A doctor on Monday advised against mixing bleach with other cleaning products, as the fumes emitted from the mixture could lead to chlorine poisoning when inhaled.
As many households engage in thorough cleaning ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital emergency department doctor Wei Wei-ting (魏瑋廷) said that people should pay close attention to cleaning safely.
Citing an example, Wei said he had treated a patient who was rushed to the emergency room with chlorine poisoning after mixing household cleaners with bleach.
Photo courtesy of Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital
After treatment, the patient was released without any lasting effects, Wei said, but added that not every chlorine poisoning case is so fortunate.
Severe chlorine poisoning can lead to chemical pneumonia, excess fluid in the lungs, respiratory failure and other serious symptoms that could be fatal, he said.
The main component of chlorine-based bleach is sodium hypochlorite, a highly potent oxidizer that can eliminate many harmful bacteria.
While the chlorine in bleach usually remains dissolved, contact with hydrochloric acid, which is common in many household cleaning products, can cause a chemical reaction that produces harmful chlorine gas.
Some widely available cleaning products also contain ammonia, which, when mixed with chlorine, produce highly toxic chloramine gas.
In low concentrations, chlorine gas irritates the eyes and lungs, resulting in redness, swelling and discomfort, the hospital said.
High concentrations could cause difficulty breathing, lung inflammation and lung failure that in severe cases can be fatal, it added.
If people’s eyes or throat become irritated or they begin coughing while cleaning, they should immediately leave the room, and rinse their eyes and any exposed skin with water, Wei said.
Chlorine poisoning cases who arrive at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital’s emergency room are first washed down with water, Wei said.
As there is no antitoxin for chlorine, most serious cases have to be put on a ventilator, as well as receive other ermegency treatment, he added.
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