Bhopal Disaster

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Bhopal Disaster

• Chad Chisolm
• Jacob Hicks
• Jeffrey Harden

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Overview

• This was an industrial disaster
• Occurred in Bhopal, India
• Over 3,000 people died immediately
• Approximately 8,000 died within two weeks
• Over 520,000 where exposed to the toxic gases

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Overview

• The company was Union Carbide
• The disaster occurred December 4, 1984

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Factors Leading to Mega-gas Leak

• The use of hazardous chemicals (MIC) instead of
  less dangerous ones
• Storing these chemicals in large tanks instead of
  several smaller ones
• Possible corroding material in pipelines
• Poor maintenance after the plant ceased
  production in the early 1980's
• Failure of several safety systems (due to poor
  maintenance and regulations)

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Disaster
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Chemicals Present

• Phosgene
• World War 1 chemical weapon
• Methyl Isocyanate (MIC)
• Mono methylamines
• CO
• HCI
• NO
• Hydrogen cyanide

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MIC

• Chemical
• Effects
• Very toxic
• Threshold of 0.02ppm
• Low level
• Causes coughing, chest pain, asthma, skin damage
• High level
• Lung edema, emphysema, hemorrhage, and death
• Chemical reaction

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MIC Chemical Reactions
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Phosgene

• Chemical compound (COCl2)
• It is a colorless gas used in World War 1
• Odor resembles freshly cut grass
• Effects
• Can be detected at 0.4ppm
• Symptoms are slow to appear
• Suffocation by causing alveoli damage

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Phosgene

• CO Cl2 ? COCl2 ?Hrxn
• Phosgene reacts with water to release
  hydrochloric acid and carbon dioxide
• COCl2 H2O ? CO2 2 HCl

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Hydrogen Cyanide

• Chemical Compound HCN
• Chemical agent that causes poisoning
• Listed under Schedule 3 substances of the
  Chemical Weapons Conventions
• Effects
• Prevents cellular respiration (can kill a human
  in a few minutes)

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Hydrogen Cyanide

• Hydrogen cyanide can be formed from virtually any
  combination of hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen
• 2CH4 2NH3 3O2 ? 2HCN 6H2O

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• 6. GREEN CHEMISTRY AND ECONOMICS
• Example Production of carbaryl
• 1) The way Union Carbyde used to make carbaryl
  (in India)
• Methyl isocyanate alpha-naphtol ? carbaryl
• Economics
• Methyl-isocyanate (57 grams/mole ) purchased at
  2.50/kg and
• Alpha-naphtol (144 grams/mole) purchased at
  3.99/kg
• Carbaryl (201 grams/mole) sold at 5.81/kg
• Profit per kg of carbaryl 5.81 - 2.50 x 0.057
  x 4.98 - 3.99 x 0.144 x 4.98
• 5.81 - 0.71 - 2.86
• 2.24
• 2) The optimum solution from an environmental
  perspective
• Methyl formamide alpha-naphtol ? carbaryl
  hydrogen
• Economics
• Methyl formamide (59 grams/mole) purchased at
  1.54/kg
• Alpha-naphtol (144 grams/mole) purchased at
  3.99/kg
• Hydrogen (2 grams/mole) sold at 0.10/kg
• Carbaryl (201 grams/mole) sold at 5.81/kg

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References

• http//www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/methylis.html
• http//www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Methyl-is
  ocyanate
• http//www.bhopal.org/whathappened.html
• http//www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Bhopal_dis
  aster
• http//www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2204/stories/200
  50225005312500.htm
• http//books.google.com/books?id8zQ0okoiCpkCpgP
  A60lpgPA60dqMethylisocyanateHydrogenCyanide
  sourceblotsSacFpk2dtRsigbf6YM6BHmsjXgqujVfq_
  wq7SnYAhlensaXoibook_resultresnum1ctresu
  ltPPA60,M1
• http//www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/phosgene/basics/facts.
  asp