The Greek word chlōrós derived from the French chlore, which came to our language as chlorine. This is the name of the chemical element whose symbol is Cl and its atomic number is 17.
Chlorine, which in the periodic table of elements is part of all halogens, normally appears as a gas with a yellowish or greenish hue characterized by its toxicity. It is an element present in copious quantities on our planet.
Plant and animal tissues, salt deposits, and sea water contain chlorine. It is important to note that, in nature, it is not usually found in its pure state due to its tendency to react quickly when in contact with various chemical compounds and elements. That is why it appears as chlorates, chlorites or chlorides.
Carl Wilhelm Scheele, a Swedish chemist born in 1742 and died in 1786, was the one who discovered chlorine in 1774. Scheele, however, thought that chlorine was a compound with oxygen. It was not until 1810 that another chemist, the Englishman Humphry Davy (1778-1829), managed to demonstrate that chlorine was a chemical element.
Chlorine, through various compounds, has multiple uses. One of the most frequent is the disinfection of water. Chlorine is often added to the water used to fill swimming pools, for example. This substance is also used as a pesticide and in the manufacture of plastics, solvents, bleaches and dyes. Below we delve into these and other uses in more detail.
Besides swimming pool water, drinking water can also be kept safe thanks to the chemistry of chlorine. Before governments began treating water with disinfectants based on this element, hundreds of people died each year from diseases such as typhoid fever, hepatitis A, dysentery and cholera, among others that are transmitted through the Water.
The action of chlorine in these cases, specifically when it is used in disinfectants for swimming pool water, is focused on destroying pathogens capable of causing diseases, both those mentioned in the previous paragraph and skin rashes, diarrhea and athlete’s foot.
According to DigoPaul, Chlorine is also used in the home, in this case in the form of a product that is used to disinfect and whiten clothes and bathroom and kitchen furniture. We are talking about diluted bleach and some solutions in water, which act effectively against germs present in various parts of the house that can cause diseases, among which is norovirus.
In another area, chlorine serves to protect plantations from pests, to ensure the quality and abundance of crops, which then become human food. Thanks to its use can destroy salmonella and viruses from E. coli, to cite just two examples.
Chlorine is also used to make many of the most widely used medications today, including those that are used to relieve the symptoms of certain allergies, reduce the pain of arthritis and lower cholesterol. In articles own medical clinic can also find chlorine; some examples are stitches, inhalers, and blood bags.
Finally, Constantius Chlorus is the name by which Flavio Valerius Constantius is known, Roman emperor who held the titles of Caesar and Augustus. He founded the Constantinian dynasty and helped defeat the usurper Alecto, in addition to having led various military campaigns. His death was sudden and triggered the collapse of the government system established by the Emperor Diocletian.
