Methyl isocyanate adverse effects

The worst chemical disaster in history occurred on December 3, 1984, in Bhopal, India, a city of some 1.6 million people in the state of Madhya Pradesh. On that date in the middle of the night, a tank at the Union Carbide India Ltd. plant leaked between 25 and 40 tons of methyl isocyanate, a volatile colorless liquid, into the atmosphere of Bhopal. This highly toxic gas settled onto the city and its inhabitants in a silent, if odorous, cloud. The results were horrific some 3800 people died and another 2700 experienced total or partial permanent disability. By some estimates, more than 10% of the population of Bhopal—170,000 people—suffered some adverse effect from the methyl isocyanate leak. 

This chapter provides an introduction, which, hopefully, will enable chemists and engineers to appreciate the major Safety/Health issues faced by people working with chemicals. The most immediately devastating are obviously explosion and fire. Adverse health effects resulting from the exposure of people to certain chemicals can also be immediate (e.g., exposure to methyl isocyanate in Bhopal), but health effects can also take time to manifest themselves. In view of the unknowns, it is best to maintain caution in all situations even though, putting matters into perspective, exposure to many chemicals (solvent vapors are the most common) can be tolerated... 

Bhopal is a picturesque historic city surrounded by two large lakes and hills. It is also the home of the world s worst industrial diaster. Just past midnight on December 2, 1984, nearly 30 metric tons of methyl isocyanate (MIC) spewed from the Union Carbide Pesticide plant within a matter of 45-90 min, killing more than 2500 people within 2 days and more than 15,000 thereafter. Nearly 200,(X)0 suffer from long-term adverse effects of MIC. 

On December 3, 1984, Bhopal, India, experienced a release of approximately 40 metric tons of methyl isocyanate (MIC) at the Union Carbide pesticide plant. Over 100,000 were injured and 3000 people were killed, and many more are likely to die from the long-term effects. The accident occurred around 12 40 a.m. local time, when most of the victims were sleeping. The dead included large numbers of infants, children, and older men and women. These age groups are often adversely impacted by toxic exposures. 

The escape of some 40 tons of MIC (methyl isocyanate) gas from a Union Carbide pesticide production plant in the Indian city of Bhopal led to the world s worst industrial disaster. At least 2,500 people were killed, 10,000 seriously injured, 20,000 partially disabled, and 180,000 others adversely affected in one way or another. Some 150,000 people are reported to be still suffering from the adverse effects of the Bhopal catastrophe. 

Important Point Methyl isocyanate is an organic chemical that is used in the production of pesticides. Methyl isocyanate, commonly referred to as MIC, is extremely toxic to humans. Short-term exposure may cause death or adverse health effects, including pulmonary edema (respiratory inflammation), bronchitis, bronchial pneumonia, and reproductive effects. 

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