喝農藥嘔出毒氣

日男1人自殺致54人不適
2008/05/22 14:59國際中心／編譯

日本熊本市一名男子21日晚間喝農藥自殺，沒想到送醫急救之後，該名男子的嘔吐物竟然散發有毒氣體，導致熊本紅十字醫院的醫生、病患共54人身體不適，還有一名老婦人出現呼吸困難的症狀。 自殺男子現年34歲，當醫護人員緊急對他進行催吐時，男子的嘔吐物散發出陣陣刺鼻臭味，毒氣使得同層樓包括醫生、病患在內的54人，陸續感到眼睛刺痛、喉嚨腫痛，其中一名罹患肺癌的72歲老婦人更出現呼吸困難症狀，緊急被送往其他醫院急救。

男子在嘔吐後不治死亡，醫院也陷入一片慌亂，根據了解，男子喝下的農藥「氯化苦」是消毒土壤的土壤燻蒸劑，屬於強烈劇毒，但在送醫過程中，男子並未通報是哪種化學藥物，因此醫護人員在施救過程中都沒有戴防毒面罩。

消防隊在接獲醫院通報後，立刻派遣穿著防護衣的消防隊員到場針對嘔吐物噴灑消毒液，並打開窗戶讓空氣流通。整個消毒作業到22日凌晨2點半結束，急診中心更一度關閉，直到中午才重新對外開放。

Chloropicrin is a slightly oily, colorless or faintly yellow liquid of the formula CCl3NO2. Its freezing point is -69.2 °C and its boiling point is 112 °C, where it partially decomposes to phosgene and nitrosyl chloride. It is denser than water. It is more toxic than chlorine but less than phosgene.

History

Chloropicrin was used in World War I as a chemical weapon, called 'PS' by British, 'Aquinite' by French, and 'Klop' (green cross) by Germans. After WW II, however, the importance of chloropicrin for military use decreased and, today, has vanished. In the chemical industry, it is widely used for organic synthesis, in fumigants, in fungicides and insecticides, and for the extermination of rats.

Preparation

Chloropicrin is a relatively stable liquid that is prepared by the reaction of picric acid with calcium hypochlorite, by the addition of nitrogen to chlorinated hydrocarbons, or by chlorinating nitromethane. In environment it undergoes photolysis.

Application

Chloropicrin is used for fumigation, to sterilize soil and seed.

Safety

Chloropicrin vapor is highly poisonous if inhaled. As a chemical warfare agent it is a powerful irritant from the group of pulmonary agents. It causes lachrymation, vomiting, bronchitis, and pulmonary edema; the lung injury can be fatal. Very low concentrations cause burning sensation of the eyes, which may serve as a warning.