Methyl isocyanate carcinogenicity

Ennever, F.K., Rosenkranz, H.S. (1987). Evaluating the potential for genotoxic carcinogenicity of methyl isocyanate. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 91 502-5. 

Other incidents— the oily, black, carcinogen-laden liquids that heavy rains brought to the ground surface of Love Canal, a community built on a toxic chemical dump mercury dumped from a chemical plant into the estuary at Minamata, Japan, which caused paralysis and mental disorders in thousands of people and death for several hundred and in 1984 the methyl isocyanate leak in Bhopal, India, that killed some 2000 people and injured tens of thousands more— have not helped the negative image of chemistry. 

Decomposes when heated above melting point, 536°F/280°C, producing toxic fumes of arsenic, lead. Lead arsenates may be subject to redox reactions. Both arsenic and lead are known human carcinogens. PLUMBOUS ACETATE (6080-56-4) Pb(CjH302)2 3H,0 Contact with acids forms acetic acid. Incompatible with oxidizers, bases, acetic acid alkalis, alkylene oxides, ammonia, amines, bromates, carbonates, citrates, chlorides, chloral hydrate cresols, epichlorohydrin, hydrozoic acid, isocyanates, methyl isocyanoacetate, phenols, phosphates, salicylic acid sodium salicylate, sodium peroxyborate, potassium bromate resorcinol, salicylic acid, strong oxidizers, sulfates, sulfites, tannin, tartrates, tinctures trinitrobenzoic acid, urea nitrate. On small fires, use dry chemical, Halon, or CO2 extinguishers. 

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