Home exposures to chlorine/chloramine gas: review of 216 cases. 1993

R Mrvos, and B S Dean, and E P Krenzelok
Pittsburgh Poison Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

Chlorine and chloramine gas are frequently produced in the home when cleaning products are mixed. These gases are strong irritants with the potential for tissue damage. Numerous literature citations report industrial exposures to chlorine/amine gas, but there are few reports regarding home exposures. The purpose of this study was to determine symptoms, treatment, and outcome in individuals exposed to these gases in the home. All exposures to chlorine/amine gas produced as a result of mixing cleaning products in the home and reported to a Regional Poison Information Center (RPIC) over a 12-month period were reviewed. All calls were documented and follow-up was done at appropriate intervals. All patients with respiratory embarrassment either at the initial contact or on follow-up were referred to a medical facility. Of the 216 patients (ages 12 to 81 years), 200 had resolution of symptoms within 6 hours, whereas only 16 had symptoms for more than 6 hours after exposure; 145 patients were treated at home and 71 received further medical care. Ten symptoms were identified, with the majority of patients experiencing more than one. Emergency room treatment included oxygen (62 patients), bronchodilators (9 patients), and steroid therapy (3 patients). Of the 70 patients who had chest x-ray films, only one had a positive finding; 41 had arterial blood gas measurements done, and all were within normal limits. Only one patient in the study group required admission for continued respiratory distress, but he had a preexisting chronic respiratory problem as well as an upper respiratory tract infection at the time of exposure. Although the gas produced by mixing cleaning products in the home can cause severe respiratory irritation, most of the patients exposed to chlorine and chloramine gas can safely be treated at home with comfort measures. Appropriate follow-up must be done to determine resolution of symptoms.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011446 Prospective Studies Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group. Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002700 Chloramines Inorganic derivatives of ammonia by substitution of one or more hydrogen atoms with chlorine atoms or organic compounds with the general formulas R2NCl and RNCl2 (where R is an organic group). Chloroamines
D002713 Chlorine An element with atomic symbol Cl, atomic number 17, and atomic weight 35, and member of the halogen family. Chlorine Gas,Chlorine-35,Cl2 Gas,Chlorine 35,Gas, Chlorine,Gas, Cl2
D003371 Cough A sudden, audible expulsion of air from the lungs through a partially closed glottis, preceded by inhalation. It is a protective response that serves to clear the trachea, bronchi, and/or lungs of irritants and secretions, or to prevent aspiration of foreign materials into the lungs. Coughs
D004417 Dyspnea Difficult or labored breathing. Orthopnea,Platypnea,Recumbent Dyspnea,Rest Dyspnea,Trepopnea,Breathlessness,Shortness of Breath,Breath Shortness,Dyspnea, Recumbent,Dyspnea, Rest,Dyspneas, Rest
D005260 Female Females
D005500 Follow-Up Studies Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup

Related Publications

R Mrvos, and B S Dean, and E P Krenzelok
January 1995, Journal of toxicology. Clinical toxicology,
R Mrvos, and B S Dean, and E P Krenzelok
July 1946, The West Virginia medical journal,
R Mrvos, and B S Dean, and E P Krenzelok
April 2000, Applied and environmental microbiology,
R Mrvos, and B S Dean, and E P Krenzelok
June 1948, Lancet (London, England),
R Mrvos, and B S Dean, and E P Krenzelok
September 2018, Toxicology letters,
R Mrvos, and B S Dean, and E P Krenzelok
March 2008, Texas medicine,
R Mrvos, and B S Dean, and E P Krenzelok
July 1944, American journal of public health and the nation's health,
R Mrvos, and B S Dean, and E P Krenzelok
January 1991, The American review of respiratory disease,
R Mrvos, and B S Dean, and E P Krenzelok
April 2017, Journal of water and health,
R Mrvos, and B S Dean, and E P Krenzelok
December 1983, Environmental science & technology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!