambulance team arrives, you can independently help the victim using a number of household and medications:

Prepare a 2% baking soda solution. Rinse the victim's eyes, nose, oral cavity.
Put some Vaseline or olive oil.
If a person complains of pain, stinging in the eyes, then in this case a 0.5% solution of dicaine would be best. 2-3 drops for each eye.
For prevention, they also apply eye ointment- syntomycin (0.5%), sulfanyl (10%).
Albucid (30%), zinc sulfate solution (0.1%) can be used as a replacement for eye ointment. These drugs are instilled into the victim twice a day.
Intramuscular, intravenous administration injections. "Prednisolone" - 60 mg (intravenous or intramuscular), "Hydrocortisone" - 125 mg (intramuscular).

Prevention

Knowing how dangerous chlorine is and what effect it has on the human body, it is best to take care in advance to reduce or eliminate its negative effect on your body. This can be achieved in the following ways:

Compliance with sanitary standards in the workplace.
Regular medical examinations.
Use of protective equipment when working with chlorine-containing preparations at home or at work - the same respirator, thick protective rubber gloves.
Compliance with safety regulations when working with the substance in an industrial environment.

Working with chlorine always requires caution, both on an industrial scale and at home. You know how to diagnose signs of substance poisoning in yourself. Help should be provided to the victim immediately!

Chlorine as an element of the periodic table was discovered back in the 18th century by a chemist Karl Scheele. Because of its greenish-yellow color, the substance was named “chlorine.” In Russia, this name did not take root; the shorter and more understandable “chlorine” spread. What are its benefits and harms and how does it affect the body?

The most important source of chlorine is rock salt. In ancient times, it helped ancestors to extend the shelf life of killed game and fish. However, this is not the only value of chlorine. With the development of medicine, people learned that this substance is involved in metabolic processes in the body and is essential for normal digestion. It is this that helps retain fluid in the tissues, due to which the body does not become dehydrated and does not lose moisture. When its dosage changes in one direction or another, a person begins to get sick: his limbs and face swell, his blood pressure jumps, his heart works intermittently. Chlorine is responsible for the health of red blood cells.

A person receives almost the entire daily requirement of chlorine from salt, food and chlorinated tap water. The maximum permissible dose of this substance is 7000 mg. If a person does not drink untreated water and consumes a minimum of salt, for example, is on a salt-free diet, a lack of chlorine may occur in his body. The situation can be aggravated by increased acidity of gastric juice, in which the need for chlorine increases, as well as excessive physical activity. Exercising causes a person to sweat, as a result of which chlorine is excreted in sweat and its amount in the body drops below the maximum permissible level.

If the acid-base balance is disturbed, a person may experience hair loss and crumble teeth. Dehydration doesn't just affect work internal organs, but also on appearance: The skin ages rapidly and becomes wrinkled. Such a person feels loss of strength, appetite and weakness. He is constantly sleepy, unable to concentrate and suffers from memory loss.

A lack of chlorine in the body can result from taking certain medicines- laxatives, diuretics, corticosteroids, etc. An increasing decrease in the concentration of this element can lead to coma and even death.

But it is with chlorinated water, which causes excess chlorine in the body, that scientists associate a general deterioration in people’s health. Cases of heart disease, cancer and dementia are on the rise worldwide. Although the proportion of liver and kidney cancer patients is only a small percentage of the total number of cases, more than 80% of those suffering from immune system diseases are due to chlorinated water. The respiratory system is negatively affected by this element, and the toxins contained in drinking water, which chlorine cannot cope with, cause disorders at the genetic level.

Particularly dangerous are chlorine vapors, which in high concentrations can cause burns to the throat and mucous membrane of the esophagus, and breathing problems. The risk group includes people working in hazardous industries - in the textile and chemical industries, etc.

It must be taken into account that chlorine enters the body not only with drinking water, but also through the skin during bathing, and the amount of toxins entering the blood this way increases 10-20 times.

Every person should know about the symptoms of excess chlorine in order to seek help from a doctor in time. These include an acrid dry cough, a feeling of dryness and irritation in the mouth and throat, headache, pain in the eyes, causing increased lacrimation, heaviness in the stomach and frequent colds with fever.

The effect of chlorine on the human body. Chlorine is highly toxic and irritating. Irritating to the eyes and respiratory system. When inhaled, it causes a convulsive, painful cough. In severe cases, spasm of the vocal cords and pulmonary edema occur. Has a chilling effect on the central nervous system.

Chlorine gas is irritating

t on wet skin, causing it to redden. If liquid chlorine comes into contact with the skin, chemical burns and frostbite may occur. The maximum permissible concentration of chlorine in the air of working premises is 1 mg/m3, in the atmospheric air of populated areas the maximum one-time concentration is 0.1 mg/m3, the daily average is 0.03 mg/m3. The minimum perceptible concentration of chlorine is 2 mg/m3.

The presence of about 0.0001% chlorine in the air irritates the mucous membranes. Constant exposure to such an atmosphere can lead to bronchial disease, sharply impairs appetite, and gives a greenish tint to the skin. If the chlorine content in the air is 0.1%, then acute poisoning can occur, the first sign of which is severe coughing attacks. In case of chlorine poisoning, absolute rest is necessary; it is useful to inhale oxygen or ammonia (sniffing ammonia), or vapors of alcohol with ether.

1.2 The main causes of emergency situations and consequences of accidents at chemically hazardous facilities using chlorine in production

Ingress of hazardous chemicals into environment can occur during industrial and transport accidents, or natural disasters.

The causes of such accidents:

Violations of safety regulations for the transportation and storage of toxic substances;

Failure of units, pipelines, depressurization of storage tanks;

Exceeding standard reserves;

Violation of established norms and rules for the placement of chemically hazardous facilities;

Reaching full production capacity of chemical industry enterprises, caused by the desire of foreign entrepreneurs to invest in hazardous industries in Russia;

Increasing terrorism at chemically hazardous facilities;

Deterioration of the population's life support system;

Placement of environmentally hazardous enterprises by foreign companies in Russia;

Import of hazardous waste from abroad and its burial in Russia (sometimes they are even left in railway cars).

These accidents represent the totality of the results of the impact of chemical contamination on objects, the population and the environment. As a result of the accident, an emergency and chemical situation develops. Scale possible consequences accidents largely depend on the amount of chlorine and storage conditions, the nature of the accident, weather conditions and a number of other factors that are determined by local characteristics and traditions.

The main damaging factor at chemically hazardous facilities that use chlorine in production is chemical contamination, the depth of which can reach tens of kilometers. Accidents involving the release of chlorine can be accompanied by explosions and fires. Consequently, at chemically hazardous facilities, the emergence of a zone of chlorine contamination is usually accompanied by a difficult fire situation.

Airspace, terrain, water sources, and the population can become contaminated with chlorine in vapor-gas, fine- and coarse-dispersed aerosol, droplet, liquid and solid states. Chlorine in a gaseous state contaminates the airspace, including the internal volumes of structures, and affects people and animals. Infection occurs due to the evaporation of chlorine, desorption from contaminated surfaces, when vapors spread through the air, or when chlorine enters the room.

Contamination of food, food raw materials and water occurs as a result of the deposition of chlorine or the sorption of its vapors from the air, as a result of entry into them from a contaminated area with rain streams and groundwater or directly from a destroyed object. Contamination of stagnant water sources poses a particular danger.

The duration of chemical contamination of the ground layer of air with chlorine vapor can reach several days. Dangerous concentrations of chlorine in stagnant waters can persist from several hours to 2 months; in rivers, canals, streams - within an hour; at river mouths from 2 to 4 days.

The damaging effect of chlorine on people is determined by its ability to disrupt the normal functioning of the body, causing various painful conditions, and under certain conditions, death. People and animals suffer damage as a result of chlorine entering the body through the respiratory system (inhalation), skin, mucous membranes, wound surfaces (resorptive), gastrointestinal tract(oral).

1.3 Historical background

January 1, 1966 - in the city of Gorky, a leak of 27.7 tons of chlorine occurred at a chlorine bottling station. The reason is a rupture of the tank outlet pipe. 1 person died, more than 4.5 thousand people were injured.

December 3, 1968 - 0.5 tons of chlorine leaked from a ruptured pipeline on the territory of the Sterlitamak chemical plant. More than 50 people were injured.

Times Beach, 1970. In the city of Times Beach, when paving roads, they were first filled with waste oils from a chemical plant in Missouri, where "reagent orange" was produced. As a result, about 2,500 residents had to be evacuated from the surrounding area. In 1983, the US Government was still discussing a plan to compensate residents of these areas in the amount of $33 million for the loss of their homes. There are reports that there are still at least 100 dioxin-contaminated sites in Missouri.

July 10, 1976 - accident at a plant in Seveso (Italy). Due to an increase in internal pressure, due to an uncontrolled reaction in the reactor, a jet of trichlorophenol was released. This caused serious illness in 1 thousand people. An area of 17.1 km was infected.

November 15, 1983 - at the Kemerovo industrial association "Progress" - a release of chlorine from a tank with a capacity of 60 tons. An area of about 5 thousand sq.m. was contaminated. 26 people died.

February 11, 1994 - chlorine leak at the titanium-magnesium plant in Berezniki, Perm Region. 40 people were injured, 7 of whom were taken to intensive care.

As a result of the study of the theoretical part of this issue, we can conclude that chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas with a pungent suffocating odor and high toxicity. It quickly and easily enters into a chemical reaction with blood, causing a pronounced toxicological effect. Symptoms of the lesion manifest themselves in the form of burning and stinging in the eyes, lacrimation, dry cough, a feeling of pressure behind the sternum, swelling and hyperemia of the mucous membrane of the pharynx and larynx, moderate shortness of breath, wheezing and weakened breathing in the lungs, suffocation, and possible loss of consciousness.

We know chlorine best of all as a substance used to treat water. Characteristic bad smell and the fact that door handles, floors and toilets are wiped with chlorine - that’s all we know about chlorine. How does chlorine actually affect the human body? Why do you need to treat surfaces with it and throw it into water? When does chlorine become dangerous?

A few words about the history of chlorine

This trace element - chlorine - was discovered in 1774 by Karl Scheele, a chemist and Swede by nationality. He was conducting chemical experiments with hydrochloric acid and suddenly smelled a smell that reminded him of the familiar smell of aqua regia. Make no mistake, Karl Scheele was not a fan of alcohol. Aqua regia was a solvent that contained nitric and hydrochloric acid, capable of dissolving even an apartment key or a wife’s gold ring.

The scientist became wary and began to carry out further experiments. He isolated a green-yellow gas from the resulting substance and began to study its effect on other gases and liquids. This is how chlorine was obtained, a complex substance that Scheele and then his colleague Davy called chlorin (green-yellow in Greek). This name has been preserved to this day in the USA and England, but in our country it has become shorter and more understandable - chlorine. This name was also stuck thanks to the famous French chemist Gay-Lussac, whose experiments are studied by today’s schoolchildren in physics lessons. This trace element has taken its rightful place in the periodic table under atomic number 17.

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What is chlorine?

This substance is a macroelement that enters our body with mineral salts, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and other microelements. The first and simplest source of chlorine is rock salt, which was used by our ancient ancestors. The chlorine in rock salt helped keep fish and killed game safe and sound. Salt as a source of chlorine, necessary for humans, was mined back in the times described by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived around 425 BC.

Chlorine is found not only in store packages, but also in our blood, bones, intercellular fluid, and also the largest organ of our body - the skin. Just as it enters the body, chlorine can also be eliminated. About 90% of chlorine is excreted through breakdown products - urine and sweat.

Why does a person need chlorine?

Sources of chlorine

Almost all daily norm– namely 90% of chlorine – enters the human body when it salts foods, that is, with salt. There is quite a bit of chlorine in food, except in bread or cheese. Most chlorine enters the human body with chlorinated water. If a person drinks tap water, there may even be an excess of chlorine. Interesting fact: Although people are divided into vegetarians and meat-eaters, neither one nor the other has a shortage or excess of chlorine due to their food choices. Even if people do not salt their food or salt it little, modern technologies suggest increased doses of chlorides in the products themselves.

Chlorine content in various products (mg/100 g)

Name	chlorine content
Rye bread	1025
Cheese	880
White bread	621
Butter	330
Pork kidneys	184
Pollock fish	165
Capelin fish	165
Hake fish	165
Fat cottage cheese	152
White mushrooms	151
Cow's milk, 3.2%	110
Kefir, 3.2%	110
Egg	106
Low-fat milk	106
Oatmeal	69
Beet	58
Rice	54
Potato	38
Carrot	36
Peas	35
Cabbage	24
Pears	11
Apples	5

How much chlorine do we need per day?

For healthy people 4000-6000 milligrams of chlorine per day is enough. But it must be taken into account that this includes chlorine, which is contained in ready-made food, and in water, and in the salt that we throw into dishes. The maximum dose of chlorine - 7000 milligrams - will still not harm a person, but such doses cannot be used constantly - there will be an excess of chlorine. If a person is hot, he is actively involved in sports and sweats (and chlorine is eliminated with decay products), more chlorine is needed. As with diseases of the digestive tract.

The chlorine requirement for children in milligrams is from 300 mg at the age of up to 3 months to 2300 mg at the age of 18 years. Children's doses of chlorides can be considered in more detail in the table.

What threatens a person with a lack of chlorine?

If there is not enough chlorine in the body, its acid-base balance and carbohydrate metabolism are disrupted. A person’s hair may fall out and teeth may crumble, the skin ages and becomes sharply wrinkled. Dehydration may occur, during which the mouth becomes dry, the person may feel sick, vomit, and the process of urination is disrupted. The kidneys and gastrointestinal tract can no longer function normally, which disrupts the functioning of other organs. Lack of chlorides in the body can lead to loss of strength, balance and appetite. Such people begin to complain of drowsiness, memory loss, and inability to concentrate.

As it turned out as a result of experiments conducted by scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology in 2012, chlorides are necessary for the normal functioning of nerve cells. Experiments on mice have shown that a lack of chlorides in the body can lead to overexcitation of nerve cells and aggravation of such dangerous diseases like epilepsy.

The cause of a lack of chlorine in the body can be low-salt or salt-free diets, especially long-term ones, more than a week. The state of health with a lack of chlorine deteriorates even more if the person previously suffered from hypertension or poor kidney function.

A person is able to reduce the concentration of chlorine in the body when he takes medications without doctor's supervision. These can be laxatives, leading to dehydration, diuretics (diuretics), corticosteroids (steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex). If there is too little chlorine in the body and its amount is suddenly lost, a person can fall into a coma and even die.

What are the dangers of an excess of chlorine in the human body?

Dr. Price of the Saginaw Clinic writes that chlorine is the leading killer of our day, preventing one disease but immediately causing another. He links water chlorination to a general deterioration in human health. “After water chlorination began in 1904, the modern epidemic of heart disease, cancer and dementia began,” says Dr. Price. Is it so?

On the one hand, untreated water causes - no matter how you think - up to 80% of all diseases in the world. If we drink unpurified water, the aging process occurs a third faster than if we drink purified water. This is how important it is to correctly perform just one item in our diet - drink normal water. And it is usually cleaned with chlorine. Is it correct?

Scientists from Finland and the USA have proven through research that liver cancer and kidney tumors occur in 2% of cases due to excessively chlorinated drinking water. This is not such a large percentage compared to diseases of the immune system - due to the increased chlorine content, our the immune system suffers in 80% of cases, and when constantly drinking chlorinated water, all internal organs suffer.

For example, with increased doses of chlorides obtained from drinking water, a person more often begins to suffer from bronchitis and pneumonia - the respiratory organs are primarily affected. But water continues to be chlorinated, although it has long been proven that chlorine today does not destroy all harmful microorganisms - most of them remain alive and healthy, continuing to poison our body with toxins. These toxins, interacting with chlorine, can cause disorders at the genetic level.

Our body can be affected not only by aqueous solutions, but also by chlorine vapor. They are more dangerous. It is very good that the trend of chlorination of clothes and bedding, which was previously used in everyday life, has stopped today. Chlorine vapors, which a person inhales in high concentrations, can cause burns to the mucous membrane of the esophagus and throat and disrupt the breathing rate, although such situations are rare. Risk groups include people working in hazardous industries, in the chemical industry, in the textile industry, as well as in working with cellulose and pharmaceuticals. Chronic diseases respiratory and digestive problems are not uncommon among such people.

Symptoms of excess chlorine

Chest pain
Acrid dry cough
Irritation of the mucous membrane of the throat
Dry mouth
Diarrhea
Tearing
Pain and dryness in the eyes
Headaches (often severe)
Heartburn
Nausea
Violation of gas formation
Heaviness in the stomach
Frequent colds with high temperature
Pulmonary edema

Sources of excess chlorine can be not only a large dose of salt or chlorinated water that you drink, but also ordinary bathing in the shower. If you often take a hot shower with an excess of chlorine, then a person receives a much larger dose of chlorine through the skin than by drinking chlorinated water. And the amount of toxins that enter the bloodstream with such bathing increases by 10-20 times.

Water can be purified from chlorine in several ways. First of all, throw activated carbon into it for 15-30 minutes. Or, as a last resort, boil and let the water sit for 24 hours - but this way is less effective, and besides, boiling water destroys all useful substances, primarily mineral salts.

There must be chlorine in the body, only its doses must be controlled so that your health always remains at its best.

It is important to know!

Hypochloruria develops due to the release of increased amounts of chlorine through sweat, vomit and through the intestines. Hypochloruria usually accompanies hypochloremia with diarrhea and vomiting of various etiologies, for febrile diseases. In case of pneumonia, as a result of the so-called “dry” retention of chlorine (due to the release of chlorine to tissues), its content in the urine decreases.

Discussion of the topic of why bleach is harmful should begin with clarification of what, in fact, it is. Chlorine is a natural element that is abundant in nature. People have long discovered chlorine and in everyday life most often use it for disinfection purposes. Unfortunately, the toxic potential of chlorine is not limited to mold and mildew control and in fact, the harmful properties of chlorine can actually be associated with serious risks to human health.

What is chlorine: general facts

Chlorine is a chemical used in industry and household cleaning products. At room temperature, chlorine is a yellow-green gas with a pungent, irritating odor similar to bleach. Typically, chlorine is stored under pressure and refrigeration and is shipped in the form of an amber liquid. Chlorine itself is not highly flammable, but in combination with other substances it forms explosive compounds.

Use of chlorine

Chlorine has...

Until recently, I honestly didn’t think about the question: “Is bleach harmful or not?” I have been accustomed to using it since childhood. My family has been using it for as long as I can remember. Public institutions also use it for domestic purposes.

Yes, I don’t like and never liked the smell of bleach, but I have never thought about: “Is this smell harmful?” Therefore, I decided to look into this topic for myself.

The first thing we encounter with chlorine is in tap water, since our water is chlorinated. Many countries around the world chlorinate their water annually to prevent bacterial contamination of the water. Namely, in order to prevent the spread of infections such as cholera, plague, anthrax. Public swimming pools also chlorinate water at certain intervals to disinfect it.

In everyday life, bleach is used as a product that disinfects well and removes rust and other contaminants.

Therefore, as a means of disinfection and to eliminate...

The harmful effects of chlorine contained in tap water often negate the benefits of hygiene procedures, causing allergies, inflammation and other health problems.

This article will tell you why bleach is harmful from the point of view of external effects on the body, and how to deal with it.

The effect of bleach on...

What threatens a person with a lack of chlorine?

Many manufacturers of household chemicals have already switched to safe standards and produce detergents without chlorine. Despite this, some housewives are distrustful of new products, preferring to use “Beliznoy” or chlorine-containing washing powder the old fashioned way.

There is no doubt: chlorine perfectly whitens clothes and home textiles, copes with heavy stains on plumbing fixtures, and disinfects surfaces. But at the same time it has an extremely specific and corrosive odor, which is not so easy to get rid of.

Why is chlorine dangerous for human health?

When bleach gets on exposed skin, it dries it out, causes irritation, redness, itching, and causes dermatitis or eczema; tiny particles of chlorine floating in the air contribute to a suffocating cough, provoke asthma attacks and allergic reactions; If you are constantly in a room “saturated” with the smell of bleach, do not be surprised by headaches, irritability, and insomnia.

Perfect option -...

Care against chlorinated water

Today's realities of water purification are such that it is impossible to do without chlorination. On the one hand, this ensures the destruction of harmful fungi, viruses and microbes, and allows you to deliver clean, potable water home. On the other hand, constant contact with chlorinated water in everyday life significantly affects the health and appearance of skin and hair.

Why is chlorinated water dangerous for skin and hair?

The use of chlorine in everyday life is an almost integral part of water purification. You consume it internally, sometimes raw, and take a shower, rarely thinking about what harm the chlorine in such water actually causes. Meanwhile, slowly but surely, this chemical accumulates in the tissues of the body, concentrating in the bones and skin and gradually worsening their condition. It is important to note here that the presence of chole in the body is as natural as the content of vitamin A, E, such macro and...

When bleach is added to water, hundreds of organochlorine compounds are formed. Only a few of them have been tested on animals and found to be carcinogenic. The worst of them is chloroform. Chemists know that it is the strongest organic solvent. If you throw a piece of plexiglass into it, it will dissolve in chloroform without a trace, like sugar in hot tea. Figuratively speaking, organochlorine molecules simply gnaw through the protective membranes of the digestive cells along which they move (in 95 out of 100 cases, a cancerous tumor is formed). Many reputable scientists demand a categorical ban on the use of chlorine. Cancer, heart problems, premature aging, both mental and physical - these are the consequences of chlorination of drinking water. This causes us to age, causing symptoms of senescence such as clogged arteries. Among women who drink 5 or more glasses a day of regular tap water, the percentage of miscarriages is very high. Very recent studies by Belgian scientists have shown a direct connection...

Every day we are exposed to the adverse effects of chlorine. After all, almost every person wakes up and goes to the bathroom and takes a shower. It's no secret that bleach is harmful, but not everyone knows how bleach affects our body. This is what we will talk about.

Composition of bleach

From its name alone, it is not difficult to guess that this chemical is based on chlorine; it is capable of excellent disinfection, killing most known bacteria. The chlorine concentration must be strictly standardized. After all, initially, during the First World War, chlorine was used as a poisonous gas. The harmful effects were reduced, but not eliminated. Therefore, you should know what danger bleach can pose.

In our country, bleach is used to purify piped water. As mentioned earlier, bleach kills bacteria harmful to the body. But it should immediately be noted that when it enters the human body, exactly the same process takes place, only with cells...

However, bleach, which is used to disinfect water, can negatively affect the skin, hair and eyes of swimmers.

How to protect yourself from chlorine when visiting a swimming pool?

Why is chlorinated water harmful?

There is no way to avoid adding chlorine-containing substances to the pool. After all, bleach makes water cleaner by disinfecting it.
And the amount of chlorine-containing substance added is such that it will not harm most people (especially if they take a shower after visiting the pool). But we should remember that bleach is not so safe when it comes into contact with our skin and hair.

If chlorinated water gets into your eyes, it can cause pain, conjunctivitis, or even a burn to the cornea. Hair after being in chlorinated...

Lime is obtained by heat treatment of natural limestone in ovens at 1000-1200 degrees. The result is lump-shaped lime in the form of CaO. When water is added, the lime is “quenched” with the formation of fluff (at 33% water by weight) or lime paste (at a larger amount of water). When extinguishing, a lot of heat is generated and the water begins to bubble.
Lime has long been widespread in the renovation of premises. Its prevalence is associated with the ability to destroy microorganisms and fungi. After whitewashing, the building takes on a white and neat appearance. The lime coating is resistant to moisture and temperature fluctuations, the walls under the lime “breathe”.
But is everything so great when using lime?
Lime is harmful to health if used incorrectly.
In the form of drops or dust, lime is harmful if inhaled, as it irritates the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and can lead to severe burns. You may experience choking and continuous sneezing. In that...

Whiteness is one of the popular household chemical disinfectants and first aid in everyday life if you need to clean something.

Whiteness has been used for many decades as a preparation to eliminate severe pollution not only in everyday life, but also in industry. The product is inexpensive and therefore popular with most housewives for cleaning plumbing fixtures.

Advantages

affordable price; guarantee of cleansing from heavy contaminants; preservation of properties at low temperatures; convenience and ease of use; versatility (washing, cleaning, disinfection).

Is bleach white?

Bleaching powder

Whitewash, like other household chemical solutions, must be handled with care. Specifications They say that chlorine and bleach are the same thing. The composition of the product makes it a strong disinfectant and antiseptic. The main bleaching property comes from hypochlorite...

Few modern housewives imagine their lives without household chemicals. Cleaning powders, dishwashing detergents, laundry detergents, disinfectant solutions, air fresheners, stain removers... We usually use these products without thinking about their potential health hazards. But during pregnancy such carelessness is unforgivable. So, can pregnant women use household chemicals or should they avoid them altogether?

The basic rule is that you can use it, but not with all means and using special protective measures. Avoid products containing:

Chlorine

Chlorine is a dangerous and toxic chemical. When using household chemicals, it can enter the body in two ways: through the skin of the hands and through the lungs by inhaling its vapors during evaporation. In both cases, chlorine penetrates the maternal bloodstream and spreads throughout the body, including reaching the fetus. It can provoke allergic...

Chlorine is a gas with a strong, specific odor. It is heavier than air and resembles fog when it evaporates.

Chlorine began to be used as an effective bactericide almost two centuries ago. On the one hand, chlorine has saved hundreds of thousands of lives due to its ability to destroy harmful bacteria and viruses, but at the same time, it also has a toxic effect on humans.

In addition, chlorine is one of the most important products of the chemical industry in terms of production volume and area of application.

Properties of chlorine

Under normal conditions, chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas with a sharp irritating odor; in a liquefied state, chlorine can only be found at excess pressure or at a temperature below minus 34 ° C.

It's impossible to imagine life modern man in everyday life without using a lot of household chemicals:

Washing powder that effectively washes things - most families use Myth, Sorti, Tide, Ariel, Denis, Persil, Pemos, Dosya, Lotus, Stork, Eared nannies various types cleaning agents and detergents in the kitchen or bathroom: Pemoxol, Biolan, Pemolux, Domestos, Ac. for washing dishes: Sorti, Feri, Myth, Biolan and other products for cleaning windows and mirrors, air fresheners, carpet cleaners, insect repellents.

Household chemicals contain many harmful substances that not only harm the fragile ecosystem, but also have a very detrimental effect on human health, leading sooner or later to chronic human diseases. Manufacturers claim that the amount of harmful substances in household chemical products is minimal, but they “forget” to mention such a fact as the cumulative effect of all components, which causes real harm to health:

Only 3%...

Chlorine is found in a large number of floor cleaning and disinfection products. Domestos is no exception. It contains this chemical element, which means the product can cause toxic damage to the body. The problem is that chlorine is dangerous and harmful to the human body, and frequent contact with this chemical element can cause death. Therefore, you need to know what to do in case of Domestos poisoning.

Signs of poisoning

Domestos poisoning has the following symptoms:

Redness and dryness of the skin. The appearance of bruises and hematomas on the skin. Severe itching of the skin. Damage to the nail plates.

When in contact with chlorine, the skin suffers (see Chlorine poisoning). Severe redness, itching is observed on the hands or other parts of the body, and skin particles begin to die.

Note! Nonspecific acne may appear, filled with purulent contents with or without blood.

In addition, bruises or...

The effect of bleach on the skin

1. Feeling of “tightness”
...

Often people visit the pool with one goal - to improve the health of their body. After all, it is thanks to swimming in water that you can not only strengthen your immune system, but even cure various diseases.

Why is water chlorinated?

As Lomonosov once said: “Chemistry spreads its arms wide into human affairs...”

And this is the absolute truth! But in pursuit of a clean toilet and the blinding shine of the kitchen sink, the main thing is not to suffocate from the tart and smell of chemical cleanliness.

Household chemicals can instantly make the beautiful and silky hands of a housewife look like the hands of a pre-revolutionary washerwoman: after even a short period of time, they acquire dropsy and ulcers, they are covered with tiny bleeding cracks, and the skin itself becomes rough and painful. But if the influence of chemicals caused only the skin of the hands to deteriorate, it would not be so bad. After all, there are quite a few moisturizing creams and gels out there. Unfortunately, the main danger comes from the ability of detergents to remain on surfaces treated with them for a long time, as well as to create significant concentrations of poisons in the air.

Hidden threat

Please note: very often air...

The traditions of hydrotherapy go back to ancient times. There was never any doubt that swimming is useful, especially in cold, crystal clear water.

Did you know that when the Russian people defended their freedoms and the right to independence, such an episode happened? In 1237, the grandson of Genghis Khan, Batu Khan, harnessed the cavalry and reached the majestic Moscow. Genghis Khan's gaze fell on strong, log houses, from which cold steam poured out like a column. The Russians jumped out of there naked and rushed into the ice hole at full speed. And then Batu Khan asked with genuine bewilderment: “What are these madmen doing, isn’t it so good for them?” They answered him: “It’s the Russians who beat themselves with birch brooms, pour hot water over themselves, and then plunge into an ice hole. They say it's very good for your health."

With the development of civilization, everything in the world has improved, and now everyday swimming in an ice hole is a kind of madness. An excellent substitute for swimming in an ice hole is to improve your health in the pool.

But the problem of infections in water for a long time alarmed the general public, this continued until at the beginning of the 19th century the news spread throughout the world - they came up with a new effective method water disinfection!

Chlorination of pool water helps save a person from unpleasant diseases, but is this measure always justified? After all, chlorine itself is a poison that can harm your health.

The role of a disinfectant was played by chlorine, which more or less purified the water from foreign matter, pathogens and harmful bacteria.

However, there is a flip side to the coin - instead of the problem of bacteria, the world is faced with another, more dangerous reality - bleach itself, when it enters the body, can provoke a number of ailments.

But is bleach so harmful and why, where is the truth here, and where is complete nonsense - let's try to figure it out together with you, dear readers.

Why is chlorine harmful in a swimming pool?

A person swimming in a pool is not immune to the risk of swallowing an impressive portion of chlorine water. As a result, a number of pathologies may develop in the form of stomach cancer, increased blood pressure, atherosclerosis.

Some people are hypersensitive to chloramines, so one visit to the pool is enough to understand that this is not for you.

Swimming in chlorinated water over a long period of time causes irritation and redness of the skin among regular visitors, and hair becomes dull, brittle and lacking shine.

The main danger posed by swimming pools with chlorinated water is the risk of oncological diseases. The thing is that chlorine causes mutation of body cells and their degeneration into malignant ones.

According to some scientists, cancer cases have become more frequent due to the fact that chlorine began to disinfect not only the water in swimming pools, but also the water supply. Thus, each person receives his own dose of chlorine daily.

Inhalation of chlorine vapor causes allergies, asthma and other respiratory diseases. This substance also has an irritating effect on human skin, causing itching, allergies and inflammation. If pool water gets into your eyes, it can cause irritation of the mucous membranes, conjunctivitis, and even temporarily impair vision.

Makes the body flexible and physically healthy, but the hair is not so happy to meet chlorinated water. After all, it makes them lifeless, dry, brittle.

Pregnant women should avoid visiting a swimming pool with chlorinated water, and give preference to those that use sea water. Such pools are rarely seen and visiting them is not a cheap pleasure. As for alternative cleaning methods, ozone, which has been popular recently, does not completely disinfect water, so chlorine is also added to it, but in smaller quantities.

How to protect yourself from the harmful effects of chlorine?

After water procedures, it is necessary to take a shower;
Hair should be protected with a tight-fitting swimming cap;
Before visiting the pool, you must wash off your makeup and apply moisturizer to your body;
Special swimming goggles must be used as eye protection.

Swallowing water should be avoided and clothes should be washed after each bath. It is better to limit small children from visiting a swimming pool where the water is purified with chlorine. Compliance with the basic rules of protection will help minimize the harm of chlorine to the human body in the pool.

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Every day, when taking a shower, washing your face, or washing your hair, we create stress for the body.
After all, the majority of us use ordinary tap water to maintain hygiene, the chlorine content in which is often below the “harmless” mark.
This article will tell you why bleach is harmful from the point of view of external effects on the body, and how to deal with it.
The effect of bleach on the human body
Fortunately, the concentration of chlorine in tap water is not so high that negative consequences appear from the first use. Although, with regular use of such water for hygiene (on average 2 times a day), bleach, affecting the skin, hair and human body, in general, leads to a number of negative consequences.
The effect of bleach on the skin
Skin irritations are also one of the main indicators of increased chlorine content in water. For most people, skin reactions are expressed in:
1. Feeling of “tightness”
2. Increased dryness and flaking
3.Redness and itching
4.Early aging and the appearance of age spots, and expression and age wrinkles
5.Sharp reactions (irritations) to usual cosmetics
6.Weak reaction to moisturizers
Effect of bleach on hair
Hair most often reacts to high levels of chlorine in tap water. The main “signals” of negative hair reactions can be:
1.Fragility of hairs and split ends
2. Dehydration and dullness (dyed hair loses color at high speed, as bleach “eats away” the dye)
3. Increased dryness and fluffiness
4. Increased hair loss
If you are one of the people prone to dermatitis, skin diseases, allergies, then a reaction to water with a high content of chlorine may appear after the first interaction (severe itching, “weeping” spots, eczema).
The effect of chlorine on the body as a whole
With the exception of local reactions of hair and skin, chlorinated water can cause serious health problems. With regular long-term contact, bleach can cause:
1. Pulmonary diseases (including asthma)
2. Exacerbation of allergies
3. Exacerbations of psoriasis
4.Oncological diseases
In addition, chlorine compounds with other substances contained in tap water can cause food poisoning (if swallowed regularly) and intoxication of the body as a whole.
How to protect yourself from exposure to chlorine
In most countries of the world, today the issues of replacing the use of bleach as the main method of disinfection with more modern and gentle ones - disinfection and ultraviolet ozonation - are being actively discussed. Although, as long as water with chlorine flows from our taps, the complexity remains relevant.
There are 2 methods that can seriously reduce the harm from the effects of bleach on the body:
Installation of special filters
This method is the most convenient, but also quite expensive. Its advantage is that by fixing the filter on the tap, you get almost the same continuous flow of water as before, but almost without chlorine.
The main disadvantage of this method is that the device itself and replacement filters cost a lot of money. And since the volumes of passing water are quite large, the filters will need to be changed frequently.
Water settling
The second method is more economical, but it is hardly suitable for most of us, since it is quite labor-intensive. The method is to collect water in large containers and let it sit for at least 48 hours. This will cause most of the chlorine in the water to evaporate and make it usable.
This method is not easy to call convenient. After all, you will almost stop using the usual tap, and all hygienic operations will need to be performed by heating the water in advance and using the good old ladle.
The undeniable advantage of this method is its cost. Or rather its absence. After all, you will not need to incur any additional expenses, with the exception of the usual water fee. In addition, regularly following this method will involuntarily lead to more economical use of water.

Chlorine, one might say, is already a constant companion in our daily lives. It is rare that a home will not have household products based on the disinfecting effect of this element. But at the same time it is very dangerous for humans! Chlorine can enter the body through the mucous membrane of the respiratory system, digestive tract, and skin. You can be poisoned by it both at home and on vacation - in many swimming pools and water parks it is the main means of water purification. The effect of chlorine on the human body is sharply negative; it can cause serious dysfunction and even death. Therefore, everyone needs to be aware of the symptoms of poisoning and first aid methods.

Chlorine - what is this substance?

Chlorine is a gaseous element with a yellowish color. It has a sharp, specific odor - In gaseous form, as well as in chemical forms, which implies its active state, it is dangerous and toxic to humans.

Symptoms of poisoning

Poisoning can be either acute or chronic. However, in any case, if assistance is not provided in a timely manner, there is a risk of death!

Symptoms of chlorine vapor poisoning can vary depending on the specifics of the case, duration of exposure and other factors. For convenience, we have differentiated the characteristics in the table.

Degree of poisoning	Symptoms
Light. The safest one is that it goes away on its own in an average of three days.	Irritation, redness of mucous membranes and skin.
Average. Medical attention and comprehensive treatment is required!	Heart rhythm disturbances, suffocation, pain in the chest, lack of air, excessive lacrimation, dry cough, burning sensation on the mucous membranes. The most dangerous symptom-consequence is pulmonary edema.
Heavy. Resuscitation measures are needed - death can occur in 5-30 minutes!	Dizziness, thirst, convulsions, loss of consciousness.
Lightning fast. Unfortunately, in most cases, help is useless - death occurs almost instantly	Convulsions, swelling of the veins in the face and neck, breathing problems, cardiac arrest.
Chronic. A consequence of frequent work with a substance that contains chlorine.	Cough, convulsions, chronic diseases of the respiratory system, frequent headaches, depression, apathy, and frequent loss of consciousness.

This is the effect of chlorine on the human body. Let's talk about where you can get poisoned by its toxic fumes and how to provide first aid in this case.

Poisoning at work

Chlorine gas is used in many industries. You may well get a chronic form of poisoning if you work in the following industries:

Chemical industry.
Textile factory.
Pharmaceutical industry.

Poisoning on vacation

How can you notice that the dose of an element in the pool water is exceeded during your visit? It’s very simple - you will feel a strong specific smell of the substance.

cough;
vomit;
nausea;
In rare cases, pneumonia occurs.

Home poisoning

Bleaches.
Preparations intended to combat mold.
Tablets, washing liquids that contain this element.
Powders, solutions for general disinfection of premises.

The effects of chlorine on the body

Constant exposure to even small doses of chlorine (the physical state can be any) on the human body threatens people with the following:

Pharyngitis.
Laryngitis.
Bronchitis (acute or chronic form).
Various skin diseases.
Sinusitis.
Pneumosclerosis.
Tracheitis.
Deterioration of vision.

First aid for poisoning

Chlorine is a gas that is very dangerous to inhale, especially in large quantities! In case of moderate or severe poisoning, the victim must immediately provide first aid:

Whatever the person's condition, do not panic. The first thing you should do is pull yourself together, and then calm him down.
Take the victim to fresh air or to a ventilated area where there are no chlorine fumes.
Call an ambulance as quickly as possible.
Make sure that the person is warm and comfortable - cover him with a blanket, blanket or sheet.
Make sure that he breathes easily and freely - remove tight clothes and jewelry from the neck.

Medical assistance for poisoning

Before the ambulance team arrives, you can independently help the victim using a number of household and medications:

Prepare a 2% baking soda solution. Rinse the victim's eyes, nose, and mouth with this liquid.
Place Vaseline or olive oil in his eyes.
If a person complains of pain, stinging in the eyes, then in this case a 0.5% solution of dicaine would be best. 2-3 drops for each eye.
For prevention, eye ointment is also applied - syntomycin (0.5%), sulfanyl (10%).
Albucid (30%), zinc sulfate solution (0.1%) can be used as a replacement for eye ointment. These drugs are instilled into the victim twice a day.
Intramuscular, intravenous injections. "Prednisolone" - 60 mg (intravenous or intramuscular), "Hydrocortisone" - 125 mg (intramuscular).

Prevention

Compliance with sanitary standards in the workplace.
Regular medical examinations.
Use of protective equipment when working with chlorine-containing preparations at home or at work - the same respirator, thick protective rubber gloves.
Compliance with safety regulations when working with the substance in an industrial environment.

It is thanks to the healing effect on the body that everyone has a chance to improve their health, as well as prevent the development of all kinds of problems associated with the normal functioning of the body. It is quite possible to achieve a similar effect if you start attending classes in the pool regularly. This is the only way to talk about the positive effect of water on the body as a whole.

But, despite this fact, visiting the pool can be not only useful, but also harmful. It's all about chlorine, which is added to the water to disinfect it.

Why is water chlorinated?

In order to disinfect the water in the pool, a certain amount of chlorine is added to it. It is impossible to determine this amount by eye - this is where special devices come to the rescue. Of course, a minimum amount of chlorine is added to the water, which will not cause harm to the health of the person who comes to the pool. But the body does not always react normally to bleach. The fact is that special care should be taken by those who suffer from respiratory diseases, those who are allergic to this substance and those who visit the pool for the first time. Chlorinated water is not good for pregnant women. If a woman really wants to visit the pool, then it is better for her to go to a place where sea salt is added to the water instead of chlorine.

Attention: chlorinated water is harmful!

As soon as chlorinated water gets on the skin, it begins to irritate it, in some cases even causing allergic reactions. If such water gets into the eyes, there is a high risk of developing a disease such as conjunctivitis. Sometimes the cornea may even burn. It is also worth mentioning the negative impact of chlorinated water on hair - when it comes into contact with bleach, the hair becomes dry and brittle.

If you are absolutely sure that your body can normally survive interaction with chlorinated water, you can safely go to the pool. But at the same time, do not forget to take care of your skin and eyes.

Let's start protecting the body from chlorinated water

You can protect yourself from chlorine in the pool by following a few simple rules.

So, first rule states that before diving into the pool, you must take a shower and apply a moisturizer to your skin. It is best to leave the product on the skin and wait until it is absorbed for 30 minutes. This is the only way to be completely sure that the skin will be protected from the effects of chlorinated water. A similar manipulation should be carried out after leaving the pool, as soon as you rinse with clean water.

You can remove chlorine residues from your skin using a regular shower. It should be taken after you leave the pool.

As you understand, skin needs special care. So, to protect it, it is recommended to use special cosmetics. There is even a series of cosmetics “for use after the pool.” Thanks to its effect, you can neutralize chlorine in a matter of minutes and restore elasticity and smoothness to the skin.

Often, these cosmetics contain nutritional acids and vitamins, which are designed to restore the protective barrier on the skin, preventing various harmful substances from entering it.

Second rule Regarding the protection of hair and eyes, it is enough to put a plastic cap on your head. You can also protect your hair from chlorine if you apply special protective agents to it before going into the water. Otherwise, your hair may become dry and lifeless due to exposure to chlorinated water. You can purchase silicone-based serum. Despite the obvious benefits of such a product, it is often not worth using, because it negatively affects the hair structure.

The best option would be to use coconut oil. It will perfectly moisturize your hair and also give it a healthy shine. You can also apply ready-made masks to your hair, designed directly to care for your hair from the negative effects of chlorinated water. Such masks can be purchased at any pharmacy.

After you get out of the pool, be sure to wash your hair. This way, you can cleanse your hair and scalp of chlorine and other microelements that got onto your hair along with water. Special shampoos are suitable for these purposes. These shampoos will perfectly cleanse your hair, give it volume and make it soft and manageable.

If we talk about protecting your eyes from chlorinated water, then here the best option will be used special glasses. When choosing such glasses, you should pay attention to the fact that they do not squeeze the face too much, but at the same time fit snugly to it.

Some are sure that contact lenses will cope with this function, but this is not the case. In fact, contact lenses absorb chlorinated water just like your skin and hair. As a result, irritation or an allergic reaction may occur. That's why it's better to buy disposable lenses for swimming in the pool. After swimming, they can be thrown away immediately.

Third rule– no cosmetics. Women who exercise in the pool must wash off their makeup before plunging into the water. You need to remove makeup in order to protect your skin from an unpredictable reaction when it comes into contact with chlorinated water.

Natural remedies are also very effective

You can protect your body from chlorine using natural remedies. It is recommended to rinse your hair with apple cider vinegar diluted with water. Need to take 1 part apple cider vinegar and 4 parts water, mix them and rinse your hair after the pool.

You will get a wonderful effect if you rinse your washed hair with carbonated water. mineral water with addition lemon juice. Thanks to this combination, the hair will be quickly cleansed of chlorine and other contaminants.

Swimsuit needs protection

Chlorine has a negative effect not only on the body, but also on the swimsuit. It causes fabric to wear out quickly. If you like to visit the pool frequently, be prepared to change your swimsuit every season. And the culprit for this will be a microelement such as chlorine, which is added to water to disinfect it.

Over time, swimsuit fabric can fade, stretch, and lose its old look. If you don’t want to buy a swimsuit before each new season, then you should pay attention to the material from which it is made. Manufacturers make swimsuits that are resistant to chlorine. This information must be included on the label. If you see the inscription: “chlorine resistance” - immediately try on your swimsuit - this is what you need for training in the pool. But if you haven’t found such a thing, don’t worry - you can extend the life of your swimsuit using regular table vinegar. Before washing a swimsuit, add 2 tbsp to the water. vinegar. It will help neutralize chlorine and prevent fabric fading.

Can bleach be beneficial?

Few people can admit the idea that bleach has not only harmful, but also beneficial properties. After all, if you think about it, then, in fact, chlorine is an important chemical element that is extremely necessary for the full functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

A trace element such as chlorine is found in many foods, including eggs, fish, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Of course, an excessive amount of chlorine in the body will not lead to anything good. That's why you need to be especially careful when swimming in the pool and make sure that chlorinated water does not get into your mouth or nose. As for protecting the skin from chlorinated water, things are more complicated here, because chlorine can penetrate through the pores of the skin.

If the body receives a large dose of chlorine through the pores of the skin, it may become intoxicated or, simply, bleach poisoning. It will manifest itself in some symptoms. These include nausea, sore throat, headache and watery eyes.

From this article you will learn:

Why is chlorine needed in water?
How much chlorine should be in water
Why is chlorine in water harmful to health and technology?
Why is chlorine harmful in pool water?
How to remove chlorine from water

Residents of Russian cities are exposed to the influence of chemicals used to disinfect tap water every day. Some consider them harmless, others consider them deadly. Today we will tell you why chlorine in water is dangerous and how to protect your body from its effects.

Why is chlorine needed in water?

Everyone knows that chlorination is the treatment of drinking water with chlorine solutions. This method of disinfection is the most common. Chlorine has a detrimental effect on the enzyme system of harmful microorganisms, stopping their vital activity and spread. If water were supplied to homes without purification with chlorine, then there would be no limit to enterovirus and rotavirus infections.

At the beginning of the last century, water was not chlorinated, but the effectiveness of this element was proven by disinfecting natural water and preserving already purified water for a long time.

Today, chlorination is used not only for disinfection, but also to reduce the color of water, eliminate foreign tastes and unpleasant odors. In addition, disinfection during the preparatory treatment of water for consumers at water treatment stations makes it possible to reduce the consumption of coagulants and stably maintain the satisfactory condition of treatment facilities.

Currently, more than 90% of water treatment equipment worldwide uses chlorine and its derivatives to decolorize and disinfect water. Every year, a liquid solution of this reagent is consumed in an amount of about 2,000,000 tons.

For the population of large cities, it is of great importance to remove chlorine from water through filtration, settling and freezing.

Why can't it be replaced? dangerous chlorine in water with other reagents? There are reasons for this:

chlorine is most effective in its action on pathogenic bacteria, microbes and microorganisms;
it is publicly available;
has a minimum price that does not change the final cost of water supplied to consumers;
The effectiveness of chlorine has been proven by extensive experience in its use.

Even with all the disadvantages, it is difficult to do without chlorine when effective cleaning is necessary.

Of course, the chlorination process does not solve most of the problems associated with the use of drinking water. Many of the dangerous compounds produced by interaction with chlorine enter the body after consuming raw tap water during water procedures. This is precisely the reason why water is purified from chlorine before it is supplied to consumers.

Requirements for chlorine content in water

The proportion of active chlorine sufficient to disinfect water should be calculated not by the volume of pathogens, but by the total mass of microorganisms and organic substances (including inorganic components that can be oxidized) that can reside in chlorinated water.

The correct dosage of this reagent is very important here. A low chlorine content in water will not have a sufficient bactericidal effect, and its excess will spoil the taste. Therefore, the portion of the reagent must be set taking into account the characteristics of the water being purified and guided by its research.

In the process of designing treatment facilities, the calculated dose of chlorine should be taken based on the need to purify water during critical pollution (for example, during floods).

A measure of the sufficiency of the reagent dosage will be the presence of residual chlorine (which remains from the introduced portion after the oxidation of substances present in the water). According to GOST 2874-73, the accumulation of residual chlorine before water is supplied to the public mains should reach 0.3-0.5 mg/l.

The dose of the reagent that will provide the specified concentration of residual chlorine in the water is taken as the calculated value. The calculated dosage is determined by experimental chlorination.

For clarified river water, the chlorine content, as a rule, fluctuates in the range of 1.5-3 mg/l, and when groundwater is chlorinated, it is usually no higher than 1-1.5 mg/l. But in some situations, increased chlorination may be required due to the presence of ferrous oxide in the water. The required dose of chlorine also increases with increased accumulation of humic substances.

The effects of chlorine on the body

First of all, organochlorine compounds (OCCs) of the chlorine used with organic substances in water, of which there are about 300, are dangerous. Researchers claim that one of these types of COCs - trihalomethanes - leads to cancer Bladder, which is detected annually in tens of thousands of people on the planet. If you reduce the standard THM content in water by just 20 mg/l, this will reduce the incidence of disease by almost 20%!

These compounds pose a great danger to pregnant women. Firstly, the most common consequence of regular consumption of such water is spontaneous miscarriage in the first trimester of fetal development. If this fortunately does not happen, chlorinated water can cause birth defects heart, spinal cord and brain, underdevelopment of the oral cavity (“cleft lip”). Often, women who drink tap water during pregnancy give birth to weak children with insufficient weight and height.

In essence, chlorine is poison. Even during the First World War, it was used as a chemical weapon. Due to its enormous ability to oxidize, chlorine is in the TOP 3 most powerful halogens.

The issue of the harmful effects of chlorinated water was first raised in the 70s of the last century. The reason was high activity a reagent that causes it to interact with a large number of inorganic and organic substances in the water, creating chlorine-containing toxins, carcinogens, mutagens, immunotoxins and even poisons. They slowly accumulate in the body, posing a dangerous threat to health.

All of these substances can cause cancer of the stomach, esophagus, liver, bladder, rectum and colon, larynx, lungs and mammary gland. In addition, they provoke anemia, atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart disease, inflammation of the joints and respiratory organs.

Chlorine in water dries the skin, irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes, disrupts the hair structure, making it weak, dull and brittle, and causes dandruff.

Harm of chlorine in water for household appliances

In addition to harm to the body, chlorinated water causes damage even to household appliances, various materials and communications.

Due to the high concentration of chlorine, stainless steel products darken and are destroyed by corrosion. A good example is stainless steel sinks and sinks. This is caused by the tendency of chlorides to form strong acids in an aqueous environment.

Water with chlorine “eats” the color of fabrics and blurs their patterns, giving white linen a gray patina.

The active oxidation of chlorine can cause leaks and damage household appliances and parts that are constantly in contact with water.

Chlorine in water causes microcracks or small holes in pipes, causing leaks and premature wear. In combination with other harmful substances, it can cause large leaks and malfunctions in communication systems.

Why is chlorine harmful in a swimming pool?

Adherents of an active lifestyle, especially lovers of swimming pools, are well aware that the water in them is disinfected with chlorine. This must be done in accordance with sanitary standards.

Undoubtedly, there are other pools where the water is purified more in modern ways. But this is practiced in very prestigious institutions and only in large cities of Russia. To antisepticize the water in such pools, ozonation or ultrasonic cleaning can be used. Or even sea water can be used. Of course, these methods are not available to everyone, since their cost is quite high and affects the wallets of clients.

Why is chlorine in water dangerous for the body? This topic can be discussed for a long time. But medical experts They say that there is no need to worry too much about water chlorination. Moreover, doctors claim that bleach brings more benefits than harm, protecting people from many infections. But still, it is impossible to completely eliminate the consequences of regular contact with the reagent.

You may encounter the following problems:

harmful effects on hair (they lose their natural shine and weaken until they fall out);
negative effect on the skin (dryness, irritation, possible itching);
special danger to the cornea of the eyes (risk of inflammation and conjunctivitis, burn of the mucous membrane).

Before visiting the pool, you need to make sure that you are not allergic to chlorine. If the result is positive, there is no need to risk your health; it would be wiser to abandon your idea.

If the desire to swim is still great, you can insure yourself with antihistamines, which must be taken for a certain time. At the same time, going to the pool is possible for some period, as you will be protected from allergic reactions. However, it is not advisable to use this technique constantly, because your own health is more important than a couple of hours of pleasure.

If you are not allergic to chlorine, then swimming in the pool poses almost no threat, you just need to protect your hair and skin. To do this, you should take a shower before the “dive” and after finishing the swim. Cosmetic products in the form of moisturizing creams, lotions, and softening body milk will also be useful.

A rational option for protecting your eyes from chlorine in water would be glasses specifically designed for this purpose. Those who like to dive and swim underwater always need them. Swimming goggles should be chosen responsibly. While fitting tightly to the skin, the frame should not exert excessive pressure.

Swimming with goggles will protect your eyes from chlorine and your skin from accidental damage. Otherwise, the consequences may be irreparable. Swimming goggles are required. Savings in this case are unfounded.

How to remove chlorine from water

There are methods for completely removing chloramine from tap water, as well as significantly reducing its concentration. Which one you choose is determined by the amount of water, time and money you have.

This is an excellent way to purify water for drinking and watering plants, which completely removes solid particles from it. To filter a large amount of water, you can contact specialists to connect a reverse osmosis system with its convenient placement under the sink. All water supplied to the building can be treated. This will allow you to completely purify the water from chlorine and all its derivatives. Moreover, this is one of the rare effective methods to remove heavy metals.

For reverse osmosis to be truly effective, you need to use a coarse filter that will not let dirt into the membrane. Try to change filters as often as required by the instructions, because a worn-out filter will be more harmful than useful.

The disadvantages of this method include high water consumption. In domestic systems, only 10% of the incoming water will be supplied to the outlet, and the rest will go to the sewer.

Activated and catalytic carbon.

An activated carbon home filter reduces contaminants and improves the taste of water. However, longer contact with water is required to remove chloramine. Catalytic carbon is a liquid type of activated carbon that is capable of much better purification of chlorine from water, even with rapid filtration.

If you need to filter a limited volume of water, you can install two filters in series, achieving greater purity. Activated carbon, unlike the previous method, does not affect the mineralization of water.

Chemical cleaning.

In the chloramine molecule, the chlorine atom is unstable and therefore dangerous for living organisms. Chloride, on the other hand, is a stable atom (for example, in table salt or sodium chloride). In addition, it is essential for plant growth.

Chemical methods for neutralizing chloramine in tap water convert it into chloride and other harmless byproducts. The substances that are involved in this contain sodium thiosulfate, sulfur dioxide (Cambden pills) and, imagine, vitamin C (the usual “ascorbic acid”).

Sodium thiosulfate tablets (used for aquariums) and Cambden Tablets (popular in private brewing) are reliable means of eliminating chloramine, but they further mineralize the water, enriching it with sodium and sulfur molecules.

Ascorbic acid is a fairly new method. Meanwhile, it is also effective and does not affect the mineral composition of the water. As an antioxidant for humans, vitamin C does the same with water.

Ultraviolet.

UV rays are excellent at neutralizing chloramine while killing germs. Therefore, ultraviolet light often plays the role of one of the initial filters in reverse osmosis purification to protect membranes from the action of chloramine and bacteria.

Advocacy.

This method is considered the most accessible and simple. There is nothing unusual about it - fill a bucket with water and leave it overnight. In the morning, pour 2/3 of the volume of water that can be used for drinking into another container. And lime sediment remains at the bottom, if we are talking about water from wells. Similarly, you can settle tap water in your apartment - it will be free of chlorine during the night.

By the way, this water can be boiled for tea, and scale will not accumulate in the kettle. Of course, this technique has an important drawback - settling does not protect against infections and does not remove heavy metals that are present in the water.

Did you know that standing for 30 minutes reduces the dissolved chlorine content by almost half? The advantage of the technique is the absence of financial costs. The disadvantage is that harmful chlorine compounds in the form of salts do not leave the water.

Water purification with ozone.

This purification method allows you to enrich the water with oxygen. Ozone for its processing is formed directly in the installation, residual O 3 turns into oxygen. This gas binds dangerous chlorine compounds in water and turns them into suspensions that are retained by the filter. The advantage of the method is its environmental friendliness, reliability and simplicity.

Ion exchange method.

This method involves purifying water by passing it through a filter made of ion exchange resins. The latter operates on the principle of replacing chlorine compounds with sodium salts. The advantage of the method is that water is completely free of chlorine. The disadvantage is the need to constantly saturate the cartridge with salts, which include sodium ions.

This is a simple type of water purification that is easy to do yourself. Pour water into an enamel bowl and place in the freezer. After half the volume of the container has defrosted, take out the ice, this is what you will need.

Consider its structure - the edges of the ice will be clean, but all the dirt will collect inside it, which should be gotten rid of. To this end, pour boiling water over the middle of the ice piece until the dirt-containing part dissolves.

As a result of these manipulations, you will be left with an icy “donut”. It needs to be melted, and clean drinking water is ready! The liquid remaining at the bottom should not be consumed, as it is saturated with heavy metals, salt and iron. The disadvantage of melt water can be considered its weak mineralization. To fix this, add a simple mineral water there at the rate of 100 ml per 1 liter of melt water.

Silicon cleaning.

It has long been proven that silicon destroys many bacteria. To purify water, you need to dip the mineral into it and place the container in a dark place for two days. Drain the water into a clean container and seal it with a lid. Pure silicon water is suitable for drinking and cooking.

By the way, silicon can be reused many times. But before that it needs to be carefully examined. If the pebble is clean, it is suitable for re-cleaning. And if a white film appears on it, it must be cleaned. Rub the mineral with a toothbrush and wash well.

Silver cleaning.

This is not fiction - silver really cleans water. The principle of operation is simple: place one of the silver jewelry or cutlery (spoon, fork) in a bowl of water. Ag ions destroy harmful bacteria present in water. True, this method is not suitable for purifying spring water, since silver is powerless against heavy metal residues.

Is boiled water safe?

Boiling water is carried out for:

disinfection;
reducing water hardness;
eliminating impurities.

When boiling at a temperature of 100 °C, most pathogenic microbes die, and the water is significantly purified.

But not everyone knows that the duration of this procedure must be observed. For proper cleaning, the boiling time should be at least 10–15 minutes. Be honest, when have you purposefully left a kettle on the stove for so long, if you simply didn’t forget about it?

The scale that accumulates on the walls of the kettle and pans is the notorious chlorine in the water plus mineral salts dissolved in it.

When tea (coffee) is poured with boiling water, chemical compounds are released that the body does not absorb and deposits in the kidneys. Subsequently, this waste will turn into stones.

Indeed, crystallized magnesium and calcium salts reduce water hardness. But there are both advantages and disadvantages to this. The most suitable composition and maximum benefit for the body has water of medium hardness, balanced in content.

Many of us do not recognize the harm of boiled water and even believe that by double boiling we can “remove” all microorganisms and harmful inclusions. But experts have proven that it is impossible to disinfect water using this method! You can only make it a little softer. And if you boil water several times, you can cause great harm to the body.

The harmfulness of boiled water is confirmed by the following facts.

Boiling does not destroy nitrates and phenols, herbicides, pesticides, petroleum products and heavy metals.
At the boiling point, the structure of chlorine-containing compounds is disrupted, which precipitate, react with other elements and form dioxins (carcinogens) and trihalomethanes. And this is much more dangerous than chlorine in water, since it is these substances that cause cancer! Even in small doses, global ecotoxicants can cause genetic changes in cells and have a mutagenic effect on the body.
During secondary boiling, the scale that collects on the walls of the kettle penetrates the body along with the water. Thus, they accumulate harmful substances, causing diseases of the kidneys, heart, joints, blood and even heart attacks.

Those who add raw water to boiled water and boil it again are at great risk to their health. The previous water is saturated with heavy hydrogen isotopes that bind to the elements of raw water. Deuterium released from hydrogen when heated tends to accumulate.

As a result, each subsequent heat treatment “poisons” the water more and more. After repeated boiling, it becomes dangerous to drink. Moreover, not only does the taste of water deteriorate (a metallic taste appears), its consumption impairs the functioning of important body systems and slows down tissue regeneration.

How to minimize the impact of chlorine on the body

Since tap water is chlorinated everywhere, the problems created by this general disinfection must be solved by the state. Today, a complete abandonment of the technology of adding chlorine to drinking water is impossible. This will require replacing all the country's water supply lines and introducing expensive treatment facilities.

The implementation of this project requires large financial expenses and will take years. But still, the first steps towards a global abandonment of water chlorination have already been outlined. And consumers can take steps today to protect their families from the dangerous effects of chlorine.

Stick to a few simple tips, and you will reduce the harm from contact with chlorine-containing tap water:

Buy a special shower head filter to reduce the concentration of chlorine in the water that comes into contact with your skin.
Be sure to shower after public pools and use safety glasses when swimming.
Emollient cosmetics will restore skin balance after a swimming pool or shower, relieving irritation and eliminating dryness and itching.
Do not bathe young children in chlorinated water.

To remove chlorine from water, use the compounds listed below.

Lime milk. To prepare it, dilute one part of hydrated lime with three parts of water, mix well and pour the resulting solution into a tank of water (10 kg of hydrated lime per 30 liters of water).
Soda ash solution (5% baking soda is mixed with water in a ratio of 2:18 and dissolved (for example, 5 kg of soda per 95 liters of water).
Sodium hydroxide solution (5% sodium hydroxide). Dissolve the alkali in water in a ratio of 2:18 and stir thoroughly until dissolved (for example, 5 kg of NaOH per 95 liters of water).

If the water quality leaves much to be desired...

The problem of dirty water in the house can be partially solved by installing a high-quality filter. But gradually it may become necessary to replace components in such systems, because the quality of drinking water purification directly depends on this.

At the same time, the question remains unresolved: how to ensure that the best quality water is available at our workplace or at our child’s school? The solution would be to buy water delivered.

The Iceberg company offers favorable conditions for servicing its clients:

Free delivery of water to your home or office: buyers pay only the cost of the product;
The wells from which our water is drawn have registration documents in the State Water Cadastre of the Russian Federation.
Advanced technologies are used to extract and bottle water, which helps preserve and enhance its quality and natural purity.
We also sell modern water coolers and other equipment manufactured by well-known European brands, taking into account existing quality standards. The sizes of pumps and bottle racks vary, allowing the devices to be installed even in small spaces.
Delivery of drinking water to your home or office is carried out at a minimal price thanks to constant promotions from our company.
Along with water, you can purchase disposable tableware, tea, coffee and other products.

Clean water is valuable, but it should not be worth its weight in gold. Our mission is to provide every home and workplace with high-quality drinking water, so we have prepared the most favorable conditions for our clients.

Infections in water are a problem that remained unsolvable for a long time, until an effective way to disinfect water was invented at the beginning of the 19th century. Chlorine was used as a disinfectant, which to this day is a fairly convenient and cheap way to disinfect tap water. So, after chlorination, the water becomes more or less clean of microorganisms, which allows a person not to worry about possible negative consequences.

However, having solved the problem with pathogenic bacteria, we are faced with another, more dangerous reality. As you know, chlorine is an unsafe substance, and if it enters the body it can provoke the development of many pathological processes.

Infections in the pool - fact or fiction?

Not only tap water is chlorinated, but also pool water. It should be said that disinfection in public pools is treated with particular rigor, because if this is not done, then you can easily pick up some kind of infection. Then, if the water in swimming pools is chlorinated, can it harm us, since we don’t drink it?

What can you get infected from in the pool?

Of course, it is not a fact that you will develop these diseases, but forewarned means forearmed. Infectious diseases and methods of contracting them when visiting the pool:

warts- it is viral, mostly benign in the form of a node. After exercising in the pool, they may well form. If your skin is damaged, you can become infected not only through contact with a sick person and the objects he used, but also by stepping on the place where he stood. The risk of infection increases with decreased immunity and severe sweating of the feet.

Nail fungus (onychomycosis)- a very common disease, difficult to treat and reappearing repeatedly. In most cases, these are the legs and feet. It is difficult to catch fungus in the pool. But around him this is very possible. To avoid this, be sure to wear slippers in the pool and shower.

Hepatitis A- it's infectious acute illness liver disease, caused by the hepatitis A virus. It can be transmitted through food and water that are contaminated with the virus. In pools where there are violations of sanitary standards, and in those where the water flows poorly, it is quite possible to get infected. Since the hepatitis A virus lives in contaminated water, never allow it to enter your mouth when diving.

Bacterial dysentery- it's spicy infection. The source of infection is a sick person, as well as microbial contamination of food and water. Therefore, we must keep in mind that infection can occur when water in swimming pools enters the mouth. This disease manifests itself with the following symptoms: nausea, fever, vomiting, diarrhea and cramps.

Giardiasis is an infection that occurs mainly with damage small intestine And allergic reactions. Although the source of infection can be humans, soil, or products contaminated with Giardia cysts, giardiasis is still considered a disease of dirty water. This disease can easily be contracted through swimming pools, as well as through contaminated water entering your body.

Infectious conjunctivitis- it causes swelling of the mucous membrane of the eye, which in turn disrupts the nutrition of the cornea, causing its damage. Bacterial conjunctivitis occurs if the pool water is not sufficiently purified. Therefore, always make sure that the water in which you swim is not cloudy.

How to choose a swimming pool during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, when many activities are contraindicated and physical activity must be chosen with caution, the pool is one of the few options to actively move with health benefits. But it’s better not for pregnant women to go to the first pool they come across.

You should choose a place where there is high-quality chlorination and there will be no danger to the health of mother and baby. Or better yet, the so-called “specialized option” - group classes for young mothers.

A swimming pool with running or sea water is preferable. During courses or in the pool you will be asked for a doctor's certificate - please be understanding about this.

When choosing an instructor, pay attention to how he conducts classes. If the instructor only gives out general commands, almost without watching how they are carried out, this is not the best option. A good instructor will try to choose an individual program for each expectant mother and will definitely monitor how correctly you perform this or that exercise.

very severe toxicosis (which is accompanied by uncontrollable vomiting);
risk of miscarriage;
uterine bleeding;
systematic cramping pain after exercise;
preeclampsia;
eclampsia;
tuberculosis in the acute stage;
systemic blood diseases;
chronic appendicitis;
diseases in the acute period;
infectious diseases.

Personal hygiene rules in the pool

Infectious diseases can be avoided by sticking to the lungs, and then visiting the pool will only bring you benefits and health:

Wearing slippers to the pool- all germs are usually found on tiles near the water, as well as in shower stalls, so to avoid fungi, it is better to always have rubber shoes with you. You need to walk from the room in which you are undressing to the water in flip-flops or slippers, which are best brought from home.

Rinsing in the shower- before entering the pool, even if you washed in your own bath before leaving the house.

The right clothes- visit the pool in sports closed swimsuits, rubber caps, and always take special glasses for diving.

Bring your own towel- in the pool you will definitely be offered it, but there is no guarantee that after the next use it has been washed with sufficient disinfection. Pathogenic fungi usually survive simple washing, but they also migrate to nearby towels.

Always shower after class- especially thoroughly rinse all skin folds and spaces between the toes, especially the toes.

Verified places- visit indoor pools, and only with good disinfection.

Introduction

1 Statistical data on accidents in railway transport in the territory Russian Federation

2 Causes of emergency situations on the railway during the transportation of dangerous goods

3 Protection in emergency situations when transporting dangerous goods by rail tank cars

4 Sanitary, hygienic and anti-epidemiological measures

5 Measures for localization of pollution, neutralization and decontamination of dangerous goods

Conclusion

List of sources used

Introduction

Chlorine is one of the most important products of the chemical industry in terms of production volume and area of application. In 1996, about 2 million tons of chlorine were produced in Russia. The widespread use and large volumes of chlorine production determine the high potential danger of emergency situations caused by its emergency releases into the environment. These circumstances are aggravated by the physicochemical and toxicological properties of chlorine, which is a highly toxic and asphyxiating substance. The toxicological and physicochemical properties of chlorine are the main damaging factors during its emergency releases.

The large-scale use of chlorine and the imperfection of the main and auxiliary technological equipment used led to high level accident rates at enterprises using chlorine. Obviously, in combination with the current low level of professional training of production personnel to act in emergency situations, this can lead to a chain nature of the development of the accident and an uncontrolled increase in its scale.

In connection with the above, resolving issues of organizing the actions of production personnel and special forces in emergency situations and increasing their efficiency and effectiveness is an extremely important task

PROPERTIES OF CHLORINE

Chlorine belongs to the group of halogens. The molecular weight of chlorine is 70.9.

Under normal conditions, chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas with a strong, irritating odor. Chlorine can only exist in a liquefied state at excess pressure or at a temperature below minus 34 °C. Liquid chlorine is stored and transported in vessels that can withstand excess pressure. The pressure of saturated chlorine vapor in a vessel depends on temperature and increases with temperature. The dependence of the pressure of saturated chlorine vapor in a vessel on temperature is given in Table 1.

Table 1

The density of liquid chlorine at boiling point (-34 °C) is 1560 kg/m3.

When one volume of liquid chlorine evaporates at 0 °C, 457 volumes of gaseous chlorine are formed. Chlorine gas is 2.5 times heavier than air, so during emergency leaks it spreads to the bottom, creating a stable gas cloud. The density of chlorine gas at 0 °C and a pressure of 101.3 kPa is 3.21 kg/m3.

Chlorine produced in electrolyzers may contain an extremely dangerous impurity - nitrogen trichloride (NCl3). The latter is a heavy oily liquid with an unpleasant odor reminiscent of chlorine. Density of NCl3 – 1.65 kg/l; boiling point 71 °C. Nitrogen trichloride is an explosive that is extremely sensitive to shock, friction and heat. The presence of nitrogen trichloride in chlorine can cause pops and explosions of pipelines, receivers, evaporators and containers for storing and transporting liquid chlorine.

Pops and explosions at a number of enterprises in the chemical industry, non-ferrous metallurgy, and in the chlorine management of water treatment stations were, as a rule, accompanied by the release of large quantities of chlorine into the environment. Taking into account the explosive properties of nitrogen trichloride, GOST 6718-93 allows its content in liquid chlorine of the first grade to be no more than 0.004% (by weight).

Chlorine is a strong oxidizing agent. Not hot. Reacts with most organic compounds, in some cases explosively. A mixture of chlorine and hydrogen explodes when exposed to light.

Chlorine has different corrosive effects on structural materials depending on whether it is “wet” or “dry”. In the presence of moisture, a reversible hydrolysis reaction of chlorine occurs with the formation of hydrochloric and hypochlorous acids:

Cl2 + H2O « HCl + HclO

In addition to this reaction, under certain conditions, reactions occur simultaneously with the formation of perchloric acid (HClO3), iron chlorides, hydrogen and oxygen. Therefore, in “wet chlorine” (water content > 0.04% wt.), carbon and low-alloy steels are subject to pitting and pitting corrosion, and in sealed vessels (for example, chlorine containers) the likelihood of the formation of explosive mixtures of hydrogen with oxygen and chlorine increases.

For the manufacture of process and pipeline equipment operated in “wet chlorine” (heat exchangers, pumps, pipelines, fittings, etc.), titanium is used, which does not interact with “wet chlorine” even at elevated temperature(100 °C). However, it should be borne in mind that titanium reacts very violently with “dry” gaseous and liquid chlorine (water content less than 0.04% by weight), up to spontaneous combustion and explosion.

“Dry chlorine” practically does not interact with carbon and low-alloy steels up to a temperature of 100 °C.

Impact of chlorine on humans.

Chlorine is highly toxic and irritating. Irritating to the eyes and respiratory system. When inhaled, it causes a convulsive, painful cough. In severe cases, spasm of the vocal cords and pulmonary edema occur. Has a chilling effect on the central nervous system.

Chlorine gas is irritating to wet skin, causing it to become red. Chemical burns and frostbite may occur if liquid chlorine comes into contact with the skin.

The maximum permissible concentration of chlorine in the air of working premises is 1 mg/m3, in the atmospheric air of populated areas the maximum one-time concentration is 0.1 mg/m3, the daily average is 0.03 mg/m3.

The nature of the effect of chlorine on the human body, depending on its concentration in the air, is shown in Table 2.

We know chlorine best of all as a substance used to treat water. The characteristic unpleasant odor and the fact that door handles, floors and toilets are wiped with chlorine - that’s all we know about chlorine. How does chlorine actually affect the human body? Why do you need to treat surfaces with it and throw it into water? When does chlorine become dangerous?

A few words about the history of chlorine

What is chlorine?

Why does a person need chlorine?

Sources of chlorine

Almost the entire daily requirement - namely 90% of chlorine - enters the human body when it salts foods, that is, with salt. There is quite a bit of chlorine in food, except in bread or cheese. Most chlorine enters the human body with chlorinated water. If a person drinks tap water, there may even be an excess of chlorine. Interesting fact: although people are divided into vegetarians and meat-eaters, neither one nor the other has a shortage or excess of chlorine due to their food choices. Even if people do not salt their food or salt it little, modern technologies require increased doses of chlorides in the composition of the products themselves.

Chlorine content in various products (mg/100 g)

Name	chlorine content
Rye bread	1025
Cheese	880
White bread	621
Butter	330
Pork kidneys	184
Pollock fish	165
Capelin fish	165
Hake fish	165
Fat cottage cheese	152
White mushrooms	151
Cow's milk, 3.2%	110
Kefir, 3.2%	110
Egg	106
Low-fat milk	106
Oatmeal	69
Beet	58
Rice	54
Potato	38
Carrot	36
Peas	35
Cabbage	24
Pears	11
Apples	5

How much chlorine do we need per day?

For healthy people, 4000-6000 milligrams of chlorine per day is sufficient. But it must be taken into account that this includes chlorine, which is contained in ready-made food, and in water, and in the salt that we throw into dishes. The maximum dose of chlorine - 7000 milligrams - will still not harm a person, but such doses cannot be used constantly - there will be an excess of chlorine. If a person is hot, he is actively involved in sports and sweats (and chlorine is eliminated with decay products), more chlorine is needed. As with diseases of the digestive tract.

What threatens a person with a lack of chlorine?

A person is able to reduce the concentration of chlorine in the body when he takes medications without the supervision of a doctor. These can be laxatives, leading to dehydration, diuretics (diuretics), corticosteroids (steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex). If there is too little chlorine in the body and its amount is suddenly lost, a person can fall into a coma and even die.

What are the dangers of an excess of chlorine in the human body?

Scientists from Finland and the USA have proven through research that liver cancer and kidney tumors occur in 2% of cases due to excessively chlorinated drinking water. This is not such a large percentage compared to diseases of the immune system - due to the increased content of chlorine, our immune system suffers in 80% of cases, and when constantly drinking chlorinated water, all internal organs suffer.

Our body can be affected not only by aqueous solutions, but also by chlorine vapor. They are more dangerous. It is very good that the trend of chlorination of clothes and bedding, which was previously used in everyday life, has stopped today. Chlorine vapors, which a person inhales in high concentrations, can cause burns to the mucous membrane of the esophagus and throat and disrupt the breathing rate, although such situations are rare. Risk groups include people working in hazardous industries, in the chemical industry, in the textile industry, as well as in working with cellulose and pharmaceuticals. Chronic diseases of the respiratory and digestive organs are not uncommon among such people.

Symptoms of excess chlorine

Chest pain
Acrid dry cough
Irritation of the mucous membrane of the throat
Dry mouth
Diarrhea
Tearing
Pain and dryness in the eyes
Headaches (often severe)
Heartburn
Nausea
Violation of gas formation
Heaviness in the stomach
Frequent colds with high fever
Pulmonary edema

There must be chlorine in the body, only its doses must be controlled so that your health always remains at its best.

This article will tell you why bleach is harmful from the point of view of external effects on the body, and how to deal with it.

The effect of bleach on the human body

The effects of bleach on hair

Hair is most often the first to react to increased chlorine content in tap water. The main “signals” of negative hair reactions can be:

Increased hair loss
Increased dryness and fluffiness
Dehydration and dullness (dyed hair quickly loses color, as bleach “eats away” the dye)
Hair fragility and split ends

Effects of chlorine on skin

Skin irritations are also one of the main indicators of high levels of chlorine in water. For most people, skin reactions may include:

Increased dryness and flaking
Weak reaction to moisturizers
Early aging and the appearance of age spots, as well as expression lines and age wrinkles
Redness and itching
Feeling of "tightness"
Sharp reactions (irritations) to usual cosmetics

If you are one of the people prone to dermatitis, skin diseases, and allergies, then a reaction to water with a high content of chlorine may appear after the first contact (severe itching, “weeping” spots, eczema).

The effect of chlorine on the body as a whole

In addition to local reactions to hair and skin, chlorinated water can cause much more serious health problems. With regular long-term contact, bleach can cause:

Oncological diseases
Pulmonary diseases (including asthma)
Exacerbations of allergies
Exacerbations of psoriasis

Also, chlorine compounds with other substances contained in tap water can cause food poisoning (if swallowed regularly) and intoxication of the body as a whole.

How to protect yourself from exposure to chlorine

There are two ways that can significantly reduce the harm from the effects of bleach on the body:

Installation of special filters

Water settling

Take care of yourself. Be beautiful and healthy!

Auto: Natalia Kay