What is Chlorine?
Chlorine was first discovered by Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1774. The element was given the name 'chlorine' by British scientist Humpry Davy in 1810.
Chlorine, which has a greenish yellow color, emits a suffocating odor. Some methods are used to obtain chlorine. The simplest method is the electrolysis of sodium chloride, which is table salt. With this method, hydrogen and sodium hydroxide are also released along with chlorine. In another method, manganese dioxide, sodium chloride and sulfuric acid are reacted. In this way, chlorine is released. This reaction is one of the methods used to obtain chlorine in a laboratory environment. In other words; chlorine can be obtained by heating concentrated hydrochloric acid with manganese oxide in a laboratory environment. Chlorine; is found in nature as 'chloride' in sea water and various minerals.
Chlorine (Cl) is an element of the halogen group with an atomic number of 17, weighing 35.5 grams, and in gaseous form at room temperature. It is a poisonous gas used in water purification or disinfection processes. It has a sharp and suffocating odor and is soluble in water. Chlorine and chlorine compounds are used especially in processes such as stain remover, color lightener and germicide.
| The symbol | Cl |
| Atomic Number (Number of Protons) | 17 |
| Atomic Mass | 35.453 (2) g/mol |
| Number of Electrons | 17 |
| Elements series | Nonmetallic |
| Group in the Periodic Table | 7A |
| Intensity | 0.003214 g/ cm3 |
| Melting Point | -101.5 °C |
| Boiling point | -34.04 °C |
| Condition in Room | Gas |
| The appearance | Yellowish green |
| Discovery | Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1774) |
Interactions and Reactions
Let's also touch on some of the interactions and reactions of chlorine. If chlorine is mixed with hydrogen and exposed to the sun, it explodes and turns into hydrochloric acid. Chlorine, which does not interact with carbon, affects metals such as sulfur, iodine and bromine. If white phosphorus comes into contact with chlorine, it melts and white phosphorus chloride fumes appear. An iron bar melts when immersed in a chlorine tube with a small amount of water added. Gold and platinum dissolve when exposed to chlorine gas. If chlorine interacts with sodium carbonate, bleach appears.
Chlorine is not found free in nature. Free chlorine is found in volcanic gases containing hydrochloric acid. The negatively charged ion of inland seas and ocean waters such as the Dead Sea, the Caspian Sea, and the Great Salt Lake of Utah is the chloride ion.
Where is Chlorine Used?
Chlorine is used very frequently in the disinfection of mains and pool water, industry and various industries. Chlorine is also used for the purification of dirty water and industrial water. It is found in various components of the chemical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors. We can list its areas of use as follows; Paper by-products, textile industry, drugs, petroleum products, dyes, textile products, antiseptics, insecticides, solvents, cleaning chemicals, solvents, plastics, bleaches, rubber production, germicide, production of organic and inorganic substances…
What are the Properties of Chlorine?
Chlorine is found in group 7A in the periodic table. It is a pungent, greenish colored, lightest, poisonous and irritating gas. It is 2.5 times heavier than air. Approximately 2-3 liters of chlorine can be dissolved in one liter of water. This solution, called chlorine water, can even oxidize gold.
It is liquid below -34°C. It forms the halogen group with fluorine, chlorine, bromine, acetate and iodine. All elements in the halogen group have 7 electrons in their last orbits. They tend to take the 8th electron from other elements.
Chlorine affects almost all metals. When a thin iron rod is heated and immersed in a tube filled with chlorine containing a small amount of water, it becomes incandescent and emits brown iron chloride fumes. During the reaction, the temperature becomes too high and the iron melts. The water at the bottom of the tube prevents the molten iron from breaking on contact with the glass. Silver, copper, tin, aluminum and lead also react with chlorine. If a small amount of mercury is poured into a tube filled with chlorine, mercuric chloride is formed, crystallizes and sticks to the tube. Platinum and gold can also be dissolved by the action of chlorine.
Chlorine also interacts with nonmetals except carbon. Carbon is used as an anode in the hydrolysis of sodium chloride. When chlorine and phosphorus come into contact with each other, phosphorus melts and begins to ignite. This produces white phosphorus chloride smoke. Red phosphorus can react with chlorine in hot weather. Chlorine, bromine and sulfur affect iodine.
What are the Harms of Chlorine?
Chlorine is a chemical that is harmful to human health. It irritates the respiratory tract. It is a suffocating gas. It has a carcinogenic effect. It can trigger skin, stomach, lung, stomach and prostate cancers. For this reason, people who drink chlorinated water have a cancer risk of over 90 percent compared to those who do not drink it. It can irritate mucous membranes in areas such as the eyes, nose and ears. The effects of chlorine vary depending on the amount that is contacted or taken into the body.
Chlorine reacts with natural organic substances in water to form disinfection by-products such as trihalomethane and haloacetic acid. These compounds are quite harmful to human and environmental health. Despite this, chlorine is very often used as a disinfectant for water. The purpose of this is to eliminate harmful organisms in water. Chlorine was first used for water purification in a Belgian town in the 1900s. Then, in America, water purification was provided with a filter system containing chlorine. It was observed that diseases such as typhoid and cholera, which were very common at that time, decreased with chlorinated water purification. However, in recent studies, it has been determined that the trihalomethane compound formed by mixing water with chlorine triggers free radicals in the body, causes cell damage and has carcinogenic effects.
How is Chlorine Obtained?
Chlorine is released when sodium chloride, sulfuric acid and manganese ions react. This reaction can be used to obtain chlorine. In industry, chlorine is produced by electrolysis of sodium chloride (table salt) . Sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas are released as by-products.
Effects of Chlorine Gas on Humans
Chlorine gas was first used by Germany in World War I. When chlorine gas comes into contact with water, the reaction produces hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid. For this reason, it irritates moist areas of the body such as the lungs and eyes, and causes many damages such as pulmonary edema, throat constriction, stomach pain and difficulty breathing. In chlorine gas poisoning, the first attempt is to clean the skin with water. Since the gas causes permanent damage, the chance of treatment and saving the patient's life is very low. If air containing 2.5 mg of chlorine per liter is inhaled for a few minutes, it can cause death.
Properties of Chlorine Gas
The reaction of manganese dioxide, sodium chloride and sulfuric acid produces chlorine, which can be used in the laboratory to obtain chlorine. In industry, chlorine is produced by electrolysis of table salt (sodium chloride), producing hydrogen gas and sodium hydroxide as by-products.
Chlorine attacks almost all metals. When a thin iron rod is heated and immersed in a chlorine tube containing a small amount of water, it emits brown ferric chloride fumes. During the reaction, the temperature rises very high and the iron begins to melt.
Chlorine also interacts with nonmetals. For example, white phosphorus starts to melt when it touches chlorine and ignites, giving off white phosphorus chloride fumes. Red phosphorus reacts with chlorine in hot weather. If a mixture of hydrogen and chlorine is exposed to the sun, it explodes and turns into hydrochloric acid. Chlorine can react with sulfur, iodine and bromine, but it does not interact with all nonmetals, such as carbon. For this reason, carbon is used as an anode in the hydrolysis of sodium chloride.
Where is Chlorine Gas Used?
Chlorine is produced in industry mostly by electrolysis of saturated salt solution. Sometimes it is obtained from molten sodium chlorine. Chlorine and its compounds are used to disinfect city drinking water. It is used in the production of germicide used in homes and many natural and artificial substances…
Chlorine is a negatively charged molecule that functions with electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, and bicarbonate (sometimes measured as total carbon dioxide [CO2]) to help regulate the amount of fluid in the body and to regulate acid-base balance. Although chlorine is found in all body fluids, high levels are found in the blood and in fluid outside the body's cells.
Chlorine is taken in from table salt. Most of the chloride is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and the excess is excreted in the urine. Normal blood levels remain the same, but drop slightly after meals.
The test is performed to determine if there is a problem with your body's electrolyte or acid-base balance and to monitor treatment. The value of chloride in the blood is 97-107 mmol/L in adults, while it is between 96-113 mmol/L in newborn babies.
WHAT DOES HIGH BLOOD CHLORINE MEAN?
Hyperchloride is an electrolyte disorder in which there is an abnormal increase in the level of chloride ions in the bloodstream. The normal range for chloride ions in the blood is 97 to 107 mEq/L. When the body is stressed, electrolyte levels can become imbalanced. Hyperchloride is usually a sign of another problem.
Causes of high chlorine levels are as follows:
– Kidney failure and kidney disorders
– Prolonged vomiting, sweating or diarrhea
– High sodium levels in the blood
– Diabetic diseases
– Intense exercise, exposure to extreme heat, or not drinking enough fluids
– Too much salt intake. Chlorine is a component of sodium chloride, which is table salt.
Addison's disease
WHAT DOES LOW BLOOD CHLORINE MEAN?
Chlorine in the body is an electrolyte that plays an important role in the proper functioning of the metabolism. The kidneys control the level of chloride in the blood. For this reason, problems with the level of chloride in the blood are usually related to the kidneys. Chlorine helps the acid and base balance in the body. Hypochloremia is an electrolyte imbalance and refers to a low level of chloride in the blood.
– Causes of low blood chloride
Low chlorine levels may indicate:
– Congestive heart failure
– Prolonged diarrhea or vomiting
– Chronic lung disease such as Amzem
– Metabolic alkalosis, when blood pH is higher than normal
– Heart failure
– Lung diseases
– Certain types of medications such as laxatives, diuretics, corticosteroids and bicarbonates can also cause hypochloremia.
– Addison's disease is a condition in which the adrenal glands in the body do not produce enough of certain types of hormones. It can cause a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, dizziness, and weight loss.
