6.3. Brief description of the main hazardous substances

CHLORINE. It is a greenish-yellow gas with a pungent irritating odor. Under normal pressure it solidifies at -101°C and liquefies at -34°C. Chlorine is approximately 2.5 times heavier than air and, as a result, accumulates in low areas, basements, wells, and tunnels.
Chlorine is soluble in water: the resulting yellow solution is often called chlorine water. Its chemical activity is very high - it forms compounds with almost all chemical elements. The main industrial method of production is electrolysis of a concentrated solution of sodium chloride. The annual consumption of chlorine in the world amounts to tens of millions of tons.
It is used in the production of organochlorine compounds (for example, vinyl chloride, chloroprene rubber, dichloroethane, perchlorethylene, chlorobenzene), and inorganic chlorides. It is used in large quantities for bleaching fabrics and paper pulp, disinfecting drinking water, as a disinfectant, and is used in the production of rubber, bleach and synthetic film.
Chlorine liquefies under pressure even at normal temperatures. It is stored and transported in steel cylinders and railway tanks under pressure. When released into the atmosphere, it smokes and pollutes water bodies.
First world war used as a toxic agent with an asphyxiating effect. Affects the lungs, irritates mucous membranes and skin. The first signs of poisoning are sharp chest pain, pain in the eyes, lacrimation, dry cough, vomiting, loss of coordination, shortness of breath. Contact with chlorine vapor causes burns to the mucous membrane respiratory tract, eyes, skin.
Providing first aid: remove the victim from the affected area as quickly as possible, allow him to breathe oxygen, rinse the areas of the skin where chlorine has got in with a 2% soda solution, in the eyes - 0.5% dionine solution, 2-3 drops each, then 13 drops of Vaseline. . For coughs - dionine. To prevent pulmonary edema, they are allowed to breathe in alcohol vapor (oxygen is passed through alcohol before inhalation), covered, and warmed. Transport only in a supine position.
AMMONIA. Ammonia is a colorless gas with a characteristic pungent odor (ammonia). Under normal pressure, it solidifies at -78°C and liquefies at -34°C. The density of ammonia gas under normal conditions is approximately 0.6, meaning it is lighter than air. Forms explosive mixtures with air in the range of 15-28 volume percent ammonia.
Its solubility in water is greater than that of all other gases. A 10% ammonia solution is sold under the name “ammonia.” It is used in medicine and in the household (for washing clothes, removing stains, etc.). An 18-20% solution is called ammonia water and is used as a fertilizer.
Liquid ammonia is a good solvent for a large number of organic and inorganic compounds. Liquid anhydrous ammonia is used as a highly concentrated fertilizer.
In nature, ammonia is formed during the decomposition of nitrogen-containing inorganic substances. Currently, synthesis from elements (nitrogen and hydrogen) in the presence of a catalyst, at a temperature of 450-500°C and a pressure of 30 MPa, is the main industrial method for producing ammonia. Ammonia water is released when coke oven gas comes into contact with water, which condenses when the gas is cooled or is specially injected into it to wash out ammonia.
World production of ammonia is about 90 million tons. It is used in the production of nitric acid, nitrogen-containing salts, soda, urea, hydrocyanic acid, fertilizers, and diazotype photocopying materials. Liquid ammonia is used as a working substance in refrigeration machines. Ammonia is transported in a liquefied state under pressure, when released into the atmosphere it smokes, polluting water bodies when it enters them. Maximum permissible concentrations of ammonia in the air of populated areas: average daily and maximum one-time - 0.2 mg/m3; maximum permissible in the working area industrial enterprise- 20 mg/m3. The odor is felt at a concentration of 40 mg/m3. If its content in the air reaches 500 mg/m3, it is dangerous for inhalation (possible death).
Ammonia causes damage to the respiratory tract. Its signs are: runny nose, cough, difficulty breathing, suffocation, while the heartbeat increases and the pulse rate is disturbed. The vapors strongly irritate the mucous membranes and skin, causing burning, redness and itching of the skin, pain in the eyes, and lacrimation. When liquid ammonia and its solutions come into contact with the skin, frostbite, burning, and possible burns with blisters and ulcerations occur.
Providing first aid: remove the victim from the fireplace into clean air, provide warmth and rest; Rinse skin and mucous membranes with water or 2% boric acid solution. Place 2-3 drops of 30% albucid into the eyes and warm vegetable oil (preferably olive) into the nose. Transport in a supine position.
Respiratory protection from ammonia is provided by filtering industrial and insulating gas masks and gas respirators. Industrial gas masks of the KD brand can also be used (the box is painted grey colour), K (light green) and respirators RPG-67-KD, RU-60M-KD.
The maximum permissible concentration when using filtering industrial gas masks is 750 MPC (15,000 mg/m3), above which only insulating gas masks should be used. For respirators, this dose is equal to 15 MAC. When eliminating chemical accidents dangerous objects When the ammonia concentration is unknown, work should be carried out only in insulating gas masks.
To prevent ammonia from getting on your skin, you should use protective rubber suits, rubber boots and gloves.
The presence and concentration of ammonia in the air can be determined by the universal gas analyzer UG-2. Measurement limits: from 00.3 mg/l - with pro-
sucking air in a volume of 250 ml; up to 0.3 mg/l - when sucking 30 ml. The ammonia concentration is found on a scale indicating the volume of air passed through. The number that coincides with the border of the colored Blue colour column of powder will indicate the concentration of ammonia in milligrams per liter.
You can also find out whether there is ammonia vapor in the air using chemical reconnaissance devices VPKhR, PKhR - MV. When pumped through a marked indicator tube (one yellow ring) at a concentration of 2 mg/l or higher, ammonia turns the filler light green. Devices of the latest modifications, such as the UPGK (universal gas control device) and the Kolion-1 photoionization gas analyzer, allow you to quickly and accurately determine the presence and concentration of ammonia.
Technical fluids.
METHYL ALCOHOL (METHANOL) is a transparent, colorless liquid, with a characteristic odor of wine alcohol and a burning, unpleasant taste. It is most often used for dissolving paints, for disinfecting tools and products at enterprises of the rocket and space complex, and in the chemical industry.
Routes of entry:
- ingestion (mistaking it for drinking alcohol) for the purpose of intoxication. The lethal dose is 30-100 g; for severe and moderate poisoning, 10 g is enough;
- through the skin when washing hands contaminated with fats or paints;
- through the respiratory system when working indoors with paints dissolved in methyl alcohol. Fulminant intoxication occurs after ingestion of 200-300 ml or after exposure to an atmosphere with a very high concentration of its vapors. A state of stupor quickly appears, coma sets in, and acute vascular insufficiency develops. Death can follow within 2-3 hours. Delayed intoxication is divided into three forms: mild, moderate and severe. Mild - general malaise, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, sharp pain in the abdomen, visual disturbances. Medium - the same, but more pronounced signs of intoxication. Then vision is impaired, its acuity is weakened, and after 1-2 days blindness may occur. Heavy - rapid development. The initial symptoms are similar to those discussed. Then drowsiness, bluish skin, impaired breathing and cardiac activity, and loss of consciousness occur.
Providing first aid. There are no antidotes for methanol. In case of poisoning when ingested, it is necessary to carry out copious gastric lavage with water (8-10 l). If poison gets on your skin, rinse the area thoroughly. The victims should then be transported to a medical facility as quickly as possible.
ANTIFREEZE is an internal combustion coolant that consists of 55% ethylene glycol and 45% water. Antifreeze is the same antifreeze.
ETHYLENE GLYCOL is a sweetish liquid, odorless. Typically, poisoning occurs in cases where they try to ingest it for the purpose of intoxication. Some throw salt and other drugs into it, supposedly to cleanse it of harmful impurities. When ingested, the lethal dose is equal to 50-200 ml of pure product or 100-400 ml of antifreeze.
Providing first aid. In case of poisoning, it is necessary to carry out copious gastric lavage with a 2% solution of baking soda (8-10 l) and immediately take the victim to a medical facility.
Significant contribution to pollution environment and the deterioration of the environmental situation is caused by heavy metals and their chemical compounds. The most common are lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. Most often, a person encounters mercury.
MERCURY is a liquid silver-colored metal, heavier than all liquids. Mercury vapor during electrical discharges emit a bluish-green light rich in ultraviolet rays. Mercury lamps and fluorescent lamps were created on this basis.
Mercury is highly toxic to all life forms. Many acute poisonings of people with mercury vapor occur in everyday life as a result of basic illiteracy, carelessness, negligence and neglect of safety measures.
Mercury vapor poisoning is most likely indoors, i.e. where there is no ventilation. The first signs of poisoning appear after 8-24 hours and are expressed in general weakness, headaches, and fever. Later, the hands, eyelids, and in severe cases, the legs begin to tremble. Even known deaths.
If mercury is detected, the following measures must be taken:
- urgently remove everyone from the premises, because It is strictly forbidden to be without protective equipment in a room where mercury vapor is released;
- immediately notify the Chief State Sanitary Doctor (SES) of the district (city), the head of the department for civil defense and emergency situations, health authorities and the police about the incident. Providing first aid. In case of acute poisoning, immediately rinse the stomach with plenty of water and 20-30 g of activated carbon. Then drink milk (instead of milk you can use egg white beaten with water). You can recommend mucous infusions of rice or oatmeal. And complete all this by taking a laxative. The victim needs complete rest, then hospitalization.
In areas of mercury spills, demercurization is carried out - removal of mercury compounds. This is usually done mechanically. In enclosed spaces, spilled mercury must be collected most carefully, and the room must be well and long ventilated.

Chemical hazards. Accidents at chemically hazardous facilities.

Chemically hazardous object - a hazardous production facility where hazardous chemicals are stored, processed, used or transported, in the event of an accident or destruction of which, death or chemical damage to people, farm animals and plants, as well as chemical contamination of the natural environment may occur.

Chemically hazardous objects include:

– enterprises of the chemical and oil refining industries;

– food and meat and dairy industry enterprises, cold storage plants, food depots with refrigeration units that use ammonia as a refrigerant

– water treatment and pulp and paper enterprises that use chlorine as a disinfectant and bleaching agent – ​​bases and warehouses with pesticides;

– railway stations

– any transport transporting chemically hazardous cargo;

– landfills and burial sites for chemical industry waste.

Classification of accidents at chemical waste facilities

– private– the consequences are limited to one installation, workshop;

– object– the consequences are limited to the enterprise, object;

– local– the consequences are limited to the city, district, region;

– regional– the consequences extend to several constituent entities of the Russian Federation or regions;

– global– the consequences span several regions and neighboring countries.

Classifications:

according to the degree of impact on the human body (hazard classes 1–4):

1 - extremely dangerous substances; 2 - highly hazardous substances;

3 - moderately hazardous substances; 4 - low-hazard substances;

4 levels of chemical hazard:

1st degree - over 75 thousand people fall into the zone of possible chemical contamination;

2nd degree - 40-75 thousand people fall into the zone of possible chemical contamination;

3rd degree - less than 40 thousand people fall into the zone of possible chemical contamination;

4th degree - zone of possible chemical contamination; highly toxic substances are located within the sanitary protection zone of the facility.

Classification of hazardous chemical objects .

Hazardous chemicals can cause a number of specific effects, or risks.

1. Embryotropic (teratogenic). It manifests itself in disturbances in the formation of the internal organs of the fetus, which causes the appearance of congenital deformities; Intrauterine fetal death, toxicosis of pregnancy, and spontaneous miscarriages are possible.

2. Carcinogenic (oncogenic) effect – this is the ability to activate the activity of cancer cells and cause malignant diseases; this depends on the dose of the substance, the time of action, the strength of its carcinogenic effect and can manifest itself even after many years. The prevalence of cancer is a unique indicator of the harmful effects of environmental pollution on the body.

3. Genotoxic effect – This the ability of a substance to cause mutations in genes of somatic cells, which increases the risk of developing cancer. When the genetic apparatus of germ cells is damaged, the resulting changes are inherited, and the risk of developing congenital malformations (CDM) and hereditary diseases increases.

The frequency of congenital malignancies is the main criterion for assessing the impact of chemical pollutants in the environment on the human body.

4. Immunopathogenic effect affects the suppression of immunity. This leads to a decrease in overall resistance, to the development of immunopathological processes, and, first of all, diseases of the upper respiratory tract and lungs.

5. Reproductive risk or violation of the reproductive functions of the body (reproductive health). These are chemically caused disorders of hormonal regulation and sexual development.

Assessment of a woman’s reproductive health is carried out according to such indicators as the ability to conceive, primary and secondary infertility, spontaneous miscarriages, disorders and complications of pregnancy and childbirth (threat of miscarriage, toxicosis of the 2nd half, premature rupture of amniotic fluid, premature birth), labor weakness activities, rapid labor, intrauterine and infant mortality, disorders of the fetus and newborns (low fetal weight, birth with asphyxia), etc.

Indicators of impaired male reproductive health are disorders of spermatogenesis and prostate function.

Reproductive health indicators are now increasingly being considered as one of the main sensitive criteria for the degree of chemical pollution of the environment.

6. Enzymatic effect – suppression of the activity of enzyme systems (detoxification, antioxidant protection).

7. Metabolic disorders ( metabolic disorders) are the most common manifestations of the effects of chemical pollutants. They are diverse, affecting bioenergy, redox processes; the chemicals may act as antivitamins or have hormone-like effects.

8 . Allergenic– an effect that manifests itself in an increase in allergic pathologies (bronchial asthma, allergic dermatoses, etc.).

Chemical accident – this is a disruption of technological processes in production, damage to pipelines, tanks, storage facilities, vehicles, leading to the release of hazardous chemicals into the atmosphere in quantities that pose a danger to the life and health of people and the functioning of the biosphere.

Causes of accidents at chemically hazardous facilities

– wear and tear of production assets, untimely or poor quality equipment repairs;

– disruption of technological processes;

– violation of the rules of operation of production systems and their individual components;

– violation of the rules for storing and transporting chemical substances;

– malfunction of vehicles;

– failure to comply with measures for the safe operation of machines, mechanisms, etc.;

– sudden failure of mechanisms, units, pipelines;

– errors made during the design, construction of industrial facilities, during the manufacture of equipment, etc.;

– low labor discipline of facility workers;

– depressurization of chemical storage tanks;

– exceeding the standards for reserves of chemical substances;

- disaster;

– sabotage or terrorist attack, military conflict.

In case of accidents at chemical hazardous facilities with the release of hazardous substances, chemical contamination of the environment occurs with varying degrees of concentration of hazardous chemicals, lasting from several hours to several days, depending on specific conditions - weather conditions, time of year, terrain, as well as the nature of the measures taken to eliminate the accident. In this case, a zone of chemical contamination is formed, which is an area within which there is a danger of chemical damage. It includes a source of chemical contamination and a zone of distribution of contaminated air with dangerous concentrations of hazardous substances (in the case of non-settling hazardous substances), as well as a zone of contamination of the territory (in the presence of settling impurities). The outer boundaries of the chemical contamination zone correspond to the threshold value of toxic toxicity toxicity due to inhalation exposure to humans. Among man-made emergencies, accidents at chemically hazardous facilities occupy one of the most important places. Sometimes losses from such accidents can be comparable to losses from the use of nuclear weapons.

Today, thousands of chemical accidents occur in the world during the production, storage, and transportation of hazardous chemical substances (HAS). The largest number of accidents in the world and in Russia occur at enterprises producing or storing chlorine, ammonia, mineral fertilizers, herbicides, organic and petrochemical synthesis products.

Among the largest chemical accidents in recent years in the world, the following can be noted.

In 1976, an accident occurred at a chemical plant in the Italian city of Seveso, as a result of which an area of ​​more than 18 km was contaminated with dioxin. More than 1,000 people were injured, and there was widespread death of animals. Elimination of the consequences of the accident lasted more than a year.

Probably the largest accident in chemical production in the entire history of the development of world industry was the disaster in Bhopal (India, 1984), due to which 3,150 people died, and more than 200 thousand were injured of varying degrees of severity.

In August 1991, 32 tanks containing liquid chlorine derailed during a train accident in Mexico. About 300 tons of chlorine were released into the atmosphere. In the area where the contaminated air spread, about 500 people suffered injuries of varying severity, of which 17 people died on the spot. More than a thousand residents were evacuated from nearby settlements.

Question 2. Emergency chemically hazardous substances. Classification.

Emergency chemically hazardous substance (HAS)- this is a dangerous chemical substance used in industry and agriculture, in the event of an emergency release (spill) of which the environment can be contaminated in concentrations that can affect a living organism (toxodoses).

Emergency chemically hazardous substances

CHLORINE. It is a greenish-yellow gas with a pungent irritating odor. Under normal pressure it solidifies at -101°C and liquefies at -34°C. Chlorine is approximately 2.5 times heavier than air and, as a result, accumulates in low areas, basements, wells, and tunnels. Chlorine is soluble in water: the resulting yellow solution is often called chlorine water. Its chemical activity is very high - it forms compounds with almost all chemical elements. The main industrial method of production is electrolysis of a concentrated solution of sodium chloride. The annual consumption of chlorine in the world amounts to tens of millions of tons. It is used in the production of organochlorine compounds (for example, vinyl chloride, chloroprene rubber, dichloroethane, perchlorethylene, chlorobenzene), and inorganic chlorides. It is used in large quantities for bleaching fabrics and paper pulp, disinfecting drinking water, as a disinfectant, and is used in the production of rubber, bleach and synthetic film. Chlorine liquefies under pressure even at normal temperatures. It is stored and transported in steel cylinders and railway tanks under pressure. When released into the atmosphere, it smokes and pollutes water bodies. In the First World War it was used as a toxic agent with an asphyxiating effect. Affects the lungs, irritates mucous membranes and skin. The first signs of poisoning are sharp chest pain, pain in the eyes, lacrimation, dry cough, vomiting, loss of coordination, shortness of breath. Contact with chlorine vapor causes burns to the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, eyes, and skin. Providing first aid: remove the victim from the affected area as quickly as possible, allow him to breathe oxygen, rinse the areas of the skin where chlorine has got in with a 2% soda solution, in the eyes - 0.5% dionine solution, 2-3 drops each, then 13 drops of Vaseline. . For coughs - dionin. To prevent pulmonary edema, they are allowed to breathe in alcohol vapor (oxygen is passed through alcohol before inhalation), covered, and warmed. Transport only in a supine position.

AMMONIA . Ammonia is a colorless gas with a characteristic pungent odor (ammonia). Under normal pressure, it solidifies at -78°C and liquefies at -34°C. The density of ammonia gas under normal conditions is approximately 0.6, meaning it is lighter than air. Forms explosive mixtures with air in the range of 15-28 volume percent ammonia. Causes damage to the respiratory tract. Signs: runny nose, cough, difficulty breathing, choking, increased heart rate, increased pulse rate. The vapors strongly irritate the mucous membranes and skin, causing burning, redness and itching of the skin, pain in the eyes, and lacrimation. When liquid ammonia and its solutions come into contact with the skin, frostbite, burning, and possible burns with blisters and ulcerations occur. If ammonia damage does occur, the victim should be immediately taken out into fresh air. It must be transported in a supine position. It is necessary to provide warmth and rest, to provide humidified oxygen. If you have pulmonary edema, artificial respiration cannot be performed. The presence and concentration of this gas in the air can be determined by the universal gas analyzer UG-2. In the event of an accident, it is necessary to isolate the dangerous area, remove people and prevent anyone from entering without respiratory and skin protection. You should be on the windward side near the zone. The spill site is neutralized with a weak acid solution and washed with plenty of water. If there is a leak of ammonia gas, water is sprayed to absorb the vapors using watering machines, filling stations, and fire trucks.

Dioxins- a very common poison, formed as a by-product or breakdown product in the wood, paper, and metal industries. It is formed during the chlorination of drinking water and in the process of wastewater treatment, during the combustion of industrial and household waste, in agriculture when using herbicides, pesticides and defoliants. Dioxins are very stable, decompose in nature for a long time, and are perfectly concentrated in soil, plants, water bodies, fish, transmitted through the food chain, increasing concentration. A person receives the most dioxins in his daily diet from food products: meat, milk, fish, root vegetables, as well as with air and water. Dioxins can enter the human body in different ways: through the gastrointestinal tract with water, through the lungs (inhalation of smoke from fires, especially when burning chemicals - polyethylene, vinyl chloride, etc.), through the skin. manifests itself in damage:

gastrointestinal tract - pain in the stomach, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite

liver - increase in size, change in the activity of its enzymes, increase in glucose, cholesterol in the blood

nervous system - pain along the nerves, polyneuritis, drowsiness, depression, impaired perception of taste, smell, sounds

lungs - cough, sputum, shortness of breath

blood - anemia

skin - disruption of the sebaceous glands, dermatitis, acne on the neck and face that cannot be treated, subsequently - scars, pigmentation of the skin of the eyelids, behind the ears.

First aid in case of acute poisoning: rinse the stomach with clean (!) water and consult a doctor.

Carbon monoxide is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon. It is formed as an impurity wherever carbon-containing fuel is burned (furnace combustion, operation of internal combustion engines, etc.). Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs:

When inhaling significant amounts of carbon monoxide contained in vehicle exhaust gases; for persons who stay for a long time in closed garages and in a car with a running engine;

In everyday life, in rooms with faulty stove heating, in boiler rooms of domestic and industrial buildings;

In case of fires among persons in burning, smoke-filled rooms (smoky rooms and apartments), in transport cars and elevators.

Symptoms: the first signs are headache and muscle weakness, and with the slightest physical exertion, severe shortness of breath occurs and loss of consciousness may develop due to collapse. In cases of mild poisoning, complete recovery occurs without treatment within 1-2 days. During recovery, the patient may experience muscle pain and diarrhea. In case of moderate poisoning, the described changes are more pronounced and permanent. There is definitely a loss of consciousness with suppressed reflexes. In this case, breathing, as a rule, is not depressed, it is usually rapid, the skin of the face and mucous membranes are purple-scarlet, blood pressure is low, and collapse may occur. Severe poisoning is characterized by persistent and prolonged, up to several days, loss of consciousness with life-threatening breathing problems. Death during the coma period occurs from respiratory arrest. If the patient has survived an acute period, then he has the consequences of changes in organs for many months: disturbances in brain functions - primarily logical memory, focal changes in the brain due to hemorrhages and thrombosis, disturbances in trophism (bedsores and gangrene), as well as cardiac activity.

First aid:

First of all it is necessary carry out the victim from an area where carbon monoxide is present. Be sure to provide him with an influx fresh air: get rid of tight clothes, open doors, windows, turn on the fan, and so on.

If possible, allow the patient to breathe oxygen.

A cold compress should be placed on the patient's chest and head. It is also useful to wipe his face, temples and chest with vinegar diluted in water.

If the victim is unconscious, then you need to give him ammonia to inhale every five minutes.

If the heart stops and there is no breathing, it is necessary to carry out resuscitation measures: correctly perform artificial respiration and perform an indirect cardiac massage.

Be sure to call an ambulance.

Organophosphorus compounds- substances in the molecules of which there is a phosphorus-carbon bond, i.e. a phosphorus atom directly bonded to a carbon atom. The hidden period of action is from several minutes to several hours. The first signs of poisoning are headaches, dizziness, general weakness, drowsiness followed by insomnia, nausea, vomiting, cramping abdominal pain, increased salivation and sweating, constriction of the pupils (miosis), blurred vision, nystagmus, decreased tendon reflexes. Subsequently, breathing disorders occur (cough, shortness of breath, asthmatic attacks, when listening to abundant dry and moist wheezing), muscle twitching, unsteady gait, possible enlargement and tenderness of the liver, leukocytosis, lymphopenia, eosinopenia, neutrophilic shift to the left. In severe acute poisoning, loss of consciousness occurs, muscle cramps of the whole body, significant respiratory distress resembling pulmonary edema (bubbling breathing, profuse moist rales, cyanosis of the lips), coma.

First aid and treatment. In case of acute poisoning, remove the victim from the poisoned area to fresh air to stop the poison from entering the body through the respiratory tract. Remove contaminated clothing. Remove poison from the skin with a 10-15% ammonia solution or 2-5% sodium bicarbonate solution (soda), followed by treatment with warm water and soap. If FOS gets into your eyes, rinse with 2% sodium bicarbonate solution. If ingested, rinse copiously with warm water or 2% sodium bicarbonate solution, then give a saline laxative. When the first signs of intoxication appear, antidote therapy is carried out with a 0.1% atropine solution: for mild intoxication - 1-2 ml intramuscularly, for moderate intoxication - 2-4 ml intramuscularly or intravenously, for severe intoxication - 4-6 ml intramuscularly or intravenously, repeating after every 3-8 minutes until mild signs of atropinization appear (dilated pupils, dry mucous membranes). In severe acute poisoning, the administration of atropine can be increased to 30 ml or more. Pentaphene, tropacin, amizil, cholinesterase reactivators (activity restorers) can be used as antidote therapy: 2-PAM, TMB-4, dipyroxime.

METHYL ALCOHOL (METHANOL)- a transparent, colorless liquid, with a characteristic odor of wine alcohol and a burning, unpleasant taste. It is most often used for dissolving paints, for disinfecting tools and products at enterprises of the rocket and space complex, and in the chemical industry. Routes of penetration: - ingestion (mistaking it for drinking alcohol) for the purpose of intoxication. The lethal dose is 30-100 g; for severe and moderate poisoning, 10 g is enough; - through the skin when washing hands contaminated with fats or paints; - through the respiratory system when working indoors with paints dissolved in methyl alcohol. Fulminant intoxication occurs after ingestion of 200-300 ml or after exposure to an atmosphere with a very high concentration of its vapors. A state of stupor quickly appears, coma sets in, and acute vascular insufficiency develops. Death can follow within 2-3 hours. Delayed intoxication is divided into three forms: mild, moderate and severe. Mild - general malaise, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, sharp pain in the abdomen, visual disturbances. Medium - the same, but more pronounced signs of intoxication. Then vision is impaired, its acuity is weakened, and after 1-2 days blindness may occur. Heavy - rapid development. The initial symptoms are similar to those discussed. Then drowsiness, bluish skin, impaired breathing and cardiac activity, and loss of consciousness occur. Providing first aid. There are no antidotes for methanol. In case of poisoning when ingested, it is necessary to carry out copious gastric lavage with water (8-10 l). If poison gets on your skin, rinse the area thoroughly. The victims should then be transported to a medical facility as quickly as possible.

ANTIFREEZE is an internal combustion coolant that consists of 55% ethylene glycol and 45% water. Antifreeze is the same antifreeze.

ETHYLENE GLYCOL- sweetish liquid, odorless. Typically, poisoning occurs in cases where they try to ingest it for the purpose of intoxication. Some throw salt and other drugs into it, supposedly to cleanse it of harmful impurities. When ingested, the lethal dose is equal to 50-200 ml of pure product or 100-400 ml of antifreeze. Providing first aid. In case of poisoning, it is necessary to carry out copious gastric lavage with a 2% solution of baking soda (8-10 l) and immediately take the victim to a medical facility. Heavy metals and their chemical compounds make a significant contribution to environmental pollution and environmental degradation. The most common are lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. Most often, a person encounters mercury.

MERCURY - liquid silver-colored metal, heavier than all liquids. Mercury vapor during electrical discharges emit a bluish-green light rich in ultraviolet rays. Mercury lamps and fluorescent lamps were created on this basis. Mercury is highly toxic to all life forms. Many acute poisonings of people with mercury vapor occur in everyday life as a result of basic illiteracy, carelessness, negligence and neglect of safety measures. Poisoning mercury vapor most likely indoors, i.e. where there is no ventilation. The first signs of poisoning appear after 8-24 hours and are expressed in general weakness, headaches, and fever. Later, the hands, eyelids, and in severe cases, the legs begin to tremble. Even deaths have been reported. If mercury is detected, the following measures must be taken: - urgently remove everyone from the premises, because It is strictly forbidden to be without protective equipment in a room where mercury vapor is released; - immediately notify the Chief State Sanitary Doctor (SES) of the district (city), the head of the department for civil defense and emergency situations, health authorities and the police about the incident. Providing first aid. In case of acute poisoning, immediately rinse the stomach with plenty of water and 20-30 g of activated carbon. Then drink milk (instead of milk you can use egg white beaten with water). You can recommend mucous infusions of rice or oatmeal. And complete all this by taking a laxative. The victim needs complete rest, then hospitalization. In areas of mercury spills, demercurization is carried out - removal of mercury compounds. This is usually done mechanically. In enclosed spaces, spilled mercury must be collected most carefully, and the room must be well and long ventilated.

There is a classification of hazardous substances based on their effects on humans and the environment.

1. Poisonous:

Lethal:

Nervous action;

Blisters;

Choking;

Generally poisonous;

Temporarily disabling:

Psychochemical;

2. Non-poisonous:

Irritant (tear-producing):

Difficulty breathing;

Causing itchy skin;

Special (for plants):

Herbicides;

Defoliants (to destroy foliage).

According to their physical properties, AOHVs are classified into:

· solid and bulk substances, volatile at temperatures up to 40°C (granosan, mercuran, etc.);

· solid and granular substances that are non-volatile at normal storage temperatures (sublimate, phosphorus, arsenic, etc.);

· liquid volatile, stored under pressure, compressed and liquefied gases. Subgroup A - ammonia, carbon monoxide; subgroup B - chlorine, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, phosgene, methyl bromide;

· liquid volatiles stored in containers without pressure. Subgroup A - nitro- and amino compounds, hydrogen cyanide; subgroup B - nitrilacrylic acid, nicotine, thiophos, metaphos, carbon disulfide, tetraethyl lead, diphosgene, dichloroethane, chloropicrin;

· fuming acids: sulfuric, nitric, hydrochloric, hydrofluoric, etc.

According to the clinical signs of intoxication and the mechanism of action (clinical-physiological or toxicological classification), the following are distinguished among AOXVs:

· substances with a predominantly asphyxiating effect (chlorine, phosgene, diphosgene, chloropicrin, sulfur chloride, fluorine and its compounds, etc.);

· substances with predominantly general toxic effects (carbon monoxide, cyanides, aniline, hydrazine, etc.);

· substances that have a suffocating and generally toxic effect (hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, nitric acid, nitrogen oxides, etc.);

· nerve agents (NFS);

· substances with asphyxiating and neurotropic effects (ammonia);

· metabolic poisons (dioxin, carbon disulfide, methyl bromide, dichloroethane, carbon tetrachloride).

"Chemicals are part of our Everyday life. All animate and inanimate matter consists of chemicals, and the manufacture of almost every industrial product involves their use. Many of them, if used properly, to a large extent contribute to improving our quality of life, health and well-being. But there are extremely dangerous chemicals that, if not properly regulated, can have detrimental effects on our health and the environment,” the WHO report said.

According to WHO estimates, in some countries where the population is employed fishing, between 1.5 and 17 children in every thousand suffer from cognitive impairment. All of them are caused by eating fish containing mercury. This substance enters the environment when coal is burned. coal power plants, in home heating systems, from waste incinerators, and from the mining of mercury, gold and other metals. Once in the environment, elemental mercury is naturally transformed into methylmercury, which bioaccumulates in fish and shellfish.

Lead

Widespread has led to severe environmental pollution and health problems for residents of many countries. Lead accumulates in the human body and has a toxic effect on the brain and nervous system, blood system, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems, as well as kidneys. In some cases, lead can cause irreversible neurological effects on a child's body.

It is estimated that 0.6% of all diseases in the world are caused by exposure to lead, with the highest percentage occurring in developing countries. Each year, approximately 600,000 new cases of impairment occur as a result of lead exposure. mental abilities in children.

Doctor Peter

Today, chemically hazardous substances are used in large quantities in household, agricultural, and industrial areas. All of them are highly toxic and pose a threat to people and nature. Next, we will consider the most common chemically hazardous substances.

Nature of the threat

Emergency chemically hazardous substances (HAS) are used in production, processing, transport and other needs. When they leak, air, water, animals, people, plants, and soil become infected. In the event of an accident involving hazardous chemicals at an enterprise, a threat to the lives of not only people located directly within its boundaries is created. Toxic compounds that can quickly travel with the wind can create a damage zone of tens of kilometers. In Russia, disasters occur every year resulting in the release of chemically hazardous substances. Moreover, with the development of industry and technology, the threat only increases.

Hazardous chemicals and objects: general information

The largest reserves of toxic compounds are concentrated in oil refining, metallurgical, defense, meat and dairy enterprises, Food Industry. Chemical and pharmaceutical plants contain large quantities of hazardous substances. Toxic compounds are present at trade and warehouse bases, at housing and communal services enterprises, in various joint stock companies, and at cold storage plants. The most common hazardous chemicals are:

• Hydrocyanic acid.
• Benzene.
• Sulphur dioxide(sulfur dioxide).
• Ammonia.
• Hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen bromide.
• Methyl mercaptan.
• Hydrogen sulfide.

Processing Features

Under normal conditions, chemically hazardous substances in most cases are gaseous or liquid state. But during production, use, processing, and storage, gaseous compounds are transformed. By compression they are brought into a liquid state. Due to this transformation, the volume of hazardous chemicals is significantly reduced.

Toxicity characteristics

Categories such as maximum permissible concentration and toxodose are used as indicators of the harmfulness of compounds. The maximum norm is a volume whose daily exposure over a long period of time does not provoke diseases or any changes in the human body. The maximum permissible concentration is not used when assessing the danger of an emergency situation, since in an emergency the duration of the toxic effect of hazardous chemicals is quite limited. Toxodose is a certain amount of a compound that can cause a toxic effect.

Chlorine

Under normal conditions, this compound is a yellow-green gas with an irritating, pungent odor. Its mass is approximately 2.5 times greater than that of air. Because of this, chlorine accumulates in tunnels, wells, basements and lowlands. This compound is consumed annually in the amount of 40 million tons. Chlorine is transported and stored in steel containers and railway tanks under pressure. When it leaks, acrid smoke is formed, which is irritating to the skin and mucous membranes. Maximum permissible content of the compound in the air:

• 1 mg/m 3 - in the workshop of the enterprise.
• 0.1 mg/m 3 - single maximum concentration.
• 0.03 mg/m 3 - average daily concentration.

Exposure to chlorine for 30-60 minutes at a concentration of 100-200 mg/m3 is considered life-threatening.

Ammonia

Under normal conditions, this compound appears as a colorless gas. Ammonia has a pungent odor and is light in weight (twice lighter than air). When released into the atmosphere, it forms smoke and explosive mixtures. Ammonia is highly soluble in water. The global production of this compound annually amounts to 90 million tons. Ammonia is transported in a liquefied state in containers under pressure. MPC in the air:

• The maximum single and average daily concentration is 0.2 mg/m3.
• In the workshop of the enterprise - 20 mg/m 3.

A threat to life is created at a concentration in the air of 500 mg/m3. In such cases, there is a high probability of death from poisoning.

Hydrocyanic acid

This clear and colorless liquid has an intoxicating odor, similar to the aroma of almonds. At normal temperatures it is highly volatile. Drops of hydrocyanic acid evaporate quickly: in winter in an hour, in summer - in 5 minutes. MPC in the air is 0.01 mg/m 3. At a concentration of 80 mg/m3, poisoning occurs.

Hydrogen sulfide

This colorless gas has an unpleasant and very pungent odor. Hydrogen sulfide is twice as heavy as air. During accidents, it accumulates in lowlands, first floors of buildings, tunnels, and basements. Hydrogen sulfide greatly pollutes water. When inhaled, the compound affects the mucous membranes and also has a negative effect on the skin. Among the first signs of poisoning headache, photophobia, lacrimation and burning in the eyes should be noted, cold sweat, vomiting and nausea, as well as a metallic taste in the mouth.

Features of the disaster

As a rule, during an emergency with the destruction of a container, the pressure is reduced to atmospheric pressure. As a result, hazardous chemicals boil and are released as an aerosol, vapor or gas. The cloud formed directly when the container is damaged is called primary. The dangerous chemicals contained in it spread over a fairly large distance. The remaining volume of liquid spreads over the surface. Gradually the compounds also evaporate. Gaseous hazardous chemicals released into the atmosphere form a secondary cloud of damage. It spreads over shorter distances.

Affected areas

These are areas that are contaminated with harmful compounds in concentrations that pose a threat to human life. The depth of the affected area (the distance over which air with hazardous substances will spread) will depend on the level of hazardous substances. Wind speed is also important. So, at flows of 1 m/s the cloud will move away from the emergency site by 5-7 km, at 2 m/s - by 10-14 km, at 3 m/s - by 16-21 km. As air and soil temperatures rise, the evaporation of toxic compounds increases. This, in turn, helps to increase the concentration of substances. The type (shape) of the infection zone also depends on the air flow. So, at 0.5 m/sec it looks like a circle, 0.6-1 m/sec - like a semicircle, 1.1 m/sec - like a sector with a right (90 degrees) angle, 2 m/sec and more - as a sector with an angle of 45 degrees.

Features of damage to populated areas

It must be said that structures and buildings in the city heat up faster from the sun than in rural areas. In this regard, in large populated areas There is intense movement of air. This contributes to the fact that hazardous substances penetrate into dead ends, basements, courtyards, and the first floors of houses, creating high concentrations there that pose a serious threat to the population.