Chlorine

At room temperature, chlorine is a yellow-green gas that is heavier than air and has a strong irritating odor. It can be converted to a liquid under pressure or cold temperatures.

Chlorine gas is irritating and corrosive to the respiratory tract, eyes, and skin. The effects depend on how much you are exposed to and for how long. Exposure to low concentrations of chlorine gas (1 to 10 ppm) may cause sore throat, coughing, and eye and skin irritation. Exposure to higher levels could cause burning of the eyes and skin, rapid breathings, narrowing of the bronchi, wheezing, blue coloring of the skin, accumulation of fluid in the lungs, and pain in the lung region. Exposure to even higher levels can produce severe eye and skin burns, lung collapse, and death. Always read and follow the precautions in your MSDS.

If you were to come into skin contact with liquified chlorine, you could experience frostbite.

Chlorine is mainly used as a bleach in the manufacture of paper and cloth and to make a wide variety of products. Chlorine is also used as a disinfectant in public drinking water and swimming pools. Chlorine gas is used to synthesize other chemicals and to make bleaches and disinfectants.

When released into the atmosphere chlorine gas will react with water to form hypochlorous acid, and hydrochloric acid. The hypochlorous acid breaks down rapidly, the hydrochloric acid also breaks down but its breakdown products will lower the ph of the water and make it more acidic.