AHOV: classification. The most common accidentally hazardous substances

Today, more than six million different chemical compounds are known that people regularly encounter in their daily lives. They are often used in everyday life, industrial and agricultural industries, but some of them are very dangerous and toxic. In the case of large emissions or spills, these potent toxic substances can lead to massive damage to people and all living organisms, and can also cause infection of the environment, water and soil, which is why they are also called AHOV.

Description

Mainly in factories specializing in the defense, pulp and paper, metallurgy and oil industries, a large number of AHOV stocks are concentrated. The interpretation of this abbreviation sounds like an “accidentally chemically hazardous substance”, since the ingress of such compounds into the air will lead to poisoning and death of a huge number of people. In the event of a catastrophe at the enterprise where they are stored, all living things will be defeated not only directly at this facility, but also far beyond its borders.

The most common accidentally chemically hazardous substances that are on the list drawn up and approved by the headquarters of the RF GO are ammonia, liquefied chlorine, sulfur dioxide, nitrile, hydrocyanic and acrylic acids, benzene, fluorine and hydrogen bromide. At some enterprises they contain tens of thousands of tons. Typically, these substances are stored in a gas or liquid state. They are transported round the clock by rail and pipeline. Some of them are most harmful to humans and in an accident, moving in the direction of the wind, can be transported over long distances.

Characteristics of highly hazardous AHOV

The following potent toxic substances are considered the most harmful:

• NH₃ (ammonia) is a colorless gas that smells like ammonia. It is mainly used for the production of liquid fertilizers and nitrate, as well as soda. In addition, this substance can also be used for dyeing fabrics and silvering mirrors. It irritates mainly the respiratory tract, as well as the mucous membranes and skin integuments.
• Cl₂ (chlorine) has the appearance of a yellowish gas with a pronounced harsh odor. During evaporation, it always forms a white fog with water vapor. This chemical hazardous substance is used for water treatment and is widely used in the textile industry. This gas strongly irritates the respiratory tract of a person and can even cause pulmonary edema.
• HCN (hydrogen cyanide, or hydrocyanic acid) is a liquid that has no color and has a bitter almond smell. It is often used in the manufacture of plastic, organic glass and artificial fiber. This substance blocks intracellular enzymes that contain iron, and thus causes suffocation of all human tissues.
• SO₂ (sulfur dioxide) is a colorless gas with a pungent odor and a sweetish aftertaste. This accidentally chemically hazardous substance, in contact with water, can form sulfuric acid. It is often used as bleach or in the food industry as a preservative. This gas affects the airways and may cause corneal opacity.
• H₂S (hydrogen sulfide) is a third-party product resulting from the processing of various petroleum products, as well as during coking of coal. This gas has no color and has the smell of a rotten egg.It is also used in the production of sulfur. It affects mainly the lungs, and poisoning them can lead to their edema.
• CO (carbon monoxide) is a gas that is colorless and odorless. When ignited, it looks like a blue flame. Poisoning with this substance is called fumes.
• C₄H₄O₂ (dioxin) is a compound containing two benzene rings in which two hydrogen atoms are replaced by chlorine. This strongest poison is produced at enterprises producing fuel, as well as at pulp and paper mills and electrolysis plants. Poisoning them leads mainly to death.
• C₆H₆ (benzene) is a colorless liquid with a pungent odor. It is formed as a result of coking coal. It is used most often for the synthesis of pesticides, as well as in the production of many pharmaceuticals and as a solvent for various fats and varnishes. Poisoning with this substance can lead to loss of consciousness and convulsions.

Classification by mode of entry and hazard rating

All of the above chemicals are also divided into groups depending on how certain AHOVs enter the body. Their classification in this case has the following form:

• Penetrating through the respiratory tract.
• Poisons that enter the human body through the digestive tract, that is, through the mouth.
• Substances that have a toxic effect through the skin.

In addition, there is a classification of AHOV by hazard class which looks like this:

• Extremely harmful potent poisons, leading mainly to death from poisoning by them. These include hydrocyanic acid, chemical compounds of mercury, lead, zinc and cadmium, as well as nitrites, phosgene, ethylene oxides and hydrogen chloride.
• Highly dangerous are various organic acids, ammonia, compounds containing sulfur, phenols, cresols, as well as all kinds of acid aldehydes.
• All other chemical compounds are usually classified as moderately harmful and low-hazard AHOV. Deciphering them in this case also sounds like “accidentally chemically hazardous substances,” but poisoning by them cannot lead to such disastrous consequences, unlike the two previous classes.

Physical classification

All AHOVs are also divided into groups according to the nature of their behavior on the ground, in the air and in water. Their classification in this case depends on their most important parameter, due to which it is determined how a particular substance will behave when released or spilled into the atmosphere, that is, what will be the maximum concentration of its vapor in the air.

In industrial toxicology, they also use such an indicator with which you can immediately take into account the toxicity and volatility of a chemical.

Storage Classification

Due to the different physical and chemical properties, they must be located at AHOW enterprises in completely different conditions. Their classification in this case has the following form:

• The first category is substances that have a low critical temperature and are stored in a compressed state (nitric oxide, natural gas).
• The second group is AHOV, which are in a liquefied state and boil at low degrees (sulfur dioxide, chlorine, ammonia and others).
• The third category is liquid substances stored under ordinary atmospheric pressure. Most of AHOV belongs to this group.
• The fourth type - they are stored in solid form and can cause great harm in case of fires (dioxin, salts of heavy metals and others).

Particularly dangerous are accidents with the release of AHOV of the first and second categories, since when these substances enter the atmosphere, they rapidly boil with instant evaporation.

Emergency situations

Depending on the affected area, all disasters, in turn, are divided into private, local, object, regional and global in nature.The release of AHOV can occur as a result of the destruction of tanks, pipelines or tanks, as well as due to equipment breakdowns, transport accidents and various natural disasters.

Such disasters can lead to the death of people, animals, plants, as well as to contamination of food, feed and the atmosphere. The media should inform the public about the occurrence of such an emergency, as well as give recommendations on how to behave in the infection zone. But if this does not happen, the approach of the catastrophe can be recognized independently, and it is necessary to know all the precautions in order to survive and maintain health.

Danger signs

If an outbreak or AHOV strait occurs, an accident cannot be avoided. It can be detected by the following signs:

• An expanding cloud appears, the origin of which is unnatural.
• The state of health sharply worsens.
• Instant wilting of plants and all greenery occurs.
• Nauseating and asphyxiating odors appear.

You can also recognize the release of which particular toxic substance occurred according to the symptoms of poisoning.

Classification by the nature of human exposure

Act completely differently on a person AHOV. Their classification in this case looks like this:

• Choking poisons (chlorine, phosphorus oxychloride and others). When they enter the body, acute chest pains, clouding and burning in the eyes, severe coughing, dry mouth, nausea, and coordination of movements are disturbed.
• General poisonous AHOV (chlorocyan, carbon monoxide, etc.). Poisoning with these substances instantly causes seizures, loss of consciousness occurs, respiratory paralysis can occur, as well as severe burning sensation in the airways.
• Neurotropic substances (phosphorus compounds, carbon disulfide). They have an effect on generation and behavior.
• Asphyxiating and toxic effects (ammonia) - poisoning with these AHOV causes a cough and runny nose, it becomes difficult to breathe, dizzy, heart palpitations, and redness and itching of the skin.
• Metabolic substances (dioxin, ethylene oxide, etc.). Poisoning with these poisons most often causes organ mutations or death.

Security measures

In order to protect yourself from such terrible consequences of poisoning, you need to know how to behave in case of danger in the event of an AXOV release:

• If there is a shelter somewhere nearby, then you must immediately take refuge in it.
• Urgently put on a gauze bandage and protect the skin from damage with tight clothing.
• While at home, it is necessary to tightly close all windows, as well as doors and ventilation.
• To protect the respiratory system, you can also use a towel soaked in saline or soda solution.

Remedies for AHOV

The most reliable protection against these poisons are gas masks and respirators. They can protect a person from the fumes of these substances if they are healthy and consistent with growth.

The gas mask should fit snugly to the face and not cause any pain in the person. When buying these protective equipment, you need to know the size of the head from the top of the head to the chin.

Useful information

Also, do not forget about the precautions in your home in order to protect yourself and your loved ones from poisoning with chemicals:

• All chemistry, including household chemistry, must be out of reach of children, and also lie separately from food and water.
• Do not store unknown or unnecessary chemicals in the apartment.
• When using detergents, it is best to wear gloves and an apron.

Thus, properly organized protection against AHOV is an important factor in saving people and all living organisms in case of emergency.