SOURCES OF PHOSGENE EMISSION

Emissions of phosgene most commonly arise as a result of its release during manufacture and use, its formation from the decomposition of chlorinated hydrocarbons, and its formation from the photochemical oxidation of air-borne chlorinated organic materials, particularly the C, and C chloroalkanes, and chloroethenes. The location and estimation of air emissions from sources of phosgene have been described by the US Environmental Protection Agency [2088b], Catastrophic emissions and accidental spills and leaks are discussed in Section 3.6. 

Chlorinated hydrocarbons, and other halogenated materials containing chlorine, can decompose to more toxic substances when subjected to heat or electromagnetic radiation in the presence of air or moisture [201,586]. The products of decomposition may include chlorine, hydrogen chloride and phosgene, inter alia, and it is clearly important, in view of the widespread commercial uses of the various halogenated hydrocarbons as solvents, refrigerants. 

The oxidation of various chlorinated hydrocarbons, either by air or other means, has been used as a method of synthesizing phosgene this is discussed in detail in Chapter S. 

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