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EMAIL ARCHIVE MESSAGE 033   

Hello, to whom ever receives this e-mail I am in grade 10 and I need information on chlorine.  I need a list of the materials required for the manufacturing of the product.  I need these questions to be answered:

1. What are the raw materials and where are these raw materials obtained from?   How these are shipped to the plant?

     The plants are usually built next to or on top of underground brine (salt water) sources.  The salt water is pumped from the pond to the plant.

2. What is the manufacturing process for chlorine?

     Chlorine is produced from a process known as the Chlor-Alkali process.  You'll be able to find tons of information on the internet about this very popular process.  To get you started, see: http://www.cheresources.com/chloralk.shtml

3. What are the hazards resulting from the process to the general public?  What are the hazards resulting from the process to the plant workers?

     Both of the major products (sodium hydroxide and chlorine) pose risks to the plant workers.  For details about health hazards, look up the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for each chemical.   Chlorine poses the greatest hazard to the surrounding area.  If the chlorine were to escape the plant, since it's a gas it could be carried to other locations and then others would be at the same health risks as the plant workers.

4. Final distribution of the manufactured product.  Where it is used?  How  it is used?  What is used for?  Why it is used for?

     Probably the largest users of chlorine are the plants that make vinyl chloride monomer.  This chemical is then transformed in polyvinyl chloride or PVC.  PVC is used to make things such as pipes, housing siding, and dashboards in cars.  Chlorine is also used as an antiseptic (such as for water treatment).  Many other plastics also use chlorine.  For example, chlorine is very electronegative, this is the property that gives Saran wrap its "clinginess"