* Chlorine is one of the most common elements on Earth.
* It is necessary to most life forms, including humans.
* The substance is one of the two essential components of salt (sodium chloride).
* Chlorine is one of the most active elements in nature.
* It will bond easily with many other elements.
* In its pale yellow-green gaseous form, chlorine smells like “bleach.”
* Chlorine gas is toxic to humans once it passes about 30 ppm (parts per million).
* Chlorine toxicity results from its oxidizing (reactive) power.
* Above 30 ppm, chlorine reacts with water in cells to form toxic hydrochloric acid.
* Chlorine gas was first used as a weapon in WWI & poisoned about 2,000 U.S. soldiers.
* As a gas, chlorine severely damages the respiratory tract and irritates the eyes.
* Chlorine works as an effective disinfectant because it oxidizes and damages microbes.
* During oxidation, chlorine forms various acidic compounds that damage cells.
* Chlorine is used as a disinfectant in drinking water supplies as well as swimming pools.
* Chlorine’s tendencies to oxidize materials also corrode swimming pool equipment.
As you may begin to see, chlorine is actually one of the most useful elements on Earth. Chlorine compounds infuse our water supplies as well as many of our food products. We couldn’t live without chlorine. But we also can’t live with too much of it either.
So be careful how much of that stuff you put in your pool. Once you exceed the amount the water will absorb, chlorine escapes as a gas. And you definitely don’t want a chlorine gas cloud hanging over your pool party. While it would be colorful, it also might be the very last colorful thing you’d ever see. Chlorine toxicity can easily kill.
If you’ve been injured in a water park mishap, give us a call. We’re experienced water park accident lawyers. We could help you in your quest for fair compensation if you’ve suffered an unexpected accident on your day of fun.