Deliberations about Toxic Pneumonitis from Mixing Household Cleaners
Posted in Pulmonary | 12/05/2016
Household ammonia (5 to 10 percent aqueous ammonia) and bleach (5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite) separately have low potential for toxic inhalation injury because of their low concentrations of active ingredients. Exposure to higher concentrations of ammonia cause respiratory distress, death, and residual respiratory damage in survivors, including obstructive changes, bronchiectasis, and parenchymal scarring. Sodium hypochlorite may release small amounts of hypochlorous acid and chlorine gas, but in the concentration found in household bleach it has not been associated with toxic pneumonitis from inhalation exposure when used alone. Mixtures of household ammonia with bleach form a variety of chloramines, but the predominant product is monochloramine, which is produced by the reaction NH3 + NaOCl—►NHjCl + NaOH. Monochloramine is then released as an unstable, respirable gas.
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